I love headlines.

[fiddle mike]

"Obama vows to fight piracy after captain's rescue"
   Its as good a time as any to go around vowing.  I vowed to fight drug trafficking after six big cops busted a nearby dealer.

[solo1]

"Vowing" is always done by politicians.  What concerns me is that this piracy was being treated originally as a civilian matter, ie, the FBI were called in.
Piracy is an international matter.  Awhile back, the military would've taken care of the matter as a standing order and probably done immediately what had to be done instead of taking this long.  Navy 1,  Chain of command -0.

In the last 15 years or so, the government seems to be confused as to whether it's a civilian matter or whether it's a military matter.  Waco Texas (tanks against civilians) vs Somalian piracy (FBI).

[John Schmidt]

I believe one attack did gain the ship, thankfully not flying a U.S. flag this time. What I can't figure out is why Obama had to give the OK on the rescue the other day. He wasn't there, the Navy was and knew what the situation was at any given moment. If it's a military operation, which it is or the Navy wouldn't be present, then let them do their job. This business of trying to run an operation from halfway around the world smacks of the stupidity shown during Viet Nam. We spend millions of dollars training our men to "take care of business" so have a little confidence in their training, get the heck out of the way and let them do their job. The Navy personnel in charge out there have more knowledge and diplomacy insight than Obama will ever have.

My hat's off the SEAL unit that did "take care of business" and everyone else involved. Here's hoping Obama is a good student, he has a lot to learn.

[fiddle mike]

In the last 15 years or so, the government seems to be confused as to whether it's a civilian matter or whether it's a military matter.  Waco Texas (tanks against civilians) vs Somalian piracy (FBI).

If you want to be spooked, pick up a copy of LEO or  some other cop magazine and look at the military gear offered to PDs. Joe Arapiao used a tank to serve a traffic warrant and the cops who kidnapped the Mormon children  in San Angelo rolled a tank into the yard.  The militarization of PDs is a move to intimidated the public ( you know, like "terrorists" do). 

I think Obama  used the Somali kidnapping as a PR stunt.  He's been a hair away from his own "Mission accomplished" statement with the economy and some maverick reporter is likely to go objective on him if The Party doesn't keep throwing dust in the air. 

[Super Santa]

I am sure you all have heard the Marine Hymn and the lines: "From the halls of Montezuma, to the shores of Tripoli".

The Tripoli reference is to pirates off the north African coast in the late 1700's and early 1800's.  The U.S. was paying tribute of $1,000,000 annually.  When Jefferson became president, he got fed up and the Marine's solved the problem. 

Read about it at:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Barbary_War

[Skinhead]

In the last 15 years or so, the government seems to be confused as to whether it's a civilian matter or whether it's a military matter.  Waco Texas (tanks against civilians) vs Somalian piracy (FBI).

If you want to be spooked, pick up a copy of LEO or  some other cop magazine and look at the military gear offered to PDs. Joe Arapiao used a tank to serve a traffic warrant and the cops who kidnapped the Mormon children  in San Angelo rolled a tank into the yard.  The militarization of PDs is a move to intimidated the public ( you know, like "terrorists" do). 

I don't agree with the police serving warrents with tanks, but I believe they are using them to protect police officers lives more so than for intimidation.  While it should not be the first response, I'm sure the 3 cops in Pittsburgh and their families wish the officers had approached in a tank.

The government's infringement on our rights and interference in our private lives have led to  incidents like Ruby Ridge, Waco, Oklahoma City, etc.  The do-gooders think they know better than you, the bueracrats (sp?) want to make a name for themselves at the citizen's expense, entrapment is one of their tools.  They ignore the white collar criminal who steals millions, the drug lords who are contributing to their campaigns, and target the little guy who can't afford high priced lawyers.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not soft on crime, but I'm sick and tired of the feds trying to run our lives.

I applaude sheriff Joe for saving the taxpayers in AZ a ton of money, I wouldn't want to spend time in his jail, so when I'm in AZ, I make sure I don't give him a reason to show me his hospitality.  From what I hear, alot of his guests try to avoid a second visit.

Don't mean to start a ruckus, just venting.

[sandy]

Good old Joe. I'm from his territory (Maricopa County, Phx) and know someone who spent a year in his Tent City. She (drug charge) wants nothing to do with drugs or ever doing anything to land back in there.