Pirate Stock Exchange Opens in Somalia
- Thread starter Tom Goldman
- Start date
Not really...Tom Goldman said:
Same thing Pablo Escobar did [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pablo_Escobar#Height_of_power]...export drugs, import prosperity. Become beloved in your community.
Same thing the Yakuza do... dabble in drugs, human trafficking, all overseas, but the homefront loves you when your the first on the scene after a disaster...
That mentality is EXACTLY why nothing ever gets accomplished and things this absolutly ridiculous take place. We're so moral in the "civilized world" that we've basically tied our own hands. I consider this a problem and think we should embrace being a lot more brutal.Doug said:
The bottom line is that if we know where these goobers are, we know they are pirates because they are taking investments, and everything else, there is no real reason why we shouldn't just have a couple of our warships drop in to make a munitions investment: by firing missles, shells and tons of ordinance into every building up and down the coastline, while our airforce engages in a bit of good old fashioned carpet bombing.
I mean heck, we get complaints from Pureto Rico that we use their waters for naval gunnery practice periodically. If we're going to expend the munitions why not go use Somolia for target practice?
If a whole bunch of farmers and oppressed peasants get killed, oh well. I don't like these guys hijacking and killing our sailors. many of whom are civilians themselves. If they don't care I really have trouble feeling sympathy for them.
The way I see it is that civilians are going to die anyway. Either as victims of piracy which is going to get even worse if allowed to continue, or by us in the process of wiping out the pirates. There is no real "no civilians die" option here, so it comes down to a choice between OUR civilians and those of our allied, who are allegedly under our protection (which the Somolians do not take seriously), or their civilians. To me at least it's pretty sinmple in a choice between us or them, the answer is of course for us to pick ourselves.
I assumed there was some kind of reason why you couldn't do this. My understanding was the only reason the pirates have been having such a gay old unincarcerated time was that all the crimes they commit take place on the high seas, where they're harder to track down. And I'm pretty sure investing in a kidnapping venture is some kinda crime.
All the same, the irony here is kind of adorable. There's been a lot of talk that the solution to poverty across Africa is free enterprise, with local citizens starting up and investing in capital ventures of their own until the process becomes self-sustaining. Is this what it's going to look like?
All the same, the irony here is kind of adorable. There's been a lot of talk that the solution to poverty across Africa is free enterprise, with local citizens starting up and investing in capital ventures of their own until the process becomes self-sustaining. Is this what it's going to look like?
This is amazing, but seriously, how can they be trusted to return investments? Also, wouldn't using a rocket propelled grenade on a ship you are stealing from kinda....I don't know....kinda make the ship not safe to stay and steal from?
I think the bigger story here is that apparently you can use live ammunition as alimony payments.
The issue with piracy is incredibly complex.
Make no mistake that these gentlemen are vicious and dangerous criminals, not light hearted or noble crusaders. At the same time, like any other gang member, they often get involved at a very young age as a means of supporting themselves and their families. They murder, kidnap, and ransom people who are unarmed and minding their own business, but they do it because corrupt and exploitive business and government practices have turned their homes desolate, so they make their fortune in the most obvious way- by angrily taking it from those who have it.
Bombing them won't solve anything, Somalia has been a hotbed of genocide and destruction for decades. The only true way to redress this and all similar issues is to increase the standard of living by pumping capital and business into the area AT A LOSS until it can sustain itself while simultaniously removing the corrupt elements that control the region- Warlords, corrupt govt officials, et all. Military intervention on the surface seems the most efficient means to accomplish this but the fact of the matter is the US is stretched tired, stretched thin, and in pretty bad shape. We'll be lucky to maintain our own standard of living, much less improve anyone elses.
I WOULD say "so lets make France do it" but the fact of the matter is every other country is in a mire of social unrest and economical problems. We're all on the border of destroying ourselves in a spate of racist, xenophobic, self delusional politically fueled violence. I don't know how politics are in other parts of the world, but we have two completly useless parties over here that cannot agree or get anything done because they only want to enrich themselves on the back of a middle class that is rapidly failing.
I look upon the world and I am struck by the light of human ingenuity and faith as it contrasts to the growing darkness our thick headed, inept, dumbfuck nature casts over the globe. And I despair.
Make no mistake that these gentlemen are vicious and dangerous criminals, not light hearted or noble crusaders. At the same time, like any other gang member, they often get involved at a very young age as a means of supporting themselves and their families. They murder, kidnap, and ransom people who are unarmed and minding their own business, but they do it because corrupt and exploitive business and government practices have turned their homes desolate, so they make their fortune in the most obvious way- by angrily taking it from those who have it.
Bombing them won't solve anything, Somalia has been a hotbed of genocide and destruction for decades. The only true way to redress this and all similar issues is to increase the standard of living by pumping capital and business into the area AT A LOSS until it can sustain itself while simultaniously removing the corrupt elements that control the region- Warlords, corrupt govt officials, et all. Military intervention on the surface seems the most efficient means to accomplish this but the fact of the matter is the US is stretched tired, stretched thin, and in pretty bad shape. We'll be lucky to maintain our own standard of living, much less improve anyone elses.
I WOULD say "so lets make France do it" but the fact of the matter is every other country is in a mire of social unrest and economical problems. We're all on the border of destroying ourselves in a spate of racist, xenophobic, self delusional politically fueled violence. I don't know how politics are in other parts of the world, but we have two completly useless parties over here that cannot agree or get anything done because they only want to enrich themselves on the back of a middle class that is rapidly failing.
I look upon the world and I am struck by the light of human ingenuity and faith as it contrasts to the growing darkness our thick headed, inept, dumbfuck nature casts over the globe. And I despair.
It's been (badly) done already, when the US wasn't busy anywhere else, they didn't stay long though (nothing to gain $$$ = short stay) although to be fair it was a UN operation, led by the USA, and the stated goal was not to restore Somalia's government but insure the UN aid shipments arrived to whomever they were sent to.TsunamiWombat said:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_in_Somalia_(1992%E2%80%931993)
On-topic : Yes, the Somali pirates are criminals, not robin-hood like figures, but is it wrong to think only of yourself (and your close community) when (almost) nobody else thinks about you ?
That wouldn't be somalian money now would it?Tom Goldman said:
Anyone else get reminded of that south park episode