neptune 1, maybe you need to remember that this is NOT a warship with hundreds of excess personnel for such "extremis" situations, but a merchant vessel — a US flag merchant vessel which is lucky to have enough watchstanders to run at all, let alone fight off armed bandits. Between MARAD and the USCG agreeing to crew reduction after reduction these ships are skeleton-crewed at best! You can thank the maritime unions for maintaining the manning that we have on board now. When's the last time you saw 3 or 4 OS's on a ship? Day men? Carpenter? Wipers and electricians? I won't even talk about the steward's dept.

Firstly, thank you for the reply. In regards to establishing maritime law and making it an international effort, I do agree. From watching something on the news just now, something disturbs me. According to this alleged expert, in regards to maritime law and the different laws of the sending and receiving companies of the vessels, guns are not permitted to be stored on these ships with traditional sailors that work on the ship. Sounds like a gun control debate here in the U.S.

I agree that it should bother us and it is a problem even at times where a U.S. hostage is not involved. In times of today's U.N., we could be talking about it for the next year without any action. You must admit, though I am not sure of the reaction of foreign hostages and their home countries, citizens of the U.S. band together in such a remarkable way for people they do not know in times like these. Many are glued to their TV's, praying or involved by adding their 2 cents on the matter in hopes of creating a spark for others or promoting change on issues, such as ourselves.
By being shot, I meant by the U.S. Military patrolling the waters.
After reading a bit more after I posted previous, there is a democratic government of some sort in the northern part of the country. Investment in Somalia, as you said, is vital to the stop of piracy. I just don't think we can afford to be "that" involved yet. Regardless, a true plan needs to be developed to end it once and for all but for now we need to get tough on the subject to temporarily try to defuse or deter the current piracy that is going on. Just hope that more people watch his rescue other than watching Dancing With The Stars. Those eating dinner tomorrow for Easter should be reminded of the conditions that he has endured the past four days and the family that does not have him sitting at the table, especially for a selfless act that saved many.

Point taken about previous efforts in Somalia. It still ought to be an international effort. I would never suggest that the US nation build in Somalia.

As to the "not sure what do do with them" problem, again, this is a matter of establishing international maritime law, which has begun to a degree, but not enough has been done.

As you suggest, it should definitely bother us when US citizens are victims of piracy. But it shouldn't ONLY bother us when it is US citizens that are victims. This is the implicit reading of "show them why we are the superpower," unless you are suggesting that the US manage all maritime policing and hostage negotiations despite the country involved. Otherwise, this does not solve the problem. "No diplomacy" in part, I take it, means no ransoms paid. I agree that if there were no chance of ransom payment (a "we don't negotiate with terrorists" type of policy) it might help to drive down some of the incentive. If it were your family that was held captive, I bet you would feel differently.

As for "let it be known that all pirates will be shot of sight." I wish it were so. However, many mariners have argued strongly against arming their cargo ships (which may mean an escalation in arms by pirates."

The bottom line is that this is not a simple issue, and it needs international will, laws, punishment, and a true investment in helping in Somalia, something this incident will hopefully generate. Let's hope it stays on the American poeple's radar (so to speak) long enough to effect some change before we're off to worrying about which celebrity is dating which.

"by helping to support the establishment of a democratic government". Were you aware of the UN humanitarian effort puling out in 1995 due to the UN losing too many lives? Did you read of the actual accounts of the Blackhawk Down movie? We can not afford to establish a working government at this time. Nor do I want my tax dollars in doing so. Harsh? Yes but it is a reality that I am sure many fellow fed-up citizens agree with.
It appears that if we catch them so to speak, our government is unsure of how to handle them as they do not fall into our law.
We need to show why we are the superpower. We need to spread the word to Somalia. Let it be known that all pirates will be shot on site, no questions asked, no diplomacy.
"From the Halls of Montezuma to the Shores of Tripoli."