US sea capt. freed from pirates in swift firefight
Those Navy fellows must have studied the way of the ninja. What a great Easter gift for the family. I'm glad that the Captain is safe and sound. GO NAVY!!
Good job USN! Perhaps other US boats will be a little safer in those waters now.
this is not really news; I am glad the crew and guy is safe and all; but the navy patrols the sea lanes for America as a show of strength but mostly to deter pirates. Much of the area between Africa and Asia are lousy with pirates, but most of it you guys dont hear about. Back in my day, I think the navy called that patrol Westpac, but I dont really know; would have to ask some friends me having been part of the lean green machine; my Marine buds used to tell me about such stuff; it is kind of interesting that they have become bold enough to attempt all the siezures of late; France just had to deal with some pirates not long ago. I dont know how many of you know the Marine hymn, but part of that is about how they laid the smack down on several pirate stronghold to make American shipping lanes safe. I imagine if our Pres has any balls, they will probably do so again; it would not be wise to just let this sort of thing get out of hand. He is a Dem; maybe he will use Roosevelt's big stick.
Hmm; just remembered. A friend who was in the Coast Guard says they are the only ones that can shoot first no questions asked. I wonder what the Navy's rules of engagement are going to be to counter such things; some of you web surfers guru's can keep up on this and link if you can; I am a terrible surfer for info myself.
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I dont know how many of you know the Marine hymn, but part of that is about how they laid the smack down on several pirate stronghold to make American shipping lanes safe. I imagine if our Pres has any balls, they will probably do so again; it would not be wise to just let this sort of thing get out of hand. He is a Dem; maybe he will use Roosevelt's big stick.
The Roosevelt of the Big Stick was Teddy, who was a Republican.
The line in the Marine Corps Hymn is "to the shores of Tripoli", a reference to the Battle of Derne during the First Barbary War.And what caused the First Barbary War?
Well, according to Thomas Jefferson and John Adams (that page and the next two) . . . plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.
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Hey, Aberzombie!
Yep. I am, indeed, an officer on the "Golden Gator". My only real "bragging rights" of late are that I was responsible for making sure my folks set up the captain's first call to his family after he was rescued. I did get to meet him, very briefly. Great guy.
Your profile says you're on the East Coast (although it also says you eat brains, so I can't be sure of the veracity of any info there). ;)
If you come out West any time this fall to do some work at 32nd Street, let me know.
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I here that the president is trying to take credit for the rescue now.
I don't think he's trying to take credit, so much as the media is letting people know that he authorized the actions taken by the Navy. In that regard, he does get some credit - the Commander of BAINBRIDGE couldn't have made a move without orders allowing him to do so. I'm glad the President had the confidence in our people to be able to pull this off.
When I heard the pirates were taking shots in the U.S. destoyer's direction, I knew it was only a matter of time before they got put down. Holding a hostage is one thing, taking shots at U.S. military while doing it is another. I'm glad to hear the captain had the awareness to try another escape and that the military was ready this time to take advantage of it.
US sea capt. freed from pirates in swift firefight
Those Navy fellows must have studied the way of the ninja. What a great Easter gift for the family. I'm glad that the Captain is safe and sound. GO NAVY!!
Go Navy, indeed! :)
Just heard "Pirates vow revenge" - Uh, good luck with that... We have at least a couple of guys who can make a head shot from a moving ship to a moving life boat :)
Hmmm... three single shots against three targets at about 50-100 yards, at night (with low-light vision), while both the shooter and target are moving up and down at different rates... with a hostage in play who has a gun pointed at him already.
What do ya think would be the DC on that? :)
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According to an article I read, the lifeboat was actually about 25-30 yards awaya, being towed by the BAINBRIDGE at the time, to get it out of rough waters. Two of the pirates popped their heads up, and the third was seen through the cabin window pointing an AK-47 at Captain Phillips. Concluding that Phillips life was in danger, Commander Castellano gave the order to fire.
As for the pirates vows of revenge - I say bring it on! Maybe we can outfit a single ship with a permanent detachment of Seals to act specifically as pirate hunters.
According to an article I read, the lifeboat was actually about 25-30 yards awaya, being towed by the BAINBRIDGE at the time, to get it out of rough waters. Two of the pirates popped their heads up, and the third was seen through the cabin window pointing an AK-47 at Captain Phillips. Concluding that Phillips life was in danger, Commander Castellano gave the order to fire.
As for the pirates vows of revenge - I say bring it on! Maybe we can outfit a single ship with a permanent detachment of Seals to act specifically as pirate hunters.
I was guessing at safe tow distance :)... Hey, T-Shirt idea: Jolly Roger with a bleeding bullet hole in the middle of the skull and some pithy punchline... Remember, you saw it here first :) Yeah, I'm sure someone is already printing it up...
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I was guessing at safe tow distance :)... Hey, T-Shirt idea: Jolly Roger with a bleeding bullet hole in the middle of the skull and some pithy punchline... Remember, you saw it here first :) Yeah, I'm sure someone is already printing it up...
Sounds like an idea for a deployment T-shirt to me. ;) Will probably be denied due to it being in "poor taste", though.
I was guessing at safe tow distance :)... Hey, T-Shirt idea: Jolly Roger with a bleeding bullet hole in the middle of the skull and some pithy punchline... Remember, you saw it here first :) Yeah, I'm sure someone is already printing it up...Sounds like an idea for a deployment T-shirt to me. ;) Will probably be denied due to it being in "poor taste", though.
I'm a Navy/Air Force/Air National Guard vet... I know first-hand what you mean about the "poor taste" thing... the service has to present a more PC image these days... <sigh> I still want the T-shirt :)
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I know first-hand what you mean about the "poor taste" thing... the service has to present a more PC image these days... <sigh> I still want the T-shirt :)
Me, too. And there's nothing that says I can't have one made for myself (and a few of my closest friends) on my own dime. Might look into that at our next liberty port...whenever and wherever that is.
I'll have to chime in with a slightly differing opinion here. Now, first of all I agree that it's great that the captain was returned safely to his family and that none of the other crew members were harmed. It's also good news seeing that the company which owns the ship is a Danish company (Maersk).
However, I'm a bit dismayed by the callousness and cheering going on at the necessity to shoot and kill 17-19 year old kids who, by most accounts, have been "forced" into piracy by the lure of easy money in a country where everything seems to be going down the sh*tter.
Yes, the piracy along the Somali coast is a problem and a danger to those who work in the seafaring industry along there.
But shooting the pirates on sight (which you can't do in international water, just them being there doesn't break any laws, they have to be caught in the act - and in Somali waters you can't do it either, then you'll land in a heap of trouble with the Somali "government") or bombing their "bases" (which are full of civilians) aren't the solution if you don't try and do something about the cause of this piracy. The unstable situation in the country needs to be patched up first and by doing so I'm sure the piracy will diminish again (especially with an increased international threat of immediate violence upon capture).
"I took on the U.S. Navy and all I got was killed.""I took on the U.S. Navy and all I got was burial at sea."
"Seals? Where? I don't see anyth...."
"Feelin' lucky, pirate?"
Please add your own.
You seem very at ease with the act of killing people in a non-warzone. That's disturbing, to say the least.
You seem very at ease with the act of killing people in a non-warzone. That's disturbing, to say the least.
"I took on the U.S. Navy and all I got was killed.""I took on the U.S. Navy and all I got was burial at sea."
"Seals? Where? I don't see anyth...."
"Feelin' lucky, pirate?"
Please add your own.
I am VERY comfortable with killing a fellow American citizen that breaks into my home, let alone some non-citizen pirate scumbags in Somalia taking a fellow citizen hostage. Last I heard, Somalia for all practicable purposes is nothing BUT a war zone.
There is a reason they used to execute pirates back during the "Age of Sail". That they have not been exterminated yet amazes me - the last time anything like this crossed swords with the United States, we sailed a fleet in and shelled the city of those responsible - civilian casualties be damned. "Shores of Tripoli" ring a bell?
There are times to rue the loss of human life - and there are times to take it. This piracy nonsense has been permitted to go on for far too long as it is.
All of the above reply is, of course, IMO. :) We have a Constitutional right to disagree about such matters.
I'm surprised no one on this thread has blamed the U.S. for causing the piracy. Some of you libs are beginning to slip. ;)
I would like to add that the vessel was carrying food for humanitarian aid. So we have individuals who seize a ship by force, take the crew hostage (or attempt to), demand ransom for the hostages, with intentions to hoard a cargo that was meant to go to people who are starving. That being said, I don't feel sorry for the Somali pirates, and I won't be losing any sleep over the actions taken by the Navy SEALS.
You seem very at ease with the act of killing people in a non-warzone. That's disturbing, to say the least.
Yes I do.
Conversely, I find your characterization of these vermin as having been "forced" into piracy to be painfully naive. Are all the Somalis engaing in piracy? Of course not. Is life in Somalia much more than a travesty? Again, of course not. But these "17-19 year olds" as you put it decided to attack an unarmed ship for the purpose of taking hostages for ransom. They reaped the consequences of their actions.
And what of the fact that this was not a warzone in the sense that no governments had declared one to exist? The actions of the pirates made it one in all but name. Threatening someone with violence invites violence in response.
Painfully naive how? If you see and hear about this "tactic" (piracy) working (extremely well in most cases, what with the ransom money a lot of companies have paid) and your only other option is starving in a very unstable country, one practically engaged in civil war, how is it naive to think that this will force a lot of people to choose this way of living?
Look, I'm in no way condoning the piracy in any way, but there are bigger issues at work here and "shoot first, ask later" and "ohhh me so big and strong, me the US Navy" tactics aren't going to solve the problem.I'd even call that naive on your part if I may.
I am VERY comfortable with killing a fellow American citizen that breaks into my home, let alone some non-citizen pirate scumbags in Somalia taking a fellow citizen hostage.
Which also disturbs me greatly, the apparent disregard for human life, even American citizens let alone "pirate scumbags in Somalia".
Just for breaking and entering, you find that this crime validates a death sentence? Once again, I am reminded of the different mindset of me and a lot of Americans.I know this is going off-topic, so I'll just post some more stuff in a spoiler. Feel free to answer or not.
On sight? On movement (e.g. dark room, shadows moving across the room)? On positive ID of intruder? Or when?
There is a reason they used to execute pirates back during the "Age of Sail". That they have not been exterminated yet amazes me - the last time anything like this crossed swords with the United States, we sailed a fleet in and shelled the city of those responsible - civilian casualties be damned. "Shores of Tripoli" ring a bell?
There are times to rue the loss of human life - and there are times to take it. This piracy nonsense has been permitted to go on for far too long as it is.
And there is a reason why we are no longer living 'back during the "Age of Sail".'
I'm sure you'd be all up in arms if someone "sailed a fleet in and shelled the city of those responsible - civilian casualties be damned" on US soil because of illegal activities perpetrated by US citizens (or even their military), yet you find it a reasonable response from "your" side... doesn't that seem a tad bit hypocritical?All of the above reply is, of course, IMO. :) We have a Constitutional right to disagree about such matters.
Well, me being a non-US citizen I'm not obliged to follow your Constitution, but I fully agree with the sentiment, therefore I freely posted my opinion and gladly accept responses to it. :-)
I would like to add that the vessel was carrying food for humanitarian aid. So we have individuals who seize a ship by force, take the crew hostage (or attempt to), demand ransom for the hostages, with intentions to hoard a cargo that was meant to go to people who are starving. That being said, I don't feel sorry for the Somali pirates, and I won't be losing any sleep over the actions taken by the Navy SEALS.
Regarding the bolded statement:
Colour me "naive" here too, but I have a feeling that the pirates had no idea what the ship was carrying. They were after ransom money for the crew, not the cargo itself.So the fact that it carried food for humanitarian aid is a non-factor in this case.
I'm surprised no one on this thread has blamed the U.S. for causing the piracy. Some of you libs are beginning to slip. ;)
As a "pinko, liberal, god-less, communist atheist", I'd like to say that you're completely off track. This is, of course, all the fault of all the religious institutions around the world combined... or Sebastian. Either of them works for me. :-p
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I thought the piracy was due to the economic devastation from a total lack of central government in Somalia for almost 20 years now, (possibly) combined with the nuclear waste dumping that may or may not have happened off Somalia's coastlines killing off most of the fishing industry. (Al-Jazeera English's take on things - yeah, I know it's Al-Jazeera, take it with a grain of salt, but, anyway: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2008/10/2008109174223218644.html
It's wonderful that the captain was rescued, and bravo to the brave men of the U.S. Armed Forces who risked their lives to save this captain (whose own actions are incredibly heroic as well).
That said. I have to echo a few of GentleGiant's sentiments.
The violent death of anyone is a terrible thing. Especially young people. Especially desperate young people whose nation is literally starving to death. These pirates would not exist if the circumstances in Somalia improved.
Many children in impoverished regions of Africa (and the inner cities of America, truth be told) simply do not have a chance in this modern world. They are "educated" and indoctrinated into criminal behavior more as a means of survival than anything else. The lives they have led as children and the formative experiences of their early years are something middle (and even most low class) Americans cannot even begin to conceive of.
If anything positive comes out of this dreadful encounter, I would hope it would include a heightened awareness of the economic and social challenges facing the world at large and how we (every single human being on the planet) can contribute to bettering the world for everyone in it, regardless of their nationality, race, or religion.
Cheering violent death is always in bad taste, and goes against any sense of a warrior code, or even decency. Respect for your foes is tantamount in retaining your humanity.
Every truly inspiring military service member or law enforcement officer I've known personally treats their work, and their adversaries with professional respect and courtesy.
I don't think its much to ask of we, the citizens whom these brave men and women serve, to ask that we observe any death in combat with civility and humanity. When a teenage boy is shot, regardless of what he has done to put himself in harm's way, it is not cause for a celebration.
All of the above is merely my honest and humble opinion.
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So the fact that it carried food for humanitarian aid is a non-factor in this case.
To the people who are neither crassly celebrating or trying to find a propagandistic angle to exploit for their own political reasons, it's the most important factor in this case.
I wonder, what responsibility does the Anti-American muckraker bear in the fact that these pirates have no idea that *gasp and swoon* those evil Americans were actually.....trying to feed starving people.But never mind that, it doesn't help the agenda. I find this.....deeply disturbing.
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Bella Sara Charter Superscriber
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My heart bleeds with the best of them, but come on. I don't care how bad your life has been, that doesn't give you license to hold people hostage. I might be more understanding if it was only theft, but it wasn't (and hasn't been). They took hostages - unarmed, civilian hostages. I may be misquoting my Book of Spider-Man (Volume III), but I'm pretty sure that no matter how badly their lives were, they had a choice to take hostages and attack innocent civilians or not.
They chose wrong.
Again, I'm not typically a go-kick-some-ass kinda guy, but I hope the US brings in warships and lays waste to the pirates and pirate havens after this.
I hate to go all 9/11, but this same argument could be made about those attacks, and it'd be just as much bullshit there too. Life's hard all over, that doesn't justify crap like this.
My heart bleeds with the best of them, but come on. I don't care how bad your life has been, that doesn't give you license to hold people hostage. I might be more understanding if it was only theft, but it wasn't (and hasn't been). They took hostages - unarmed, civilian hostages. I may be misquoting my Book of Spider-Man (Volume III), but I'm pretty sure that no matter how badly their lives were, they had a choice to take hostages and attack innocent civilians or not.
They chose wrong.
Oh I hear ya, believe me, a few years ago I'd be saying the exact same thing. But after a lot of time spent traveling and talking to people who've grown up in absolute desperation, I figured out that when you have nothing at all - crime isn't really about choice, its about survival and validation of existence.
Let me be clear. I'm not justifying ANY crime. At the same time to simply say "They chose wrong" or "They deserve what they got" is incredibly reductive.
How many of the people posting on this thread would be dreadful, abominable criminals if our lives had not unfolded as they had? What if I was born to drug addict parents, who dealt drugs to feed their habit and make a living? What if I was kicked out of school at age 10 and already dealing drugs? What if most of my friends and family are dead or in jail, and no one reached out to help me better my life circumstances? What am I supposed to do? More importantly, could I even tell the difference between right and wrong?
It's very easy to sit up in a tower built from the brick and mortar of a good upbringing, opportunities to educate and advance oneself, and no real understanding of the fear of starvation or mutilation or death on a daily basis and pass judgment on people. Believe me, I am just as guilty as the next guy of this.
But if we take the time and effort to use our imaginations to put ourselves in someone else's shoes and really see the sick and hopeless path forced on them by external hardships beyond their control, then it is possible to feel sorrow both at their senseless acts of crime and the sad consequences they face because of situations they end up in.
I think it humanly possible to feel elation at this rescue, pride in the good work of the rescuers, and sorrow for the criminals responsible all at the same time.
I for one, hope things improve on an international scale soon, and hope that humanitarian efforts (like those of the ship and her crew) continue to erode the systemic problems from which abject poverty and rampant criminality arise.
I hope that after the warships lay waste to pirate havens, that we build schools and hospitals and plant crops and ensure a better life for people who otherwise WILL resort to senseless violence to survive and validate their existence in a world that ignores their suffering.
Anyways, I know most people will disagree with me, but just watch The Wire (which is one of the single most realistic representations of urban decay, the drug war, and corruption in American cities today as far as I am concerned) and ask yourself how much of a choice most of those involved in the drug trade in inner city Baltimore have. Many are hardened criminals by the age of 12. Many of the pirates and guerilla fighters of Africa and Asia grow up in even worse circumstances and turned into cold blooded killers and criminals by the age of 8. How many of us think its a good idea to kill 12 year olds or 8 year olds? I personally think we should feed them, clothe them, socialize them, and educate them - in hopes they can contribute to our society in a meaningful way.
Again, just to reiterate - I'm happy as a lark these pirates were dealt with and the captain is safe, and proud of the brave service members who made it happen. At the same time, I would rather the world's response be more along the lines of "What are the underlying problems that acts of brazen desperate piracy and crime are symptomatic of?" and less along the lines of "America! F*!# Yea! Kill those Mutherf$!#ers!"
the truth
I agree... 100%
- There is no glory in killing, there is no honor in celebrating the death of your foe. It is crass and ugly.
- There is honor and glory in doing your job bravely and to the best of your ability.
- I dont see your servicemen/women involved making t-shirts.
My heart bleeds with the best of them, but come on. I don't care how bad your life has been, that doesn't give you license to hold people hostage. I might be more understanding if it was only theft, but it wasn't (and hasn't been). They took hostages - unarmed, civilian hostages. I may be misquoting my Book of Spider-Man (Volume III), but I'm pretty sure that no matter how badly their lives were, they had a choice to take hostages and attack innocent civilians or not.
They chose wrong.
Oh I hear ya, believe me, a few years ago I'd be saying the exact same thing. But after a lot of time spent traveling and talking to people who've grown up in absolute desperation, I figured out that when you have nothing at all - crime isn't really about choice, its about survival and validation of existence.
Let me be clear. I'm not justifying ANY crime. At the same time to simply say "They chose wrong" or "They deserve what they got" is incredibly reductive.
How many of the people posting on this thread would be dreadful, abominable criminals if our lives had not unfolded as they had?
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But if we take the time and effort to use our imaginations to put ourselves in someone else's shoes and really see the sick and hopeless path forced on them by external hardships...
The issue is simpler than that. The men on the scene, I am sure, considered the age and upbringing of the pirates, but also knew that such was not relevant to the matter at hand. There was an American ship captain whose life was in danger, who the military personnel were all sworn to defend at the cost of their own lives if need be. Everyone who has taken the oath, myself included, does not relish the decision. We do not see it as justice or fair or deserved. We see it as a necessity, a duty to defend those who are in danger. We are not numb to the thought of killing nor do we think that we're just following orders, but because we know in our bones that we are sworn to defend our own and that fulfilling that oath would be far more honorable than allowing a misguided, starving teenage pirate to kill a hostage.
Yeah, on some level I feel for the poor pirates. But the fact is they were doing the wrong thing in the wrong place at the wrong time for the wrong reasons. It's not that they deserved what they got. It's simply that they needed to be stopped and the only functional option at the time was to kill them. No more. No less. Sad for them, but who here would take their place? Who should tell the captain's family that we should have let the pirates execute him? I should think we should all rather cheer the SEALs and their commanders for doing what needed to be done to make sure the hostage was rescued unharmed without considering the popularity of the decision and only considering the necessity.
It's not that they deserved what they got. It's simply that they needed to be stopped and the only functional option at the time was to kill them.
You'll get absolutely no argument from me. My comments are in NO WAY meant to detract from the excellent job the servicemen did. Nor were they meant as a plea not to kill pirates. I'm only hoping this incident sheds light on the underlying causes of heinous actions taken by desperate people (especially young people or people raised in such unhealthy circumstances that criminality is the only choice) and motivates people not only to blow up pirates, but also to fix the decay in our global society that leads to such unfortunate events and pandemics of criminal behavior.
.... Many of the pirates and guerilla fighters of Africa and Asia grow up in even worse circumstances and turned into cold blooded killers and criminals by the age of 8. How many of us think its a good idea to kill 12 year olds or 8 year olds? I personally think we should feed them, clothe them, socialize them, and educate them - in hopes they can contribute to our society in a meaningful way.
This has actually been tried many times in history and seldom works out for anyone involved. It would be nice if it worked, but without a truly global dedication to the effort, it will likely fail. Here's why: get any three countries (or heck, any three families with different cultural background) to agree entirely on key aspects of socialization and education. We can't even do that among the states in the US...
Someday, maybe... but not for a very long time...
It's not that they deserved what they got. It's simply that they needed to be stopped and the only functional option at the time was to kill them.You'll get absolutely no argument from me. My comments are in NO WAY meant to detract from the excellent job the servicemen did. Nor were they meant as a plea not to kill pirates. I'm only hoping this incident sheds light on the underlying causes of heinous actions taken by desperate people (especially young people or people raised in such unhealthy circumstances that criminality is the only choice) and motivates people not only to blow up pirates, but also to fix the decay in our global society that leads to such unfortunate events and pandemics of criminal behavior.
Agreed - see my next - maybe humans might finally start waking up...
.... Many of the pirates and guerilla fighters of Africa and Asia grow up in even worse circumstances and turned into cold blooded killers and criminals by the age of 8. How many of us think its a good idea to kill 12 year olds or 8 year olds? I personally think we should feed them, clothe them, socialize them, and educate them - in hopes they can contribute to our society in a meaningful way.This has actually been tried many times in history and seldom works out for anyone involved. It would be nice if it worked, but without a truly global dedication to the effort, it will likely fail. Here's why: get any three countries (or heck, any three families with different cultural background) to agree entirely on key aspects of socialization and education. We can't even do that among the states in the US...
Someday, maybe... but not for a very long time...
Too true.
I am convinced education is the silver bullet though. Or at least the ability to combine rationality with human empathy. Someday maybe.
It's not that they deserved what they got. It's simply that they needed to be stopped and the only functional option at the time was to kill them.You'll get absolutely no argument from me. My comments are in NO WAY meant to detract from the excellent job the servicemen did. Nor were they meant as a plea not to kill pirates. I'm only hoping this incident sheds light on the underlying causes of heinous actions taken by desperate people (especially young people or people raised in such unhealthy circumstances that criminality is the only choice) and motivates people not only to blow up pirates, but also to fix the decay in our global society that leads to such unfortunate events and pandemics of criminal behavior.
BTW, there might be a game scenario in here... a bit of a Kobayashi Maru where no matter what you do, someone will find fault with it... a test not of success, but of character... I'm sure it's been done :)
Imagine a young gold dragon, raised by reds and completely brainwashed, threatening a village with destruction... do you sway or slay the dragon?
Hmmm...
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Old saying, "There but for the grace of G~d go I."
but on the other hand, those that forget the past are doomed to repeat it.
I am convinced education is the silver bullet though. Or at least the ability to combine rationality with human empathy. Someday maybe.
Before education, there must be communication... which I'm sure you experienced on your travels. That whole tower of babel thing really messed things up... Only when we all speak and understand a common language and fully grasp that we share a common past and future will such education find fertile soil.
Ok - enough pontificating - I have work to do...
Take care! :)
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Back In WWII some British and American freighters were heavily armed with anti-sub armaments, called q-ships. The q-ships would sail at the head or tail end of cargo convoy to catch and destroy U-boats who would attack the apparently unguarded convoy.
We need to restart this practice, equip a few freighters with hidden Vulcan mini guns and just wait for pirates to show and one less pirate crew attacking ships. The Pirates would also be discouraged attacking because they would never know which ship is cargo and which is certain death.
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As I understand it, the pirates have threatened to kil everyone before.
So far they have not.
There is no reason to believe it is anything more than posturing.
As for "understanding" the circumstances of their lives, that is all well and good.
It remains that what you do with pirates, and similar violent criminals, is kill them if caught in the act, or imprison them for a very long time if they manage to surrender. It is not wallow in guilt for having a better life and rewarding evil behavior in an attempt to salve your conscience for being a decent human being.
Likewise wondering where the money is to make Somalia and places like it "better". Read the background of Somalia. Money has been poured into it like a hopeless fixer-upper for years. The UN went in and was rejected. African Union troops went in and were rejected. Ethiopian troops went in and were rejected.
Just as there is a call for "understanding" how dismal circumstances can lead people to choose extreme criminal action there must be understanding that at a certain point the choice to reject help is an active one, above and beyond any environmental factors. Too many in Somalia have made a conscious decision to seek absolute power at any cost. Yes, opposing them will cost lives. Not opposing them will cost more lives. Yes, ending the environment that causes the violence will cost a considerable portion of the culture of Somalia. Not doing so will cost yet more lives.
How are the victims who choose not to embrace crime, including piracy and terrorism, less worthy of our consideration and pity than the "victims" that do?