From the news coverage in this country you’d think that the U.S. was the only country having a problem with Somali pirates; the in some respects much worse crises that ships from other countries have been facing at the same time have received virtually no mention.
Even the Guardian – a British rather than American paper – leads off its story on the Somali seizure of a French ship by saying –
A French military operation to free a yacht hijacked by Somali pirates backfired yesterday when one of the hostages was killed, highlighting the perils facing US forces trying to free an American seaman being held captive in a parallel pirate standoff.
– as though the chief significance of the French ship’s crisis were that it illustrates the dangers of the American ship’s crisis. The American media’s attitude is even worse; only America exists.
Roderick, it isn’t that “only America exists,” but that America is the only country that exists that is of any importance. Hope that clarifies things for you.
I don’t see the distinction.
Perhaps because the French hostage situation in the article had been resolved (poorly) while the American hostage situation was still ongoing as of the press-time of the article you quote.
Nobody posted the Onion video from last year yet?
According to McClatchy News, the pirates had no more ammo. This was murder.
Bit of a stretch there. Weapons or no, they were still holding a man hostage. I’m as big a critic of American militarism as any libertarian, but I won’t be shedding any tears over dead pirates.
It’s no more a stretch than saying that it’s murder to kill someone for simply standing on your lawn, before you’ve even so much as asked them to leave. Only the force that’s actually necessary for defense is actually defensive. Killing is only justifiable if it is the minimum force necessary for actual defense. Force used for supposedly defensive purposes, that goes beyond what is actually required for defense, is not defensive force, it is criminal aggression. If they were unarmed, killing them was not actually necessary for defense, lesser force would’ve been sufficient, and so they died by criminal aggression, thus making it murder, or at the very least manslaughter (though that distinction really has no place in libertarian law, because the restitution should be the same regardless).
The story I read said the men were brandishing guns and threatening to kill the hostage. Of course, even if a dozen soldiers swore to it I’d still be skeptical. Considering how honest the domestic police forces in this country are, I’m not sure one can expect much more in the way of honesty from the regular military.
“The American media’s attitude is even worse; only America exists.”
My attitude is worse than that; I don’t even care about the American ship.
It’s obvious that you don’t understand what makes America great — the ability to kill people in the Third World, especially if their skin isn’t white.
You figure that was Obama’s play here?
It was what it always is: Don’t Mess With The Big Dog.
Every administration does this. Happens all the time. It’s just that over the years the Big Dog has discovered that it’s easier when you use a section of the world, ie. the Third World, that can’t defend itself.
The US isn’t going to attack a country like Germany or Japan again. It’s too expensive. It’s better to shoot fish in a barrel.
On the other hand Germany and japan have not hijacked any American ships lately, that could be a factor.
Supposedly the ship carried U.N. food aid for Kenya or some such country. Would you feel the same way if the ship was carrying food aid from private, voluntary donations?
America is the elephant in the room that nobody can stop talking about. Or the 90 pound gorilla or whatever. Some kind of terrifying overweight beast. A Kraken, maybe.
Giant squid! Giant squid!
Fear my gorilla! He weighs less than 100 pounds!
Kraken sounds cooler.