The Pirate's story

Just a little disclaimer this is not my opinion but an article I have just recently read that showed the pirates side of things. Thought it might be worth a read:

http://www.sfbayview.com/2009/you-are-being-lied-to-about-pirates/

Mods I was going to put this in another Forum but I have the feeling this could turn into a debate.

It all sounds like complete bullshit to me. The pirates are “defending” Somalia? And it’s all because of evil America dumping nuclear waste off the coast of Somalia? And pirates of the 1800s were great heroes because they let African slaves live with them and they “rebelled” against the “tyranny” of merchant ship captains?

:rolleyes:

The article pins the waste dumping on European nations. That aside, it reads like a bunch of bleeding heart bullshit. I’m not without sympathy for people just trying to survive in a lawless place, but if they’re going to hijack vessels and take hostages, is it so shocking that the evil, imperialistic Amerikkkans would kill them?

Why would defense of commerce be so objectionable to some people? We don’t tolerate the Mafia meddling with business, why would we tolerate pirates?

Given how much control the US (and Europe) puts over Nuclear Waste I have very, very, very strong doubts that anyone is dumping this stuff off the coast of Somalia. I mean, why bother? Why not just dump it somewhere in the deep, deep blue sea?

Because international commerce is an evil tool of evil capitalism. Duh!

I have to say that the U.S navy did great work today.

I guess I’d be more apt to believe that the pirates were really formed to stop illegal fishing if… you know… more cargo ships, oil tankers, yachts, tugboats, etc were involved in commercial fishing.

I can believe the story that overfishing has driven some guys to think piracy is a good idea. I don’t believe that they’re interested in clearing out the illegal fishing vessels as opposed to getting $2,000,000 ransoms from European shipping corporations.

In the words of Marie Antoinette, let them eat lead.

Maybe that is done too? Either way I’ve been reading credible stories about nuclear waste dumping in Somalia for a few years now:
From cocaine to plutonium: mafia clan accused of trafficking nuclear waste
Waves ‘brought waste to Somalia’

Here are similar recent news items in other parts of Africa.
Kenyans ill in ‘toxic waste’ leak
Toxic waste verdict disappoints

None of the allegations of nuclear waste dumping in the linked article have any cites or independent verification. I don’t find the allegations very credible.

I recall reading some years ago that there WAS a period where a lot of pirates were freed slaves, and they preyed upon ships full of the loot being stolen from the New World.

It’s a lot easier to be a “heroic pirate” when your targets are genocidal slavers and you are stealing previously stolen goods.

Ummm… Regardless of whether you find the stories are credible they are reporting on one of the very real results of the boxing day Tsunami. Here is another VOA story on a UN report which dealt with the issue.

Additional note

European fishers are notorious for sneaking south to illegally (over)fish the African coast. Something which has slowed down since Somalis started kidnapping and pirating ships.

K’Naan (The Dusty Foot Philosopher) on Somali Pirates, it’s a must see for all those who look to Hip Hop artists for their political thought and history.

Aljazeera is one of the few international news agencies who have been proving good coverage to the issue of pirate off of Somalia

Inside Story - Fighting pirates - 01 May 08 - Part 1
Inside Story - Fighting pirates - 01 May 08 - Part 2
Inside Story - Piracy - Sept 29 - Part 1
Inside Story - Piracy - Sept 29 - Part 2
Crime pays for Somalia’s pirates - 9 Oct 08 (a really good story)
Fighting piracy in the Gulf of Aden - 12 Nov 08
Inside Story - Piracy on the high seas - Nov 18 - Part 1
Inside Story - Piracy on the high seas - Nov 18 - Part 2
Piracy on Somali waters - 21 Nov 08
Ships leaving Kenyan port at risk from pirates - 22 Nov 08
Riz Khan - Somalia: The next Afghanistan ? - Dec 22 - Part 1
Riz Khan - Somalia: The next Afghanistan ? - Dec 22 - Part 2

Why should anyone look to hip hop artists for political wisdom? I remember when one of my friends started listening to Immortal Technique and started insisting that Bush blew up the Twin Towers and that Israel is the source of all the world’s problems and that it’s all a big conspiracy, man. That’s what the vast majority of “hip hop political wisdom” seems like to me - “it’s all a big conspiracy, man,” combined with a lot of “fight the power” pseudo-anarchist bullshit and lionization of criminals, drug dealers, pimps and murderers because they’re fighting “for oppressed peoples.”

The political climate and poverty of Somalia make piracy likely anyway. The pirates are out for money, not political protest. Nonetheless, if there’s toxic waste being dumped along the coastline, then fisherman do lose honest ways of making a living.

It seems to me that it isn’t an “either-or” sort of situation.

And, regardless of whether Somalis do have any legitimate claims against developed countries, the fact is that any military action against their land will be politicized and will serve to stir anti-American sentiment in the region. It does not matter what Americans think, every side believes their own BS and Somalis will see their own BS as reasonable just like Americans see their own BS as reasonable.

If America jumps in all alone and cowboy style I think that would be a mistake which can backfire and see America mired in a third shitty war of which it cannot extricate itself. I think the intelligent thing would be to seek wide support among world nations and take action only within that scope.

The problem with piracy, historically, is that there’s never really been very many “noble pirates.” It goes back to the classic tale of Robin Hood, in the real world Robin Hoods do exist, and they do steal from the rich and give to the poor. They also steal from the anyone else they can for the enrichment of either themselves or their local clan.

There might be something noble about pirates that exclusively preyed on slavers, I doubt that has ever been the case. Former slaves who were pirates probably liked to take slave ships, at least early in their pirating careers–but eventually they ended up being driven by a desire for profit wherever it came from.

I’m a pretty law and order kind of guy, but I don’t view these modern day pirates as the “next great evil.” They’re a cost of doing business, piracy has always been a cost of doing business at sea, period. Does that mean I’m advocating we just keep paying them and ignore the situation? No, not at all, that would lead to more lawlessness in the region and could ultimately seriously hamper international trade routes. But my position is pirate’s are pure creatures of greed, ultimately. Sure, some of them may be driven into piracy out of abject poverty and a culture of lawlessness from which their is no escape–but the multi-million dollar ransoms that are taking it to the next level are purely greed-inspired. I think the best way to handle pirates is to treat them like the creatures of greed that they are. Form an international treaty that requires signatory countries to criminalize any ransom payments made to pirates, as long as a decent portion of the first world signs on a huge incentive for the pirates is lost.

Sure, they can always steal the cargo but at least then they have to make an honest living–it’s a lot harder to move tons of fruit or jeans than it is to just take a nice wad of cash. The profit margin will decrease dramatically.

I’m not saying we ignore the tried and true tools to use against pirates (engaging them, stopping them, and prosecuting them whenever possible) but this isn’t a problem that requires an invasion by any means.

Lets also keep in mind the alternative, the only way the Barbary Pirates were ever truly stopped is when France invaded and killed a third of the population (of course many of those killed were not pirates.) I don’t see us going that route in the 21st century.

Is it me, or is this tale sounding a lot like the justifications the scammers use for their 409 scams? I mean, it has a lot more fishing issues, but the same basic ‘Its your fault we steal’ lines?

Slave ships were a major target for Carribean pirates, both because of the value of the slaves and because of the value of the other African goods on the ships. Slave ships also tended to be fast and maneuverable, so they made good pirate vessels themselves. Ususally they’d take the ships and then sell the slaves themselves, but sometimes they kept them as personal slaves or recruited them as sailors/marines. I don’t think it was done out of any sense of altruism or hatred for slavery, though. “Take from the rich” is a good plan, not because of some abstract sense of justice, but just because the poor don’t have any money.