I noticed some media reports about his hearing. First he was going to be tried as a non-adult, he lied about his age. Now it is clarified he is 19 years old and he will be tried as an adult. Would appear that he may be incarcerated for the rest of his life. Just imagine the cost of all of this for US taxpayers, the hearing, the lawyers fees, and then prison. None of it really makes much sense to me. Why not extradite him to Somalia for a proper hearing there Somali style, and let them carry the costs of everything!
Somalia doesn't really have any government to speak of. The closest thing they have is a group of Islamic courts that we actually tried to overthrow a few years ago. They also may be the ones supporting the pirates...so that's not an option.
We probably would have just shot him, but he was unarmed and in US custody...so...yeah. Hands are tied there.
I totally agree at your point. He is a Somalia resident so get him on trial there. But there will be big chances that the court there will be on his side and tell everyone that he is not guilty to prevent one of his countrymen go to jail/prison.Why not extradite him to Somalia for a proper hearing there Somali style, and let them carry the costs of everything!
I doubt it. The journalist that threw a shoe at Bush was charged and will probably get a much stricter hearing than he would have in the United States. I think the pirate is lucky to have ended up in the United States from a hearing point of view. It could have been much worse in Somalia.
I can say that they are only doing that for the sake of alliance to US. That's what militants are saying here in the Philippines when the accused rapist, which came from the US Navy, was acquited of the case by the court. They states that, the government is doing this so that it will not tarnish US' realtions to our country.
Right. And that was obviously wrong in that specific case and shocking as well. The guy should have been given the maximum sentence the law allows. Think what is going to make a difference with the Somali pirate in the US is that piracy has not been curbed yet, and maybe the US is going to try and send a very definite signal to the Somali pirates of what would happen to them if they are caught with acts like these against US ships.
I really thought so. Many militants are engaging rallies to tell the government, and the court, that their decision is wrong. But the government told them, on a press conference, that the decision is final and execulatory.
And about the Somali Pirates, do you think mass media influences them to do that? Like movies that have pirates like Pirates of the Carribean and the anime One Piece?
I think the bottomline will be the US Navy and Government who would want to send a very strong signal to the Somali pirates. They already have with the killing of all the other pirates, but they will probably deal quite severely with the pirate.
You know what is most ironic about all of this? The pirate is probably going to love his jail time. Sure, he doesn't have his freedom but he is going to have a far better life in jail here at our expense then he ever would in Somalia.
As for him getting tried in Somalia, I doubt it. The Somalian government is a myth, it is far more likely that a gun battle would break out and the pirate would escape.
As for him getting tried in Somalia, I doubt it. The Somalian government is a myth, it is far more likely that a gun battle would break out and the pirate would escape.
I can't see how he would ever come to love jail time. Especially with people who are all non-Somalis with a completely different culture. Anyway, maybe time will tell.
There is some assumption here that the pirate is a pirate because he is poor and desperate and could find no other way to make money. No. The pirate is a pirate because he comes from a country run by warlords, where might is right, and you just take what you want.
From what I've read about Somalia, jail probably won't be better, but the gap between life before and life in jail won't be that great.
From what I've read about Somalia, jail probably won't be better, but the gap between life before and life in jail won't be that great.
Just to build off of Curious, I've heard a number of reports saying that the pirates were quite well off. They're usually living like kings in the squalor. Decent houses, phones, cars, etc.
Now that sounds really good to me. Wish I could join them, although I can imagine their ranks have to be super closed.
Now that sounds really good to me. Wish I could join them, although I can imagine their ranks have to be super closed.
So you don't have any problem with taking things that don't belong to you, kidnapping, holding people for ransom? As long as you can live well?
Isn't that what everyone is doing anyway under different guises? Hasn't the Government in the US been stealing money from US citizens for example for years and years putting them in enormous debt? So that they can fund people in Government with nice big salaries? I see that as stealing in a way. Sort of legal stealing. Same as borrowing 1.2-trillion US dollars without needing to show exact collateral for it. Plenty of examples to be found everywhere. The pirates way of making money is just extremely high-risk. In the US it is the same, the higher the risk the higher the profit.
Isn't that what everyone is doing anyway under different guises? Hasn't the Government in the US been stealing money from US citizens for example for years and years putting them in enormous debt? So that they can fund people in Government with nice big salaries? I see that as stealing in a way. Sort of legal stealing. Same as borrowing 1.2-trillion US dollars without needing to show exact collateral for it. Plenty of examples to be found everywhere. The pirates way of making money is just extremely high-risk. In the US it is the same, the higher the risk the higher the profit.
I agree, it is stealing. And we all know the blokes down wall street are really just crazed gamblers!
Agreed! Perhaps the 1.2-trillion will be making their way to them, and then maybe next year another bail-out will have to happen, maybe another trillion or so?
I have read an article that there will be a new navy ship that is pirate-proofed. It is named USS Freedom.
Here is the article: http://buzz.yahoo.com/buzzlog/92536?fp=1
Here is the article: http://buzz.yahoo.com/buzzlog/92536?fp=1
Isn't that what everyone is doing anyway under different guises? Hasn't the Government in the US been stealing money from US citizens for example for years and years putting them in enormous debt? So that they can fund people in Government with nice big salaries? I see that as stealing in a way. Sort of legal stealing. Same as borrowing 1.2-trillion US dollars without needing to show exact collateral for it. Plenty of examples to be found everywhere. The pirates way of making money is just extremely high-risk. In the US it is the same, the higher the risk the higher the profit.
No, the idea is that you get something for your money. Police, border patrol, a highway system. It's not efficient, and there is corruption, but it is intended as an exchange. Piracy, kidnapping, and hostage-taking is different. That's saying you have something (freedom, your life), I will take it from you and you must give up something else that you have in exchange. There is no reciprocity on the part of the pirates. It's take and take.
And 'everybody else is doing it' is an excuse for bad behaviour that we are supposed to outgrow before we leave our teens.
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