Patterico's Pontifications

4/16/2009

Pirates Are the “Voluntary Coast Guard” . . .

Filed under: General,Morons — Patterico @ 11:24 pm



So says Al Sharpton:

Meant to post yesterday, but it’s timeless.

19 Responses to “Pirates Are the “Voluntary Coast Guard” . . .”

  1. They’re not “pirates,” they’re Somalia’s “civilian national security force.”

    Daryl Herbert (b65640)

  2. Just another example of true-life being more incredible than fiction.
    A true scientific miracle: how do they stack $hit that high without it falling over?

    AD (0053b8)

  3. OOOOOKKKKKKKaaaaaaayyyyyy.

    I did not know that our Coast Guard was tasked with capturing container ships and holding the crews and cargo for ransom.

    COOL! Where do I sign up and what’s my share?

    Dr. K (eca563)

  4. From one shakedown artist to another.

    daleyrocks (5d22c0)

  5. I thought they were “man-caused event facilitators”.

    JD (0391f9)

  6. He never ceases to amaze

    voiceofreason2 (ff1cf0)

  7. Al treats pirates with more respect than he affords the Joooooooooos.

    JD (0391f9)

  8. And hopefully the won’t mind being called “chum” when we blow their silly butts out of international waters.

    PatriotRider (7b495e)

  9. Any chance this latest outrageous claim coming out of the mouth of Al not-so-Sharpton will get liberals to finally cut him off?

    Didn’t think so.

    John Hitchcock (fb941d)

  10. I prefer “maritime redistributionists” or “sharers of maritime wealth.”

    Diffus (cb9f4f)

  11. Like any other country with a shoreline, Somalia’s territorial waters extend out twelve miles from shore, and they have an “Economic Exclusion Zone” out to the 200 mile mark. As shipping changed routes to avoid piracy, the pirates have extended their operation further out to sea.

    The Maersk Alabama was well outside of Somalia’s EEZ when it was attacked. I call BS.

    If the pirates had stayed inside Somalia’s EEZ, then this claim would have retained some credibility. As it is, it is a transparent attempt to justify their robberies, and Sharpton et al have fallen for it. How gullible.

    LarryD (feb78b)

  12. […] Posted by John Hichcock on 2009/04/17 H/T Patterico […]

    Al Sharpton Steps In It Again « Truth Before Dishonor (26ab4b)

  13. They’re not pirates! They’re merchant marine organizers!

    Brother Bradley J. Fikes, C.O.R. (0ea407)

  14. It’s not Freddie’s Fashion Mart! It’s Jew Interlopers!
    It’s not a rape victim! It’s Tawana Brawley – telling the larger truth about police brutality!

    carlitos (9ca4a9)

  15. What else would you expect?

    Dreadnaught (5facdf)

  16. As the conservative mind set rails at massive government spending while cheering the US Navy Seals shooting pirates, one has to wonder why they blindly support government/military intervention in rescuing merchant ships. The costs are astronomical.

    Chasing down pirates with the USS Bainbridge and subsequent naval operations cost tens of millions of dollars. Protecting the ships from thieves is the responsibility of the shipping firms. Hire security firms or if necessary, train the crew to repel boarders. It is not a job for the U.S. government. Unless, of course, the private sector wants to pay for it. In the past, paying off the pirates was a lot cheaper, and all knew it. A more cost effective course for the conservative minded for a cash strapped country like the United States given who ultimately has to pay for this operation. The US Navy really should send a bill to the shipping firm for services rendered.

    In another international hostage situation some years back conservative commentator George Will coldly quipped that losing a few people in situations like this may be the cost of doing business. But most perplexing is the silence from the right about the free enterprise opportunity here for Blackwater-styled security firms to be contracted by private shipping companies to police themselves without burdening the taxpayers with the cost of doing it for them. As conservative critics love to crow, America isnt the world’s policeman. But we have plenty of guns to sell… and lots of ‘guns for hire.’

    DCSCA (9d1bb3)

  17. […] Sharpton: ““Pirates Are the “Voluntary Coast Guard” . . .from […]

    Change, or Else! Part II: Re-education is good for you… « Chockblock’s blog (054690)

  18. one has to wonder why they blindly support government/military intervention in rescuing merchant ships.

    Because it is the primary reason for having a Navy.

    I would normally ask if there are any more dumb questions at this point…but I’ll defer.

    EW1(SG) (e27928)

  19. If SCDCA found a brain, it would be in his soup.

    carlitos (4ec95a)


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