Comments on: In Defense of Pirates http://blog.oup.com/2009/02/somalia-pirates/ Academic insights for the thinking world. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 20:48:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: PMHowell http://blog.oup.com/2009/02/somalia-pirates/comment-page-1/#comment-149186 PMHowell Wed, 04 Feb 2009 11:38:44 +0000 http://blog.oup.com/?p=2905#comment-149186 the patronising editorial recommendation aside, the author makes a fundamental mistake to separate piracy from terrorism, and whether the writer's intention was humorous or simple minded is debatable. Somali pirate attacks are no less dangerous for want of style and use of AK47 technology. Hundreds of crewmen are traumatized by their capture and subsequent treatment, some are missing and some have died. Not one element of that is funny. the patronising editorial recommendation aside, the author makes a fundamental mistake to separate piracy from terrorism, and whether the writer’s intention was humorous or simple minded is debatable.
Somali pirate attacks are no less dangerous for want of style and use of AK47 technology.
Hundreds of crewmen are traumatized by their capture and subsequent treatment, some are missing and some have died. Not one element of that is funny.

]]> By: Ali http://blog.oup.com/2009/02/somalia-pirates/comment-page-1/#comment-149184 Ali Wed, 04 Feb 2009 05:18:19 +0000 http://blog.oup.com/?p=2905#comment-149184 The pirates are most of them if not all ex fishermen they can not fish because of the all Troulers from as far as the Far East who came to the Somali waters to illegally steal the Sea, Another point is all the Nuclear waste that has been dumped in the Somali coast by the so called developed country if one only could see the barrels and unknown containers that has come ashore after the Tsunami, what has the international community done about it, Nothing because it was not their problem, I and so many Somalis living abroad feel that these boys are like a freedom Fighters, As the saying goes (What goes around comes around) having said that i am glad that they have not killed or injured any of the Crews. The pirates are most of them if not all ex fishermen they can not fish because of the all Troulers from as far as the Far East who came to the Somali waters to illegally steal the Sea,
Another point is all the Nuclear waste that has been dumped in the Somali coast by the so called developed country if one only could see the barrels and unknown containers that has come ashore after the Tsunami,
what has the international community done about it, Nothing because it was not their problem,
I and so many Somalis living abroad feel that these boys are like a freedom Fighters,
As the saying goes (What goes around comes around) having said that i am glad that they have not killed or injured any of the Crews.

]]> By: Scott Belyea http://blog.oup.com/2009/02/somalia-pirates/comment-page-1/#comment-149183 Scott Belyea Tue, 03 Feb 2009 20:52:13 +0000 http://blog.oup.com/?p=2905#comment-149183 "...This piece could be taken as being tongue-in cheek. " True. It could also be taken as being just plain silly. And in common with similar pieces, it suggests a different way of "looking at the issue," but makes no suggestions whatsoever as to a different way of dealing with it. "...They shoot but try not to kill." Well, if I had a son who was a crew member on a hijacked ship, this would certainly help me sleep better at night. “…This piece could be taken as being tongue-in cheek. ”

True. It could also be taken as being just plain silly.

And in common with similar pieces, it suggests a different way of “looking at the issue,” but makes no suggestions whatsoever as to a different way of dealing with it.

“…They shoot but try not to kill.”

Well, if I had a son who was a crew member on a hijacked ship, this would certainly help me sleep better at night.

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