I'm listening to a discussion about the pirates...

[TreasonousBastard]

on the Diane Riehm show, and it seems that our Pentagon has decided no action can be taken because any action against them would get in the way of the main mission-- fighting "terrorism." And, as if to prove their point, some al-Qaeda cells have denounced the pirates as anti-Islam. Even attacked one of their suppliers.

A whole carrier group, or is it two, just sitting there and they say they have better things to do while India goes after the pirates. And just what is all tht stuff sitting on Diego Garcia waiting for?

(You just can't make this stuff up.)

[Sabriel]

1. Messing with the delivery of oil isn't terrorism?

I'd call that economic terrorism.

If a group decided to blow up refineries or oil rigs, wouldn't that be considered an act of terrorism?

[tekisui]

2. AMazing. The pirates are just as much terrorists as the plane crashers.

[Turbineguy]

3. Pirates do not require

the use of expensive weapon systems.

Actually, niether do terrorists, but we fight them as if they do.

[asjr]

4. I keep waiting to see who walks the plank.

[Idealism]

5. The oil industry doesn't want Congress to act

If there is a continued threat of oil losses that would've brought the commodity to the US, OPEC would welcome that, hoping that it would cause oil prices to jump- even a dollar. They are all about their bottom line, and if cutting production hasn't worked (and they will be limiting production again this month they meet to decide just how much more to) they will look anywhere they can. They welcome any problems getting oil to market, especially when they've shipped it off and its no longer their responsibility

[gratuitous]

6. I think the Royals will have a better year

But then, as a Kansas City fan, I don't really follow Major League Baseball.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

7. From the halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli - Marine Corps hymn

The first Barbary War (where the shores of Tripoli comes in) was a war fought over piracy and the paying of tribute to the so-called Barbary States of Tunis, Algiers, Morroco, and Tripoli.

Paying tribute for safe passage was common until Thomas Jefferson said enough already!

[TreasonousBastard]

9. Yup, and that was a Jefferson who hated the Navy...

was against all foreign wars, and wanted to keep things simple. He still beat up on the Barbary pirates just because it was the right thing to do. (And no one else would help)

Then, there was Teddy Roosevelt, who didn't hate the Navy, kinda liked foriegn wars, and kept things anything but simple. Those damn pirates just happened to pop up right at convention time.

[Qibing Zero]

8. This is hilarious irony, actually

We ignore the backlash of a group of people whose resources we have pillaged because we can't afford to take focus off our current pillaging of yet another group of people. That's even more poignant than I thought!