The Senseless Crime of being a Pirate

Pirates.

We sometimes get the image of Captain Jack Sparrow and the great ‘Pirate Code’ and how the pirates were opposing the evil British. Pirates have always held a special place in the imagination of people----in fiction.

In real life, pirates rank near the bottom of the criminal charts. They will hijack ships, hold people hostage for long periods of time, murder at will, and do so with little regard for others.

The recent hijacking of an American ship was a ship carrying food and medical supplies to famine stricken areas. These pirates were willing to hijack food and supplies headed to needy people for money. Nothing more than money. The Maersk Alabama was attacked by a group of four Somali pirates for little more than cash.

What happened is something I hope begins to happen to more of these pirates.

Most crews pretty passively have not put up a fight. The crew of the Maersk Alabama was not interested in being captured. The pirates never really got control of the ship. All they ended up with was the captain and a lifeboat. The crew and the pirates negotiated a prisoner exchange; one pirate for the captain. The three pirates got their partner back, but the pirates reneged on the deal. So much for the ‘Pirate Code.’

President Obama gave an order to take them out and three Navy Seals each fired one shot and killed the three pirates on the lifeboat and thus having a chance to rescue the captain.

Needless to say, things will be more tense now. Other nations have been warned that the hostages will be treated as the nation treats the pirates. American crews, one would imagine, can expect not to survive. Sadly, the only language (beside money) that these pirates understand is force. There will be, I am sorry to say, a lot of death that takes place in the Indian Ocean in the coming months. I suspect that the United States Navy is going to be on full alert. A team of French commandos recently rescued a family killing the pirates and with the loss of the owner of the boat. The blood of both the innocent and the guilty will, sadly, be shed.

The family of the crew of the Maersk Alabama is rightfully rejoicing and we, as a nation, are glad because the bravery of the crew and their captain, and the great work of the United States Navy was in evidence. There are families, however, in Somalia grieving the deaths of three young men and a fourth pirate will probably spend the rest of his life in an American prison. I keep thinking that a Somali mom, someplace, is weeping today, and many more will join her in the coming months until this piracy ceases. As it happened many years ago, the navies of the world will band together and destroy these pirates.

And more mothers around the world will weep the loss of their children until this senseless criminal behavior and the violence which ensues, will come to an end.