Chalk up one for the good guys!!

[Yuggoth]

Originally posted by airhead

What axe?

I didn\'t make their country shite. If they don\'t like the government, do something about it. None of the Western countries got where they were by sitting around whining that there are no jobs or it is someone else\'s fault. Get off their collective duffs and do something.

Oh, wait. They did, they went out and hijacked commercial shipping vessels and got paid millions in ransom. Where\'d the money go? Worked so well that they just kept doing it. Nobody gets hurt, just a big game. Nothing wrong with that. The west has people just rolling in money and they should ship it over there in containers just because.

Of all the money that they have received in ransom, where is it? Why are they not rich and powerful?

Do you really think 50 Million can make a whole country rich and powerfull? Thats just a drop on a hot stone in a land where there is nearly no economics or transportation, watersupply and so on. And do you know that western countrys keep african countrys from entering the global market? The restirictions on what can be sold (especially food) and the transportation prices are so high that there is no way for en african farmer to get his products sold. And, what is even more destructive: Our highly industialised and chemical augmented farming makes food so cheap that they cannot compete even on their VERY OWN markets + The US gives their help to africa in food, not money, destroying the african food market even further.

@Shawn: Yeah, I`m thankfull to the US for bombing Hitler away, but on the other hand, without massive help from the french, America would still be a colony of GB ;-)

 

[Legacy Account]

This info is freely available. I find that knowing a little about the past usually helps to inform you about the present and might just point to ways to change things in the future...

The Axe™

1970s
The US failed to assist Somalia (despite promising aid) in their war against communist Ethiopia when the Russians effectively crushed them during a fight they were winning.
The war was a direct result of Britain handing Somali territories to Ethiopia after WWII.

1990s
Failing to do anything about 20 years of civil war and bloodshed. The Somali fishing industry had been receiving aid from several European countries and this was helping to subsidise local fishermen and provide maintenance facilities etc. This stopped abruptly with the civil war, crippling what could have been a massive and profitable industry for the country.

2000s
European corporations dumping toxic and radioactive waste off the shores of Somalia and doing deals with tinpot warlords to simply save a few bucks. The tsunami in 2004/2005 helped this waste into the waters affecting the environment and the population.

Foreign (European and eastern) poaching of fish from Somali waters to the tune of an estimated 300 million bucks a year - destroying what was left of the only way of
life for many Somalis by reducing catches to almost nothing.

So I\'d say they might have some issues!

It\'s not that I have anything against shooting the pirates and freeing hostages. Fair play. I just don\'t see the need for all the high fives to the throes of \'America - F*ck Yeah!\'

Most of these people are desperate and are being manipulated by people who don\'t get their hands dirty (or should that be wet?).

 

[Beelzebrush]

Originally posted by Shawn R. L.

I\'m not a military type but I reckon I\'d spot this bloke a mile away at sea...

 

[alextheartist]

I think you could spot him on land too, look at that shiney headset he\'s got on.. lol

 

[airhead]

Originally posted by Spacemunkie
This info is freely available. I find that knowing a little about the past usually helps to inform you about the present and might just point to ways to change things in the future...

The Axe™

1970s
The US failed to assist Somalia (despite promising aid) in their war against communist Ethiopia when the Russians effectively crushed them during a fight they were winning.
The war was a direct result of Britain handing Somali territories to Ethiopia after WWII.

1990s
Failing to do anything about 20 years of civil war and bloodshed. The Somali fishing industry had been receiving aid from several European countries and this was helping to subsidise local fishermen and provide maintenance facilities etc. This stopped abruptly with the civil war, crippling what could have been a massive and profitable industry for the country.

2000s
European corporations dumping toxic and radioactive waste off the shores of Somalia and doing deals with tinpot warlords to simply save a few bucks. The tsunami in 2004/2005 helped this waste into the waters affecting the environment and the population.

Foreign (European and eastern) poaching of fish from Somali waters to the tune of an estimated 300 million bucks a year - destroying what was left of the only way of
life for many Somalis by reducing catches to almost nothing.

So I\'d say they might have some issues!

It\'s not that I have anything against shooting the pirates and freeing hostages. Fair play. I just don\'t see the need for all the high fives to the throes of \'America - F*ck Yeah!\'

Most of these people are desperate and are being manipulated by people who don\'t get their hands dirty (or should that be wet?).

OK, again. What axe with the U.S.? I can see them being pissed at Britain and \'European\' countries.

as to \"the high fives to the throes of \'America - F*ck Yeah!\'\" Maybe that is because we did something besides wring our hands and roll over and pay the bastards.

\"Most of these people are desperate and are being manipulated by people who don\'t get their hands dirty (or should that be wet?).\" Agreed. A hired thug is a hired thug. You & I had a lot of choice as to what we chose as a profession. They had a very limited vocational list and on this day, chose poorly. Or as Mr. Ayoob says, \"Poor victim selection skills.\"

 

[Ritual]

@airhead

Originally posted by Spacemunkie
Yet another country/people who have an axe to grind against the west.

 

[Beelzebrush]

Didn\'t Mr. Munkie say they had an axe to grind with the west??? I don\'t think he specified the US Airhead.

 

[Legacy Account]

Thank you chaps for highlighting that.

My point was not about apportioning blame. It was about attitudes and a general lack of knowledge that sees situations distilled into facile (and literally) black and white arguments.

 

[airhead]

Originally posted by Spacemunkie
Thank you chaps for highlighting that.

My point was not about apportioning blame. It was about attitudes and a general lack of knowledge that sees situations distilled into facile (and literally) black and white arguments.

Here we agree.
These people have grown up in a hell-hole - most literally. Their options are few. Taking from the \'haves\' by the \'have-nots\' has been repeated often in history. Usually hand-in-hand with the overthrow of a government.
But these people do not see changing their government as a method of improvement. Much of central Africa has been a government of dictators / overthrows / followed by new dictators. Help from the East or West has been spotty, only if the current government sees an advantage in one dictator over another.

How to break that cycle with out military occupation and mandating a better government (like we are trying to do in Iraq), I don\'t know.... Peace Corps has tried to teach agriculture/aquaculture and get them new wells and medical care, but that has not taken root.

All of that does not mean that the rest of the world should stand by while they prey on our trade ships like a bunch of sharks. Personally, I\'m all for putting either military or private armed guards on those boats.

 

[alextheartist]

If I was in their situation I would do exactly the same, its all well and good sitting in a nice comfy chair in frount of your nice computer talking about this. Its all about perspective, if you were starving you would beg/steal etc to provide for yourself/family.

Alex