Pirates

Like everyone else in the country (and maybe the world), I have been captivated by the unfolding events off the Somali coast where pirates hijacked an American ship, escaped on a lifeboat after taking the ship's captain hostage, and then found themselves in a tense standoff with the US Navy. At this point, the crisis has been resolved: the captain is free, three of the pirates are dead, and one would think everyone is happy.

Not so. I just heard a report on National Public Radio that talked about insurers for shipping companies being disgruntled by the way the situation was handled. The report quoted an attorney who represents shipping insurers as saying his clients are "generally uneasy" about military action against pirates. "If the military action fails," the report has this guy saying, "there could be a catastrophic loss. And that could well be greater than the more modest cost of paying the ransom."

This is just like lawyers and insurance companies. So we should have just let the guys go and then paid them a ransom? Come on, you guys, find a backbone! Here, someone finally stood up to the bully of the schoolyard (the schoolyard in this case being the ocean off the African coast). And you're already cowering in the corner? Just because you've been pushed around up till now doesn't make it right. As much as I like pirate movies, these real-life pirates are just thugs robbing boats carrying humanitarian aid to people who need it. Tell the boat insurance guys to get out here while the rest of the world stands up for itself. Sheesh!