Pirates in the modern world...they haven't changed much

What to do? The world is rife with anti-semites on ships bearing the Jolly Roger, while the Susan Boyles of the world train the scope to the temple of the child murderers and terrorists that make the world such a damn shame to live in. I say again, what to do?

Well, lets think on this. The world is mad at America for ruthlessly killing three teenage boys. Boys who were armed with assault rifles. Rifles that were pointed at the back of an American citizen. An American citizen who was the captain of a ship. A ship that was carrying food aid to Somalia.

I guess the world stopped reading after the first sentence. I have heard arguments that America should not have killed the pirates, because the pirates will now retaliate against other hostages. It was put to me in this way, "too bad others hostages thinks Americans are just selfish snobs who put their lives in danger to save 1 guy when their capturers had no other way but to surrender, but that’s just the rest of the world, Americans always know better of course." Of course, I couldn't leave this alone, so I replied, "ya, too bad those other hostages countries wont take responsibility for not rescuing their citizens, or try to save them. Too bad they sit back and let whatever happens happen instead of taking control of the situation away from deranged criminals...
They are morons if they retaliate by killing other hostages. What idiot kills their only bargaining chips? The act of piracy will not be discontinued by giving them what they want. You have to do something to change the situation or it will continue. If you keep giving them money, they will keep hijacking boats. If everyone sends in their SEALs, then pirating all of the sudden becomes much more dangerous and much less lucrative. They pirate to get money. They wont turn to pirating if they cant get any money out of it, and if there is a much higher mortality rate associated with it. Look at their motivation and the consequences for them if they retaliate.
I understand that people think Americans are selfish snobs. I think it's a mix of cultural differences and other underlying factors. But this all goes back to the concept of government. Governments responsibilities lie in protecting their citizens. That is the basic underlying purpose of any government. So the American governments responsibility is to its people, the British governments responsibility is to its people, etc, etc. While it is in everyones best interest for individual governments to not do things to intentionally harm other governments citizens, especially those of its allies, the governments first responsibility is to its own citizens. So in this case, it would have been better for the US government to rescue its citizen rather than not rescue him for the sake of the other governments citizens. They are the priority of their government, not ours, as they are loyal to and pay taxes to their government. It would be irresponsible for the US to put citizens of other countries AHEAD of citizens of our own, or else why do we pay taxes and remain loyal and give power to our own government, if their primary concern isnt for us."
His reply: "that was small example of "american cowboy" behavouir, if it was me i would have done the same, no doubt, but the whole mentality of an american is worth more than other humans is not right,
Pirates are criminals, no doubt, who made them that way is another issue, that does not justify their actions, but again the usa and other countries cant see the solution for a simple problem !
when you want a person to stop doing something worng, you dont hit him, or kill him, you remove the motive of this "wrong doing", then he will have no reason to do it ...
If soumali gov cant take any action, its casue its ppl are starving and those pirates are like robin hood to them !! so we kill the pirates and let ppl starve, or we help them get on their feet and make their foods ? first method will never work unless you kill them all..."
To which I said, "You think the solution to a complex situation is so simple, when in fact this is not so. The Somalian government (if you can call it that) has failed its people. It has failed to provide for its people. So now, you suggest that other governments come in and take care of Somalias citizens for them. But that goes against the point of government, which is to provide for its OWN people, not others. However, if a government can help out another country without sacrificing the security of its own citizens, then it’s ok for it to do so. So what has the US done to help?
Well, in 2008, the US government provided more than $270 million in humanitarian assistance to Somalia. So far in 2009, the US has given more than $157 million for humanitarian assistance programs in Somalia, including $17 million for food security and agriculture, health, nutrition, regional food procurement and distribution, and water, sanitization, and hygiene programs. Obviously, the Somalian government hasn’t been able to use this effectively. We aren’t stupid. We recognize the underlying problem, we just can’t fix it. Sure, we could go in and fix it for them, but then the world would get mad at us for supposedly invading Somalia. So when Somalian pirates kidnap an American captain, we will do whatever is necessary to protect our citizen. What a shame other countries wont stand up to the pirates and protect their citizens. What a shame the pirates keep getting money and are consequently encouraged to continue being criminals."

I know it's a bit hard to read, but it was SO much easier than typing and retyping all of the points intermingled in there. Please excuse the poor grammar as my opponent is Lebanese. So to recap:

Governments responsibility is to its own people, because it is the people who give it power, remain loyal, pay taxes, etc.
If a government repeatedly acts in the best interest of other countries citizens, then the motivation to pay taxes, remain loyal, and ultimately give the government power is negated, and the duty of the citizens, according to John Locke, is to overthrow that government in favor of a better one.
It is not Americas responsibility as a country to act in the interest of any other country. It is (arguably) Americas responsibility as a superpower to provide aid to qualifying countries, so it does.

Of note: The Somali pirates hijacked a ship laden with food aid bound for somalia. Robin Hood my left foot. That concept entails taking from the rich and giving to the poor, not taking from the rich who are giving to the poor. It must have gotten lost in translation.

So the takeaway points for this chapter in the history of the world are the following:
-Crime pays big, until you hijack the wrong ship. You know you have the wrong ship when you see SEALS falling from the sky.
-The UN is a joke, as it has no military power. Case and point: UN forces traced pirates to a so called "mother ship." They boarded their vessle, freed the hostages, and confiscated their weapons. They then proceeded to let the pirates go, because they had no jurisdiction. (kind of anti-climactic, I know)
-If you want pirates to stop pirating, sending food to their starving families doesn't work. They'll just hijack that ship as well.
-If you shoot someone, they die.


Alright kids. Todays lesson was brought to you by the letter P as in Pirate. Pirates are Gods way of saying, "stay in school." Remember to be a good neighbor, and just say NO! to toys from China =D.