The New Bloodthirstiness
Lefty bloggers are crowing about how tough their guy is because some SEAL snipers whacked three pirates. The lefties seem to mainly be interested in this as an opportunity to snark on the right, claiming that pirate whackage or the lack thereof was set as some kind of definitive right-wing benchmark of Obama’s wieniness. That’s OK. This is their special moment. Sad commentary it’s even significant and remarkable that Obama didn’t wienie out when faced with the “kill” option, though. Three dead pirates and a freed hostage is a laudable outcome. While arguably more challenging to effect at sea, however, it is not as a matter of policy that surprising, any more than three dead hostage takers would be in the United States if a SWAT team had a clear shot and reason to think it was necessary.
But three dead pirates do not a military campaign or strategy or doctrine make, and Obama despite the tough talk has yet to demonstrate that he is willing to hunt pirates down.* In fact, news reports indicate the dithering has already begun. Never mind that. I just want to say I’m thrilled about the handwringing, Kumbayah-singing, peacenik left’s new enthusiasm for swift, extra-judicial 7.62 justice by executive order, and the lack of calls for human rights investigations, prosecutions, etc.
Welcome aboard, David Neiwert, hanging out these days with Crooks and Liars. ARRRRRRR!!!
Ahoy and avast there, American Prospect!
Shiver me timbers, Alan Colmes, ye scurvy dog!
Damn the torpedoes, Daily Kos!
Full speed ahead! They have not yet begun to fight, and it’s a wienie kind of bloodthirstiness, but we might be getting somewhere. There’s gotta be someone somewhere squawking about how Obama is just making new pirates, why pirates hate us, pirates’ constitutional right to habeas blah blah blah. But if all the people now holding our world hostage can by lefty standards be subjected to summary execution, Obama’s national security team needs to start working up a hit list, and hop to. Let’s hear it for all newly bloodthirsty lefties, me hearties, urging Obama on in righteous swashbuckling battle! But I’d belay that Bush-bashage, Davy Neiwert. Yer capn has barely stuck his toe in these stormy waters, me boy!
* Previously:
UPDATES:
Free World Leadership Opportunity
Welcome Instapundit, etal. Always so good to see you. Come on in, find out why you have to Pahk Your Wahmongah Values Outside Hahvahd Yahd. We’re also commiserating with OBushma today on his troubles with recalcitrant lefty peaceniks in Congress … get with the New Bloodthirstiness! If tales of pirates getting whacked is what you like, BTW, you’re sure find more to your liking in the stacks at Crittenden’s Boutique Right-Wing Warmonger Bookshop.
Topics: Obama, crime, law & order
Posted by Jules Crittenden at 9:53 pm on Monday, April 13, 2009
13 Responses to “The New Bloodthirstiness”
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April 13th, 2009 at 11:46 pm
So what would be the pirates’ smart play now? I offer them my unsolicited advice: “Why the piracy page has turned - And why there’s no payoff for pirates in seeking blood for blood.”
April 14th, 2009 at 12:19 am
I would suspect that a LOT of Navies in this world are simply overjoyed at the thought of Pirates trying to “strike back” over this affair.
Bring it on, boys… PLEASE!
April 14th, 2009 at 1:01 am
“A 24-nation response group on Somali piracy, formed under United Nations auspices, is likely to meet soon to discuss a recent spike in hostage-taking.”
Good lord, this is going to be even more of a joke than I thought. The UN is probably the only group weaker than our President’s advisors when it comes to foreign policy. I wonder if the UN’s response will be as “potent” as its response to the N. Korean missile launch, a foreign policy failure that members of Obama’s cult of personality don’t seem to mention too often.
These thugs were on the brink of killing an American citizen and this administration’s response to potential future kidnappings and, given the promises of retaliation, murder is to “involve several nations and … focus as much on the collapsed economy and government structure.” Wow, that should only take a couple of decades to sort out. There is a reason that pirates did not take American hostages during the Bush administration yet did not hesitate at all to do so during Obama’s first few months. The weakness Obama projects has made Americans targets of opportunity on the high seas.
April 14th, 2009 at 1:06 am
And since you are linking to Daily Kos in your blog post, perhaps you should provide the link, for that same loathsome site, to a discussion detailing how Capt. Phillips is an opportunistic grandstander. Seriously, that site is so filled with hate-filled rhetoric, any association with it, other than to mock it, should result in pariah status.
April 14th, 2009 at 1:12 am
“Good Lord” is right. He intends to make them laugh themselves to death. Though it’s possible they’re looking at the more drawn out, excruciating death by boredom. In either case, it sounds like a human rights violation. No wonder those lefties were so smug about how tough their guy is.
Saw that Kos thing. Enough to note that it exists. Funny the Kos crowd suddenly getting pissy about opportunistic grandstanding, given, you know.
April 14th, 2009 at 3:58 am
[...] Crittenden is taking the left to task on their new-found bloodthirstiness in regards to the resent Somali pirate hostage situation. They [...]
April 14th, 2009 at 8:15 am
What is missing in all this self-congratulations and self-righteous machoism is the salient fact militarily it was only by serendipity that this came off as it did. It should not have taken 4 days for “command authority” to have been given. We have the resources and skills to have immediately terminated this hostage taking but I believe it was the “this is a criminal act” mindset of those proclaiming an “overseas contingency operation” that delayed the results. The commander of the Brainbridge used his operational discretion and much superior threat analysis and judgement to resolve the situation in the best way possible so that Kos and John Stewart and Keith Olberman can now walk proudly into the men’s room and not be embarrassed.
April 14th, 2009 at 10:06 am
Good point, Jack. What I was wondering about in all this affair was why it was taking so long to play out? Every United States Navy vessel has both the legal and moral authority to act as they see fit when engaged with acts of Piracy in International Order. they also have the obligation to render whatever assistance in required to American citizens and property in distress upon the high seas, or wherever they may be. These actions are not required to be approved by, or sanctioned by, higher authority. They have existed since our Navy was birthed, and continues as part of the standing authority of every ship’s Captain.
The same holds true with virtually EVERY other Navy in the world. Piracy, in and of itself, is an act against humanity, an act against civilization and has been held by civilization to be beyond the pale, outside of the law, and those engaged not subject to the protections normal crimes would permit the accused.
Pirates caught in the act may be summarily executed, or dealt with as the capturing crew deems appropriate.
respects,
April 14th, 2009 at 12:19 pm
AW1 and Jack: Actually, the ROE for this sort of situation is a bit more complicated. IANAL, but the only standing authority for the CO to use deadly force was self defense or, in certain circumstances, preservation of life and property (the latter cases can get very complex, so I’ll not even try and go there). In short, for the CO to use deadly force under standing ROE required the pirates to either perform a hostile act or demonstrate hostile intent. While the former can be obvious (e.g. they’re shooting at us), the latter is usually very murky (pointing a weapon may or may not demonstrate hostile intent depending upon everything else going on). I have no inside knowledge, but suspect that someone in the CoC relaxed and clarified the definition of “hostile intent” to allow the CO greater discretion in taking out these bums. If that came from CinC I don’t know, but I certainly hope not. This is something that could/should have doable at either the 5th Fleet or CENTCOM level. We’ve got serious problems if the POTUS is reserving these sorts of decisions for himself.
WRT piracy in general, Congress has the Constitutional power to establish laws governing piracy on the high seas, and I do not believe the current laws, despite any contrary tradition, allow for summary executions. As extra-governmental actors, piracy is a legal issue and their treatment is governed by neither the Law or War nor Geneve Conventions. I recently read a rather convincing post that the tradition of hanging pirates was largely based upon two conditions that do not apply here. First, traditionally pirates were into plunder, rape and murder, but today the last two are generally absent from their repetoir. Scoundrels and scalliwags, all, but mostly little more than thieves, an offense that rarely rates the death penalty. Also, in days of yore, capital punishment was much more freely meted out but the wheels of justice. During the heyday of Carribean piracy, common criminals were often led to a meeting with Jack Ketch. Good or bad, this judicial precedence is not to be found today.
Now, if Congress in their wisdom decides to declare war on these jokers, a la the Barbary States in 1801, then we can get ROE more suitable to your temperment.
April 14th, 2009 at 2:52 pm
submandave,
Thanks for that. I hate it when Lawfare gets in the way of Warfare, but that’s for another day.
I, too, hope that POTUS isn’t reserving those decisions for himself, but if he is, he has presidence. Carter micro-managed everything, and his actions slowed down two operations that I know of. LBJ was also involved, via MacNamara in similar tasking authorities, at times even mandating what types of ordnance, and how much, could be used on which target, etc. Really hamstrung strike planners.
respects,
April 14th, 2009 at 7:03 pm
[...] ‘nation-building.’ Which they wouldn’t have to. I’m even pleased to see the chest-beating bravado from the Online Left: it’s, well, cute - and God knows that their ideology gives so few opportunities to act [...]
April 15th, 2009 at 9:12 am
[...] Jules Crittenden appreciates the irony. [...]
April 15th, 2009 at 10:51 am
I give Obama credit for this op not involving helicopters crashing in the desert. I give Reagan, Bush I and Bush II credit for having the military tuned up for this.