Reply #18: The Mafia is kind of like a family too [View All]

I don't see people defending their actions or explaining it away because they think it is a "legitimate business".

I know Somalia sucks but he is part of the problem. When the ship was seized it was carrying relief supplies for guess where? That's right Somalia! How likely are the crew members of this ship going to be willing to make another trip there? Do you really think these people take the ransom money and buy food for the people. It's more likely they buy cars for themselves and then drive them to a nearby village where they either buy or just grab a twelve year old girl for that nights entertainment.

I agree that the world should try and help Somalia more but they also need to help themselves. The US tried under Bush/Clinton and the results weren't pretty. What do you suggest? There is no law or government. We sent troops in and we ended up in a mini-war. Without law there is little that can be accomplished.

Here is an article from 12/13/05
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5052065

The MV Torgelow returned to her home port in Mombasa, Kenya, last weekend after being held for 53 days by pirates off the coast of Somalia. The cargo ship, which was carrying relief supplies to Somalia, is one of 33 vessels that have reported being attacked by pirates off Somali since March.

The large cargo ship -- half a football field long -- was en route to Somalia to resupply one of its sister ships, the MV Semlow, which had just been released after being held for 101 days by pirates. The Semlow had been carrying relief supplies to Somalia for the U.N. World Food Program.

The relief agency says that with the ships sidelined it has been unable to get food into Somalia by sea for weeks. The WFP resorted to using a truck convoy, which had to pass through dozens of road blocks by various militias.


I read a more recent article on this two days ago that was dealing with the age question. According to his mother he is literate and the feds thought his father lived in Philadelphia.