‘Absurdistan along the Horn of Africa’

Just a few weeks before the EU anti-pirate mission is set to deploy, German officials are still unsure how much military force they are allowed to use against Somali raiders. Politicans are frustrated by the indecision and, on Thursday, German commentators joined the fray.

Apparently, like the Royal Navy, the German Navy isn’t quite clear on the concept of what to do with pirates (terrorists). While they hem and haw, the Somalis ARE quite sure what they want to do.

If the bandits are charged with having violated Germany’s “vital national interest,” a representative from the federal police will be flown to the region to clear the way for an eventual trial in Germany; otherwise, the pirates will eventually be handed over to the local jurisdiction, namely the Somali justice system.

“Somali Justice System”? Is that supposed to be a joke or are they serious?

India is pretty serious about attacking the problem and the pirates. So, apparently, is China. Considering that their economies depend on freedom of the seas, they don’t seem to be worried about legal niceties. Seems like defending the seas might be something else that the west wants to sub contract to the Chinese and Indians.

Then of course, there’s the leftist perspective,

“Piracy can only be challenged from land. It’s only when Somalia has a fully functioning government that the pirate dens will be cleared out. It’s only when there are jobs to be had that the pirate recruiting will slow down. It’s only when Somali has a competent coast guard that one of Africa’s longest coastal stretches will be brought under control. But instead of that, the world is only talking about defending the attacks from the sea. The West is exclusively defending itself and its economic interests.”

Maybe they should send President Bill Clinton over there to start up a midnight basketball league. After all, they aren’t terrorists, they’re just misunderstood youts.

The terrorists consider the people who write for the Berliner Zeitung useful idiots, just as I’m sure the Communists did.