Sure, but the article said nothing about Americans dumping anything. I can't see the United States traveling halfway across the globe to dump nuclear waste, anyway.
I'm not trying to force or impose my opinions onto anyone, I'm just saying that as a way of life, it can't be allowed. It's just not justified. We are undoubtedly the problem, but their reaction is OTT. Sooner or later it's going to escalate to the point where once side is going to cause serious destruction. More than likely the West
"The beauty of it is that we can put in anything that will burn up," Dr Wisoff said. "It will essentially allow us to use the spent fuel left behind by traditional nuclear fission. It really could help us clean up the world."
Yepp, allready done.
One more cargo ship were attacked earlier today too by the way. Got attacked by airborne granates and gunfire. Crew was ok as the pirates ran away as the ship got assistance by the military.
No, they've decided to setup a piracy network to hijack and plunder from (usually) innocent ships. I've seen the work the Irish Naval Service does first hand, and I can assure you it does not involve boarding and kidnapping crew members of yachts and freighters. However, if these vessels were seen dumping into our seas, or otherwise breaking maritime laws (I'm not too sure what constitutes breaking these laws, so I'm going to leave that vague), they'd have no problem boarding and arresting crew members, as they do. See the difference?
I just want to know what would be the difference between being kidnapped and being arrested by an unofficial paramilitary force.
Also, even though I too think that these pirates are in rather for their own financial good than any ulterior motives, I don't think they have the means to only pick out the "bad vessels" but simply target everything from the developed world.
Kidnapped - Help hostage in return for a few million dollars worth of ransom.
Arrested - Given a trial (although, this step would probably be skipped), given jail time for the crimes committed.
The main difference being that several millions dollars doesn't change hands. And only those that actually do crimes are arrested. Even if it comes down to kidnapping and holding hostage only those found dumping, I'd be happy
I see that you you wish to maintain some kind of moral difference, but I don't really see the point in doing so. Albert Camus once wrote that revolt is a matter of the heart ie: it is impulsive and doesn't yield to a rational, moralistic analysis.
However, he went on to say: "But there comes a time when it passes into the mind, where feeling becomes idea, and spontaneous outbursts end up in concerted action. That is the moment of revolution."
Call them what you will, but these people are pissed off. Some will remain what you call "criminals", some may yet become revolutionaries. Whatever, its not for you or I to name them.
It's still a very bad idea for those unnamed or judged people to ATTACK ships, take people HOSTAGE and demand RANSOMS! How thick can you be? Seriously, what do they expect? All the corps who own those ships to stop the alleged dumping? Nope, instead, they rightly get called pirates, which they are, and whoever is a pirate nowadays tends to attract NATO ships, which most likely will pwn the crap out of them.
Taking people hostage and attacking ships != convincing people of your good intentions!
Well, neither is bombing countries, still the wets likes to do that.
To me, condemning pirates is quite hypocritical if you support war mongering governments or international enterprises which exploit both humans and ressources.
To me, supporting pirates is quite hypocritical if you don't support war mongering governments or international enterprises which exploit both humans and resources.
Yep their federal Universal Somalia of Africa budget has ample funds set apart specifically for this reason Gimme a break! If these guys were the good ones (and they probably aren't) how do you think they would find the money to do such a thing as you suggest?
Somalia has basically been forgotten by the civilized world since the early 90s, and as many other african countries I bet somalians don't enjoy much more basic services, which is likely why they support piracy in the first place.
OTOH piracy can't be tolerated, as these guys are probably just the 'lords of war' of tomorrow (if they are not already), i.e. they're gathering resources to seize power and start another civil war, with the usual wave of ethnic cleansing, and all the other funny things these kind of dictatorships tend to do.
The irony in all of this is -as usual- for the public to take notice of some countries, there must be a breaking news (think Malawi and Madonna). I honestly believe this should be interpreted and handled as a distress call rather than just a case of unofficial naval warfare.
I might add that not condemning something is slightly different to supporting something.
I am personally a pacifist and I oppose physical violence in any form. Still, I kind of understand why the pirates act as they do, and I don't find it to be worse than how western countries act.
You may call it naive, but I am deeply convinced that there isn't a single person on this planet who is deliberately "evil" by heart. "Good" and "bad" are very dependant on your point of view.
Now I don't want to justify crimes or violence, but rather reming that every conflict has two sides who think they're right.
No evidence or not in the UN report. What exactly do you think is the most likely outcome of an undefended costline with no internationally representative voice to let the world know of what is happening on that coastline??
Just stop and think for a minute. Look at history and how business and even countries have proven they will act when they are able to do so without reprisals and then tell me that you can honestly believe that absolutly no abuse of the Somali "national" waters is going on?
That said, of course it's not a justification for what Somali pirates are doing, (and yes they are pirates by the given definition of the word), in International waters. I onced worked for a Somali owned company here in the uk so I got a pretty good insight on what is really happening on the ground in Somalia and according to my sources the BBC are pretty much accurately reporting the situation. If anything the levels of violence and control being metered out by the various factions is understated by the majority of the world media.