ObamaOdrama

According to Fox News, A Somali negotiator said the pirates holding Captain Richard Phillips hostage want $2 million or they will kill him.

Sometime overnight, captain Phillips got away for a short period, and jumped off the lifeboat in an attempt to swim away, probably managing to escape through the lifeboat’s backdoor. The drama was witnessed at some distance by the U.S. Navy, but it reportedly happened so quickly they could not provide assistance.

Let me just say that this Richard Phillips and his crew are amazing people… if you’ve been keeping up with their story then you understand what I mean.  These guys make me proud to be an arrogant, dismissive, and even derisive American. 

Now, the might of the U.S. Navy is preparing for a stand-off with the Somali pirates heading to the area in hijacked vessels loaded with other hostages to serve as human shields. 

Maybe I’m being pessimistic this Good Friday but has the U.S. purposefully sailed into situation that will only further undermine its military credibility?   The military’s only purpose is to defend the U.S. and it’s assets from attack.  Since the U.S. flagged Maersk Alabama is safe and the hostage has already been taken, what is the U.S. Navy doing there?  The absent commander-in-chief has all but dismantled the USS Bainbridge and turned it into a water taxi for the FBI so why call in more destroyers?  Perhaps Obama will hand them over to the other mainland pirates heading to the area with more hostages because he clearly has no other purpose for them.

Now, I don’t want to see anything happen to Captain Phillips which is why I don’t want the military involved.  Hell, I say pay the pirates, get him back safely, and then bomb the pirates and the money into oblivion.  Clearly we can always print more money.  But I don’t want to see the U.S. military made to take a dive in a fight that never existed.