Thread: Is Toxic Waste Behind Somali Piracy?

Originally Posted by TexasBob

Some of the hijacked ships were involved in the various aid programs that are sending many millions of dollars of food, medicine, etc. to Somalia. Should those shipments be protected with force?

The recent hijacking that made the news is described here: Reuters AlertNet - Crew regain control of hijacked ship off Somalia. Note the following paragraph:

Yes, you should protect the shipping with force and, at the same time, investigate the complaints and, if true, solve them. It should be easy enough to verify if toxic waste is being dumped in the water and, if it's true, why is it being tolerated?

Originally Posted by Chimensch

I know you guys think that this is a big joke but, living in Italy, I can tell you that part of the story is true. Illegally dumping toxic waste, and waste in general, is a very big business for the Mafia here.

So, this is being tolerated by the Italian government? what of the other nations in spitting distance of the problem? Are they tolerating it also?

Originally Posted by Blade Wielder

If the same thing happened in the US, every gun owner out there would be taking pot shots at the invading forces themselves, and called patriots or freedom fighters....

Yeah most likely true !!!! to bad our once "Armed" neighbors to the north won't be able to help out with that....

One other thing just occurred to me,

Why haven't the "Freedom Fighting Pirates" captured a ship laden with "Waste" and brought this to the world?????????????

Only two reasons could be possible here...

One it's not true....

Two somebody is getting paid off

Originally Posted by JMS

So, this is being tolerated by the Italian government? what of the other nations in spitting distance of the problem? Are they tolerating it also?

Maybe they're waiting for the US to step in and take care of it and then they can turn around and blame the US for interfering and meddling in other parts of the world

Lee, that was very cynical and mean spirited - you should be ashamed. Ok I apologize. But that's how I feel sometimes about it in my simplistic approach to expectations the rest of the world often seems to place on the USA! I mean you personally no offense (you, the SRP reader) but what I express is a well-shared viewpoint, locally anyway (for what it's worth!)

Originally Posted by hoglahoo

Maybe they're waiting for the US to step in and take care of it and then they can turn around and blame the US for interfering and meddling in other parts of the world

For shame Lee.

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Yeah most likely true !!!! to bad our once "Armed" neighbors to the north won't be able to help out with that....

I was simply pointing out a double-standard in how that behavior is demonized elsewhere, but regarded as a point of pride within the US.

And what do you mean? That Canada was once armed, but now we're not? When exactly did that change take place? I own a bunch of guns.

Originally Posted by hoglahoo

But that's how I feel sometimes about it in my simplistic approach to expectations the rest of the world often seems to place on the USA!

I just knew there had to be something TX and OK could agree on!

Originally Posted by JMS

So, this is being tolerated by the Italian government? what of the other nations in spitting distance of the problem? Are they tolerating it also?

Yes. Where there's a lot of money floating around, there's a lot of corruption in government. In fact, the Italian government is almost as corrupt as the US government.