Comments on: US Sees ‘Test Run’ With Captured Pirates (The Entire Story)

By: Byron Skinner

Byron Skinner — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 19:34:36 +0000

Good Morning jsallison,
A quick answer to you question. We as a people are not Nazis. For anyone interested in where this concept can go I would suggest reading; “Hitler’s Willing Executioners: Ordinary Germans”: by Daniel Jonah Goldhagen.
The United States has a Constitution that not only protects property rights but also human rights, without that we are the same as the lawless pirates. I don’t think that’s what most Americans want to be. Their maybe some exceptions I’m sure.
ALLONS,
Byron Skinner

By: jsallison

jsallison — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 02:20:35 +0000

shoot out of hand and toss over the side. Why are we discussing this?

By: Byron Skinner

Byron Skinner — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 04:09:52 +0000

Good Evening Mike,
I don’t want to get into dueling Constitutional quotes here but the copy of the Constitution that I have deals with piracy under Section 8, that expresses the powers of Congress, “To define and punish piracies and Felonies committed on the high seas, and Offenses against the Laws of Nations.” This is a pretty open ended statement as it was intended to be, but surly gives Congress to grant the Navy any authority that is necessary to deal with this problem anywhere and against the vessels of any state or combination of states. From what I can find the U.S. Code last dealt with piracy in 1832. I’m sure there has been some laws to deal with specific events such as the Civil War since then, but a revisit to the laws of piracy is long over due.
Really all this is in the hands of Congress. I know for the past eight years we have had an administration that has publicly stated that anything the President does in legal, John Yo, and an arrogant President that self appointed himself as the “Decider in Chief.” This is really a decision that should be made by Congress and not President Obama.
President Obama has stated many time that he believes in the Constitution and here is a chance to show that he does. Other then for emergency and expressly temporary actions to protect United States lives and property, the military should back away until Congress provides operational guidelines and expressed authorities.
ALLONS,
Byron Skinner

By: TB

TB — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 01:33:47 +0000

Did those 18th and 19th century int’l piracy laws distinguish between citizens of a state and non-persons? I don’t know anything about those laws, but the fact that these pirates come from a failed state might be a legal issue to be sorted out.
Its good that we’re exploring the issues now before we start a Global War on Piracy and end up with hundreds of prisoners and shaky legal ground to play with.