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Miscellaneous => General Chat => Not at the Dinner Table => Topic started by: PaperLuigi on April 21, 2009, 12:09:33 PM

Title: Somali pirate being tried in the US
Post by: PaperLuigi on April 21, 2009, 12:09:33 PM: The sole-surviving Somali pirate from the hostage-taking of an American tanker is being tried in the United States. His mother, however, appealed to President Obama for his release.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090421/ap_on_re_us/piracy_suspect

What do you think Obama should do? I personally think the kid should be pardoned. We should show him a little mercy and let him go.
Title: Re: Somali pirate being tried in the US
Post by: Chupperson Weird on April 21, 2009, 01:54:11 PM: All I'll say is, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/johann-hari/you-are-being-lied-to-abo_b_155147.html
Title: Re: Somali pirate being tried in the US
Post by: PaperLuigi on April 21, 2009, 02:05:22 PM: That's most certainly true...but I'm asking about your opinion on what Obama should do.
Title: Re: Somali pirate being tried in the US
Post by: Turtlekid1 on April 21, 2009, 03:16:15 PM: What he should do and what he will do are two different things, knowing him.

The pirate(s) need to be tried, convicted, and sentenced like any other criminal.
Title: Re: Somali pirate being tried in the US
Post by: PaperLuigi on April 21, 2009, 05:14:34 PM: "Mercy bears richer fruits than strict justice."

-Abe Lincoln
Title: Re: Somali pirate being tried in the US
Post by: Chupperson Weird on April 21, 2009, 05:33:31 PM: "Should" is a pretty strong word. Also what the heck is the deal with your automatic conviction idea here, Turtlekid?
Title: Re: Somali pirate being tried in the US
Post by: Suffix on April 21, 2009, 05:44:56 PM: I thought "like any other criminal" was supposed to negate that at first, but then I realized, a criminal would be clearly convicted, eh?
Title: Re: Somali pirate being tried in the US
Post by: Glorb on April 21, 2009, 05:53:59 PM: It all depends on the part that the dude had in the whole affair. I don't know if he masterminded the whole thing or not, but the severity of his sentence should reflect it. Remember, these guys hijacked a food-for-the-poor ship; no matter how misguided you are, that just isn't cool.
Title: Re: Somali pirate being tried in the US
Post by: nensondubois on April 21, 2009, 06:38:07 PM: Obama should send him back to Somalia and have him tried there with oversight to make sure he is tried.
Title: Re: Somali pirate being tried in the US
Post by: dc804 on April 21, 2009, 07:03:25 PM: Somalia doesn't have law enforcers. And he should be tried like any other criminal.
Title: Re: Somali pirate being tried in the US
Post by: TEM on April 21, 2009, 07:59:02 PM: Quote from: PaperLuigi on April 21, 2009, 05:14:34 PM
"Mercy bears richer fruits than strict justice."

-Abe Lincoln
On what grounds are you basing this need for mercy? Do you think pirates are cool or what?
Title: Re: Somali pirate being tried in the US
Post by: Turtlekid1 on April 21, 2009, 08:51:32 PM: (https://themushroomkingdom.net/board/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tshirtbordello.com%2Fimages%2FPirates-Are-Cool-lg.gif&hash=5ac2a0e355f90dce9bd440880135d5f2)
Title: Re: Somali pirate being tried in the US
Post by: ShadowBrain on April 21, 2009, 08:57:51 PM: I'm with Glorb on this one. Meanwhile, my faith in Pastafarianism is taking a beating. Of course, these guys know nothing about the true, classic pirate lifestyle.
Title: Re: Somali pirate being tried in the US
Post by: Lizard Dude on April 21, 2009, 09:04:32 PM: Yeah, these guys aren't even raping any of their prisoners. They have a long way to go before becoming true, classic pirates.
Title: Re: Somali pirate being tried in the US
Post by: Sqrt2 on April 22, 2009, 05:35:48 PM: Surely, given that these piracy attacks are happening on the Somali coast, the US has no legal juristiction over what happens there, right? Because if so, then the US has no right to arrest this man (or any like him), and send him to the US for trial.
Title: Re: Somali pirate being tried in the US
Post by: Glorb on April 22, 2009, 05:47:35 PM: Quote from: Lizard Dude on April 21, 2009, 09:04:32 PM
Yeah, these guys aren't even raping any of their prisoners. They have a long way to go before becoming true, classic pirates.

YOU JUST RUINED THE IMAGE OF PIRATES FOR ME
Title: Re: Somali pirate being tried in the US
Post by: CrossEyed7 on April 22, 2009, 06:07:43 PM: Quote from: Sqrt2 on April 22, 2009, 05:35:48 PM
Surely, given that these piracy attacks are happening on the Somali coast, the US has no legal juristiction over what happens there, right? Because if so, then the US has no right to arrest this man (or any like him), and send him to the US for trial.
I'm pretty sure there's laws about it. Besides, as previously mentioned, Somalia doesn't have a government, so we might as well take care of it.
Title: Re: Somali pirate being tried in the US
Post by: Toad on April 22, 2009, 06:09:35 PM: Quote from: CrossEyed7 on April 22, 2009, 06:07:43 PM
I'm pretty sure there's laws about it. Besides, as previously mentioned, Somalia doesn't have a government, so we might as well take care of it.

We might as well help them, yes. I don't see anything happening if Obama just sends the kid back to his country.
Title: Re: Somali pirate being tried in the US
Post by: TEM on April 22, 2009, 08:32:03 PM: Tonight's South Park episode goes along with the article Chupperson linked.
Title: Re: Somali pirate being tried in the US
Post by: Glorb on April 22, 2009, 09:16:36 PM: I thought it was funny, though the ending had something of a Watchmen effect: All the pirates you see throughout the episode, regardless of the number of lines or importance to plot, get gunned down by the marines at the end. However, by then they've become sympathetic characters.