O'bowma

[spence]

Originally Posted by Swimmer

Spence losely all criminal organizations are terrorists. They take over and control large pieces of territory in cities and the suburbs. They take over blocks at a time and protect them fiercely. Everyone is in fear of them. I think the only reason as a society we don't look at this as being as a certainty is because most gangs, mafia types prey on their own kind. All the Italians used to and many still do pay protection money in the big cities. But since its a way of life in a romantic way, as portrayed on TV and in movies, to some its as much a social issue as it is a criminal enterprise.

Yea, I understand all of that.

The point is that "terrorize" is a verb and "terrorist" is a noun. Terrorist with a big "T" is something special that as a society has meaning. I can terrorize my neighbor all year long but that doesn't make me a "Terrorist" (note the big T). Same goes for the mafia unless you think we should firebomb Providence and waterboard Uncle Louie to know where the next hit is going down.

Hell, even think about some of what you read on this board. Brand someone a "Terrorist" (note the big T again) and all gloves are off. Kill them, torture them etc... with no evidence necessary.

Say someone might not be a "Terrorist" and you get a similar response. It's like a drug...

Its only a matter of time before they try killing people as a way of garnering more extortion from the owners of the vessels they have been hijacking.

All this will result in is more security and dropping margins in the pirate business. There are diminishing returns here that are not very attractive. Just because they're pirates doesn't make them dumb, they'll have to really innovate their business model to continue to succeed.

It's quite possible that taking a US ship was a strategic mistake.

Actually thier is a group in Somalia that is an organized terrorist organization that has been loosely linked to Al Queda. It would not surpirse me to hear that some of the money is funneled to them from the hijackings.

It's certainly possible but I've not heard anything that really offers any proof either. If there is it would make the legitimacy of any such military action much easier to justify.

-spence