Somali Pirates, a Kidnapping, Then a Facebook Message

No one seems to remember that the Somali pirates used to be fishermen, until their livelihoods were destroyed by the Chinese and European super trawlers that plundered the Somali fisheries. The land support of the pirates consists mostly of their extended families. When will the red-blooded Americans learn that sending 15,000 troops to a foreign country with zero understanding of the causes of conflict leads to another Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq, just to name a few. Millions of lives and trillions of dollars were lost pursuing this imperial insanity. If you want to get rid of the root causes of piracy, start sinking the foreign trawlers illegally operating in the Somali waters.

If Mr. Moore has forgiven Mr. Tahlil and they have put the whole thing behind them, then the government should stay out of it.

Instead of sending 1,500 troops to our Southern Border we would serve The World (and ourselves) better if we sent 15,000 troops to eradicate pirates and their land-based support.

I love it how we go across the globe and arrest & kidnap the captor but no one thinks that is strange. I am not suggesting he should not be punished but I wonder if it is legal to abduct a person without due process.

My colleagues in psychiatry would have a wonderful and stimulating time discussing this case in a clinical conference. Amazing what the human mind will do to devise a balm for terrible life experiences! Such mechanisms range from organized religions and philosophy to this sort of thing.

Nothing but respect for Mr. Moore. He is a compassionate person. In regards to his captor. Throw away the key.

Blame is for God and small children. We all have it in us to be ruthless. There is a movie in here but it would need to be made with an understanding that we are all just passing through this world, some of us having been dealt a better hand than others.

There used to be a comic book hero called the Phantom whose task was to kill all pirates. The US wiped out piracy on the Barbary Coast a couple of hundred years ago. Looks like the operation has moved south and needs to be dealt with in like fashion.

I regret to say I found his book so completely chaotic as to be unreadable. If you can follow his narrative, you're a better reader than I.

Is this Stockholm syndrome? If this Somali man was the head of the group that guarded Mr Moore, he could have tipped off the authorities so Mr Moore could have been rescued. Is the captor looking to emigrate to the US using his victim’s feelings of gratitude for the kindness shown to him by the captor during the long period of captivity?

Fascinating. An utterly terrifying kidnapping, by desperate and ruthless pirates, followed by a Facebook exchange. I hope that Mr. Moore is allowed some role in sentencing, when that occurs (if that occurs). Part of me thinks we could learn a lot about these Somalis from this man; but -- it doesn't matter; they are outlaws, but outlaws who are powerless and stateless. Compare him to the Saudi Prince who kidnaps and kills at will, yet is still treated as part of the civilized world. What is the difference?