We don't need no stinkin' Navy!"Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) and a growing number of national security experts are calling on Congress to consider using letters of marque and reprisal, a power written into the Constitution that allows the United States to hire private citizens to keep international waters safe.
Used heavily during the Revolution and the War of 1812, letters of marque serve as official warrants from the government, allowing privateers to seize or destroy enemies, their loot and their vessels in exchange for bounty money.
The letters also require would-be thrill seekers to post a bond promising to abide by international rules of war.
In a YouTube video earlier this week, Paul suggested lawmakers consider issuing letters, which could relieve American naval ships from being the nation’s primary pirate responders — a free-market solution to make the high seas safer for cargo ships.
“I think if every potential pirate knew this would be the case, they would have second thoughts because they could probably be blown out of the water rather easily if those were the conditions,” Paul said."
6 comments:
Tommy the Englishman thinks that there was some treaty (Treaty of Paris of 1856?) that the United States never signed but has agreed to abide by even in times of war?
So, technically, we wouldn't be violating treaty obligations, just going against a 150 year old norm. But then again, piracy should have been about 150 years out of date...
dude, do you really think the seal team 6 guys who got to make that shot want to give up the cool guy points that smoking pirates gets them?
I think it would be a good "street smarts" test for the Pirates. They are obviously not afraid of what our government will do. But, would they be afraid of our citizens?
Spend one day in Bladen, Brunswick, or Pender county and they'll be afraid. Very afraid.
I wonder how those contracts would be allocated.
I just want to say one thing.
That's a wookie.
Presumably a New Hampshire wookie.
I did NOT know that there were wookies in New Hampshire.
There weren't ENOUGH wookies in New Hampshire, however, since Ron Paul came in fifth, after Rudy Giuliani, who did not campaign in New Hampshire.
Well, okay, two things. Perhaps only New Hampshire needs a Navy composed of private ships with letters of margue. Maybe that is what Ron Paul meant. I think I agree with that.
Don't all kinds of problems arise when merchant ships start arming themselves? Are there not reasons most merchant ships don't do this sort of thing?
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