the maritime blackwater proposal
Apr. 15th, 2009 11:39 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sophiaserpentiaPolitico is reporting that Ron Paul has proposed a plan to deal with the Indian Ocean pirate situation: issue letters of marque and reprisal. This idea is an old favorite of Constitution-wonks, and sounds reasonable until you think about what it would mean.
What would result is the formation of a para-Navy, a private company hired and empowered to conduct naval combat operations against pirates in the Indian Ocean. A maritime Blackwater, more or less. Accountable to no-one. Essentially assured zero reprisals in the event of human rights violations on the open sea, and with the seal of approval of the US government. "Those fishermen looked like pirates to me!"
I'd be hard pressed to imagine a worse idea. (Actually, "nuke the pirates" sounds like a worse idea, but only just worse.)
What would result is the formation of a para-Navy, a private company hired and empowered to conduct naval combat operations against pirates in the Indian Ocean. A maritime Blackwater, more or less. Accountable to no-one. Essentially assured zero reprisals in the event of human rights violations on the open sea, and with the seal of approval of the US government. "Those fishermen looked like pirates to me!"
I'd be hard pressed to imagine a worse idea. (Actually, "nuke the pirates" sounds like a worse idea, but only just worse.)
