Posted by
Keith Arnold on Wednesday, April 22, 2009 12:44:15 AM
Ladies and gentlemen: the President of the United States, Leonard T. Renard.
"My fellow Americans: recent events in the Middle East have captured the attention of many people, both here and throughout the world. As you already know, Muslim pirates based in coastal regions of Somalia have, in recent years, plagued international shipping. They have attacked and boarded numerous vessels from various nations, holding their crews and cargos for ransom. This has become more than a cottage industry; it has risen to the level of a multi-million dollar business, the proceeds of which have gone to fund warlords, despots, and international terrorism.
"This week, the world watched as events unfolded when these pirates captured and took possession of an American-flagged ship, the Maersk Alabama. Until this event, the pirates had the good sense to avoid American shipping.
"However, that pattern of good judgment ended this week. Fortunately - no, I take that back; this was not the result of good fortune, but of good American resolve to not be the victims of evil men - as a result of the efforts of good American maritime men, the pirates were repulsed, and the crew regained control of the Alabama. The captain was taken hostage in a lifeboat, and I join the captain in saluting the Navy SEALs who took part in securing his freedom. One pirate was captured and was brought back to America for trial.
"These events have demonstrated the need for a clear and unambiguous policy on the subject of international piracy. To that end, I have formulated the following statement. This statement has already been delivered to the ambassadors and heads of state of most nations; specifically, I have personally received confirmation from the Somali ambassador that this statement has been both received and understood.
"There is a term I'd like you to hear: hosti humani generalis. My Latin isn't very good, but if I've said it correctly, it means 'enemy of all mankind.' Civilizations for thousands of years have understood that some acts are crimes, and these acts are to be dealt with by laws, courts, and prisons; some acts are acts of war, and these acts are to be dealt with by combat, military action, and treaties. Some acts fall outside both of these categories, and piracy is one of them. Pirates are neither criminals nor military combatants, but a different category, and the ancient Romans understood this and called them 'enemies of all mankind.' Neither law nor warfare is the method for dealing with pirates.
"Historically, pirates who were captured in the act of piracy were not entitled to a trial; they were simply and summarily executed by the captain and crew that captured them.
"What follows is our new policy in responding to the cancer of piracy:
"First, the officers and crews of all American-flagged ships will have all restrictions on firearms removed, by executive order. I am ending the day where American commercial vessels can be seen as unarmed targets. I am calling for Congress to pass legislation to that effect as well. I realize that there are nations that have some qualms about vessels in their ports with weapons; I have no objection to our crews sealing their weapons lockers while in those ports and unsealing them when they leave. That can be dealt with however those ports and the shipping lines see fit. I am not limiting this to sidearms and rifles. If a shipping line desires to obtain mounted deck guns to protect themselves from pirates, American law will not stand in their way.
"Second, understand that the captain of a vessel is the chief judicial officer of his vessel anywhere in international waters. You already know that; after all, that captain can also conduct marriages, just like any other judge. Henceforth, we will recognize the right of these captains to adjudicate piracy at sea for captured pirates. We will not, obviously, require captains to issue summary judgment and hang captured pirates from the yardarms, but we will honor that right, and defend them from any other nations that might have a problem with that.
"Excuse me, is there a doctor in the audience anywhere? I believe Ms. Thomas here in the second row might be having a stroke; she doesn't look well.
"Third, we honor and encourage any other nations who do the same.
"Fourth, we have issued a general order through the United States Navy, both in the region in question and elsewhere in the world, to wherever possible assist both American vessels threatened with piracy, and vessels bearing the flag of any nation with whom we may enter into piracy enforcement agreements in such a situation. As of today, our naval vessels have a standing order to sink any vessel engaged in piracy, and any vessel supporting a pirate vessel. Any captured pirates will be executed by summary judgment; where this is at the captain's discretion for commercial vessels, it will be mandatory for military ones.
"Fifth, we have called upon Somalia to take responsibility as a sovereign nation for this piracy problem. They need to take whatever measures are necessary to deal with this and ensure it stops. If Somalia cannot control this problem on its own, then the United States stands ready to assist, in the best way we know how. We have put the Somali government on notice that we have identified four specific coastal areas that are sheltering the pirates, and which serve as the pirate bases of operation. If piracy continues more than thirty days beyond today's date, we will assist the Somali government through naval bombardment of these four locations, and the bombardment will continue until those locations are completely uninhabitable. After that, our fleet will move on to any other locations that we have determined to be confirmed pirate dens. Understand that we do not view this as an act of war against Somalia. Quite to the contrary, the Somali government has assured that they also wish to end the scourge of piracy, and we have made them aware that we see this as our best way of assisting them in achieving this goal, and not merely for our benefit or theirs, but for that of the entire world.
"In honor of the vessel and its brave crew from which the occasion for this new policy arose, this anti-piracy policy will be referred to as the Alabama Doctrine. Roll, Tide! Now, I'll open it up to questions from members of the press..."