Pirates, Thugs, and Hostages

[The Patriot]

Warren M. Christopher, President Clinton's Secretary of State and the chief negotiator for the 1981 release of American hostages in Iran, died on Friday, March 18th. He was 85 years old and his photo appeared on page one of the Sunday New York Times of March 20th. He had a long and distinguished academic, legal, and diplomatic career.

I don't know if Secretary Christopher owned a Cape Dory, but I was reminded of the Cape Dory Bulletin Board when I read a statement he made a few months after the hostages were released. In his statement he pointed to what he said was the value of patient negotiation. Mr. Christopher said: "I am thankful to have served a nation so quietly strong that it could preserve its honor, not by retaliation and vengeance, but by preserving the lives of the hostages."

This kind of careful and deliberate thinking applies not only to avoiding the mindless ramblings of a few individuals who suggest that calling in a Dirty Harry airstrike is an appropriate method for handling pirates and other thugs. After all, one of the things we hope to learn from our association with boats and the sea is patience in achieving our goals.

[DaveCD28]

Interestingly, in the two major cases recently of American citizens being taken hostage by pirates, in the instance where the pirates were eradicated by snipers the hostage lived. In the instance where the Navy tried to negotiate, the hostages died.

It's no secret that the American hostages in Iran were released the very minute Ronald Reagan completed his inaugural address. Iran knew what was coming. It had nothing to do with the negotiations. 440+ days of them? Give me a break. The Iranian hostage negotiations failed, and it was the fear of action that made them agree to the Algiers accords and release the hostages.

I agree there should be some negotiations to try to get hostages released, but there comes a time when action is required. You can try to negotiate with every roach in your pantry that it's your food and they should find something else to eat, but you'll find that eventually you'll have to use a can of Raid.

[Warren Kaplan]

Interestingly, in the two major cases recently of American citizens being taken hostage by pirates, in the instance where the pirates were eradicated by snipers the hostage lived. In the instance where the Navy tried to negotiate, the hostages died.

It's no secret that the American hostages in Iran were released the very minute Ronald Reagan completed his inaugural address. Iran knew what was coming. It had nothing to do with the negotiations. 440+ days of them? Give me a break. The Iranian hostage negotiations failed, and it was the fear of action that made them agree to the Algiers accords and release the hostages.

I agree there should be some negotiations to try to get hostages released, but there comes a time when action is required. You can try to negotiate with every roach in your pantry that it's your food and they should find something else to eat, but you'll find that eventually you'll have to use a can of Raid.

Some may have that reading but others saw it differently. Many thought that Iran just wanted to embarrass Jimmy Carter and rub his nose in it by releasing the hostages literally as soon as he left office. But that's a subject for a different time and a different place.

[DaveCD28]

Some may have that reading but others saw it differently. Many thought that Iran just wanted to embarrass Jimmy Carter and rub his nose in it by releasing the hostages literally as soon as he left office. But that's a subject for a different time and a different place.

You could be right. That is debateable. But in either case the negotiations failed.

My point generally is that just because someone thinks actions, other than discussions, should be taken doesn't make them "mindless" as the original poster suggested.

[CD-Sailor]

DELETED

[WaywardWind]

This is a board about sailing, and sailing is a right and holy thing.

On the other hand, there IS a time for talk and there IS a time for action.

Unfortunately ...

... most who insist on the supremacy of talk to the exclusion of action simply have no stomach for action. "Talk-onlies" are snivelling fools forever condemned to complaining about people who step up to the plate and take required-by-circumstances action.

Interestingly enough, most young women chose young men as mates (who father their children) those men willing to "defend the cave". THAT is what the "talk-onlies" are crying and whining about. T-o's get leftovers.

Like I said, let's leave politics off this sailing board. The reality of politics can sometimes be ugly. And sailing is such a beautiful thing.

Enough of politics. Let those who want to talk politics go the back of the room in the far corner. Robert Heinlein was correct. Those who are not willing to defend the cave have no right to vote on how the cave is run.

Sailing is a sport of action. Sailors do, talkers talk.

Sailors to the boats.

[Cathy Monaghan]

Hey gang, if you want to discuss piracy, fine, but try to keep politics out of it though it's really hard, I know. So if you want to discuss politics there are other forums for that, use'em. Try:

http://www.politicsforum.org/
http://www.politicalforum.com/
http://www.debatepolitics.com/
http://www.arguewitheveryone.com/
There are lots, just GOOGLE "political forum" and pick one.



Thanks,
Cathy
Webmaster - CDSOA, Inc.
CD32 Realization, #3
Rahway, NJ
Raritan Bay