Defense secretary: Killed Somali pirates were "untrained" teenagers ("No Military Solution")

China View ^ | 4/13/2009 | Mu Xuequan

[tobyhill]

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said on Monday that three Somali pirates who were killed by the Navy's Seals to end a hostage crisis were "untrained" teenagers.

Addressing an audience at the Marine Corps War College in Quantico, Virginia, Gates said that the slain pirates, aged at between 17 to 19, were heavily armed but inexperienced.

They were shot dead on Sunday at the end of a five-day standoff with the U.S. military after they attacked a U.S.-flagged cargo ship about 400 kilometers away from Somali and held an American captain as hostage.

"As long as you've got this incredible number of poor people and the risks are relatively small, there's really no way in my view to control it unless you get something on land that begins to change the equation for these kids," Gates told students and faculty members.

[engrpat]

""As long as you've got this incredible number of poor people..."

Why do I see a new welfare program compliments of the American public? Sorry they are poor, that doesn't give them the right to commit piracy. As far as being young, it would seem they are beyond their years compared to our pampered teens.

[catbertz]

What about the pirates that the French killed? Were they untrained? Do we care? When does a bad man with a gun pointed at your head suddenly require training to be considered legitimate?

They should shut up and tally the win.

[Dallas59]

When do we get to see the videos of the grieving parents, aunts and uncles, sisters and brothers?

[bluejay]

> “As long as you’ve got this incredible number of poor people and the risks are relatively small, there’s really no way in my view to control it unless you get something on land that begins to change the equation for these kids,” Gates told students and faculty members.

Well that makes sense. Why don’t we send some troops to distribute food in Somalia?

Oh right, now I remember.

[tobyhill]

Ask Gates who brought it up and then claims there is no military solution for the problem.
Teach them Ebonics and build rec centers will keep them from a life of piracy. /sarc

[La Lydia]

What, as opposed to highly trained teenagers? Would it be OK then, or not? Or worse? I do not understand the point he is trying to make.

[Never on my watch]

What's the point, Gates?

Are we over trained and too qualified to compete with these thugs? They are the enemy - we don't need to empathize with them, we need to kill them. That is what the military does. Let the U.N. wring their hands and put warriors in charge of the military.

[trisham]

I loved Rumsfeld, and I was shocked at how much criticism he received here. I wonder how his detractors feel now?

[jazusamo]

And that matters?

Gates needs to go!

[Kansas58]

“Momma don’t let your babies grow up to be pirates-—

“So its up against the wall Muslim pirates”

Any other lyrics in this mess?

[South40]

A dead muslim terrorrist is a dead muslim terrorist, regardless what age.

[Prophet in the wilderness]

( Defense secretary: Killed Somali pirates were “untrained” teenagers ):

SO what they are saying IS ??
That they shot 3 untrained children ? .... Obama sent out orders to shoot 3 untrained innocent children ?

[Thommas]

If you put a gun to someone's head, don't expect my sympathy because you hoped for a different outcome than your death...

As for being teenagers, so what?

[tobyhill]

Interesting Point. Obama was quick to take the credit for “allowing” the rescue attempt, like any other CIC would have done, so he should answer to the possibility.

[pissant]

There were things that Rummy did that I did not agree with. I remember Duncan Hunter tussling with him a couple of times. However, the one thing that was so refreshing was his utter lack of political correctness and his handling of the fools in the media.

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

BOO FREEPIN’ HOO!!

[mainestategop]

One of these thugs had a weapon to the back of the captain. A weapon that could have been armed. Don’t tell me it was unnecessary to take him out! Anyway I don’t remember the left having that problem with the Waco siege.

[Kansas58]

Libs think that guns kill people, and want gun control in America.

But, in the rest of the world, they concentrate on the PEOPLE with guns, and not on the guns!

[Will88]

"As long as you've got this incredible number of poor people and the risks are relatively small, there's really no way in my view to control it unless you get something on land that begins to change the equation for these kids," Gates told students and faculty members.

Well, Gates has become a card carrying member of the "root causes" school of criminal and terrorist action. And the fact that these guys were 17 - 19 is not all that remarkable. The average age of Americans who served in Vietnam was 19.

I wonder just what point he was trying to make, and why he thought it worth mentioning at this stage in this incident?

[Wissa]

"As long as you've got this incredible number of poor people and the risks are relatively small, there's really no way in my view to control it unless you get something on land that begins to change the equation for these kids," Gates told students and faculty members.

Very simple solution to the problem. Take the actions needed to make the risks relatively large instead of relatively small and the problem disappears.