Breaking: Ron Paul introduces Marque and Reprisal Bills in House

Ron Paul | 10/10/01 | demidog

[Demidog]

Search google. Historically, a Privateer was a private citizen who owned an armed ship and had in his posession a letter granting him authority to capture pirate ships.

All booty was to be brought to a special court which then divied up the booty between the state, the privateer and any private citizen who might have claim to some of the posessions in the haul.

For instance if your goods being shipped to America had been taken by a Pirate and recovered by a privateer, you would have to provide evidence that the goods were first on their way to you and the court would determine that the privateer had no claim to keep the items. Anything not contested would be kept by the privateer minus a tax.

[AKbear]

I truly wish I was in Dr. Paul's district so I could have the pleasure of pulling the lever for him every election.

I wish my congress critters had half the understanding of the Constitution and the principles of liberty that he has.

Bump!!

[Precisian]

Okay, I'm game. Go for it.

But do you honestly believe it will pass the Senate, and George W. Bush will sign it?

[Illbay]

I don't see it as "grand-standing" but simply as a proper understanding of history. True, the average citizen is NOT going to take a "hunting trip" abroad to see if he can bag a terrorist. But it is a recognition that these people are EXTRAORDINARY criminals that pose a hazard to the well-being of the people of the United States.

I think this is appropriate. I think further, that there may well be some enterprising ex-military folks who may find that this is a lucrative business for them to pursue.

[caddie]

Haaaaaarrrrr, matey.

[Dane]

By the way, do you realize we've scooped all major media and networks with this story. That's a good thing in case you haven't figured it out yet.

Wow you scooped all the major media(except maybe Soldier of Fortune magazine), about a Congressman submitting a bill that the US employ mercenaries.

Sheesh you Libertarians are a weird bunch. First you have Lew Rockwell and Co, saying that the WTC atrociites are the US's fault because of an "interventionist" foreign policy and now we have the most Libertarian member of Congress saying that we should officially autorize mercernaries.

Excuse me but aren't mercenaries only effective when they can operate in secret(i.e. no official government sanction).

Leave it up to the Libertarian wing to pronounce our intentions with chest beating thumping, because it is wrapped up in 18th century language.

[steve in DC]

Letters of Marque and Reprisal are not "grand standing".

They are long standing, effective means of bringing the total impact of war to the enemy.

They are also effective "force multipliers", to use some modern terminology. These free up military assets to pursue the military assets of the enemy, unencumbered by other distractions. At the same time, lower value assets of the enemy can be captured as prizes of war by privateers and the citizen militias.

How much can we get for some of those Toyota trucks the Taliban are always roaring around the countryside in?

[thatsnotnice]

A bounty hunter who lives for the chase is willing to cross from jurisdiction to jurisdiction to track someone down. Quite routinely bounty hunters will go to Mexico to grab someone who jumped bail in California or Texas. They're more efficient than cops, who would have to notify local Mexican authorities, argue extradition, etc. Red tape dissolves when privateers are around.

Heh, that made me remember a story from an uncle that was a PI/bounty hunter and ex-security chief of a (state that borders Mexico) Governor. He entered Mexico and captured a bail jumper and had a little problem re-entering. Seems like the Mexicans aren't real happy when they find an American in the process of bringing a handcuffed Mexican back over to our side.

He was glad that he had memorized a phone number of the Governor, and after a couple of tense hours, he was allowed to cross without his prisoner. I don't think he went back to Mexico after that, at least for business purposes. Heh, learn something new and remember something old every day I guess.

[quimby]

Ron Paul Rules.

Good post.

[Dog Gone]

One is our federal (public) US military, the other is private citizens. Big difference

Yes, one is likely bring unstoppable assets against rogue regimes, and the other is likely to get arrested like a cross-dressing French journalist.

[MadameAxe]

Congress critter contacted. Way to go, guys...
:-)

[Demidog]

As has been pointed out you continue to steep in your own ignorance. Privateers are not "mercenaries." Rather than continue to post nothing but negative comments based on ignorance, do some research and bring back a real argument.

[1rudeboy]

The Bush ancestors have a very very poor record of seeing that American privateers got compensated for their efforts.

Your generalization is as breath-taking as it is unsupported.

[Demidog]

Thank you. I hope you and I can put aside our petty differences (and I mean petty) and support this in solidarity.

I hold no grudge.

[A Navy Vet]

Well done.

[Liberal Classic]

You're still confusing privateers with mercenaries. Mercanries are soldiers for hire. Privateers are bounty hunters. Another difference is soldiers for hire work under the command of regulars, while bounty hunters work on their own.

I am confused by this reaction, since there was a news article about the use of mercanies in Columbia and the reaction from many Republicans nonplussed. It was mostly the Democrats and other left-wingers that got all hot-under-the-collar about "private armies."

This is, in essence, another way of saying "Bin Laden: wanted dead or alive $1,000,000 reward."

As an aside, Dane, you must know all libertarians aren't the same, just as all Republicans aren't the same or agree with each and every platform plank.

[1rudeboy]

Don't be silly. Our interventionist foreign policy is only unacceptable if our (underpaid) troops do the fighting.
Overtly recruiting private citizens to do our fighting for us is acceptable.

[Demidog]

bump

[discostu]

Maybe you shouldn't insult people in the same post you show your ignorance. By classic definition a privateer is a person who's activities strongly ressemble those of a pirate's except in two very important areas: 1 - they've been given a letter of marque from a government (preferably either their home government or the government who's waters they sale in), 2 - they're target is pirates. Basically the pirate the pirates and in exchange for only preying on bad guys the government calls them a good guy.

Really neat if you think about it, they get all of the fun of being pirates but none of the hassle of being hunted down. It's actually something we should have resumed a long time ago (they pretty much stopped giving out letters of marque after the Civil War), pirates (mostly drug runners looking to switch boats, but still some of the classic style) still cruise the Carribean waters, there's been some heavy activity off of Baja the last couple. And most of these guys hang out in international waters so we're pretty much powerless against them.

Not sure how useful it will be against terrorists. But who cares, privateers are just nifty. Gives me something to look forward to when I cash out those stock options.

[dcwusmc]

A legitimate question is one thing and I'd be happy to reply. It's your gratuitous slams of libertarians that draw fire to you. Perhaps you need a course in basic manners or maybe you were just born a dolt. I sure dunno WHAT your problem is but you need to get it fixed before your betters (which is virtually ANYONE else) get YOU fixed. Maybe a neutering would help, before you afflict humanity with offspring.