The Right to Defend Oneself

By Michael Ruhl, University of New Mexico – Talk Radio News Service

“We all have an inherent right to self defense in international waters,” according to Senator Jim Webb (D-VA). This remark came out of a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing that saw testimony from Richard Phillips, Captain of the Maersk Alabama. Phillips received international media attention several weeks ago while being held hostage by pirates off of the coast of Somalia.

Both the Senators and the witnesses acknowledged that Piracy off of the coast of Somalia has been on the rise recently. Committee Chairman John Kerry (D-Mass.) said that America’s “ability to project naval power and to help ensure the free passage of goods and humanitarian aid is as important as ever.”

Phillips acknowledged that more needs to be done to secure vessels of the merchant marine, specifically arming the crew.

“In my opinion, arming the crew cannot and should not be viewed as the best or ultimate solution to the problem. At most, arming the crew should only be one component of a comprehensive plan and approach to combat piracy,” he said.

The comprehensive approach the committee discussed could include increased U.S. Navy presence in the most dangerous areas, the creation of a protected corridor that civilian ships can travel within, the rooting out of pirates in their land based sanctuaries and the “hardening” of ships, to make the ships structurally more resistant to pirates. “Hardening” measures include razor wire on railings, fire hoses to repel the pirates, and unbolting ladders that lead onto the boat. Phillips does not believe this will stop the pirates, but rather, that they will find a way to adapt.

Maersk Chaiman John Clancey, also present at the hearing, does not believe that arming the crews is a good idea.

“Our belief is that arming merchant sailors may result in the acquisition of even more lethal weapons and tactics by the pirates, a race that merchant sailors cannot win. In addition, most ports of call will not permit the introduction of forearms into their national waters,” Clancey said.

Clancey also posed that greater liability may be assumed by the companies if sailors are traveling with weapons. Neither Chairman Kerry nor Phillips felt that this argument was strong, because of the intense amount of training that mariners go through already. Kerry, a former member of the U.S. Navy, feels that the benefits outweigh the risks, and that multinational agreements can be reached to work out the issue of bringing weapons into port.

Richard Phillips is scheduled to testify next week before the Senate Armed Services Committee.

What to do in Somalia?

By Michael Ruhl, University of New Mexico – Talk Radio News Service

The lack of a coordinated international response might have emboldened pirates off the coast of Africa to step up their terror, according to Retired Vice Admiral Kevin Cosgriff. This comes on the heels of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announcing the Obama Administration’s new approach to the situation in Somalia, which includes the U.S. seizure of financial assets.

Cosgriff believes that a coordinating authority among the nations with maritime interests in the region could help present a unified front against pirates.

“With so many different players on the field, it’s a bit like an all-star game without an authoritative coach. There are differing rules of engagement, national approaches, and limits on what they want their warships to do.” Cosgriff said it’s a challenge “to have the right ship from the right navy in the right place at the right time to do what you want to do.”

Cosgriff is former commander of the US Naval Forces Central Command. He held a talk at the Middle East Institute, at which he addressed the possible courses of action which could be taken against maritime piracy in the nearly 400,000 square mile region along the Somali coast.

“Doing nothing, or being ineffective at what we do, strikes me as bad policy,” said the commander, who addressed five possible courses of action that could be taken to curb the lawlessness:

• Do Nothing: Companies which traffic goods off of the African Horn would pay ransoms and treat piracy as a cost of business.
• Arm the Crews: Ship crews would be expected to maintain their own security through hiring private security forces or arming their mariners.
• Flood the Zone: International naval coalitions and unofficial patchworks of navies “with significant maritime interests” would patrol the region.
• Go in on ground - Light: Tactical airstrikes and troops on the ground aimed at equipment and infrastructure within known pirate camps along the Somali coastline.
• Go in on ground - Heavy: Tactical airstrikes and troops on the ground to flush out the pirate camps, seize property, and not allow the pirates to bare the fruits of their actions.

Cosgriff emphasized the importance of a coordinated international response in whatever route was selected, because it is an “international problem in the great global commons known as the sea.” A coordinated response would provide a uniform framework in which to react to pirates when they engage in hostility, according to Cosgriff. He said that since the U.S. is a global maritime leader, it should take a leading role in the solution.

“Whatever lies ahead, we have to take care… that the cure is not worse than the disease,” he said.

Cosgriff acknowledged that piracy is a business, and doesn’t believe that it is rooted in simple poverty and desperation, although he acknowledged those as contributing factors. “The overall problem is that of organized criminal clans,” groups which he said, “try to extend seaward the rule of the gun which pertains in much of Somalia.” He continued, “in short, piracy pays.”

Somalia has faced ongoing violence and lawlessness since the government collapsed in 1991.

Somalia: A Pirate’s Paradise

By Michael Ruhl, University of New Mexico – Talk Radio News Service

Piracy is nothing new in Somalia. Every day pirates run free off of Somalia’s nearly 2,000-mile coastline and find haven within this African country which is slightly smaller than Texas. The problem has long been of concern to the U.S. State Department and the United Nations, but it has been gaining special attention once again because of the targeting of American citizens. The hostage situation with American ship captain Richard Phillips caused a nation to hold its breath, and many were in shock when U.S. Congressman Donald Payne (D-NJ) escaped a mortar attack aimed at his airplane in Mogadishu on Monday while the congressman was meeting with government officials.

Maritime piracy has been a lucrative business since the collapse of the Somali government in 1991 and in the thirteen governments to exist since. It can provide quick income for the uneducated and impoverished, and has become a fact of life for companies trading around the Horn of Africa.

The United States has not had full diplomatic ties with Somalia since 1991. Somalia now has a U.S. “Ambassador-at-large” with no formal office in the U.S. from which to work. The Ambassador-at-large, Abdi Awaleh Jama, believes that the violence comes from a “poverty of leadership” in Somalia. Jama said the leaders at the regional and national level don’t serve communal interests but rather favor specific clans or family members.

“The dominant paradigm now is the clan paradigm... not the nation paradigm,” Jama said. He continued, “When there is no law and order, you take the law into your own hands.” Jama said the natural resources in Somalia have been seized by certain clans and used to hold down opposition within the rest of the country.

Jama, who does not fault the sitting Somali president for the country’s condition, said that pirates flourish off the expansive coast because the rule of law has not existed in Somali society in the past decade. When such anarchy is combined with the overflowing poverty, a situation will develop where people will seize “any opportunity they have to make money,” said Jama.

Officials within the Somali government have defended the so-called pirates as being a “coast guard” who protect the country’s resources. Jama dismisses that claim.

“These are criminals who want to make quick money, and who want to just use force, in the name of saving Somalia,” he said. “They are only there to enrich themselves, and to use that gimmick that they are defending Somali resources, which is wrong.”

Joel Carny, an expert from Refugees International, said that Somalia “really hasn’t had a central government that has functioned in so long.” He believes this has led to “warlordism” and opportunity for clan-based regional politics to develop. He called Somalia “an environment in which everyone has to fend for themselves.”

According to Carny, approximately two million Somalis have been displaced due to the violence in the past decade and three million are in need of emergency assistance.

Somalia’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Dr. Elmi Ahmed Duale, acknowledged in a phone conversation that the violence was taking place and said the government cannot hide it. He hopes for a resolution.

The international community has taken this issue very seriously. The United Nations has had peacekeepers in Somalia at various times since 1991, and most recently the African Union has dedicated resources through AMISOM, their official Mission to Somalia. In February 2009, the United Nations Security Council authorized AMISOM to stay in Somalia for another six months, which places peacekeepers on the ground through August. The United Nations says the goal of this mission is to help establish order and secure human rights.

Recent Somali elections were marked by violence to the point that they had to take place in neighboring Djibouti. Somali President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed was elected in January, and shortly thereafter, Ahmed appointed a new prime minister.

Carny is doubtful of the new government’s ability to establish order but thinks that the international community should give the new president a chance. Carney said, “Lets see if [the government] can establish a viable authority... that can at least establish security inside the capitol and then spread from there.” Carney said, however, that “anyone who’s pessimistic about Somalia is probably going to be right.”

Jama wants the United States to help Somalia build a “proper coast guard,” which would replace vigilantism that currently runs the shorelines.

Both Jama and Carny acknowledged that most of the social problems in Africa are rooted in the colonial past, but Carny believes that Africa must move on. “We’re not going to redraw the boundaries in Africa,” said Carny. He suggested that Somalia could be governed regionally through “some kind of Federalism,” as a credible solution for ethnically diverse nations prone to social conflict, civil war and genocide.

“For better or for worse, these countries have to live and work their way out of consequences. When you get good leadership at the national level... things can turn around fairly quickly,” Carny said.

Listen to the audio report here.

White House Gaggle

Briefer: Tony Fratto

President’s Schedule

At 10.15 am President Bush makes remarks on the 57th National Day of Prayer in the East Room of the White House. This afternoon, at 2:50 pm he will also make remarks at the celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.
Deputy White House Press Secretary Tony Fratto will brief the press at 12.30 pm today.




Economy

Fratto was asked if the GDP numbers this week were better than the Administration expected, and Fratto said that they had anticipated that the quarter numbers were going to be relatively flat. We had modestly encouraging news about .6% GDP, where the economy slightly expanded when there was a lot of expectation that it would contracting.


US air strike on Somalia

When asked for a confirmation on a US air strike in Somalia that is believe to have killed the head of a terrorist organization, Fratto said that he was aware of the report but referred to the Pentagon for further information.


Resignation

Fratto was asked if there are any more resignations following that of General Services Administration Lurita Doan, and he responded that he was not aware of any.


Whales

When asked for a comment on Rep. Harry Waxman’s concerns about a report that came out yesterday looking at White House involvement on protecting the whales. Fratto said that they were in the middle of the rule making process and he said that, “It is a robust and thorough process and we are going to listen to all the voices involves and come to a decision that is in the best interest of everybody involved… and making sure that we are protecting this very endangered species.” Every office is involved in review of decisions, which is why it is not at all unusual for the Vice President’s office to be involved, Fratto said.



Russia and Georgia

When asked if the President has spoken to Russian President Putin in the last 24 hours, Fratto said no. When asked about developments regarding Georgia and NATO involvement, Fratto said that they were concerned about reports coming out of the region and the US State Department is expressing their concerns through their appropriate channels. Fratto had nothing else specific to tell in terms of specific contact between Russia and Georgia. When asked who President Bush would call, Mr. Medvedev or Mr. Putin, Fratto replied that President Putin is the head of state of Russia.



Mission Accomplished

Fratto was asked if there will be any public notice of the anniversary of the “Mission Accomplished”, and he stated, “We know that all of you have it, since you have been asking about it for three days. We have been through this a number of times, and I don’t think I have anything to add.”



Food prices

Referring to the discussion on food prices on Capitol Hill, Fratto was asked if it was too early to push the panic button for ethanol, and he said that they take a strong look at how all of these policies affect food prices in the country. In regards to biofuels, there might “have been too much attention to bio fuel and not enough attention to all the other factors that affect food prices, especially in this county where it is a tiny slice of the increased prices for food in the United States,” Fratto said. Two years ago the price increased by 3.3% and last year by 4.5 %. “A very small portion of that price increase is attributed to biofuels, and there are lots of other factors; energy prices and the cost of transporting food, that has had a greater impact on that price increase than biofuel.”

White House Gaggle

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary
(Waco, Texas)

_______________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release March 3, 2008


PRESS GAGGLE
BY GORDON JOHNDROE

Aboard Air Force One
En route Andrews Air Force Base



10:11 A.M. EST


MR. JOHNDROE: All right, let me do the -- I'll do the President's schedule. We just left Texas en route Washington. The President received his regular briefings on board. On arrival, at 12:20 p.m., the President will participate in a photo opportunity with winners of the Veterans of Foreign Wars National Voice of Democracy Award. That's on the North Portico of the White House.

Then at 1:00 p.m., the President meets with the National Association of Attorneys General. Attorney General Mukasey will be briefing him ahead of time. The President will come in, spend some time with them. His remarks to the attorneys general with the pool will focus on FISA. Twenty-one of our nation's attorneys general have written a letter in support of FISA modernization.

Then the President, at 1:40 p.m. in the Oval Office, will meet with the former commanding general of Multinational Corps Iraq, Lieutenant General Ray Odierno. General Odierno assumed command of Multinational Corps Iraq in December of 2006, and recently redeployed with the 3rd Corps back to Fort Hood, Texas, and continues to serve as the commanding general at Fort Hood.

As the number two commander in Iraq, Lieutenant General Odierno oversaw the day-to-day operations, and in particular, commanded the surge of military forces the President announced last year. The President and Lieutenant General Odierno will discuss the continued progress in Iraq, the training of Iraqi security forces and Iraqi security forces' increased capability to take the lead in combat operations.

At 2:35 p.m., in the East Room -- this event is open press -- the President will present the Medal of Honor posthumously to Master Sergeant Woodrow Keeble of the United States Army. As the Army News Service recently reported, during the final allied offensive of the Korean War, Master Sergeant Woodrow Wilson Keeble risked his life to save his fellow soldiers. Almost six decades after his gallant actions, and 26 years after his death, Keeble will be the first full-blooded Sioux Indian to receive the Medal of Honor.

And with that, I am happy to take your questions.

Q On Condi's trip to the Mideast, what's the expectations, and how does she deal with the recent flare-up?

MR. JOHNDROE: Sure. Obviously, as you know, the Secretary of State leaves at 11:00 a.m. this morning to go to the Middle East, has meetings in Egypt, as well as meetings with Israelis and Palestinians. We have a clear message: The Palestinian people have a choice to make. It's a choice between terrorism, or a choice between a political solution that leads to a Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with Israel.

The number one thing that has to happen is Hamas has got to stop targeting Israeli citizens with rockets. It must stop. The parties then need to get back to the negotiating table and have discussions. Ultimately, it is in the best interest of the Palestinian people and their future, and also in the best interest of the Israelis and the whole region, for these two parties to have discussions that leads to a peaceful settlement.

Q Do you fear that the -- Abbas pulling out of the discussions for now will be prolonged and stall efforts by the President to get this going?

MR. JOHNDROE: Well, look, I saw that President Abbas had said that he suspended talks. We obviously want these talks to resume as soon as possible. I think that's something that Secretary Rice will take up with President Abbas, as well as other leaders in the region.

Q Does the President -- in infer from your comments that the President does not feel that Israel has used disproportionate force, as the Secretary General of the U.N. has said?

MR. JOHNDROE: Look, we obviously don't want any innocent civilians to lose their life, but I think that started with these rockets that have been fired from Gaza into Israel, recently killing and injuring Israeli citizens in some of their bigger cities. So they've had these -- a barrage of rockets fired out of Hamas for some time now, and now Hamas escalated it, firing larger rockets longer-range and killing people. And so that's got to stop.

Q So the answer is, no?

MR. JOHNDROE: The answer is the stated.

Q It seems as if Hamas is driving this Middle East agenda, because any time they want to derail the negotiations, they can.

MR. JOHNDROE: You know, there are always people, whenever they see the democratic process making progress, that try and derail it. And so that's why I said the Palestinian people have a choice to make. President Abbas and Prime Minister Fayyad can help lead the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian people in a better direction. And that's what Secretary Rice is going to be focused on when she arrives there later today.

Q Do you guys think there's any possible way to have a peace negotiation, a peace accord if there is a divided Palestinian group?

MR. JOHNDROE: As the President has said, it's a two-state solution, not a three-state solution. But I think I'm going to wait for Secretary Rice to get there and have her discussions before I say anything more.

Q Is there any chance of having any kind of Middle East accord by the end of the year like he wants?

MR. JOHNDROE: We're going to keep on -- we're going to keep after it.

Q Are you optimistic about that?

Q The President hasn't given up on this yet?

MR. JOHNDROE: No, absolutely not. We're going to keep on pursuing it. It is in the best interest of the Palestinian people, it's in the best interest of the Israeli people, it's in the best interest of the people in the region and the whole wide world, so we've got to keep after it.

Q What about the air strike and reports that civilians were killed, in this pinpoint strike?

MR. JOHNDROE: I would say that it's unfortunate whenever civilians lose their life. We do not want to see that, either Israeli or Palestinian --

Q -- about Somalia.

MR. JOHNDROE: Somalia, okay. Somalia, look -- the United States is going to go after al Qaeda and al Qaeda-affiliated operatives wherever we find them. They are plotting and planning all over the world to destabilize the world, to inflict terror, and where we find them, we are going to go after them.

Q Who was the target?

MR. JOHNDROE: I'm going to refer you to the Pentagon for any specifics, but the action was to go after al Qaeda and al Qaeda-affiliated terrorists.

Q -- get anybody?

MR. JOHNDROE: I'll refer you to the Pentagon for any additional details.

Q Gordon, does the President feel that the elections yesterday in Russia were fair and free?

MR. JOHNDROE: Dimitri Medvedev is now the President-elect of Russia, will soon be the President of Russia. The President looks forward to working with him. It's in our mutual interests that the United States and Russia continue cooperation in a number of areas, including counter-proliferation, counter-terrorism, fighting transnational crime. So I expect that in the coming days the President and Mr. Medvedev will have a chance to talk.

Q Right, but the President has been very eloquent in the past about the need to hold free and fair elections all around the world. That's not quite the question I asked. What does he think about how the elections went in Russia?

MR. JOHNDROE: I think the United States position in the lead-up to the elections was clear. But now I'll refer you to election observers who have made some comments about the election. They're also continuing to take a look at it. So we'll wait to see what these observers have to say.

Q Do you folks have any comment about Ahmadinejad's visit to Baghdad? He's saying that they're not arming the insurgents there. He said they're not training the --

MR. JOHNDROE: I heard his comments. Nice words for him to say in the middle of Baghdad, but the facts on the ground prove otherwise. We continue to intercept equipment and people coming in from Iran into Iraq with no other purpose but for the killing of innocent Americans and innocent Iraqis, and the destabilization of that country. So we would just urge them to stop that. But at the end of the day, we want Iraq and Iran to have good relations. It's in the best interests of both people, and in the region.

Q Gordon, on FISA, Congressman Reyes said yesterday that he was hopeful that there might be some kind of compromise worked out on the Hill on this issue. Do you know anything about that? Is the President willing to entertain some kind of compromise?

MR. JOHNDROE: I think our position has been clear; we need to see liability protection for these telecommunications firms, so that they will be willing to provide assistance to our national security agencies. We're hopeful that the House Democratic leaders will bring the vote to the floor soon, because it has the votes to pass.

Q How much pressure are the phone and the telecom communications companies putting on the White House and putting on the administration to get this done?

MR. JOHNDROE: I would just say I think we're --

Q Are they putting any pressure on --

MR. JOHNDROE: I think I would decline to comment on any specific conversations. Our intelligence community has conversations with the telecommunications companies about the -- about some of our national security requirements, but I'll just leave it at that.

Okay, all right. Thank you all.

END 10:18 A.M. EST