Did any of you catch The Colbert Report last night? He did a short segment about the Somali pirates called Angers Aweigh.
I thought it was hilarious and thought you’d like it too<object width=“512” height=“296”>.
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Sorry for the double-post, but there’s a follow-up clip where Colbert interviews Second Mate Ken Quinn of the [I]Maersk [I]Alabama
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Hey Rob, thanks for those posts, I hadn’t seen them.
I thought it was interesting that crazy ole’ Ron Paul brings up Letters of Marque and Reprisal. Sure enough, Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution says Congress has the power to grant them. He’s advocated them before, after the 9/11 attacks, to combat ‘air piracy’. Does anyone here think this idea has any merit? Is there a place for privateers going out and blasting away at pirates?
Trek leader, my understanding is that while its still in the Constitution, the practice is prohibited by international agreement, treaty, law or dope smoking party…
My thought is its actually a good way to employ all the laid up gulf boats and container ships… Bait and hammer tactic.
Colbert can be funny, but I really feel like he didn’t treat the 2/m very well, kept cutting him off for comic effect…
[QUOTE=drkblram;11629]…the practice is prohibited by international agreement, treaty, law or dope smoking party…
[/QUOTE]
According to the article in Wikipedia… “… Letters of Marque and Reprisal to private parties was banned for signatories of the Declaration of Paris. The United States was not a signatory to that Declaration and is not bound by it.”
Doesn’t appear to be a priority of the Party, though…
Yeah, I’ll agree that Colbert could’ve used that segment to allow the Mate to better tell his story. It was cool to have him there anyways, and he sure did get a warm reception from the audience. I’m willing to bet that won’t be the last we hear of from those guys. I, for one, can’t wait for the book…
That’s not all that’s in the Constitution…
Just in case someone might be wondering to what degree piracy should be a priority for the United States, and for what purpose we might have a Navy at all, a brief review of the United States Constitution may apply.
[B]Section 8[/B]. The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;
To borrow Money on the credit of the United States;
To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;
To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States;
To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;
To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of the United States;
To establish Post Offices and post Roads;
To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;
To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;
[B]To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas[/B], and Offenses against the Law of Nations;
To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and [B]make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water[/B];
To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;
[B]To provide and maintain a Navy[/B];
To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;
To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;
To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;
To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the Acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States, and to exercise like Authority over all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings;–And
To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.
Emphasis mine. [I][B]The mandate to take piracy seriously is not political, it is Constitutional[/B][/I]. The Constitution makes clear that our political leaders may or may not raise an Army, but it is a constitutional requirement for Congress to maintain a Navy. The Constitution of the United States was not written that way by accident, Thomas Jefferson was one of several founding fathers who insured the language was specific.
Source: US Naval Institute Blog - Piracy
Why do I find it kinda funny that it’s all found in SECTION 8! 
John, the problem these days is that many in both the executive and legislative branches see the constitution as a roadblock not a road map…
The 2nd Amendment in the bill of rights is a good example…