So poverty brings people popping out children left and right which brings ever more poverty. I see the trap they're in and why the whole thing is just a self-perpetuating cycle of instability and poverty, but I'm still wondering why. Why the hell would people who can barely feed themselves fire out four or five or six more kids to feed? Most of these countries are dependent on international food aid, do they not understand that every new kid means a little bit less food for everyone else?
As one of my HS teacher put it, 'because they are bored' :dry:
Not sure how it works exactly around there, but here at least where I live, families get more 'federal aid' if they have more members in their family. Also I think they can get more aid if they have an infant. ie they continue making babies from ages 15-~50. On the note of that type of federal aid, I wonder, where would be the motivation to work then?
Finding an answer to this problem is essential to solving the overall failing state problem, which is essential to permenantly solving the Somali pirate problem. Just shooting them won't change anything anymore than the War on Terror changed anything.
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They're criminals, not enemy combatants, and should be treated as such. That means detain if possible and only use force when necessary.
[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpPrXGWbZHU"]YouTube- 2000lb jdam droped on taliban stronghold[/nomedia]
If I saw that in real life, I would be very much discouraged from going against Allied forces. Same goes with land/sea/air/anything
I guess there is a really fine line between the two. I would think a group of people (5+) would be considered combatants. Though, I dont think a boat load of guys with RPGs and fully autos out 100+miles from shore would be considered going on your 'average boating expedition' :thumbup:
But your right detaining when possible is absolutely necessary, the question is, on a little non armored boat like this; why not take a few 14.5mm shots to the engine (which I am sure is unarmored) completely disabling them in the middle of the ocean, and making them surrender.
Ark said:
Somewhat unlike the American military, which apparently considers it entirely okay to murder a dozen people without warning with an Apache because one of them had a camera that kinda sorta not really looked like an RPG. I WISH we'd take some cues from the Europeans for our rules of engagement.
Not exactly sure if that's what happens in real life per se, but if it did I would have a problem with that. So you have been on the front lines and watched this happen? I would expect that they would really confirm their targets before just mowing everything down.
Ark said:
Back to the piracy thing, they can't be that hard to avoid. Just shove the throttles forward and call the nearest Navy ship. A cruise ship fought them off with loud noises, they can't be that professional. As for the root cause, maybe the West should give some thought to cleaning up the mess we left in Somalia. Most people don't engage in piracy just for giggles, and it's a complete copout to try and explain it away as "Oh, they're criminals, simple as that."
Right, a tanker at 500k tones that can travel at max ~16-19 knots is going to out run a small skiff? Yeah don't think so. Like trying to outrun a rocket with a bicycle.
Also a destroyer is a little harder to take than a non armed tanker, what with those big 130mm guns and everything :thumbup:
They engage in piracy for money, you know how many millions that crude is worth :thumbup:
---------- Post added at 12:42 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:31 AM ----------
That all said, how the hell do you change those elements of a culture when 40% of people are 15 or younger?
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It doesn't really look like a problem that can ever be solved. The civilized world has lower birthrates because everyone has enough wealth and stability to afford the luxury of planning ahead. This isn't the answer to failing states, because elevating everyone on the planet to the quality of life of your average American would take the resources of three or four Earths. They're dependent on international aid to keep them alive long enough to pop out more kids, yet reject any kind of international governance, education, or other nation-building efforts. The situation can't be ignored or left alone, because there will only be ever more of them fighting for the same limited resources.
China had an answer;
One-child_policy
Though it would violate 'rights' and I am sure any USA political leader would get kicked out of office just for mentioning it.
So if you have an answer to better the entire world all at once then lets hear it, cause none else has yet been able to figure it out. Realistically there is no 'one package fits all' type of thing, you can only just better your one corner of it.