Two Navy SEALs missing at sea after ship-boarding mission off Somalia...

[pdm]

I'd be more comfortable with that than with dragging them back to Virginia to be tried at my expense.

The idea that pirates (and, usually, smugglers) are persona non grata has a long international history. Pirates are everybody's enemy, to be attacked and sunk without regard for whatever state they may belong to. So far, the international community has been doing just that in the approaches to the Red Sea, but for some reason they're pussyfooting around with this Iranian smuggling thing.

Over 200 years ago we went to war against the Tripolitans over this kind of issue. I'm not in favor of war with Iran, but it's pretty clear the status quo ain't working. I just don't see how my government has jurisdiction over some Arabian sailor in the Indian Ocean.

Let's bust out some letters of Marque and Reprisal and see how they like a little privateering back.

 

[Picton]

Let's bust out some letters of Marque and Reprisal and see how they like a little privateering back.

A tragically underutilized part of the Constitution.

Issue a few to US-flagged tankers in the Strait of Hormuz and see how long it takes before Iran is on fire, though. So maybe that's not such a great plan, lol.

 

[HARRYM]

Let's bust out some letters of Marque and Reprisal and see how they like a little privateering back.

LOL, it was legal back in time.

 

[Picton]

LOL, it was legal back in time.

Oh, it's still legal. But the chance of getting one issued is... well, we'll just call it remote.

 

[pdm]

Oh, it's still legal. But the chance of getting one issued is... well, we'll just call it remote.

Unfortunately.