President Barack Obama pledged quick action Wednesday in response to the earthquake that rocked Haiti.
“I have directed my administration to respond with a swift, coordinated, and aggressive effort to save lives,” said Obama. “The people of Haiti will have the full support of the United States.” (0:23)
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.
A hearing on international disaster assistance was held before the Senate Foreing Relations Subcommittee on International Development and Foreign Assistance, Economic Affairs, and International Environmental Protection. Chairman Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) said that humanitarian aid is more complicated than dropping food and water out of an airplane. (more…)
Scot Marciel, deputy assistance secretary of state said that the crisis in Myanmar and the difficulty of getting humaitarian aid is not a U.S./Burma issue, but the Myanmar regime is sayin ‘no’ to help from the entire world. (1:08)
Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Scot Marciel warns Senior General Than Shwe and other Burmese leaders that the blame will rest on their heads unless they start opening their doors to international humanitarian aid organizations. (1:03)
The Committee on Foreign Affairs met today to discuss Myanmar in the aftermath of cyclone Nargis. Scot Marciel, deputy assistant secretary of state, criticized the Myanmar government’s handling of the disaster, saying it was “appalling.” (more…)
