Does anyone think that pirates would have taken Americans hostage for money if Bush was president?

The US government will never pay a ransom to pirate/terrorists. But, will do everything it can to spare the life of its citizens. Carter tried a rescue attempt that failed miserably, but at least he tried, and was lucky all the hostages weren't killed for it. Luckily, in the end the hostages were released. Should we go ahead and carpet bomb Somalia like US citizens wanted to do to Iran during that hostage situation? Fortunately for the hostage, that will not happen. There is no need to force anything right now, because we will get the hostage back one way or another. Doing something aggresive would almost certainly end this hostages life, and jeopardize the 300 or so other hostages there are known to be off the coast of Somalia. And I don't see why Obama having a little pizza party at his house tonight is making headlines. He still has to eat, and has an annual budget allowed him to do things like that, and it's not as much as what people think. I hear these idiots on the radio making such a huge deal about it, and it's because they have nothing else better to talk badly about him. What is he suppose to do? Parachute onto the boat and single handedly take control of the situation. That's what the Navy is there for, and they are handling things. This thing has only gone on for a few days, and there will certainly be a change in rules for crews to defend thereselves at sea.

And to answer the what if Bush was president question. It would have happened just the way it is happening now. They didn't take an American hostage due to who is sitting in the seat of President. They are doing it for the money.

These guys are not AL-Qaeda, sure they have no doubt heard of President Obama, but maybe not. They are out on the ocean trying to get stuff from ships. I would guess they might have. I mean they have the US navy breathing down their necks. What would Bush have done, differently ,killed the American captain?

I always say this, if Al Gore had been elected in 2000, when 9/11 happened, Republicans would have been saying "This never would have happened if George Bush had been elected!", but of course, it did.

Presidents don't make that much difference in crimes of that kind. They probably don't care who is the US President and there is only so much a President can do.

I think rather than being a 'laughing stock' if he does not do anything, it would be more likely he would be criticized internationally if he did order the boat sunk or something. Not that the President should always give in to international pressure for US security, but I don't think this is a major US national security threat, but blown out of proportion things could get worse over there.

Obama is not reading from the book Presidents For DUMMIES, ok>

Granted that these Somali pirates have zero respect for USA, but so does most of the world and GW gets ALL the credit. With that said, the Somali pirates have gone up against China, Russia, and more. They don't give a ratzazz who's flag is flown, they want cash and they get cash. Hijacking ships has been paying off well for them. I bet some of the men behind all this are buying property in the USA as I type this.

Just like every other military problem, USA is in charge of squat. I bet the insurance companies are negotiating a price like they have been doing. The Navy has been told to stand down. How pathetic it is that 4 cockroaches can hold the world hostage by taking ONE American.

If the USA militarily minds and weaponry were superior, we would be reading in history books where USA is done in Iraq, succeeded to rid Afghanistan of the Taliban ~and~ would have turned the Gulf of Aden into a pirate graveyard 2 days ago!

American Hostages WERE taken under President Bush...only difference is that under Obama the Hostages came back...Alive. That's one for Obama.

Two...I doubt these Somalis even know who the president is. So Bush or not they would have done it.

Three when people are taken hostage domestically...we don't send in the Swat team immediately to take everyone out...we send in Hostage Negotiators....aggresive response isn't the best action when your trying to preserve the lives of americans.

Yes I do think this would have happened with Bush as president, as you may recall 9/11 occurred during his watch.

Whether or not this would have happened is not germane, what is important is how we react.

We should remember that Obama has relatives in east Africa. If our government has not moved to provide them with significant protection, now would be a good time to do that.

As for the standoff at sea, obviously we can't let them leave with the captain, nor can we pay ransom. The least worse scenario we could tolerate is letting them escape empty handed, and with the Captain returned unharmed.

Beyond this, we need to show some temper. These are illiterate people, we need to educate them to fear us.

North Korea pulled out of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty in the process the Bush watch and tried to seize a US protection stress secret agent plane. meanwhile, they carry 32 million North Koreans hostage.

even if bush were president rob, i still think the pirates would

have taken hostages for money. i agree obama will have to act

soon or go down in history as another carter.

pirates attack people more often than is televised in large scale.

they have pirates in Venezuela and other countries too.

most of the people are in poverty and do not really care about whose president here.

personal i think the french govt. is dumb sending a war ship over some pirates.

First of all, this "Pirate" phenomena didn't spread until the CIA & other outsider intruders started middling with the governments in that area like Sumal, Sudan, Eritrea & Ethiopia. And this weakened those governments and it's power held on gangs over there. And this whole intrusion started in George W. Bush the father.

I'm just waiting for a question that blames Obama for the ozone layer problems.

The pirates aren't literate enough to even know the registry of the ships they attack. Who The President of the USA is, is of no consequence to them.