Is it time to invade Somalia?

It's not necessary; just change the rules of engagement. Everybody in the Gulf of Aden needs to start actively hunting down these pirates with same passion that the French are (Yeah, this a bad place for the French jabs. They're the only ones really taking the pirates head-on: http://www.newsweek.com/2009/04/14/how-to-deal.htm... ). They are only surviving because we view the monetary losses due to ransoms as tolerable. But this will only embolden and further arm our adversaries, and is not a viable long term strategy.

Maybe it's time for idiots to stop taking pleasure cruises in that area.

I don't think we (the U.S.) should invade Somalia. We tried that once before in the 1990s to help protect the starving people from the warlords. But once our military started getting into firefights with the gangs people around the world started getting mad at the U.S. again. Then when we decided to pull our military out it encouraged radicals around the world because they said "Hey look the U.S. military will run from a fight!"

Edit: I'm talking about the people who take their personal boats out there in that area. Everyone knows there are pirates out there? Why would any rational person go out into a dangerous area. 4 Americans who took their sail boat out there were just killed. I live in Texas. I don't cross the border into Mexico because there is a lot of drug violence down there. I don't think invading Somalia is the Answer. Maybe a bigger Navy presence to help protect the merchant ships and oil tankers.

The US & other western countries went there in 1992 to save the Somalis from themselves when famine was happening.

They returned the favour by attacking American & coalition troops.

So, forget it this time....

Good book/movie on the topic is "Blackhawk Down"

Ah yes, invasion. The American answer to every problem. Aren't you guys broke from your other three invasions?

Here's a cheaper, less violent idea. Stop creating unrest in these areas and piss off. The amount of terrorist actions will decrease exponentially.

I don't care who does it but the pirates need their a_ses kicked big time.

Invade, no. Air strike, yes.

Why invade when you could simply carpet bomb? No need to risk American lives.