Insurance and Catering Companies Profiting from Piracy

Why does piracy exist? It's profitable.
Pirates never have to work again after one hijacking (they make $10,000 to $20,000 for a hijacking, the average Somali family lives off of $500 a year) and insurance companies are reaping windfall profits of off ransom insurance. Catering companies make money serving food to the ship while the ship's crew is being held hostage. Prostitution is big in piracy too.
Listen to the story at NPR.

Details Emerge on Navy Seal Rescue

President Obama dispatched two separate teams of Navy commandos to carry out last week's rescue of a merchant ship captain held hostage by Somali pirates but left the operational details and rules of engagement to military commanders, National Security Adviser James. L. Jones said Tuesday.

"I can tell you from a White House and presidential standpoint, there was no conflict, no gnashing of teeth, or excessive influence in trying to manage this thing," Mr. Jones, a retired Marine Corps four-star general, told The Washington Times in an interview.

He and other military officials gave the most detailed account to date of how Navy SEAL forces were dispatched - first from a base in Africa and later from the United States - to carry out the mission, and how Pentagon officials communicated with the White House. They sought to dispel Internet reports that the military was delayed from taking action by indecision inside the White House.

"I don't recognize" the information being circulated on the Internet, Mr. Jones said.
....
"This was, from my perspective, a textbook operation," Mr. Jones said in the interview. "There were two things [the president] was asked to approve and he did. And the military executed flawlessly."
....
Contrary to the critical report, the president did not reject two proposed rescue attempts by U.S. forces prior to the sniper attack, Mr. Jones said.
Read the rest at the Wash Times

Obama Quiet on Pirate Attack

Newt Gingrich Twitters that the U.S. shouldn't negotiate with the pirates, as if he knows anything that's going on.

The correct answer to piracy is to destroy it not negotiate with it Seals can retake the lifeboat Track every boat leaving somalia

I believe, Newt, that the Obama administration is trying to save the life of the captain and I'm sure there's a plan underway.

On Thursday, the second day of the incident, the White House portrayed Obama's role as an attentive listener who was getting frequent progress reports — but not getting directly involved in the decision-making of any operations.

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs put the focus on an interagency group on maritime safety that includes representatives from the departments of State, Homeland Security, Commerce, Energy, Defense and Transportation, as well as the FBI and the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
.....
Since taking office in January, the president has proved willing in many cases to field off-the-cuff questions from reporters at the close of events at the White House, even on matters differing from his focus that day.

But not in this case.

When reporters asked the president directly about the incident on Thursday, he demurred. Instead, he stayed on his message of the day, saying: "Guys, we're talking about housing right now." MSNBC
Apparently, the media has contacted the pirates:

Gibbs Press Briefing April 9

Obama's doing a transportation event on Monday in Maryland. Tuesday, the Philadelphia Phillies will be in D.C. to celebrate their World Series victory and Obama will be heading to Mexico on Thursday. There will be an event on Wednesday but Gibbs didn't give any details. The press is really worried about whether Obama bowed to King Abdullah or not. Earth to media and wingnuts: WE DON'T CARE.

Hillary and Gates on Australian Ministers Meeting

Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith and Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon left for Washington on Tuesday for annual defence and policy talks with the United States.

"Australia's alliance with the United States continues to be an indispensable part of Australia's security and defence arrangements," Smith and Fitzgibbon said in a statement.

The ministers will discuss the renewed focus on nuclear disarmament, which has spearheaded by Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd last year and embraced by U.S. President Barrack Obama in a speech at the weekend.

"The talks will include Australia and the United States shared goal of a world free of nuclear weapons," Smith and Fitzgibbon said. People's Daily