Friday, November 13, 2009

Drug Ship destroyed 2

A comment on my entry Drug Ship destroyed deserves a fully answer than can be provided for in the comments section.

Excuse me? I was asking questions that hadn't been answered by the papers at the time.

Stating that "Anyone with an ounce of sense knows that the US Coastguard and Royal Navy operate such opearations[sic] in international waters and come under international maritime law." doesn't mean a thing if you don't recognise the UN under whose auspices it falls, did the boat's registered port recognise such? What was the boat's home country? Was this in territorial waters or international waters?

"If you read the papaers[sic] properly you would also see that the crew were arrested and removed before the vessel had mechanical problems and could not be re-started." As I've just stated the papers at the time mentioned no such thing.

"I would also be interested to know how you think they could weigh anchor in international waters" Do a search for "sea anchor" which while not fixing the boat in position should have slowed it enough not to drift into the main shipping lines before it could be repaired, or do you believe that any vessel suffering engine troubles should be blown up as it poses a danger which is how the papers at the time put it?

"The papers also stated that the crews were offloaded for trial both in their home countries and international laws courts in the US." Question 1: What international law courts exist in the US? Question 2: Where did the alleged offence take place that would require extradition to their "home countries". Questions 3: How do you extradite someone from international waters (if this is indeed where the alleged offence took place).

"Maybe you have never had anyone you know affected by drugs or maybe you just don't care about the future of our children." Oh why won't I think of the children!

"The fact is that clearly some people do and are taking steps to remove some of the risks from our streets. By all means have a rant but at least have the common courtesy to get your facts right before you slag off the hard working guys who put themselves in danger to improve others lives."

Shall I reopen the whole "War on Drugs" debate? As for my facts note this was posted on the 28th September just after the event where everyone seemed to be hooray'ing that they'd destroyed the big bad drug ship without any apparent due process.

While I have no objections to corrections (indeed I welcome them), likewise to answers to questions I pose that weren't answered at the time I do object to the hostility displayed here along with the attempt to drop moral baggage on to my shoulders. If I start questioning the war in Afghanistan or Iraq will you also pop-up to complain that I'm slagging "off the hard working guys who put themselves in danger to improve others lives."? I asked questions about the nature of the event to which the answers you provided has only caused me to pose more questions. Please feel free to try to answer those, but drop the moral sermons.

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