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Article: Piracy grows if tolerated.(Editorials)(Rescue of U.S. captian was self-defense)(Editorial)
- Article from:
- The Register Guard (Eugene, OR)
- Article date:
- April 14, 2009
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2009 The Register Guard. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: The Register-Guard
With Sunday's dramatic rescue of an American sea captain held captive by Somali pirates, the United States has taken a hard line against hijacking and hostage-taking. Not a moment too soon.
Over the past year an estimated $80 million has been paid in ransom to pirates off the Horn of Africa. In the absence of a forceful response, that number would double and double again. Piracy would spread to other parts of the world. Innocent people would eventually be subjected to violence on a larger scale than that which ended Capt. Richard Phillips' captivity.
Until Sunday, the world's maritime nations seemed to have accepted ...