Thomas P.M. Barnett :: Weblog

ARTICLE: "Somali soldiers capture ship from pirates," by Associated Press, USA Today, 15 October 2008.

INTERNATIONAL: "With Spotlight on Pirates, Somalis on Land Waste Away in the Shadows; Millions Hungry As War Drags On," by Jeffrey Gettleman, New York Times, 11 October 2008.

Soldiers from "Somalia," we are told, freed one of cargo ships captured by pirates off its coast.

Now, the article doesn't exactly say whose soldiers were involved (and I'm too lazy to engage in serious research on the subject, so I welcome corrections), but right after giving the blow-by-blows, the article then quotes "Puntland's foreign minister" in saying that his "ragtag coast guard can fight pirates" all right.

Excuuuuse me!

Puntland has a foreign minister, like Florida does?

What the hell. The pirates got their own spokesman ("Aaaargh! I said we'd be releasing those mateys on our own good time, see!), so why shouldn't a state-within-a-fake-state have one, too?

Mark my words: many Somalias to emerge eventually.

Meanwhile, of course, millions subject to starving in a libertarian--or is it libertine's?—paradise.

Aaaarrrgh, indeed.