Negotiating With Terrorists

If the deal goes through as indicated in this article, this will be the first of many such kidnappings to come:

April 12 (Bloomberg) -- A tentative deal to free the American container-ship captain who is being held captive by Somali pirates has been put off by a day, one of the pirates said.

The process was postponed because “each group suspects the other one” of reneging, said the pirate, who identifies himself only as Da’ud. Under the terms of the agreement, which he said could still fall apart at any time, Richard Phillips and the four pirates holding him would all go free, and a “small” ransom would be paid.

Somali pirates and a negotiator for the U.S. Navy came to terms earlier yesterday. Phillips, who was captured on April 8, is being held in a lifeboat. His ship, the Maersk Alabama, was docked in Mombasa, Kenya, yesterday, and the crew was safe, John Reinhart, chief executive officer of Maersk Line Ltd., said at a news conference in Norfolk, Virginia. The FBI has declared the ship a crime scene, he said.

Pentagon spokesman Major Stewart Upton said he had no information about an agreement to release Phillips. The New York Times quoted Somali officials as saying negotiations had broken down after U.S. officials insisted that the pirates be arrested and a group of Somali elders representing the pirates balked at that demand.

“It is possible to say the talks may break down hour by hour because the Americans are afraid of losing their captain and in turn we suspect they may arrest my colleagues after they get their man,” Da’ud said in an interview.

There's a relatively simple answer to this. Promise them anything. You can even deliver the ransom if you wish, but as soon as the captain is safely in our hands, kill the pirates. Period. Don't capture them, kill them. Let the Navy use their little boat, or whatever boat comes to pick them up for missile practice.

Let's send a message to the rest of the pirates that they best leave Americans alone.