Pirates Tell Their Stories

McClatchy Washington Bureau :

NAIROBI, Kenya -- There's at least one job these days that's recession-proof, if you can handle shark-infested seas, outrun some of the world's most powerful navies and keep your cool when your hostages get antsy.

A pirate's life in Somalia isn't for everyone. However, nothing comes easily in one of the poorest and most unstable countries on Earth, and when you consider the dearth of career options for Somalis on land, a pirate's life starts to look more than cushy by comparison.

"Is there any Somali who can earn a million dollars for any business? We get millions of dollars easily for one attack," bragged Salah Ali Samatar, a 32-year-old pirate who spoke by phone from Eyl, a pirate den on Somalia's desolate northern coast.

Read the whole story: McClatchy Washington Bureau

Comments

[Halter]

Check out the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster to find out the consequences of piracy on global warming.

[Cimms]

What? They do it for the women? That can't be true. Women don't care how a man looks nor how much money he has. They want a man that is loving, tender, and treats them right. Am I right ladies?

[Furby]

Well not quite. Some women want good looking men, some women want rich men, some women want nice men, and some women want nice women, and some women like me don't want anything at all.

[bby328]

It helps to have an ocean liner, also.

[stevefromkelso]

I didn't realize the Blue Man Group had sunk to this level

[darthdarcy]

"Argh, Here's to swimmin, with bow legged women....argh..!"

[thedogatemyhomework]

Yep, I'll tell you...nothing better than a shaved head, bare footed punk in oversized gym shorts holding a rifle to get my love motor running.

[tomas0808]

This is just unregulated capitalism at work. There's no difference between these pirates and Wall Street scum. No Difference.

[peterg76]

Of course there's a difference. The Wall Street embezzlers laugh at these amateurs who actually have to go out and do something to get money.

[chendri887]

"Once there was a girl who lived in Garowe," 100 miles from Eyl, Jama said. "I loved her. I tried to approach her many times, but she rejected me. But since I became a pirate, she has tried nine times to get with me.

A sad commentary on the human condition.

[max]

i'm ordering a parrot

[kewps]

"It helps us attract the ladies". I'm putting a patch on my eye tonight!

[JJ30]

Their luck will run out eventually. Only a matter of time.

[raphaeljo]

USA has been killing innocent Iraqis for more than 5 YEARS now!!!!....when will their luck run out???

[Usman]

You have no point. You are not helping USA opponents either.

[motoGpifupleez]

Works for Cap'n Jack.

[Luvnumber9]

They leading the law to their door...lol. This will all be over soon..

[Merckx]

After food and shelter, man just wants to get laid.

[tjboyo]

Why are these guys so successful? I mean I could see it if they had big ships and helos, but a rubber raft and an RPG? Seriously?

In the olden days they use to kill pirates. Why are we not doing the same here? Does poverty justify crime?

[Df7702]

Try watching your kids starve to death then ask yourself that question. What about all those pirates on wallstreet anybody hunting them down no we gave them more money.

[raphaeljo]

dear tjboyo,
When a person from a third country or middle-east does bad things,they are called any name on the books...even when they are defending their own country!..­..interest­ing!
I am not excusing their actions but maybe you should start looking into why and who (beyond their sold-greedy leaders) is responsible for the situation in which Somalia and other countries are!!!!....

Unlike Bush(and by extension Americans) who invaded a country and killed 100s of thousands of innocent people, those guys are only attacking whoever comes ad abuses the laws protecting their sea....do you even know that from Asia to the West, some countries not only fish illegally but also dumb their "chemical waste" in the Somalian sea???.....

so keep the arrogance and ignorance to you and please learn how to put yourself in other people shoes( thanks Df7702 for that statement)

[Aabby]

exactly

[neoconscums]

There was a truce? What truce? Really this is a Roman farce with the United States directing the show. On the one hand you have the Israelis humiliating the Palestinians. On the other hand Hamas is dehumanizing the Israelis. What a joke.

[45245]

we should just sell weapons to all sides and let them shoot it out