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Comment by michaelmrose | Hacker News Reader

Isn't it possible and even desirable to both turn pirates into pink mist and feed people? I'm aware of the inherent factors of warlords hording and food increasing operational utility of combatants but I cannot understand those things as anything but necessary evils justified by not starving kids.

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I would argue that if we deem killing people to be a necessity, it might be more prudent to start with the warlords hoarding the food.

I can't morally justify using overwhelming force against pirates who genuinely may not have any other way to feed their families.

To me, a prerequisite of that kind of force is offering another viable way to get food. We have to give them some kind of plan B before launching Operation Scorched Earth.

I have no idea if it's politically viable to kill the warlords, but that would be my plan A. Kill the warlords so humanitarian aid can reach the people, stabilize the humanitarian crisis, and then we start cracking down on the pirates.

The cynic in me says killing the warlords won't help, though. It'll just be a new set of warlords. At the very least, we can send a strong "don't interfere with humanitarian aid" message.

If you really do sympathize with assailants like this, you're ripe to be predated on. Some day you might get hit with a hard dose of reality.

These people have decided to use threat of murdering you if you don't comply whatever their motives are they have already elected that they don't care about your life or anyone else's who may be in the way.

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