USS Pueblo Revisted

Around 1801 the new United States fought a series of wars with a group of city states in North Africa called the Barbary States. These States were principally funded by acts of piracy. The US along with some intermittent allies fought a protracted war in order to secure the right of free passaqge of merchantmen. Successfully, of course because we stood up to them regardless of the cost. A now rather famous quote attributed to a US Senator of the time was "Millions for defense but not one penny for tribute" (actually an approximation of the actual words).
After WW2 and the Korean conflict, the US has become somewhat more spineless. In 1968 President Johnson allowed the USS Pueblo to be seized by the North Koreans who interned the crew for almost a year and still hold the ship as an example of US lack of resolve. We finally secured their release after paying the North Koreans and apologizing for our having allowed the ship and crew to be captured. Today, our chance of getting the North Koreans to adhere to US or UN mandates is very unlikely due to our refusal to confront them with force or even the real threat of force.
Today, an American Sea Captain is being held by some pirates, this time from a disorganized country called Somalia. These modern day pirates are also routinely waylay and hold for ransom various merchantmen from various nations. In 2008 the estimate was as many as 600 ships.

And still we, the US, is reluctant to take real military action against the pirates. So, I guess we will pay these pirates off to secure the release of our captain. And next week, month, etc. others will be waylaid and we will pay more TRIBUTE just so we do not have to confront the villians. Maybe we should just visit the country and offer a yearly sum of money (goods and services) so as to preclude further action by these pirates. Oh, but wait, that will not satisfy the next group of criminals, will it?

I guess it is time for the US to apologize for uttering those words about paying tribute, quite insensitive HUH?