talkpolitics | (no subject)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-14132320

Despite continued international pressure and the acts of radical environmental groups Japan's whaling fleet will be shipping out again.

Frankly I wish Japan would just knock off the whaling. For one, if you've seen Star Trek IV you know why we want to keep whales around. Whales are cool and enjoy swimming with Vulcans. But mostly because the whole whaling thing in Japan is nothing but political theater to garner support for the LDP but looking as if they're "protecting traditional Japanese culture" from asshole Westerners who want to impose their values on Japan. Of course, the fact that only like seven villages in the whole of Japan ever did whaling and it was never more than a small scale thing has no bearing on the matter. "Anti-foreigners" is a song that never fails to pack the house in Japan so why would they stop just because good sense says so?

Not that a lack of sense is exclusive to the Japanese side of this.

Sea Shepherd activists have staged demonstrations outside the IWC meeting here - the organisation is barred from attending - and it is clear that it will send its fleet to the Southern Ocean again if Japan does return.

"Sea Shepherd will also return and will once again intercept and block their operations," the organisation's head Paul Watson wrote on his blog earlier this week.

"If they return, we will launch Operation Divine Wind, and our vessels the Bob Barker, the Steve Irwin, and the Brigitte Bardot will soon return to the remote and stormy seas of the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary to do what we do best - defend the whales!"

Bwhahaha! That guy couldn't have sounded more absurd if he'd posted "Kneel before Zod, whalers of Japan!" And I can't help but imagine they people on the Bob Barker shouting "The price is wrong, bitch!" as they try and ram a whaling boat or throw acid on its nets.

Honestly, on both sides there's so much absurdity it's amazing anyone is able to take either side seriously.

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The funny thing is that what they're doing matches the legal criteria for Piracy.

Were they to wrk in a more heavily patrolled area (straights of Malacca maybe) the Singaporean, Australian, Russian, Chinese, (or heck) US Navy would sink the ship and sieze the crew without fanfare.

All with UN sanction.

They fly under Dutch flagship, as long as the main ships aren't involved, the Dutch are ok with them.

Well I suppose that complicates the political aftermath but it does nothing to change the above situation. The whale boats and helicopter are perfectly legal targets.

If the Aussies are too busy to bother enforcing the whale ban they've passed laws about, I guess they're just too busy to get Paul Watson. And if he's really a pirate, I'm sure some international authorities would arrest him on the spot because there's been plenty of opportunities.

As I said, he's more of a nuisance than a threat. He simply hasn't been enough of a problem to justify going through the trouble of getting rid of him.

That said, I suspect that the instant one of his antics causes a injury/death (or some other sort of serious damage) the authorities will be on him like white on rice.

In truth, the above is why I think he's an asshole.

Either he's smart enough to realise that his continued survival depend on not being particularly successful, which in turn makes him a swindler/con-man grandstanding for the camera's. Or he's actually serious in which case eventually he's going to get someone hurt or killed.

He's stated his goal is a peaceful one: to make it impossible for the whalers. Honestly, I think there is more risk that one of his own crew will die from ineptitude. Some episodes it reminds me of Keystone Cops.

You are aware just how big this bit of ocean we're talking about is yeah? Our navy is completely committed to the northern half of the country keeping out a few thousand refugees.

Of course I know how big the ocean is. Your navy and government doesn't view him as a real pirate was my point.

Ah, yeah, I misread, I thought you meant why aren't we going after the whalers. We've taken Japan to the ICJ over the issue, which is pretty serious. I mean, we're not going to go and attack the whaling boats with the navy.

I think it's pretty important. Japan is our second biggest trading partner after China, so I would say that taking them to the ICJ shows an incredible amount of political will and conviction.