CURL: Maersk captain navigates hot air

Mr. Phillips said that one option to keep U.S. commercial ships safe is to deploy military escorts (most ships aren’t armed because many countries won’t allow vessels packed with guns to use their ports). And he didn’t seem all that keen on the current set-up (under attack, ship crews now seek to ward off pirates by spraying water on them and, that having failed, lock themselves in the boiler room).

He’s leaning toward more firepower versus less.

“I want to stress, it’s not a mall cop that I’m looking for,” Mr. Phillips said before adding, “I don’t mean to denigrate anyone.”

But without changes to the system, Mr. Kerry asked, would he go out there again? Would his wife want him to?

“She’s a good wife, she supports whatever my decision is,” the captain said without pause, looking straight ahead.

“You didn’t even turn to consult,” the senator said as the crowd laughed. “I wish I could get away with that.”

But to the senators — and perhaps to his wife, too — the captain made it crystal clear: “I will be going back to sea. Yes, that’s what I do.”

• Joseph Curl can be reached at jcurl@washingtontimes.com.