4 Teens Ground Obambow to a Halt

Once you consider the time line, and the pirates involved, you realize that four teens ground Obamabow to a halt. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said the four pirates were between 17 and 19 years old. Yet, Obamabow waited 48 hours before considering the use of force initially. Then, upon the urging of the Pentagon, force was applied after a second consideration.

Jo Becker, a D.C.-based advocate for Human Rights Watch, said if the pirate suspect is in fact 16 or 17 years old, "he would certainly be entitled to protections under international law that allow for lower culpability of juveniles involved in crimes."

Becker says international law recognizes that people under 18 are "less developed, less mature, and more easily manipulated by adults."

Ideally, Becker said, an underage suspect would be tried in a juvenile court, with special protections given his age. "He would need to have access to family members. Throughout the whole process, there needs to be a special view to his rehabilitation," she added.

The U.S. government was stymied, and now that the immediate crisis is over, considerations and protections kick in the suspect's defense.

The American people, and our reputation, is the worse for it.