umm why were these pirates released?

AFP: US warship 'sinks pirate mother ship' off Seychelles

is there really no way we could arrest them?

 

Makes no sense...

They should have walked the plank

 

Yep, catch and release. AT SEA!

 

We are prohibited from arresting pirates lest the global average temperature increase and drown all the polar bears. The more pirates, the better. Here's the actual data:

 

Not without breaking half-a-dozen international regulations.

Are you calling for unilateralism, like Bush?

 

but they attacked us :/ we really have to let them go?

 

Because bad Baseball just isn't a sound charge in criminal court.