we were clobbered

There was no granite ban The Indonesians are just musing over whether to have a ban on granite. And according to the Trade Minister Mari Pangestu it is unlikely to ban granite sale. Those who are talking about protecting their environment should ban the exporting of oil or oil exploration and go back to use firewoods. Oops, firewoods would also harm the environment and send more haze all over the sky. Now that there is no ban, what happens to all our vessels that were seized? Have they been returned? Were there any compensation for the illegal arrest of legitimate shipping vessels with proper papers? Why is there no protest from Singaporeans when their vessels were seized by illegal and unauthorised means? This is the worst kind of piracy. Singapore as a nation is at the lowest in terms of respect from other countries. Our vessels seized, investments confiscated or slammed with all kinds of charges and probably ended up losing every cent. Our people being beaten up, robbed and killed in foreign land. And we are all living happily as if nothing has happened. We are small and that is our disadvantage. Growing our population to 6.5 million is not going to make even a ripple. What we need, maybe, is to consider becoming the 52nd state of the USA. Then we will no longer be small and we will walk in and take our vessels back. We will also confiscate or put a sanction on the properties of foreign countries that violate the legal process to seize our assets in their countries. We will called up ambassadors to give them a dressing and demand justice when our citizens are being attacked. Now would that be better than a little red dot? Just musing.