somalia is pwnting the shit out of that new shield of navy ships

11/18/2008 6:15:09 PM

just wait and see what happens if they try and take an american ship

wait! there aren't any american ships, because of the high corporate taxes pushing them overseas and the oppressive restrictions on oil drilling in the us!

anyway, we need to re-institute the Jefferson Doctrine

11/18/2008 8:09:22 PM

Kill them. Turn the deck guns on them and kill them all.

11/18/2008 8:22:30 PM

when i was overseas, we fortunantly had no run-ins with pirates (though we would just run them over)...our only experience with anything of the sorts was with Iranian Gunboats crossing our paths in the Strait of Hormuz...we did have rumors of them being around...pirates that is...but im not sure if we did anything about it. Deff well above my paygrade....my old roommate is on a smallboy and on her last deployment they were at full alert looking for them at times. she said it was crazy because they'd get reports of the attacks and it'd be close but they never saw any...



ET2 Faircloth, USN
CVN75

[Edited on November 18, 2008 at 8:39 PM. Reason : yea]

11/18/2008 8:39:03 PM

How difficult would it be for a sub to just hang out around there..? Surely they could torpedo some of these bastards, and not be "found". No one would be culpable if no evidence shows up.

11/18/2008 10:35:35 PM

i like the way that guy^ thinks

11/19/2008 1:58:36 AM

it's called ROE

11/19/2008 4:43:21 AM

Quote :

"Why do we pay the ransom? what do we think they will do?"

Hijack more ships.

11/19/2008 9:10:05 AM

Score one for the good guys.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/africa/article5186821.ece

Quote :

"An Indian navy warship has sunk a Somali pirate "mother ship" in the Gulf of Aden, the world's most treacherous waterway, after the renegades threatened to attack the frigate. The clash happened as pirates claimed to begin negotiations over a ransom for the Saudi super-tanker that was seized nearby on Saturday with two Britons aboard. The Sirius Star, which is carrying at least $100 million worth of oil, is the biggest ship ever to be hijacked. INS Tabar, an Indian frigate dispatched last month to the area to protect the country's merchant fleet, sighted the pirate vessel late on Tuesday. Indian officers said they spotted pirates moving on the deck with rocket propelled grenade launchers and automatic weapons. "On repeated calls, the vessel's threatening response was that she would blow up the naval warship," the Indian Navy said in a statement. "INS Tabar retaliated in self defence and opened fire on the mother vessel. "As a result of the firing by INS Tabar, fire broke out on the vessel and explosions were heard, possibly due to exploding ammunition that was stored on the vessel." “From what we see in photographs the pirate vessel is completely destroyed,” a senior officer said. Two speedboats were seen fleeing the sinking ship."

I know that those pirates love their RPG's, and they worked on freighters, but seriously, do you think you're going to intimidate a guided-missile frigate with them? If anything, the captain was probably looking for any excuse to sink your ship, and they played right into it.

11/19/2008 11:57:22 AM

send them down to davy jones' locker

11/19/2008 12:04:37 PM

Quote :

"Why do we pay the ransom?"

So they don't kill the hostages.

Quote :

"wait! there aren't any american ships, because of the high corporate taxes pushing them overseas and the oppressive restrictions on oil drilling in the us!"

america's maritime industry is doing quite well, thanks largely to the Jones Act. There is a reason why the predominantly go after ships that aren't flagged in Developed Countries--they would get their asses kicked.

Panama, Liberia, and a plethera of other non-developed countries dominate the flagging of ships, the problem comes from enforcing the rights of those ships.

Why let information get between you and one of your ill-conceived rants

11/19/2008 12:14:05 PM

As some here already know, a number of private military corporations are looking to expand their businesses to this issue. Blackwater already has former US ship ready to roll and I know of a European company that is shopping around for vessels. Apparently they intend to market their services as armed escorts to the various shipping companies transiting through this area.

11/19/2008 12:20:17 PM

Organizations like that will only create a larger problem.

11/19/2008 12:22:05 PM

Aegis Defence Services, a large and shady UK outfit that's playing a big part in Iraq, originally started as a maritime security service. I'm surprised they haven't tried to get in on this.

Also, I hear there are actually a few outfits founded by former Gurkha riflemen who do this work. If the Somalis ever try to hijack one of their ships... well... if they survive, they'll learn not to screw with the ships flagged by the crossed kukris.

11/19/2008 1:10:36 PM

ROFL! read some of the comments from the last posted article!

Quote :

"What the world needs now is an end to this violence and a series of strongly worded resolutions from the U.N.. If that doesn't work then even more strongly worded resolutions are called for. The strongest words the U.N. has at its command may even be required! That should do it. Stumypete, washington, d.c., usa"

HAHAHA

11/19/2008 1:35:58 PM

lol

11/19/2008 1:37:53 PM

I wouldnt be surprised at all if Aegis was looking into business in that region. I think that private companies getting involved in combating piracy has disaster written all over it but I can certainly understand why shipping companies are interested in soliciting their services.

11/19/2008 4:39:03 PM

Can someone explain to me why hiring mercenaries to protect your ship from pirates is a bad idea? Other than it would probably skyrocket the cost of the trip.

11/19/2008 4:48:41 PM

I fail to see why captured pirates aren't turned over to the Somali government. Given the situation it'd be obvious that they're guilty, and they're pirates so why does should anyone give a shit if they kill them?

11/19/2008 7:20:55 PM

^b/c the somali gov't is almost non-existant and pirating is the countries only major income.

11/19/2008 7:22:57 PM

Sometimes I dream that I'm a pirate, with swashbuckling adventures and hidden treasures on deserted islands. These dudes are living the life, man.

11/19/2008 7:28:09 PM

^^I understand that, but then how does that explain that pretty much every news article says "if given over to the somali authorities they will likely be tortured and/or executed."

Are they just maknig that up?

11/19/2008 7:29:16 PM

Quote :

"How difficult would it be for a sub to just hang out around there..? Surely they could torpedo some of these bastards, and not be "found". No one would be culpable if no evidence shows up."

because us navy ships are not allowed to fire unless fired upon...

plus subs primary job is defense of surface ships from underwater attack...not pirates...

cruisers and destoryers are for pirates along with big boy escorts....my old roommate who i spoke of earlier emailed me today and said they have picked up their VBSS (Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure) training and have even started stopping ships over there...she said its getting crazy over there now...she is currently deployed on a cruiser...

11/19/2008 7:43:57 PM

Quote :

"Can someone explain to me why hiring mercenaries to protect your ship from pirates is a bad idea? Other than it would probably skyrocket the cost of the trip."

Cargo ships already have munitions on board with crews trained to use them. Putting mercenaries on the vessels won't do anything.

Putting mercenaries out in the open waters to function as protectors to defend against pirates creates a piracy in its own right and interference for navies to conduct anti-piracy measures.

11/20/2008 10:40:36 AM

Modern day privateers.

11/20/2008 3:01:24 PM

Easy fix:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Q-ship

11/20/2008 4:02:21 PM

Danish shipping guy was interviewed by BBC the other day, he was saying the main reason they don't add armament/guards is that it would lead to an arms race with the pirates and increase the likelihood of crew members getting hurt or killed, which is the primary thing they want to prevent.

11/20/2008 5:54:34 PM

This thread reminded me to read more 70s romance novels.

11/20/2008 7:59:23 PM

1. hire good snipers
2. shoot pirates
3. ...
4. profit

11/20/2008 11:46:33 PM

Quote :

"Why do we pay the ransom? what do we think they will do? pull the stolen ship into port and unload the oil??"

Or they could destroy the $150 million ship along with it's $100 million of cargo.

11/21/2008 12:32:58 AM

^Every representative of every shipping corporation that I've heard is very clear -- and sounds very sincere -- that their primary concern is the crew. It's also the main concern of the pirates -- they can't effectively sell hundreds of tons of steel, oil, or tanks. They certainly can't sell any of the ships. That's why, when looking at their ransom demands, they seem to be mostly similar regardless of the vessel. The pirates know that insurance will cover lost goods, but dead sailors can result in lawsuits and all manner of other costs.

Quote :

"1. hire good snipers 2. shoot pirates 3. ..."

I've got bad news. Step 3 is, "Pirates hire their own snipers," and soon you've got dead employees all over your boat.

11/21/2008 1:29:56 AM

^agreed

11/21/2008 1:31:57 AM

Quote :

"The pirates know that insurance will cover lost goods, but dead sailors can result in lawsuits and all manner of other costs. "

exactly, a crew of Chinese pirates learned why you don't kill the hostages.

11/21/2008 10:49:03 AM

On the news day:

Quote :

"Somali Islamist Rebels to the Pirates: Release the hostages and the tanker or face armed action."

Woot!

11/23/2008 4:58:12 PM

"Armed action" is exactly the sort of thing that will get all the hostages killed. And where did that headline come from? I want to know why it only specifically references the tanker.

11/23/2008 11:45:44 PM

I mean they need to do something the justify their protection money.

11/24/2008 12:55:47 PM

Sounds like the Islamic Courts are getting heat because it was a Saudi ship that got hijacked. From what I read before, they were okay with non-Muslim ships being hijacked (and collected their share of the bounty through arms sales and whatnot), but when the Saudis get pinched and international pressure starts to build, they need to take action against it. Its a good way to score some points as well: after being booted by the Ethiopians and whatnot, this is a way they can try and build up some international credit again.

11/24/2008 3:25:56 PM

Quote :

"^^ Exactly. They have to get off the ship somehow. How about when they get off the ship into their smaller boats, they get a fucking rocket right up their asses?"

this has happened a few times, but the pirates have wised up.

11/24/2008 3:59:19 PM

Quote :

"Putting mercenaries out in the open waters to function as protectors to defend against pirates creates a piracy in its own right and interference for navies to conduct anti-piracy measures."

This sounds a lot like the argument some people make about not defending yourself and relying on the police to protect you. I think I'd prefer my ship be protected, and if a company is offering mercenary services then I just pay them to take care of it and make sure my employees have a safe place to go when the shooting starts.

Sure, my insurance will cover losses. But insurance rates can go up on big companies just like they can on people. Imagine if you get hit two or three times by pirates in one year. Do you think your insurance company is going to want to keep covering you for the same price?

11/24/2008 4:18:09 PM