Pirates Hijack US ship - oops armed

[angelatc]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7989474.stm


Somali pirates have hijacked a ship with at least 20 US crew on board, after what maritime officials described as a sustained night-time attack.

The US-operated container vessel, Maersk Alabama, was seized in the Indian Ocean about 400 miles (645km) east of the capital, Mogadishu.

Time to start occupying Africa!

[jdmyprez_deo_vindice]

Those damn heathens. Hopefully Obama was a student of W because I will rest well knowing that Somalia will be invaded for this terrorist act that was carried out because Somali Pirates hate our freedoms. The tricky part will be finding a connection between them and Iran. Maybe Iran has Somali Pirates buried in the desert somewhere... sounds good enough to me...

[angelatc]

Did you see the article?!?


Al-Qaeda connections.....

Of course.

[Johnnybags]

crew members fight them off and retake the ship. Where are the Liberals, those poor pirates are just trying to eat.

[silverhawks]

Somalia or the Sudan. Wait and see.

Why not send troops to Sudan? (http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/10/01/debate.transcript.15/index.html)

[ronpaulhawaii]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Letter_of_marque

[torchbearer]

link??

[ronpaulhawaii]

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=102864375&sc=fb&cc=fp


NAIROBI, Kenya April 8, 2009, 12:55 pm ET · Pentagon officials said Wednesday that the American crew of a U.S.-flagged cargo ship had retaken control from Somali pirates who hijacked the vessel far off the Horn of Africa.


The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because information was still preliminary. But they said the hijacked crew had apparently contacted the private company that operates the ship.


At a noon news conference, Maersk Line Ltd. CEO John Reinhart said that the company was working to contact families of the crew.


"Speculation is a dangerous thing when you're in a fluid environment. I will not confirm that the crew has overtaken this ship," he said.

[mczerone]

Of course this means that guns and pirates and tax havens are bad. We must take drastic global action to stop those threats by calling them illegal and not allowing any of our right thinking complacent citizens to indulge in these bad things.

Right? Or could the problem possibly be that we've so distorted global wealth distribution from equilibrium conditions through our massive state-backed counterfeiting that we now must suffer blowback? No, that couldn't possibly be the answer because it would, in a way, "blame America" for her own problems. And like any pompous psychopath, nothing is EVER her own fault.

Piracy is just now gaining a foothold, it will continue to grow, both as a wealth-transfer system for criminals and as a counter-force to the growing global imperial system.

[torchbearer]

Of course this means that guns and pirates and tax havens are bad. We must take drastic global action to stop those threats by calling them illegal and not allowing any of our right thinking complacent citizens to indulge in these bad things.

Right? Or could the problem possibly be that we've so distorted global wealth distribution from an equilibrium state through our massive state-backed counterfeiting that we now must suffer blowback? No, that couldn't possibly be the answer because it would, in a way, "blame America" for her own problems. And like any pompous psychopath, nothing is EVER her own fault.

Piracy is just now gaining a foothold, it will continue to grow, both as a wealth-transfer system for criminals and as a counter-force to the growing global imperial system.

this could almost point to piracy as a natural autoimmune response to dissonance in the system. A reaction to try and regain balance.

[mczerone]

this could almost point to piracy as a natural autoimmune response to dissonance in the system. A reaction to try and regain balance.

Exactly, and our protectionist measures, both local and global, that seek to insulate us from non-central bank run economies are only going to create more economic pressure on pirates to grab some cheap guns and boats and try to 'double their investment' by capturing a boat with cargo.

By decoupling money from the commodities, the governments create a huge incentive to either play by the rules of the system to fight for government paper or to live in a world of barter ruled by commodities that have actual value. Those that choose the latter see these ships full of commodities in the same way a banker sees the tax revenue of the government: a prize to fight for.

I obviously don't condone using force to expropriate the wealth of anyone, but the rationale that the pirates use, and indeed the 'terrorists' too, is that these are ill-gotten gains and should justly be redistributed.

In a voluntary society an arbitrator would be hired to see if the property is in just possession, one who has no loyalty to either the pleas of the State nor the pirates. Because this arbitration is currently outlawed by the State, why should anyone expect a peaceful solution?

[torchbearer]

Exactly, and our protectionist measures, both local and global, that seek to insulate us from non-central bank run economies are only going to create more economic pressure on pirates to grab some cheap guns and boats and try to 'double their investment' by capturing a boat with cargo.

By decoupling money from the commodities, the governments create a huge incentive to either play by the rules of the system to fight for government paper or to live in a world of barter ruled by commodities that have actual value. Those that choose the latter see these ships full of commodities in the same way a banker sees the tax revenue of the government: a prize to fight for.

I obviously don't condone using force to expropriate the wealth of anyone, but the rationale that the pirates use, and indeed the 'terrorists' too, is that these are ill-gotten gains and should justly be redistributed.

In a voluntary society an arbitrator would be hired to see if the property is in just possession, one who has no loyalty to either the pleas of the State nor the pirates. Because this arbitration is currently outlawed by the State, why should anyone expect a peaceful solution?

that is very insightful.
This forum is great.

(i'm a sociologist-and I have to say the above material is pure gold)

[donnay]

Unfortunately Merchant Vessels are not allowed to carry weapons which I think is absolutely stupid but the UN does not want anyone armed.

God Bless these men for taking a stand!!

Here is a great interview with a Captain who dealt with pirates.

http://selectedjones.com/audio/AJ_CKS_20081210-1.wma

[sailor]

As long as only a few crews are armed and willing to fight they will be safe as it makes sense for the pirates to stay clear of them, there being plenty of other unarmed fish in the water that can be caught easier.

But if everyone carried it would become much harder to fight them off as the pirates would have no choice but to bite the bullet.

[donnay]

As long as only a few crews are armed and willing to fight they will be safe as it makes sense for the pirates to stay clear of them, there being plenty of other unarmed fish in the water that can be caught easier.

But if everyone carried it would become much harder to fight them off as the pirates would have no choice but to bite the bullet.

Most are unarmed. The only ships that aren't are the companies that hire security or an Israeli flagged vessel which are armed to the teeth.

[acptulsa]

Sociological bump.

[angelatc]

The BBC article that I posted earlier mentions an AL Qaeda link.

[angelatc]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Letter_of_marque

He's a constitutional scholar. Obviously he will do the proper thing and issue one, right?

[Cowlesy]

merged

[angelatc]

THanks!

Apparently the crew took the ship back, but the captain is still being held.

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/mostpopular/19126517/detail.html

[RideTheDirt]

en route to Mombasa
Al-Qaeda connections
I smell CIA

[weslinder]

Let Blackwater protect them. In fact, I'd free up a bunch from Iraq, just to do it.

[donnay]

Let Blackwater protect them. In fact, I'd free up a bunch from Iraq, just to do it.


Hell no, let these men be armed!! Mercenaries are not the answer, their loyalty goes to the highest bidders.

Back in WWII Merchant Mariners used to have an arms bunker that the Captain and 1st mate held the keys to the locker.

The UN will not allow these men/women access to guns! They also become easy pickings because these pirates know that.

They also know that Israeli flagged vessels are armed to the teeth therefore, you do not hear of any pirating there.

[angelatc]

TV is saying that US warships and "air assets" are headed that way. The captain is reportedly being held on a lifeboat.

I hate preemptive war, but I do appreciate having the biggest arsenal. Too bad we can't refrain from using our powers for evil.

[donnay]

Officials: Warship, others headed to pirate scene

By PAULINE JELINEK and JON RESNICK – 26 minutes ago
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gSXyAok3YrJTZLKD31SAjC9pfvkgD97EFKNO0

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. officials say an American warship and a half dozen others are headed to the scene where pirates captured a vessel with a U.S. crew off Somalia's coast.

One official says the destroyer USS Bainbridge is headed there. Another official says there are six or seven ships on the way.

A person aboard the Maersk Alabama, reached by The Associated Press by satellite phone, says crew members had retaken control of the ship. But pirates were holding the captain as a hostage in a lifeboat in waters nearby.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The crew of a U.S.-flag ship seized by pirates off Somalia has retaken the vessel, American officials said Wednesday, but a person contacted aboard the ship said the pirates still held the captain.

The person aboard the Maersk Alabama, reached by The Associated Press by satellite phone about 12:30 p.m. EDT, said crew members had indeed retaken control of the ship and were holding one of the pirates. But the person said the captain was being held hostage by remaining pirates in a lifeboat and negotiations were under way seeking his release.

The man did not identify himself in the brief phone conversation. The company that owns the boat says the entire 20-member crew are Americans.

U.S. officials said details were still murky and declined to confirm the report.

Earlier, Capt. Joseph Murphy, an instructor at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, told The Associated Press that he was called by the Department of Defense and told the crew, including his son Shane, the second in command on the ship, had regained control.

The company that owns the ship was cautious in its comments.

"Speculation is a dangerous thing when you're in a fluid environment. I will not confirm that the crew has overtaken this ship," Maersk Line Ltd. CEO John Reinhart said at a news conference in Norfolk, Va.

"The crew member called to say, 'We are safe.' They did not say they had taken over the vessel. They did not say the pirates are off the vessel," Reinhart said.

The original taking of the cargo ship, which was captured by pirates near the coast of Somalia, apparently was the first such piracy incident involving U.S. citizens in 200 years. In December 2008, Somali pirates chased and shot at a U.S. cruise ship with more than 1,000 people on board but failed to hijack the vessel.

U.S. officials, citing an interagency conference call, said "multiple reliable sources" were reporting the ship was under control of the U.S. crew. One pirate was reported in custody and the others were believed to be in the water.

The incident posed troubling questions for the young Obama administration in an era of terrorist threats.

President Barack Obama's chief spokesman, Robert Gibbs, said the White House was assessing a course of action. "Our top priority is the personal safety of the crew members on board," he said.

Obama was notified of the situation as he was flying back to the nation's capital from Baghdad and was following it closely, said foreign policy adviser Denis McDonough.

Joseph Murphy, an instructor at a maritime academy, told the Cape Cod newspaper that his son was well aware of the threat of pirates in the area and, while home on a visit only a few weeks ago, had talked with his class about the risk. "He knows the potential danger and he talked with my students about that," Murphy said. "He connected right away with the students."

It was the sixth vessel seized within a week in the dangerous region around Africa, said Cmdr. Jane Campbell, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Navy's Bahrain-based 5th Fleet. She also said that it was the first pirate attack "involving U.S. nationals and a U.S.-flagged vessel in recent memory."

Retired Navy Cmdr. Kirk Lippold, who was in charge of the USS Cole destroyer when it was attacked by suicide bombers in 2000, said, "Although the United States and other nations are working in a loose coalition to prevent piracy, the dwindling number of ships in our Navy amplifies the impact of this menace."

Lippold is now a senior military fellow at Military Families United, an advocacy organization.

The crew first reported being under attack, then said that pirates had already boarded the ship, according to "talking points" prepared by the U.S. government for briefing reporters about the situation.

The hijacking came one day after international maritime officials issued a warning on the area.

Following a series of attacks off the eastern coast of Somalia, the Combined Maritime Forces issued an advisory Wednesday highlighting several recent attacks that occurred hundreds of miles off the Somali coast and stating that merchant mariners should be increasingly vigilant when operating in those waters.

"While the majority of attacks during 2008 and early 2009 took place in the Gulf of Aden, these recent attacks off the eastern coast of Somalia are not unprecedented," the advisory provided by Navy officials in Washington said. "An attack on the large crude tanker Sirius Star in November 2008 occurred more than 450 nautical miles off the southeast coast of Somalia."

The advisory said the "scope and magnitude of problem cannot be understated."

The nearest ship from the international coalition working against pirates in the region was hundreds of miles away from the Maersk Alabama.

Associated Press reporters Matthew Lee, Anne Gearan, Ben Feller and Jesse Holland contributed to this story.

[angelatc]

Maybe I am overly paranoid, but AP has announced they are aggressively going to seek out and sue people who reprint entire articles.

http://www.dmwmedia.com/news/2009/04/07/associated-press-plans-pursue-news-aggregation-sites

[donnay]

Maybe I am overly paranoid, but AP has announced they are aggressively going to seek out and sue people who reprint entire articles.

http://www.dmwmedia.com/news/2009/04/07/associated-press-plans-pursue-news-aggregation-sites

Maybe they don't want to be exposed retracting their falsehoods.

[pcosmar]

Maybe I am overly paranoid, but AP has announced they are aggressively going to seek out and sue people who reprint entire articles.

http://www.dmwmedia.com/news/2009/04/07/associated-press-plans-pursue-news-aggregation-sites

Wow,
I guess they want to become irrelevant. So be it.

The Pirates have been known in that area for some time.
I don't know why any ship would sail there unarmed.

And our Navy would be put to better use protecting shipping than spying off the coast of China.

[NMCB3]

You would think that operating in those waters the crew would be armed to the teeth complete with a few Ma Deuces mounted on deck to solve the pirate problem...protection of life and property is a basic human right...the UN be damned. :)

[angelatc]

Wow,

And our Navy would be put to better use protecting shipping than spying off the coast of China.

Really? You think that the Navy should be used to protect corporate interests?

I think we should tell the UN to STFU and allow the corporations the freedom to arm their own ships.

[donnay]

Really? You think that the Navy should be used to protect corporate interests?

I think we should tell the UN to STFU and allow the corporations the freedom to arm their own ships.

I do not think the U.S. military should protect them, they should be allowed to protect themselves.

They are equipped with firehoses and flare guns and sometimes L-RADS which are sound cannons. :rolleyes:

They should do what the Israeli-flagged vessel did last month put barbed wire all around the gangway and rails the pirates couldn't board.

Oh and getting back to the AP making threats not to print their articles-- that's because, as usual, they got it all wrong. The Captain's name is Richard Phillips--not Shane Murphy who is second in command.

[donnay]

Who will stop the pirates?
American merchant sailors showed their mettle in retaking a hijacked ship, but piracy off Somalia continues to vex the international community.

http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/0409/p02s01-usfp.html

http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/0408/csmimg/APIRATES_P1.jpg
Andrea Phillips holds a photo of her husband, Capt. Richard Phillips on Wednesday at her home in Underhill, Vt. Phillips is the captain of the U.S.-flagged cargo ship Maersk Alabama which was hijacked by Somali pirates off the Horn of Africa.


Washington - The American merchant sailors who fought pirates to retake their US-flagged ship, which had been seized Wednesday in waters off Somalia, showed a stiff resolve against maritime piracy that the world community so far has not.

Merchant vessels and the global economy will continue to be at risk from ransom-seeking pirates until the maritime powers adopt – and enforce – a zero-tolerance policy to stop the hijackings, say maritime security experts.

With the ship's captain reported to be in pirates' hands, the unfinished drama casts a bright spotlight on increasingly insecure shipping lanes. The hijacking of the Maersk Alabama cargo ship – which apparently involved the first hostage-taking of American merchant sailors in the pirate-infested waters off Somalia – at first appeared to end hours after the ordeal began, with the 20-member crew overpowering and detaining one pirate and others fleeing to the sea.

Then it was learned that the foiled pirates had kidnapped the ship's captain and were holding him hostage in a lifeboat. An American warship and a small fleet of other vessels had been dispatched to the scene, US officials reported Tuesday afternoon.

The Hollywood-worthy episode – the ship's crew used antipiracy training to retake the ship, then reported home on events via cellphone – puts renewed focus on Somalia, a lawless state run by Islamist extremists that provides safe harbor to gangs of pirates.

But it also is likely to cause a closer look world actions thus far to combat the problem. With ship seizures off Somalia tripling between 2007 and 2008, a consortium of international maritime powers, including the US, has increased patrols in the shipping lanes of the Indian Ocean. The patrols and stepped-up training of navies whose waters are seeing pirate activity rise are the result of measures the United Nations adopted in December. Three months into the international anti-piracy campaign, as many as 17 nations are participating in increased patrols, and more are expected to join, according to the Associated Press.

But more decisive action is needed if piracy is to be stopped, experts say.

"The bottom line is you have to stop them from being able to use their booty," says Daveed Gartenstein-Ross, director of the Center for Terrorism Research at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies in Washington.

Among other things, he says, maritime powers should go after the pirates' bases of operation. In the case of the Somali pirates, he adds, that means taking seriously the symbiotic relationship that has developed between the pirates and the Shebab Islamist organization that controls Somalia.

The two groups do not seem to have an ideological link, says Mr. Gartenstein-Ross, but evidence suggests each benefits from the other: The pirates pay "taxes" for their haven and to avoid being shut down. The two groups have trained each other in martial and maritime skills, he adds.

More worrisome still, says Gartenstein-Ross, is the link Shebab has developed with Al Qaeda.

"If you take the communications we know exist between the two, add Al Qaeda's stated hope of bankrupting the global economy, and mix in the devastating impact of a skyrocketing price of oil because of some dramatic act of piracy against oil tankers, you see why we could wake up some day wishing we'd done a lot more to stop the Somali pirates."

Given the "ripple effects" of pirates' actions throughout the global economy, the world must do more to stop them, agrees Larry Howard, chairman of the Global Business and Transportation Department at State University of New York Maritime College. But the necessary international tools already exist in the 1958 Geneva Conventions on the Law of the Sea, he says.

"It grants any signatory, and that includes the US, the authority to chase pirates down, try them, and deal with them," Mr. Howard says. "We don't need new laws; all we need is the political will to do it."

The Alabama hijacking also suggests that heightened security concerns have led to maritime crews assuming a more alert and defensive posture.

"The orders used to be to the crew and passengers of a hijacked plane to do what the bad guys want you to do, but the events of 9/11 changed all that," says SUNY Maritime College's Howard. "By the same token, [this event] may have served notice that we're not going to be passive with this modern-day pirate activity either."

The Alabama's crew may have been especially prepared for the pirates who tried to take their ship. The ship's second in command is a graduate of the Massachusetts maritime Academy – where the mariner's father teaches a course in how to deal with pirates, notes Howard.

Merchant ships are unarmed, he says, but crews are trained in the use of high-pressure fire hoses and other resources onboard for turning back or subduing pirates.

[LiveFree79]

This is a perfect example of how being a pussy gets you nowhere in the face of evil and violence. These stupid ass people on these ships should be armed to the teeth. If every time these stupid third world pirates encountered overwhelming violence trying to capture these ships they would stop trying to hijack them in a heartbeat. This goes to the heart of our 2nd amendment in the US. This is ridiculous and sad. Everytime these pirates try this shit they should be shot dead. I mean these guys even captured one of the pirates and gave him back. LMAO! Pathetic.

[angelatc]

Somalia, a lawless state run by Islamist extremists

It's not really being run by anybody these days.

From the CIA Factbook:


President YUSUF resigned late in 2008 while United Nations-sponsored talks between the TFG and the opposition Alliance for the Re-Liberation of Somalia (ARS) were underway in Djibouti. In January 2009, following the creation of a TFG-ARS unity government, Ethiopian military forces, which had entered Somalia in December 2006 to support the TFG in the face of advances by the opposition Council of Islamic Courts (CIC), withdrew from the country. The TFA was increased to 550 seats with the addition of 275 ARS members of parliament. The expanded parliament elected Sheikh SHARIF Sheikh Ahmed, the former CIC and ARS chairman as president on 31 January 2009, in Djibouti. Subsequently, President SHARIF appointed Omar Abdirashid ali SHARMARKE, son of a former president of Somalia, as prime minister on 13 February 2009. The TFIs are based on the Transitional Federal Charter (TFC), which outlines a five-year mandate leading to the establishment of a new Somali constitution and a transition to a representative government following national elections. However, in January 2009 the TFA amended the TFC to extend TFG's mandate until 2011. While its institutions remain weak, the TFG continues to reach out to Somali stakeholders and work with international donors to help build the governance capacity of the TFIs and work towards national elections in 2011.

....
Despite the lack of effective national governance, Somalia has maintained a healthy informal economy, largely based on livestock, remittance/money transfer companies, and telecommunications. Agriculture is the most important sector, with livestock normally accounting for about 40% of GDP and about 65% of export earnings. Nomads and semi-pastoralists, who are dependent upon livestock for their livelihood, make up a large portion of the population. Livestock, hides, fish, charcoal, and bananas are Somalia's principal exports, while sugar, sorghum, corn, qat, and machined goods are the principal imports. Somalia's small industrial sector, based on the processing of agricultural products, has largely been looted and sold as scrap metal. Somalia's service sector also has grown. Telecommunication firms provide wireless services in most major cities and offer the lowest international call rates on the continent. In the absence of a formal banking sector, money transfer/remittance services have sprouted throughout the country, handling roughly $2 billion in remittances annually. Mogadishu's main market offers a variety of goods from food to the newest electronic gadgets. Hotels continue to operate and are supported with private-security militias. Somalia's arrears to the IMF continued to grow in 2008. Statistics on Somalia's GDP, growth, per capita income, and inflation should be viewed skeptically.

[Eric21ND]

We should start our own security company...anyone up for it?

[constituent]

heard it here first.

one big lol @ somali pirates.

[donnay]

This is a perfect example of how being a pussy gets you nowhere in the face of evil and violence. These stupid ass people on these ships should be armed to the teeth. If every time these stupid third world pirates encountered overwhelming violence trying to capture these ships they would stop trying to hijack them in a heartbeat. This goes to the heart of our 2nd amendment in the US. This is ridiculous and sad. Everytime these pirates try this shit they should be shot dead. I mean these guys even captured one of the pirates and gave him back. LMAO! Pathetic.

They gave back the pirate that they had in return for their Captain which the pirates reneged.

Hard call---walk a mile in their moccasins...

[brandon]

Finally, an armed conflict where I can actually support America! I've been waiting my whole life for this!!

[angelatc]

Finally, an armed conflict where I can actually support America! I've been waiting my whole life for this!!

If Obama would sign a letter of marque I could even support him on something!

BUt that's not gonna happen....

[LiveFree79]

They gave back the pirate that they had in return for their Captain which the pirates reneged.

Hard call---walk a mile in their moccasins...

Trust me you put 4-5 ex navy SEAL security specialists and arm them to the f'n teeth with assaualt rifles and bullet proof vests and this shit would be a thing of the past. Especially since this is so common place. I mean this is getting damn ridiculous. If I was anywhere near a ship in that area of the world you bet your ass I'd be atleast carrying a handgun. I mean 4 fricken soaking wet buck 50 somali pirates with AK-47's that weigh more than they do taking over a multimillion dollar ship? It's hysterical. They should have put a gun to the Somalis head and threatened to kill him if they didn't give the captain back. You deal with animals you have to become an animal. The only way to defend yourself against violence is through overwhelming violence in a situation like this.

[donnay]

If Obama would sign a letter of marque I could even support him on something!

BUt that's not gonna happen....


A letter of Marque from Congress would help the Merchant Mariners to be armed.

Nevertheless, our Congresscritters bow down to the UN.


International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Maritime Safety Committee MSC/Circ. 623/Rev. 2; 20 June 2001 Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships: Guidance to Shipowners and Ship Operators, Shipmasters and Crews on Preventing Acts of Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships, page 8, paragraphs 44 and 45:

44. The carrying and use of firearms for personal protection or protection of a ship is strongly discouraged.

45. Carriage of arms on board ship may encourage attackers to carry firearms thereby escalating an already dangerous situation, and any firearms on board may themselves become an attractive target for an attacker. The use of firearms requires special training and aptitudes and the risk of accidents with firearms carried on board ship is great. In some jurisdiction, killing a national my have unforeseen consequences even for a person who believes he has acted in self defence.”


UN's twisted logic that you have no right to self-defense.
http://americancommondefencereview.blogspot.com/

[donnay]

Trust me you put 4-5 ex navy SEAL security specialists and arm them to the f'n teeth with assaualt rifles and bullet proof vests and this shit would be a thing of the past. Especially since this is so common place. I mean this is getting damn ridiculous. If I was anywhere near a ship in that area of the world you bet your ass I'd be atleast carrying a handgun. I mean 4 fricken soaking wet buck 50 somali pirates with AK-47's that weigh more than they do taking over a multimillion dollar ship? It's hysterical. They should have put a gun to the Somalis head and threatened to kill him if they didn't give the captain back. You deal with animals you have to become an animal. The only way to defend yourself against violence is through overwhelming violence in a situation like this.

Please read my above post. I agree with you wholeheartedly.

[Dripping Rain]

this is why crews of commercial ships should be heavily armed. oh noeeees but they may be accused of taking arms to sell to the terrrists

[NMCB3]

45. Carriage of arms on board ship may encourage attackers to carry firearms thereby escalating an already dangerous situation, and any firearms on board may themselves become an attractive target for an attacker. The use of firearms requires special training and aptitudes and the risk of accidents with firearms carried on board ship is great. In some jurisdiction, killing a national my have unforeseen consequences even for a person who believes he has acted in self defence.”


Typical liberal bedwetter BS. The same exact crap they have been telling Americans for years. "Dont fight back, give them what they want, you might get hurt" Makes me want to vomit.

[donnay]

I guarantee that this will serge our congress to bow down to the UN once again with the Law Of The Sea Treaty.

If we sign on to it, it will literally end America's economic liberty and free enterprise.

Read the complete Law of the Sea Treaty here (http://www.un.org/Depts/los/convention_agreements/texts/unclos/closindx.htm).

[dgr]

I read last month that since Blackwater had pulled out of Iraqi , they were starting a new venture related to the piriate attacks. If it was true look for a rescue
or better yet do we still have an admiral in the navy like the one who threatened to Blow Somilia off the map after the Blackhawke down diaster

[acptulsa]

Turns out no one on the ship was armed. They just disabled the craft in the early stages of the hijack, making it impossible for the four (presumably untrained) pirates to make off with it.


Typical liberal bedwetter BS. The same exact crap they have been telling Americans for years. "Dont fight back, give them what they want, you might get hurt" Makes me want to vomit.

Seems to be handy when you want to pull off a false flag operation, doesn't it? And now, after Flight 93 showed what Americans can do when they're informed (like figuring out they weren't going to survive the hijack and making a play that saved lives on the ground), we have a ban on cell phones while in the air. What the hell is up with that?

[Carole]

I am a little suspicious. The country has no government. Allegedly Europe is using their waters to dump nuclear waste cheaply, sickening and killing their people. What is going on here?

The UN Law of the Seas Treaty somehow plays into this and is apparently an inadequent treaty. Surprise, surprise! What is the "rest of the story" on this?

The captain will be released won't he? The pirates have never harmed anyone have they? Or am I just totally wrong to think this is odd?

Why are we going to the expense of sending a destroyer, USS Bainbridge, to assist in rescuing a container ship allegedly carrying food containers for Kenya or nearby country? Is this a normal response or is it being overly dramatic?

What kind of food merits this kind of attention?

I do not mean to sound callous about the Captain, but this response seems like sending a tank to swat a fly.

[Jeremy]

If I owned a boat I would put a small army on it (hiding) and sail it out in the open for them to find. =p

[acptulsa]

If I owned a boat I would put a small army on it (hiding) and sail it out in the open for them to find. =p

Not me. I'd register it with whatever nation allowed me to mount a five inch gun--and fly their flag proudly.

[donnay]

I am a little suspicious. The country has no government. Allegedly Europe is using their waters to dump nuclear waste cheaply, sickening and killing their people. What is going on here?

The UN Law of the Seas Treaty somehow plays into this and is apparently an inadequent treaty. Surprise, surprise! What is the "rest of the story" on this?

The captain will be released won't he? The pirates have never harmed anyone have they? Or am I just totally wrong to think this is odd?

Why are we going to the expense of sending a destroyer, USS Bainbridge, to assist in rescuing a container ship allegedly carrying food containers for Kenya or nearby country? Is this a normal response or is it being overly dramatic?

What kind of food merits this kind of attention?

I do not mean to sound callous about the Captain, but this response seems like sending a tank to swat a fly.



It's really hard to say whether or not the Captain will be released. I pray he does. Pirates are not afraid to die---sort of like the other fanatics from my understanding.

My husband who is a Captain in the Merchant Marines has been contacting me via-satellite emails because he wants to quell what he heard on Fox News, which he is listening to on XM radio.

Fox News is hyping this by saying-- "Nothing like this has happened
to an American sailor or crew for 200 years." This is his response-- "Well, I know we don't exist to the MSM but literally hundreds of US sailors and oilfield crews have been taken hostage by pirates, in mostly Western Africa."

Most of the hijackings are not even reported for a number of reasons-- One example: the Companies do not want to have to deal with astronomical insurance rates so, nine out-of-ten they just take the loss of whatever the pirates have taken. Secondly; they do not want bad press and lose business.

As far as US Merchant Mariners being armed, it is NOT allowed. It is a bit confusing. UN mandates that we (U.S.) bow down to these international laws, for a 'civilian crewed' vessel. They classify the Merchant Mariner crew as civilians therefore, there are a lot of countries that do not allow civilians to be armed which is critiqued by UN mandates. Some companies allow armed security but there is lots of red tape. Zim Container line (Israel-flagged) skirt around these guidelines because their mariners are considered to be 'National guard' and therefore, they are armed to the teeth!

Re-posting this again:

International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Maritime Safety Committee MSC/Circ. 623/Rev. 2; 20 June 2001 Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships: Guidance to Shipowners and Ship Operators, Shipmasters and Crews on Preventing Acts of Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships, page 8, paragraphs 44 and 45:

44. The carrying and use of firearms for personal protection or protection of a ship is strongly discouraged.

45. Carriage of arms on board ship may encourage attackers to carry firearms thereby escalating an already dangerous situation, and any firearms on board may themselves become an attractive target for an attacker. The use of firearms requires special training and aptitudes and the risk of accidents with firearms carried on board ship is great. In some jurisdiction, killing a national my have unforeseen consequences even for a person who believes he has acted in self defence.”


UN's twisted logic that you have no right to self-defense.
http://americancommondefencereview.blogspot.com/

[dgr]

The 23 priviate security contractor companies are leaving Iraqi, so instead of changing the law to let merchant maritine saliors be armed, it wiil be changed to allow the hiring of armed priviate security forces. There is no profit in self protection. "Never waste a good crisis" sound familar. It was just a matter of time before an American ship was attacked. And as usual it was Americans who fought back, why because we take it personally, you are attacking me, not some group is attacking some other group. This is what makes us the most unique people on earth, the people not the goverment. It should be very telling how" the goverment" deceides to handle this

[Soca Taliban]

A letter of Marque from Congress would help the Merchant Mariners to be armed.

Nevertheless, our Congresscritters bow down to the UN.


International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Maritime Safety Committee MSC/Circ. 623/Rev. 2; 20 June 2001 Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships: Guidance to Shipowners and Ship Operators, Shipmasters and Crews on Preventing Acts of Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships, page 8, paragraphs 44 and 45:

44. The carrying and use of firearms for personal protection or protection of a ship is strongly discouraged.

45. Carriage of arms on board ship may encourage attackers to carry firearms thereby escalating an already dangerous situation, and any firearms on board may themselves become an attractive target for an attacker. The use of firearms requires special training and aptitudes and the risk of accidents with firearms carried on board ship is great. In some jurisdiction, killing a national my have unforeseen consequences even for a person who believes he has acted in self defence.”


UN's twisted logic that you have no right to self-defense.
http://americancommondefencereview.blogspot.com/I had to reread this like 5 times to make sure my eyes wasn't deceiving me. That makes no got damn sense!!

[Reason]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFf-KvcZtBw

Negotiations are under way to try and secure the release of a US captain being held by Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean.

[donnay]

I had to reread this like 5 times to make sure my eyes wasn't deceiving me. That makes no got damn sense!!

I know it doesn't. It really hurts my head to read though all of it.

Here is an updated International Maritime Organizations (IMO) directives: http://www.imo.org/includes/blastDataOnly.asp/data_id%3D25180/Piracy_26March2009_.pdf

[angelatc]

I am a little suspicious. The country has no government.

They do technically have a government now, just a very weak one.

This is really bordering on the insane: the captain almost escaped but was recaptured, while our warships just watched.

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20090410/D97FLOO00.html

Whatever happened to the "We don't negotiate with terrorists!"mantra?

[acptulsa]

This is really bordering on the insane: the captain almost escaped but was recaptured, while our warships just watched.

So the U.S. Navy is now not allowed to have the balls the merchant mariners had when they foiled this crap? One five inch shell would have ended all of this bull in short order. Are we afraid Somalia will kick our asses because we shot four pirates out of the water?

That's just sad.

[He Who Pawns]

This whole thing is really pissing me off now!

Why don't they just send some divers under the boat and punch a hole in the bottom, and let those rats either jump into the sea or go down?

I bet there is one person on that boat who can swim, and he aint Somali. ;)

I hope the captain lives, but really I don't care. He surrendered himself to save his crew, so in that sense he's a hero. In some ways I hope he dies, because his death and the resulting deaths of the pirates will probably saves dozens of other lives.

We need to stop messing around and start kicking some fucking ass here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[eduardo89]

Allegedly Europe is using their waters to dump nuclear waste cheaply, sickening and killing their people. What is going on here?


Where'd you get that from?