note to UN : Stop the pirates!!
 

How on is this :cens: going to go on?

Say a prayer for the Crew of Maersk Alabama, the latest victim of Somalia's pirates.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/mas...acked_us_ship/

I just read an update that says that the crew has contacted their company and are back in control with one pirate captured. Hopefully the article is accurate and all crew on board is safe and unharmed.

Unfortunately, with such a big ocean and limited navy resources, the pirates are able to continue doing what they're doing.

How is the UN suppose to organize a locked down patrol and safety net of over 1 million square miles of ocean?

JohnnyD, I don't know.
I'm no fan of the UN, they claim to be peacekeepers I'd like to see some.
There needs to be a global effort to combat this common occurance.

I'm think the UN is generally a useless assembly. However, there are global measures being put into place. The problem exists with the vast size of the area needed to be recovered. Ships are so small as it is very difficult to pick them p by radar unless the pirates are extremely close.

It is a problem of law. What law, who's law, and where. Solve that riddle Batman and then you can apply a response.

Now, the fact that the Sammies whacked an US FLAG ship, I hope to see them wind up in US court system (though that would probably be a lifestyle improvement).

Reports are though that they have the Captain hostage. Rumors are that some of the crew (officers?) are from Mass / Mass Maritime.

For the crew that took back the ship, where do you want your beer delivered? :cheers:

Hey Beamie - you out there? Look to hear your thunking on this. If you're not in town, least hope you were hangin' around the IDL instead of the Horn.

John R, there was at least one graduate of Mass Maritime on board. The kids father is a professor at MM who teaches a class that covers piracy.

John, you bring up a good point.

A major problem is that in their native lands, the pirates are seen as heros - robinhood types. They have support from the villagers and the government turns a blind eye.

what law? we have satellites that can see my house, we cant find the home ports and send some Apaches to sink their boats? monitor the waters and sink anything that moves near a ship? I know it sounds simple but come on. I have now have my entire cd collection on a thing the size of a calculator. We can do it.

60 years ago we were able to destroy the enitire german u-boat effort, with as much technology thats in my refridgerator.

RIJ - and when the pirates look and act like local fishernen or the local fishermen act like priates (gee the legitimate fishermen have AK's on board their vessels) who's village you going to blow away with an Apache?

Oh, now you have a MEU 40 miles off Somalia to support your Apache (well, Cobra actually). Now you've blown away a village by diverting upwards of 20 BILLION in equipment and 3000 sailors and marines to thwack some pirates in a couple boats.

Hammer, meet Nail.

Or, (sadly) get the Interneational Community to agree on a set of rules that everyone can act on :bsod::bshake::laugha:.

But, this being the first time US sailors on a US Flagged vessel were boarded, maybe this is time to reinstitute one of the primary historical missions of the US Navy. Anti-Piracy.

RUMINT on GCaptain and EagleSpeak

Here's the law:

IT DOESN'T EXIST

You're making my point

I think a lot of the problem is that the pirates often simply are fisherman looking for a more profitable line of work.

-spence

all those tankers have to do is lay a minefield of thumb tacks on the decks.

Maybe Halliburton can sell the gubmint tacks at $5 a piece..

Im serious by the way.. Those pirate dudes are always barefoot.

I would say it is the Warlords and psuedo tribal guvmints raising more money in Piracy than the "national" (chuckle) GDP. A failed nation and economy where the only law is the tribe and the warlord. Sometimes hard to fathom that something as broken as Somalia can have more broken internal parts. Damn shame.

(of course I just reread your post again, and yeh, probalby were once fishermen. In the same note, some of us would be Run Runners 90 years or so ago :tooth: . Still think send in the SEALS and "arrest" them.)

Yup, just let them do their job. :D

UN is useless.

But who cares, it only matters when there's Americans on board.

you truly are the most lefty wack job I have ever met.

John is right, the problem is the law, the international (read U.N.) law, that says you have to to be absolutely positive that they are pirates before you can take any action. Now the only way you ca do that is wait until they board and take over a ship, and then its too late. Now with this American ship its different, they have the guys AFTER they tried to take over the ship. Now if they can just get the captain back they can arrest these guys who just might resist that arrest (aw, too bad!)

I think it is time to take some pro-active action. If there is no law...it is a free for all and we are justified in protecting our assets.

I am not a high seas lawyer but it is time that those on board have weapons and are trained on how to keep people off the ship when in the open ocean. It would help if the UN established some laws...like, something as simple as staying 1000' away from ships while in international waters. If you approach closer...expect a warning shot, alarms and lights to go off and on-land officials are notified...if you continue on course the ships has the right to take whatever action it deems necessary to protect it self from boarding.

If they take someone hostage...send in the seals. Flush these scumbags. BTW, where the hell is Obama on this matter?

Would you sail the open sea's without weapons?

[QUOTE=Mr. Sandman;680463] BTW, where the hell is Obama on this matter?

QUOTE]


the captain of the ship is employed and makes 150K so Obama is not intersted in helping him.

I was just reading an article on this and there certain problems that are hard to deal with in dealing with these pirates.

1st, they are in small boats that deploy from a larger ship that supplies refueling.....think Independence Day.

These Boats, being smaller and a lot faster than the cargo ships, are on them before they even know it. Then if they do get spotted on radar they look just like the 100's of other small fishing boats that are in the area.

2nd, the reason a lot of the Cargo Ships aren't armed is due to the cargo they carry....these guys hit the oil tankers a lot to capture...can't really get into a gun fight while standing on a Gazillion Gallons of explosives.

these guys don't want what you're carrying....they want the ship for ransom. they get a ton of money from other countries to release the ships......

Their biggest mistake here was taking a hostage...they should have just got back in there boat and screwed.

Maybe he's waiting for the Air Craft Carriers and the Press to arrive so He can land on the Flight Deck in his neatly pressed flight suit.

what the hell can he do??? We've sent a Friggin Destroyer and the FBI there.....pretty sure that is a good response to a few guys in a rowboat.

Lets all repeat after me:

I-N-S-U-R-A-N-C-E

Thats why.

Bush isn't in office anymore.

He can make a statement. He's shown the world how courteous he can be. Now show them how much he values one American life.

That's why they did it.

[QUOTE=RIJIMMY;680484]:bl::rotflmao::rotflmao::rotflmao: LMFAO:laughs:

I hope it's over fast and we get our guy back safe.

Mr. Sandman, nope, I wouldn't sail the seas unarmed, not a chance.

the captain of the ship is employed and makes 150K so Obama is not intersted in helping him.[/QUOTE]



:kewl: Brilliant.

Its called Law of the Admiralty. I had an uncle, who while on sabatical from the air force as a pilot, got his law degree in admiralty law. I would guess that has somethig to do with pirates. On the other hand, four well-placed 20 mm cannons would do the trick.

This situation has gotten ridiculous. 4 pirates in the life boat + 4 sharpshooters + one pull of the trigger each = situation resolved.

We need to do the same thing to these pirates that terrorists attempt to the civilized world. Make it so frightening to go about their daily activity, that they wouldn't think twice about taking over a US flagged ship.

Piracy becomes less lucrative if these pirates are hunted down and destroyed. It's not like they can hid the boats they've hijacked, you can see the satellite pictures on google.

I think that would most likely result in a dead capt.

-spence

No one at all wants that, especially considering how close to home this may hit for some people. On the other hand, these pirates have already demonstrated that they cannot be trusted in a negotiation sense. An exchange for the captain was suppose to take place before the military got involved.

The pirates are desperate. There is no way for me to imagine the tension of the situation, nor can I imagine the weight of responsibility felt by those negotiating the situation. However, the pirates are sitting ducks and an immediate threat.
An example should be made of them like this Bank Robber that threatened to kill his hostage.
http://www.clickorlando.com/news/6007331/detail.html

Hopefully someone more educated can help me with something...
This area has been seen for years as a highly dangerous area. Why aren't there armed guards on these ships? Is there an international restriction or something to that effect?

I still can't believe Obama is quite on this. Reminds me of the attack of the USS COLE and Clinton. (Who did NOTHING and IMO is what lead to further attacks in the US and eventually 911)

I can tell you the Navy is being told to do nothing....believe me they want to kill the pirates, but the new commander in chief is calling the shots and being told to stand down and observe.

This is his first military test and his lack of experience is shining thru. I give him a low grade so far. Even if this gets resolved today. Sitting in a life raft for days on end is not a solution. You need to take stern action to stop any other pirates on US ships.

Western flagged ships are paying ransoms...this is the problem...it's wrong..Just Kill the pirates and never pay ransom again. Try not to kill a US citizen but If someone dies on the process that is the cost we have to bear.

Hillary wants to capture them, treat them as criminals and give them lawyers...screw that, flush these SOB's once and for all goddammit.

(BTW, I believe the capt jumped overboard and began swimming towards the ship so he would be out of the way and the the Navy could shoot them...but they can't pull the trigger until the big man says fire and they probably could not get the go ahead in time . Should be standing orders, if you have a clear shot to kill them all, take it.)

Problem is it's a covered life boat.
However if the captain was able to try and escape by getting into the water,
you can bet the Seals could have gotten to that boat at night
and done their thing.

Gotta believe the Comander in Cheif hasn't given the OK.
Must be trying to prove you can negotiate with anybody.

Still hasn't said a word, come on this is rediculous.

Are you going to go to Vermont and tell the wife and family of the Capt. that this is what had to be done and it's the cost to bear Jim?

I think it is a tricky situation; the Capt is not a soldier, but did volunteer to save his crew, so what liberty does the navy have with his life? The report was he tried to swim, but couldn't get far enough away and the pirates fired on him in the water so he swam back. Maybe thats the argument the navy should have been closer, I don't know.

My solution, tonight, send in a seal, drill a small hole in the bottom. Start sinking the lifeboat and see what happens. it's a long 300mile swim for the pirates...

Bryan, we should blow that boat out of the water.

After all, it's not like they're going anywhere as they have no gas.

The longer we wait to take action the longer the Captain will still be alive. The US Navy has to be just itching to blow the Captain up, he did surrender after all, and his weakness has probably emboldened the terrorists. I read on newsmax.com that they're in communication with Bin Laden, and they have one of Saddam's fingers in a little box that they worship.

Obama should have known this was going to happen and should have had a destroyer escort for that ship before the pirate attack. At least he could have used his super powers and taken back the ship personally, but no, all he's done is send in the US Navy and FBI. Like what are they going to be able to do about the situation that Obama can't?

This entire situation wouldn't even be happening had we not elected Obama in the first place. That sent a signal to the entire world that taking from others is ok.

Obama is probally going to give the pirates first class tickets to new homes in Ohio where they can find real work. After all, it's not their fault they are pirates. It was the social situation that forced them into piracy. Had Clinton not left those Somalis would probably have WIFI and 401K's.

-spence

spence,

What'd you make that post for? Now the Right-Wingers don't have anything new to say.

Thanks, I didn't know that.

Johnny, think about all the gas.

Had Obama not made the USA look like such a whimp, by challenging the EU to not just blame America (yea, right), we wouldn't need the US Navy and could save hundreds of Billions of dollars in defense spending every year.

We would be energy independent and the war against terrorism, the defining moment of our time, would be won. Islam wouldn't last long.

This would free up tremendous Federal resources to eliminate the real threats to my freedom. Gay love and an abundance of coal.

-spence

This is why I stay out of the Scuppers section....