Pirate surprise!

[SSN Vet]

I think most of the problems with the United States' dealings with Somaia are related to Slick Willies decision to use the "when the going gets tough, run away" tactic...

These "less than modern" cultures really only understand one thing... FORCE.

They have no fear, nor respect of the international community, because they know the west does not have the sack to do anything militarily on land and they can always cozy up to the Chinese, using them as spoilers should the UN ever decide to pull it's thumb out.

I was trying to look up some stories I had heard about Winston Churchill's experiences fighting the Darvish tribes when he was a young man (he participated in the last calvary charge of the British empire), and wound up reading some extenive articles about Britains experiences in Ethiopia and Somalia.

Let's just say, things haven't changed much over there in the last 100 years.

 

[NG VI]

"The bottom line is somebody has been killed and someone has to give an accounting of that," she said.

Because to her, it doesn't matter that someone was killed because he put the lives of twenty to thirty people who were minding their own business in danger, through a violent attack on them for profit, what matters is that "somebody died". Government truly is a monopoly on the use of force, isn't it?

Violent confrontations between ships and pirates are on the rise. Crews are becoming increasingly adept at repelling attacks by pirates in the dangerous waters of the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden and many ship owners are using private security. But pirates are becoming more aggressive in response, shooting bullets and rocket-propelled grenades at ships to try to intimidate captains into stopping.

No, they aren't, that is the exact same tactic they have been using for years. Thye just haven't suffered enough losses yet to dissuade them from going into the piracy gig.

 

[SSN Vet]

They detained 10 suspects before releasing them to a third ship that apparently was associated with the group, it said.

no yard arm, no rope...

not much of a warship is it.

 

[Officers'Wife]

In the 19th century;

We paid tribute to the Barbary pirates and the pirates continued.

Then we destroyed the port of Algiers... The attacks ceased.

Those who forget the lessons of history are doomed to repeat it.

 

[offthepaper]

I seem to recalll a story of how General Pershing killed a bunch of muslim terrorists in the Phillipines and had them buried and coverd with pig blood and parts, ensuring they would not meet the virgins. One terrorist was spared and instructed to return to his camp and tell the others what he had witnessed. there were no more attacks for decades.

perhaps sned all but one pirate into the shark infested sea and dump some meat parts or blood around them and let the lone survivor watch, send him back to shore and see how the pirates feel about their profession the next day.

Once the make an armed attack on an innocent vessel they have revoked their right to life and should be dealt with accordingly.

 

[Mandolin]

I've got a feeling that, given the opritunity, half of this forum would hop on a boat to go shoot up Somali pirates. Not that there's anythign wrong with that. I'd go.

 

[Driftertank]

Got a gag email from my dad a while back about a cruise doing EXACTLY that....complete with gun rentals and a raffle to get to fire the "Captain's personal quad-fifty mount....


I'd show it here, but none of the pictures show up if I try to copy it, and my Web-fu is weak...

 

[Hann]

I've got a feeling that, given the opritunity, half of this forum would hop on a boat to go shoot up Somali pirates. Not that there's anythign wrong with that. I'd go.

I'd go but you'd have to pay me. I don't work for free.

 

[Gryffydd]

It was all the White Homeland Commandos here on the internet I was accusing of racism

Wow, I didn't know THR membership was limited to white people.

 

[Manco]

It was all the White Homeland Commandos here on the internet I was accusing of racism

That's not only a serious accusation and a huge assumption on your part, it is ironically by far the most racist-sounding statement in this thread I've seen yet.

 

[Officers'Wife]

It never ceases to amaze me how stopping the most heinous of criminal activity is often decried as racist. Do these people not realize by defining these acts as the quality of a race is in itself a racist statement? Someone with understanding please explain this to me.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

The ultimate racists are those who go around convincing minorities that they can't make it on their own -- they need Big Government to "help" them. And in return, they must faithfully serve the Left. Those who disagree (like Justice Thomas) must be drummed out of their race.

 

[Bovice]

I'd go if ammo was provided free of charge. Sounds like a good time.

 

[Manco]

I think most of the problems with the United States' dealings with Somaia are related to Slick Willies decision to use the "when the going gets tough, run away" tactic...

The ramifications have been even greater. According to Osama bin Laden himself (in a series of old interviews), the "Blackhawk Down" scenario utterly convinced him that US military forces had poor morale (they killed hundreds while losing only 18, but fled in defeat anyway--in his view abject cowards in comparison to the Soviets he had fought), and that the country was a "paper tiger" that was no more a "superpower" than the USSR had been, and not any more stable as a nation, for that matter. His perception of the country as being amazingly and unexpectedly weak is what gave him and his organization the confidence to set in motion spectacular attacks, such as 9/11, that were aimed at causing the USA to literally collapse into 50 separate states. Previously, he was said, by others who were close to him, to live in fear of the United States, convinced that they would one day kill him.

I think it's fair to say that like us our enemies respect strength and have nothing but contempt for weakness. And like I said earlier, the one who sets the consequences for the actions of others and deals the punishment for disobedience is the one who is in control. If we choose to live in fear of others and do as they say in order to avoid punishment, then they are our masters. The same principle applies across the whole spectrum of humanity, including whole countries, terrorists, and pirates.

 

[Hatterasguy]

Well said!

We could solve this problem in a week if we really wanted to. Park a fleet offshore and turn this port into a gaint sea of fire. Problem solved.

I'd go on a cruise to help fight them off, just as long as ammo was provided. Sounds like it would be fun.

 

[gym]

Bin Ladin has announced "open season" on Americans if we convict the terrorist leader in Gitmo. he came out with a statement yesterday or the day before stating that they will kill aany americans the see. So knowing that their are ties between most of these guys, it would be in everyones best interest to shoot back at any threat as soon as it becomes a threat. You just can't sit back and hope they let the hostages go, that's becoming a rarity.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

But remember what Uncle Herbivore says, "Do not seek to intimidate others . . . stark terror is much more effective."

 

[RebelKangaroo]

From someone much more eloquent and well spoken then I will ever be:

It is wrong to put temptation in the path of any nation,
   For fear they should succumb and go astray;
So when you are requested to pay up or be molested,
   You will find it better policy to say: --

"We never pay any-one Dane-geld,
   No matter how trifling the cost;
For the end of that game is oppression and shame,
   And the nation that plays it is lost!"
-Rudyard Kipling

That said, I think its about time to put Q-ships back into play.

 

[Kingofthehill]

It could be like a "Kill a Pirate Cruise".... id hang out if i was able to kill these SOB's .... could be a fun cruise.

JOe

 

[cambeul41]

I was considering the significance of this very poem just this morning.

Thanks for posting it.

http://www.frfrogspad.com/profound.htm#Dane-geld

 

[SN13]

LemmyCaution,

You're the only one in this entire thread who has made any racial comments, or racist comments, or any comments referring to race.

Also, I'll take an AK and a sidearm.

 

[xcgates]

I don't know if this thread has drifted too far off track already, but here are some of my thoughts.

Sure, you can have all the range you want, but from what I understand, the majority of the time the pirates sneak up undetected, and latch on quick. The reason being that the best option for the captain of a large vessel is to run up to full speed if he suspects pirates. This is because large vessels are able to cut through the seas at a higher sustained speed than the small vessels used by pirates.

Things may have changed since I last read about this stuff, and don't get the idea that I am against arming the crews. But weapons won't change things all by themselves, there would have to be a change of mind, including a constant watch.

 

[kenno]

It could be like a "Kill a Pirate Cruise".... id hang out if i was able to kill these SOB's .... could be a fun cruise.

JOe

What an excelent idea!

 

[Onward Allusion]

<sarcasm>This will surely escalate the violence. The merchant ships should comply with the pirates in order to avoid all bloodshed. They should leave it to the governments to protect these ships!</sarcasm>

It's about F-ing time, I would say. The merchant ships should have RPGs for the pirate motherships.

SSN Vet
Pirate surprise!
Well imagine that.... a merchant ship with a small security detachement handilly repels borders with small arms. I can't believe it
----------------------
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8584604.stm

 

[p35]

The other day they were interviewing the captain of the Maersk Alabama (IIRC- the one that got captured and then rescued by the Navy) on NPR. He described a chase lasting a couple hours at least while he sped up and tried to maneuver to swamp the boat as it came alongside- ultimately they got on with a long ladder. Four of them in a small outboard. Apparently once they get on board the first move is to link up with the mothership for more troops and weapons.

A couple things struck me: First, he said that the pirates will back off if you look like too tough a target and try it on the next ship. They had hose and flares going at the boat trying to just scare them off. Some tracer rounds, even if they missed, would have added greatly to the deterrent effect IMHO. Second, all it would take would be a .30 cal AP round or two hitting the outboard to enable the ship to outrun the pirates while they sat there figuring out how to row back to Somalia. A .50 would be even better, but let's remember that an M2 with ammo weighs better than a hundred pounds and the sailors would be trying to run all over the deck of a big ship with it (assuming they don't have a bunch of them) to keep the pirates in the line of fire. My vote would be an M14 loaded with AP.