Snipers bring quick end to Somali pirates
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30195111/
Ordered to shoot to kill, snipers on the swaying stern of the U.S. destroyer had one improbable chance to get it right.
Anything less than direct hits killing three pirates with three bullets would have placed the American hostage, merchant Capt. Richard Phillips, in mortal danger, if not sealed his fate.
Navy SEALs are trained for an improbable variety of tasks — to dive deep, fight in the desert, parachute into the ocean, conduct urban warfare, operate in bitter cold, crawl through the jungle. They're trained to wait, too.
Time for a UN resolution, perhaps.
...or does everyone else feel like these cretins are double dog daring the rest of the world to try and stop them?
Thank God I'm not in charge because they're really pushing my buttons and I'd go all postal on them...
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/piracy/5153515/Somali-pirates-seize-four-more-ships.html
"Most plain girls are virtuous because of the scarcity of opportunity to be otherwise."
-- Maya Angelou
That's not really a sensible solution withnail. Somalia's president was propped up alternately by the Russians and Americans until the end of the Cold War, when both sides decided they weren't interested, so the people threw him out (Mohamed Siad Barre, I think it was). It was aid that kept Barre in power. Giving aid to anyone there now is a waste of time, they'll use it to buy more guns (the ransom money could be thought of as a sort of aid, I suppose).
The alternative is organising outright conquest and occupation, the way we British used to in the good old days. I hear most of the pirates opeate out of Puntland, which used to be British Somaliland. At independence, the British and Italian (?) portions were reunited. After the fall of Barre and the consequent anarchy, a more or less stable government was established in Puntland, which wanted recognition but was refused it. I think the piracy came later - if the world had accepted the division of Somalia on the old frontiers, some of the problems might have been avoided. But that would still leave Somalia, where efforts to prevent pro-Islamist warlords becoming the de-facto government have ensured that anarchy and chaos continues, because Ethiopia and its Somalian friends are not strong enough to win, but Western support prevents them being entirely beated.
Not an easy one to solve.
This Website keeps statistics about accidents and piracy. If you're interested:
http://www.cargolaw.com/vc-archive.php
you win some, you lose some. Always hope for the best but expect the worst! That Captain is extremely lucky!
"dgoodrebel will always be the rebellious good one"
OMG! Ahoy mates! These pirates are super busy! There's an incident practically everyday off some coast some where!
You're right the internet is awesome! This is wild!
that's exactly it.
how about putting enough money into aid to try to prevent anarchy and not have to support tyrants.
how about doing something more than ignoring them most of the time, and sending in the odd missile or blackhawk the rest of the time.
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"Even a stopped clock gives the right time twice a day." Withnail & I
Keep up to date with all the latest piracy incidents with this LIVE Piracy Report and LIVE Piracy map;
http://www.icc-ccs.org/index.php?option=com_fabrik&view=table&tableid=26&calculations=0&Itemid=82
http://www.icc-ccs.org/index.php?option=com_fabrik&view=visualization&controller=visualization.googlemap&Itemid=219
The internet is awesome!
Withnail - what lesson would that be? That it is better to bankroll tyrants than let them be overthrown and risk anarchy?
Bin Laiden is still at large
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Baldrick.. Thee's right matey...
The problem with the Somali pirates is that they have powerful backers and protectors within the echelons of power.
The only way to really break them is to attack and destroy their bases on land...
that the pirates comes head to head with a S.E.A.L sniper. they're one of the best in business. literaly a surgeon with with bullets. you move an inch, you die. poor pirate doesn't even know what hit him.
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"You cannot propel yourself forward by patting yourself on the back."
The pirates!! This is what is causing global warming! Studies have shown that there is a direct relation between the decrease in pirates and the increase in global warming!
of the cost of failed states.
hopefully the lesson will be learned soon.
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"Even a stopped clock gives the right time twice a day." Withnail & I
We had a Pirate themed dhow trip on Friday - amazing how many one eyed pirates there are in the world!
i'm not interested in having to do a search for 5-10 minutes before each post making sure it has not been posted before.
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"Even a stopped clock gives the right time twice a day." Withnail & I
Well the thing is piracy has been going on for centuries, it's just that lately Somalia has been a focus for it.
Take a number, stand in line...LOL!
I was more than a little peeved yesterday when watching SKY news and they presented the story as the US response (the snipers killing the pirates) was the start of guerilla warfare in region. I felt like "So our going in and rescuing one of our citizens, held hostage with a gun to the back of his head, is guerilla warfare, but their theft of US property and kidnapping a man isn't??"
Pfffft.
They got what they deserved.
"Most plain girls are virtuous because of the scarcity of opportunity to be otherwise."
-- Maya Angelou
but some of us are not on QL all day long.
the figures i heard this morning were that the costs of piracy were insignificant when compared to the size of the shipping industry, and so paying ransoms for these companies is not much of a problem - just a cost of doing business. they spend more on diesel (or whatever those ships run on)
now that the pirates have come out saying they will kill any american crew that they find on future ships, i imagine this will go beyond a mere business equation.
i think we'll see more violence in these acts of piracy going forward.
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"Even a stopped clock gives the right time twice a day." Withnail & I
I'm sorry, but I can't be arsed to use it.
quiet you or i will be the sniper for you next time i see you any where and that will be the last time i will ever see you.
Well, there is a search feature :-P
yesday :)
or someone with a hook in replacement of his hand with a parrot on his shoulder LOL.
ummjake: probably 1 of the answer to your question was, maybe theres no profit during peacetime. if they take them all out then nobody will buy guns and bullets.
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"You cannot propel yourself forward by patting yourself on the back."
Sorry, never saw the thread.
Yes, the US Navy Seals took care of that situation. Like you, Ummjake, I wonder why the others have not stepped up to the plate and taken care of their own. These Somalians have over 200 hostages...
Now, the pirates say that the USA is their number one enemy for killing their people.
I say get in line.
Gypsy got up late because of the Easter weekend..:)
This was discussed at great length yesterday!
I find it hilarious that in 2009 we are having problems with pirates. I keep waiting for Jack Sparrow to steal a ship. :P
grow a pair and go take care of the rest of the pirates, instead of continuing to allow them to kidnap civilians and steal ships for million dollar ransoms.
I am appalled that the world has allowed this to go on for as long as it has. Why we haven't taken them all out already is beyond me...honestly.
Quit rewarding their bad behavior by paying ransoms for things they have stolen. Blow them out of the water and then maybe the next guy will think twice before taking a ship.
"Most plain girls are virtuous because of the scarcity of opportunity to be otherwise."
-- Maya Angelou
Don't know what else the pirates were expecting to happen. Granted, if it had been Bush in office he would have bombed Somalia....
I was good. ;P
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"You cannot propel yourself forward by patting yourself on the back."
Not much else to say, except that I was pleased as punch when I heard the news.
Navy SEALS are some of the best-trained folks out there. They did their unit and their country proud with this one.
"Most plain girls are virtuous because of the scarcity of opportunity to be otherwise."
-- Maya Angelou