Pirates kill 4 Americans

[Erich]

well it is obvious something needs to happen ........... even putting several ships as you guys mention "innocent looking" off thier coastline, then let the shells fly.

 

[Thorlifter]

Yeah, time to stop being the "good guys" and time to show them we won't stand for this crap.

 

[mikewint]

From what I can gather, a number of countries have warships in the immediate area but, no pirate is going to come anywhere near a warship and a warship can only be one place at a time. They (pirates) need to be lured into a trap

 

[tyrodtom]

What has encouraged this is that in the past too many ransoms have been paid. The pirates got away with it, and some got rich too.

Once enough of the world sees that paying the ransoms is not a good long term solution, and avoiding the area doesn't work either, it just allows the pirates to range farther.
It's not just Americas problem.

 

[mikewint]

While I understand the concept that America is not the world's policeman, when an American citizen is murdered in cold blood it becomes America's problem.

 

[Erich]

IT APPEARS THIS COULD BE A WELL ESTABLISHED PLOP ON THE PLANET TO TEST OUT NEW WEAPONS SYSTEMS FOR THE US

sorry for the caps, this whole thing is international

 

[mikewint]

Erich, It is indeed international but the murdering of American citizens make it personal.
In the words of an old American flag

 

[GrauGeist]

Here's what really pisses me off about the whole thing:

The first time the pirates killed a person, the whole freakin' world should have got serious. Period.

Now how many innocents have been killed up to this point? With as many assets that the world's Navies have in that area, and these douchbags still move about with inpunity?

I call bullshit, and shame on the UN and participating nations for thier lack of action. Laws against piracy are as old as man's ability to sail the waters of the world and there's no need for debate on what to do...it's pretty freakin' obvious.

So they need get off thier asses, stop thier politics and get this problem taken care of immediately.

 

[Gnomey]

Agreed on the getting serious, it seems half the time there isn't enough "evidence" to convict therefore they are just picked up and dropped off again. Time to start putting some holes in them...

Surface raider idea would work but considering the pirates have attacked a warship mistakenly at least once already, they aren't the brightest bunch in the book.

 

[pbfoot]

Here's what really pisses me off about the whole thing:

The first time the pirates killed a person, the whole freakin' world should have got serious. Period.

Now how many innocents have been killed up to this point? With as many assets that the world's Navies have in that area, and these douchbags still move about with inpunity?

I call bullshit, and shame on the UN and participating nations for thier lack of action. Laws against piracy are as old as man's ability to sail the waters of the world and there's no need for debate on what to do...it's pretty freakin' obvious.

So they need get off thier asses, stop thier politics and get this problem taken care of immediately.

I agree in principle its a lovely idea , but some of us have constitutions to uphold, no evidence no charges

Canadian Navy: Operations Exercises

Credit: Cpl Peter Reed

HMCS Fredericton's boarding party conducts an approach operation and boarding to investigate a suspected pirate skiff in the Gulf of Aden.
HMCS Fredericton intercepted a suspected pirate skiff January 28 while conducting counter-piracy patrols as part of NATO Operation OCEAN SHIELD in the Gulf of Aden.

At 7:44 a.m. local time, Fredericton received reports from her helicopter during aerial patrols in the International Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC) that they had spotted a small skiff loitering beside the shipping corridor approximately 45 nautical miles away from the ship. The helicopter, call sign Stalker, closed the position of the vessel. Upon detection, the skiff attempted to flee from the location but was stopped when Stalker continued to hover in front of the skiff to block escape. After several attempts to flee the area, the skiff's occupants stopped their engines and waited.

Fredericton proceeded to the location at maximum speed to intercept and board the skiff.

With extra surveillance assistance provided by a helicopter from USS Farragut, a warship attached to Combined Task Force 151, Fredericton dispatched her naval boarding party to board the vessel and conduct a detailed search. Its mission was to ensure that no pirate material was onboard and, if there was, to confiscate it to prevent them from mounting any attacks.

There were no weapons or ammunition found, though Farragut's helicopter did see what looked like boxes being tossed into the sea prior to the boarding party's arrival at the skiff.

"As we approached the skiff, the group of six men onboard immediately raised their hands and followed our directions," said Fredericton's naval boarding party officer. "They were all of Somali descent and they did not have any equipment onboard that would identify them as legitimate merchants or fishermen."

"This event demonstrates that pirates remain active in this area and the difficult mission it is to locate these small skiffs, whether from air or sea," said Commander Steve Waddell, Commanding Officer of Fredericton. "In this particular case, though there was not enough evidence to detain the individuals, I do believe that we were able to prevent them from carrying out an attack on another vessel."

The mission of OCEAN SHIELD is to deter and disrupt piracy in the Gulf of Aden, the Horn of Africa and the Somali Basin.

 

[mikewint]

As Pb states, international warships have to follow rules which brings me back. If you want to catch a mouse you don't stake out your kitchen for 24 hours every day hoping to catch sight of him. You bait a trap and let him come to you

 

[pbfoot]

I'm sorry for the loss of any life but were these US sailors that got caught in these waters mentally challenged ?Why would anyone with 2 brain cells to rub together go in these waters. To me its akin to flying down the length of the Berlin Wall in a Cessna 150 in 1961, or walking along the Iraq Iran border in 2009

 

[RabidAlien]

Hmmm. Small skiff, loaded with Somalis, attempting to flee the area when a helicopter comes to investigate, then toss a bunch of boxes overboard. AND THAT'S NOT FRIKKIN ENOUGH TO PROVE THEY WERE THERE WITH EVIL INTENTIONS?????? Holy frikkin crap! Open up on the effers!!!!!

Question...anyone know what the laws would say if, for example, a group of "like-minded entrepreneurs" were to get together, start a small shipping company (oh, one or two mid-sized freighters), load up some freight, and then...in the interest of self-defense, of course...pack that sucker to the gills with defensive weaponry (ship-board and personal), then slowly and leisurely cruise around delivering the aforementioned freight? If its all done in self-defense, where the pirates attacked/boarded first....


Yeah, I know, vigilante-ism is generally frowned upon. But a guy can dream, can't he?

 

[mikewint]

Pb, Your examples are violations of international law, since they violate the air space over the country and/or the land borders of a country. The oceans belong to no one and as such are international. Thus all are granted the right of free passage.
But I do understand you allusion. Ask for trouble and sooner or later it finds you.