1 Raddah raddah, raddah raddah raddah.

2

Nonsense, what we need to do is import another 100K of these poor, misunderstood Somalis, and give them every type of entitlement we have (maybe create some new ones, just for them). 

It's humanitarian and culturally enriching for us to do so.  Besides, they are our president's favorite group of people.

3 Well, I am sorry to hear this.  But those people were really freakin' stupid.  It's like a whitey like me going to the south side of Chicago on a Saturday night looking for chicks.

4
  Easy bet that they've become even better at it.  Wonder if they will be allowed to showcase their prowess?

5 Time to start pre-emptively blowing some of those pirate boats up NOW

6

That's awful. what a shame

7 I don't mean to be one of those "blame the victim people", but why in the world were these people sailing by the horn of africa?

8 Round 'em up and send them back to the populace in care packages marked "Samali Salami".

And a box of crackers.

9 This is terrible.  I hope the US Navy starts blowing these pirates out of the water.  Even better, perhaps embargoing Somalia would be a good idea.

10 Four Americans, including a couple from Southern California, who were taken hostage by Somali pirates were fatally wounded by their captors while negotiations between the pirates and U.S. military forces were underway in the Gulf of Aden, U.S. Central Command said Tuesday. The four were aboard the vessel Quest, which was captured last week. “We express our deepest condolences for the innocent lives callously lost aboard the Quest,” said Marine Gen. James N. Mattis, commander of Central Command. [Updated, 6:45 a.m.: The bodies of the four Americans are on board the carrier Enterprise off the Horn of Africa, according to Central Command. The names of the Southern California couple are Scott and Jean Adams, boaters who were based out of Orange County.] Four U.S. Navy ships had been shadowing the Quest after it was taken over by the pirates, Mattis said. While negotiations were underway to gain the release of the Americans, U.S. forces responded to gunfire aboard the Quest. The four Americans had been shot, Mattis said. Two of the pirates were killed by U.S. forces and 13 captured, Mattis said. After boarding the Quest, military personnel found the bodies of two other pirates. The incident occurred about 1 a.m. EST. “Despite immediate steps to provide lifesaving care, all four hostages ultimately died of their wounds,” according to a statement from Central Command.

11 Why don't we just sink the freaking yacht already?  Not like there's anyone to rescue anymore, and negotiations are kinda moot at this point.  Consider it swimming lessons for the pirates -- also a worthy, humanitarian goal as everyone should learn to swim.

12 So it was NOT a failed rescue attempt it seems

13 8 Stupidity and arrogance would be my first two guesses.

14 I hear we have some dangerous operators that are really proficient at Sea Air and Land raids.  To bad we have a spineless douche in the White House. 

If I was taken hostage I'd rather die in a hail of bullets because something went wrong in a rescue attempt.  My last thoughts would be that some very proficient warriors would be exacting some revenge on my captors. 
 

15 Just so we get itÂ… 13 pirates remain alive in custody, getting three hots, a cot, and probably television and magazines, on your dime. They would all be dead were we living in enlightened times.

16 I did like the Russian method - put them in a lifeboat with a pyrotechnic device.  Give them the option of drowning or burning to death; while you film it for YouTube.

17 The solution to the problem would be to MOAB every single pirate port in Somalia at night when their boats are docked. Stop capturing the pirates too. Shoot their boats full of holes and leave the bastards to drown. When piracy is no longer lucrative meal ticket, but instead a one way express ticket to hell, the Somalis will go back to lawful fishing.

18 They didn't kill the pirates? No one wants to try them. If you can't try them skin them alive on pay per view.

19 Those cracker sailors acted stupidly.

20 16 Which is why I amend my previous statement: give the yacht back to the pirates...and then sink it.

21 No No - we must cut defense spending and give socialized medicine to everyone.

22 Somalia should've been a smoking crater after the Black Hawk Down incident.

And the waters 50 miles out from the coast of Somalia should be a "no sail" zone.

23 Why did we take them alive?  They should be forced to swim back to the shithole that they came from.

24 I hate to think what our little president man will do about this.

25 Never should have retired the BB's. 16"ers will persuade the most recalcitrant of thugs to knock it off. ...and a lot of fun.

26 25 See comment #2

27 carpet bombing time

28 To die is gain....

Philippians 1:21-23

29 8 I don't mean to be one of those "blame the victim people", but why in the world were these people sailing by the horn of africa?

They were missionaries, distributing Bibles to remote African communities.  IIRC, they were heading to Garacad before they were intercepted with by the pirates.

They knew the risks. 

30 Fire bomb from the coast back 10 miles or so.

31 That's exactly right Kratos

32 Two of the pirates were killed by U.S. forces and 13 captured

Why are we capturing pirates?  Tie them to depth charges and walk them off the plank.

33

I've done alot of open water sailing between Florida and as far south as Venezuala. Mostly in the Carribian though. I was always armed and made a decision that no one was boarding my boat.

You're on your own in the ocean, nobody is going to get their quick enough to help you. You can either try to protect yourself or depend on the mercy of pirates.

34 The pirates are taking boats pretty far out to sea, these guys weren't hugging the coast.  The Information Dissemination blog used to have some good maps of the activity area - it will surprise you.

35 Russian commandos took a pirate ship a few weeks ago. They captured the pirates, and sank the ship. Mysteriously enough, the pirates never reappeared. There is no truth to the rumor that the Russians chained the pirates to the ship before sinking it... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSNaCIplhnc

36 If only the pirates had Obamacare, this never would have happened. It's clearly the Republicans fault.

37 There's some extra bits to consider with this story:

The couple who owned the yacht were involved in a yacht race sailing from India to somewhere else I forget.  They strayed offcourse, whether deliberately or not, around Feb 15 when they eventually came across the pirates.

If you are rich enough to own a luxury yacht and are proficient in boating/sailing, navigation, and current world political/social events, then you KNOW not to venture into high risk areas around the Horn of Africa.  Something tells me this couple wanted to shave off a few hours from their time and recklessly sailed offcourse, closer to pirate controlled waters, needlessly endangering their lives.

I'm sorry for their deaths, but you have to consider that they knew they were getting into dangerous territories by sailing closer to the Somali coast.

Oh yeah, turn those captured pirates into shark shit.

38 The knew the risks.

Unfortunately, the pirates no longer have to worry about the risks.

39 The dead Obama voters are happy to have given their lives for social justice. /

40 Well, I am sorry to hear this.  But those people were really freakin' stupid.  It's like a whitey like me going to the south side of Chicago on a Saturday night looking for chicks.

What are the bets and odds that these people didn't even have a gun on board their boat?

As for the pirates, we can thank the International community of liberal idiots for them. The LOST treaty makes sure that piracy is profitable now.

Keep in mind that even in the old days when pirates were actually hung by any ship captain that took them piracy was not stopped until their ports were razed and the merchants who bought their shit were hung.

There has NEVER been anything "romantic" about pirates in the real world contrary to certain Disney movies.

Two things need to happen. (1) Return piracy to "jus justinian"(?) where any military vessel may capture, kill, and hang pirates at will and (2) Burn, raze and kill all the people and ports in Somalia where pirates hang out. Kill them ALL and let God sort them out.

Oh, one last thing f*ck the UN and LOST.

41 This incident had no effect on Ebola's putting game. Thus, no action will be taken. Next question?

42 We blame Bush for this travisty. President Obama is our friend and would have worked with him if Bush would not intevened....

43 I was always armed and made a decision that no one was boarding my boat.

The problem is, you really need a weapon capable of hulling a modest size, steel hulled fishing boat.  The ITAR paperwork on a Javelin or a thermobaric RPG is a real bitch.

44 It was always my understanding that international law (going back at least to the 16th century) permitted ships of any nation to capture pirates anywhere on the high seas, such capture to be followed by summary execution.

Where did we go wrong in the interim?

45 Give those pirates a trial in downtown Manhattan.

46 Think of what all this shit cost you the taxpayer?  Cost of USS Enterprise, a fucking nuclear aircraft carrier following a yacht? 

Certainly not the best use of 6,000 sailors. 

http://tinyurl.com/34e2el

47 Posted by: Joe at February 22, 2011 10:46 AM (JKe0g)

Only for a Christian.  Are you sure they're headed to heaven, now?  See, I'd like them to have lived so they had plenty of time to get right with God.  But that's just me, I suppose.

48 "it might be time for some punitive raids along the coast."


President Barack Obama said in an interview with People magazine released Sunday that he has “no intention” of sending combat troops to the terrorist havens of Somalia and Yemen because “working with international partners is most effective at this point.”

“I have no intention of sending U.S. boots on the ground in these regions,” Obama said in the interview, which was conducted Friday and is to appear in the issue on newsstands this coming Friday.

“I have every intention of working with our international partners in lawless areas around the globe to make sure that we're keeping the American people safe.”

Obama added: “I never rule out any possibility in a world that is this complex…. In countries like Yemen, in countries like Somalia, I think working with international partners is most effective at this point.”

1/10/10


So, we're more effective by working with international partners -- to do nothing.

49 Anyone want to go hiking the Iran-Iraq border?

50 Cost of USS Enterprise

Captain Kirk doesn't worry about costs.  He goes in, phasers set to kill.

51 Remember when the US used to blow up places that fucked with us and/or killed our people? If we get a real POTUS, we should go back to doing that.

52 Yes, the Americans were foolish. But we have a choice now. We either let the world learn the lesson that you don't screw with Americans, or let the world learn the lesson that it's ok to screw with Americans. At the very least, the pirates should be put back on the yacht, and then the yacht sunk as a pirate ship. Next, we need to go into the ports of Somalia and sink every vessel.

53 The Battleships shelled Lebanon for several years without stopping.

54

Posted by: Vic at February 22, 2011 10:51 AM (M9Ie6)

This. 

55 The problem is, you really need a weapon capable of hulling a modest size, steel hulled fishing boat.  The ITAR paperwork on a Javelin or a thermobaric RPG is a real bitch.

Posted by: Jean at February 22, 2011 10:54 AM (WkuV6)

My boss had a 65' Irwin in St. Thomas and he had a pedestal mount 20mm canon. I just had a M 14 and a .45

56 These people were bible thumpers.. out evangelizing and handing out bibles to Africans.. in a part of the world where that is looked on not so kindly.

I don't mean to seem unsympathetic.  They were grossly naive or just didn't care.  But this was a doomed venture from the start.

Scott and Jean Adams were retired and had been sailing around the world for the past six years on their yacht. The couple was on a worldwide trip to distribute Bibles.

On the couple's website, Jean Adams wrote, “Another aspect of our travels is friendship evangelism – that is, finding homes for thousands of Bibles, which have been donated through grants and gifts, as we travel from place to place.”

http://tli.tl/57A1NH

57 Pirates have RPG's so it is a war zone. If you are not military grade, you have no business being there. The Adam's died for no good reason and were stupid to think they could proselytize muzzy pirates.

58

Enough of this crap.

Let's get Old School on these thugs.

Payment in Iron

59 If we can fly drones in Afghanistan to take out terrorists, surely we can fly drones around Somalia armed with hellfire missles and just take the pirates out.  How hard can it be?

60 Give those pirates a trial in downtown Manhattan.
Posted by: President Jugears McFly


"Your Honor, my clients are obviously victims of racial profiling and excessive use of force by the government. Plus, one of them thinks he heard a sailor use the N-word."

"Case dismissed. Here's a couple of million dollars for your suffering, you poor unfortunates."

61

>It's time for Obama to stop pretending he's Lincoln and start channeling Jefferson and Madison: blow some pirate shit up, NOW.

 

How can he, when UNIONS ARE UNDER ASSAULT??

62 From Fox News:

The organizers of an international yacht race called the Blue Water Rally said the Quest had been taking part in the race but left it Feb. 15 to chart an independent course from India to Oman.

63 This clearly demands nothing less than a strongly worded resolution! If it's okay with the rest of the world!

64

If only the pirates had Obamacare High Speed Rail, this never would have happened.

FIFY

65

"If it's okay with the rest of the world!"

And beyond -- that, too!

66 The yachters putting themselves at risk is irrelevant. Safe travel on the seas is the point. Piracy should be eliminated like the plague of evil it is. No mercy. No trial. No delay. Kill them. Destroy their vessels. Destroy their ports. All of them everywhere.

67 so now word on whether the remaining 13 were Mirandized ? I hope Holder was notified and sent in the public defenders office.

68

Really? Some arrogant and clueless rich Californians decide to go slumming off the coast of Somalia and get murdered by the Islamic cave men? I am overcome with pity and regret. But Momma always said, "stupid is what stupid does". Amen.

Seems to me you go into a war zone as a last option, and before doing so you prepare for the worst. Or not.

69

Is there a bigger shithole than Somalia? Living here in MN we have a huge Somali population. I have no problems with immigrants who come here and do it right. But out of all the immigrant groups we have here, one stands out as a major problem. Guess which one. Not only do they not even attempt to assimilate but they are without a doubt the most rude and ungrateful people I have ever met. As for the pirates I agreee. Just start shooting them at sea or drop them off 200 miles or so out to sea. Or option B make the entire country a nuke test site.

70 BTW, I don't consider it the U.S. Navy's job to make African seas safe for the touristas.

71 Chum the waters and throw them to the sharks.

72 Richard Trumpka talks daily to high level White House people and visits 2-3 times per week.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4NrT2oTQqE

73 BTW, I don't consider it the U.S. Navy's job to make African seas safe for the touristas.

They're there more for protecting the shipping lanes.  Nailing pirates is a side benefit sometimes.

74

The uh, yachters acted stupidly

75

The yachters putting themselves at risk is irrelevant.

Safe travel on the seas is the point.

Piracy should be eliminated like the plague of evil it is.

No mercy. No trial. No delay. Kill them. Destroy their vessels. Destroy their ports. All of them everywhere.

 

This. 

And I will guarantee you that within two weeks of blowing shit out of the water, this crap would stop.

76 49 So, we're more effective by working with international partners -- to do nothing.

Given how shitty we're learning our intelligence services are, that may actually be correct.  Some raids along the Somali coast (or BUFF strikes, for all I care) would be great if we knew the right places to raid / bomb the shit out of.  But it's becoming pretty clear from recent events that the CIA likely doesn't know any more than we do where exactly the pirate chiefs live.

77 BTW, I don't consider it the U.S. Navy's job to make African seas safe for the touristas. Posted by: maddogg at February 22, 2011 11:07 AM (OlN4e) no but it could be good target practice under different rules of engagement

78 I've read the update, and I think the captured pirates should be thrown overboard after being shot in all four limbs.  What disgusting people. 

79 "fatally wounded"

Is that the same as "murdered"?  Whoever wrote that seems to be trying to "soften" the act.

Is there a bigger shithole than Somalia?  Posted by: Bruce The Robert

Africa?  Yeah,  I'm gonna go with Africa.

80 Obama will do nothing because the pirates are not white conservatives from the mid-west.

81 I mentioned the growing piracy problem on another now off the trolly blog 3 years ago, and they laughed at me and called me a nut. Yeah, I was the nut.

82 Gaddafi has been ranting for the past 10 min and is LIVE! now.

83 But it's becoming pretty clear from recent events that the CIA likely doesn't know any more than we do where exactly the pirate chiefs live.

Doesn't matter where they live, just bomb the shit out of their boats docked along the coastline.  Keep it up for a couple months and they'll be too poor to replace their losses.

No boats = no piracy. 

84 It seems that Americans really have to think twice before engaging in world travel these days. We have become larger (no pun intended) and more sought after targets for terrorists-narco, Islamic and others. It makes me absolutely sick. But until we have leadership that stands up for American citizens, at home and abroad, I think Americans are on their own when they leave our shores.

85 >>The couple who owned the yacht were involved in a yacht race sailing from India to somewhere else I forget. They strayed offcourse, whether deliberately or not, around Feb 15 when they eventually came across the pirates. They were involved in a yacht rally which is not a yacht race, more of an organized tour among like minded cruisers. Cruisers often do this not only for protection from pirates but to make long crossings easier. They didn't stray off course, they left the rally after port in India to go on their own for part of the rally and thats when they got picked off by the pirates. They had planned to transit the Suez and meet up with the rally again in the Med. The owners of the yacht were very experienced cruisers having been sailing around the world on various trips since 2002. Among their reasons for traveling was to handout bibles and evangelize. Pirates are not just limited to Somalia. One of the best known ocean racers in modern times, Sir Peter Blake of New Zealand, was killed by pirates off the coast of Brazil in 2001 and he and his crew were armed. Blake actually got one shot off before getting shot and killed by the pirates. Anyone who has ever cruised outside US waters knows that pirates are everywhere and pretty much always have been. It's part of the risk of cruising. I don't feel too comfortable blaming victims or piracy for their own deaths.

86
I also hope that all the Ace-Tards are keeping firearms (hidden) on their boats. The PC cowards and statists are making it a crime to pull into their port armed




This is a big part of the problem. As I understand it from some friends in the sailing/cruising community, most foreign ports look ill upon any private yacht that has firearms aboard. If you're lucky, they'll just confiscate your weapons. Unlucky, they'll confiscate your boat and you'll spend some time in jail for gun-running.

87 Pretty much all angles have been covered thus far but the political angle.  I think I have heard there are 600+ hostages being held by these ragheads.  If so that is the reason we haven't been doing anything.  I hope I am wildly misinformed.  None-the-less, I predict Jugears will come down heavy on the pirates and Somalia, not because it is the right thing to do but because it will raise his approval numbers.

88 There should be perpetual  open season for any targets of opportunity off the coast of Somalia. There should be a bounty placed on each Somali boat blown to hell, and free beer for the whole ship if US Navy does the shooting.

89 You have to go in the vicinity of the Horn of Africa to get to the Red Sea, and then the Suez Canal.

90 I don't mean to sound unsympathetic, my heart goes out to those people and their families.  I can only imagine their last terrifying moments.  But really??  What were they thinking????

91 There should be a bounty placed on each Somali boat blown to hell, and free beer for the whole ship if US Navy does the shooting.

You know what?  We should be going back to handing out Letters of Marque just like in the days of old.

92 I don't get it.  That Johnny Depp seems to be such a likeable fellow in the movies.

93

Nothing is going to happen nor should it. Right now the pirates have 650 hostages and 30 ships they are holding. The majority if not all of the ships going through that area choose to remain unarmed and sitting ducks. They treat it as a risk of doing business, pay the ransom after awhile and go on.

If they don't want to protect themselves fuck em, don't send our young people to die doing it.

94 No boats = no piracy. 
Posted by: EC

Then the bleeding heart liberals will say they can't fish and there will be mass starvation!

So learn to surf fish,  ya fucksticks.  If ya don't get that down then,  yup,  I guess there just might be some of that starvation.  When in Rome... !

95

The pirates obviously don't have enough fiber in there diets.

 

96 They didn't stray off course, they left the rally after port in India to go on their own for part of the rally and thats when they got picked off by the pirates. They had planned to transit the Suez and meet up with the rally again in the Med.

And they paid for that mistake with their lives.  They may have felt lucky sailing around those waters in the past without incident, but luck won't cover you forever.

97 Tragically, two individuals will never again hear the prettiest sound on Earth.

98

Then the bleeding heart liberals will say they can't fish and there will be mass starvation!

Allah loves a hongry moose-limb.

99
Q-Ships

100 Main page right sidebar. Listen to Allen West's response to the Childmolesting Arabs Infiltrating the Republic.

101 Libya's Gaddafi: 'I Will Die A Martyr' 'I Will Die Like A Quivering Rat'.

102 Send in A-10s and AC-130s, sink everything afloat.  Napalm their ports.

103 87 Doesn't matter where they live, just bomb the shit out of their boats docked along the coastline.  Keep it up for a couple months and they'll be too poor to replace their losses.

No boats = no piracy.

Brilliant fucking idea there, just brilliant.  I guess we could also solve the Mexican drug smuggling problem by blowing up every car and truck in Mexico too, right?

Hint: there are at least a few Somalis who are not pirates.  Many of them are legitimately fishermen.  I'm all for dealing with the pirates as ruthlessly as possible, but destroying what few legitimate livelihoods may exist along the Somali coast and seriously fucking with the food supply of what's already a desperate shithole of a country is not a measure I'm prepared to take.

104 I don't feel too comfortable blaming victims or piracy for their own deaths.

Me neither.  These people didn't do anything to deserve this*.  They were passing out bibles and some scumbags hijacked their boat. 

*Anybody who says 'stupidity' means you deserve death basically condemns us all.  All of us have done something stupid.  It doesn't mean you deserve to be murdered by thugs.

105 Then the bleeding heart liberals will say they can't fish and there will be mass starvation!

Yeah, that's what I keep hearing from other countries next to large bodies of water, who've never had large communities of pirates.

Next.

106

Something doesn't smell quite right about the description put forth of how this incident went down. 

Also, these pirates aren't humans.  They are vermin.  Kill them and their spawn like vermin.

107 Yardarms are there for a reason.

108 I gives a F%$# less about Somali fisherman.

109 86 Gaddafi has been ranting for the past 10 min and is LIVE! now. Very sad that it takes a wizened fruitcake head of state like that to make our own look normal. Well, not really. Barry just doesn't have the Colonel's fashion flair.

110 #86

That is some crazy shit.  Sounds like he is doubling down.  Get off the streets or I am going to kill you ass.

In other news, Sec Clinton's ass is still bigger that Michelle's, but they are going to have an ass off this Easter to be sure who is the biggest ass.

111 Starving N. Korea begs for food, but U.S. has concerns about resuming aid:  1,500 calories and 141 grams of fat for Moooooochele Obama's Rib feast in Vail, CO.

112 Posted by: maddogg at February 22, 2011 11:07 AM (OlN4e)

Maybe not specifically for the tourists, but it would be nice if international shipping could use those waters again.

113

*Anybody who says 'stupidity' means you deserve death basically condemns us all.  All of us have done something stupid.  It doesn't mean you deserve to be murdered by thugs.

I never said they deserved it. But I had a hard time feeling sorry for my cousin when his house blew up due to a gas leak he knew about for a year beforehand too.

114 Wow.  Col. Crazy has finally gone completely around the bend.  Someone needs to overlay this on the Downfall Hitler vid.  Wow.

115 The most disgusting thing here is 13 pirates are still breathing because of who gives the orders in the Navy. We do not live in an age of wisdom.

116 I don't care if they were in the wrong place at the wrong time, I hope there are some operators on the way as we speak.

117 Somalis: historical friend or foes of Kenya?

118 Brilliant fucking idea there, just brilliant.  I guess we could also solve the Mexican drug smuggling problem by blowing up every car and truck in Mexico too, right?

Or what about just bombing all the known pirate vessels?  Out at sea before they make it to shore?  Following them back, and marking them for bombing later?  Not every one of them can be legit fishing boats.

119 #118

What a great idea!

120 In other news, Sec Clinton's ass is still bigger that Michelle's, but they are going to have an ass off this Easter to be sure who is the biggest ass.

Posted by: Kemp at February 22, 2011 11:24 AM (JpFM9)

I think I'll have something to say about this.

 

121 121 Somalis: historical friend or foes of Kenya? Posted by: t-bird

It is all going to pivot on this,  isn't it?  We are so screwed.

122 #124

Would you call that a "trio of ass" er ribs all around!

123 And now he's comparing our airstrike on Zarqawi with mowing down his own people.

124 No sympathy for pirates here.. but all this big talk is hilarious.  I would suggest a visit to Google Maps and start zooming in on the vast areas of ocean on the globe.  You will quickly sea all this talk of the U.S. Navy blasting pirates out of the water is utterly foolish. 

Do you expect our Navy to board each and every ship (little to medium sized motor boats is more like it) it finds on the high seas?  How does it tell fishermen from pirates?  Search each ship?

No.  The prudent thing to do is for tourists to stay out of those areas. Love sailing?  Go to the Caribean.. the Mediterranean..  South Sea islands..  go to the millions of miles of sea that are safer than the Somali coast and the Horn of Africa.

Wanna get in trouble? Pass out Bibles to Muslims.

125 February 26, 2008

The Obama campaign has accused the Clinton camp of "the most shameful, offensive fear-mongering" after the internet site, Drudge report, published an photo of Barack Obama in full Somali traditional dress, which it said it had been sent by a Clinton aide.

The photo, taken in 2006, shows the Democrat front-runner dressed as a Somali elder, during his visit to Wajir, a rural area in northeastern Kenya, the Drudge Report said.

Retired Air Force General Scott Gration, who accompanied Senator Obama on his trip to Kenya in 2006, defended Obama's trying on of local garb over his clothes, saying Obama was merely being a "great guest".



"Played a few rounds of golf, did a little piracy The typical tourist stuff...."

126

This whole thing reminds me of an article I read a few years ago about Somalian piracy and how it's the only money-maker in town, so the Somalis love them some pirates.  I remember it so clearly because of how morally bankrupt piracy is, yet the AP is only too happy to say, "See?  Because Somalia is a destitute shithole, piracy is okay."

The only way you're going to get rid of Somali piracy is to make it as unprofitable as possible.  Bomb the ships, take out the ports, and don't let them rebuild. 

127 I wouldn't worry about a few innocent somali fishermen's boats. The pirates will take them as they need them, so there are holes in the "few innocent fishermen" argument. When you take a shower, you wash away some beneficial bacteria with the pathogens, but you still take the shower because the alternative is unacceptable.

128 Hmm. Qaddafi on Al-Jism-ra live. Wasn't he on an episode of "Golden Girls?" I think he was a cabana boy.

129

Slightly OT, but after watching Col. West totally own that CAIR propagandist, my man-crush on him is bigger than ever. 

Back on topic, I think Col. West would have a few effective ideas for dealing with Somali pirates. 

My understanding is there are pirate-controlled ports on the coast.  Why isn't the US Navy shelling them right now?  I also understand that these pirates tend to work from mothership-type configurations, using a larger vessel at a distance to launch faster, lighter craft to conduct the actual raids.  Why aren't a few of these mothership vessels being spotted by radar or satellite and then bombed or torpedoed? 

I mean, we do have the capability to do this, right?  Or have I just read too many Tom Clancy novels?

130

Then the bleeding heart liberals will say they can't fish and there will be mass starvation!

They've beat you to it. The lefties have been claiming for years that the only reason for piracy off of Somalia is the destruction of traditional fisheries by those nasty "commercial" fishermen.

131

No.  The prudent thing to do is for tourists to stay out of those areas.

So, we ignore the commercial aspect then?  Freedom of the seas has been a fundamental point of British and then U.S. foreign policy for three hundred years.  We have allowed the situation in Somalia to become a industry.  Enough.

132 "Played a few rounds of golf, did a little piracy The typical tourist stuff...."

You left out got a few mill in donations from non traceable Credit Cards.

133 And now he's comparing our airstrike on Zarqawi with mowing down his own people.

Ya, how bout that? He has been bat crazy this whole time. I predict he ends up dead soon.

134 didn't obama supposedly order the attack while under the white flag of negotiations last time around? think this might be related?

135

I say it's time to act rationally by combining several problems into one solution:

Have the DNR issue Federal "Pirate Hunting" Licenses. For a fee, tags are issued and Southern Rednecks and Midwestern deer hunters would be allowed to go "hunting" in a restricted zone of international waters off the coast of Somalia. I can guarantee they'd be armed better than any pirates. Hunters would be allowed to sink or keep any pirate vessels they capture. Actual captured Pirates could be impressed into labor by the Peace Corps in the rathole they came from. We'd pay them what we pay Peace Corps Volunteers (nothing) and then tell all the locals they'd been converted to Christianity during their capture guaranteeing an end to that problem.

Bubba and friends would have a fun adventure and come home with photos of the "hunt". Also an occasional POS vessel to take home. If they chose to sink it on the spot: ecological win! Dead pirates commited to the deep would feed the endangered Great White Shark population. Sunken vessles would become a new instant artificial reef on the spot!

Meanwhile, back home, the funds from the "hunting licenses" could be used to lower the national debt.

Hey if this works out we could modify this plan on our own southern border to deal with the illegal mexican immigrants as well!

136 Wow, he is so agitated that the translator for Moammar is stumbling about to translate. Like he's using disjointed sentences.

137 KaDaffy's interpreter hasn't quit yet?

138 Honey Badger don't give a shit about your 'historical grievances'. Honey Badger's pissed!

139 I'm trying to figure out where Qadaffi is givng this speeech from....it looks like a bombed-out rest stop.

140 Ooo, ooo, pick me PICK ME!!!!

141

Kill/arrest pirates?

Fire illegal striking teachers?

Arrest union thugs?

Pull medical licenses of unethical lying doctors?

Hell no! Lets arrest 11 year olds for inappropriate stick figures.

Yes Monty, we are doomed.

142

Anyone want to go on a cruise?

http://www.somalicruises.com/

143 On the brighter side, Michelle safely completed another arduous day of vacation in Vail.
 
Could technology solve this problem? Satellites should be able to see anything moving on the ocean in that area. Issue any ships with legitimate business there a transponder with 24 hour renewable codes, limit Somali fishing to x miles off their coast, and......
 
blow the fuck out of anything else that moves.

144 The Somalia fisherman, who fish in an eco friendly manner and do not hunt whales, are an example of indigent peoples in self sustaining eco fishing in harmony with the sea.

145 What is that red screen that video alarm detected mean?

146 Wherever Qadaffi is standing, it looks like the set for one of those home demolition shows on The Learning Channel.

147 Is that the same as "murdered"?  Whoever wrote that seems to be trying to "soften" the act.

If I'm reading correctly, it's actually a more accurate term.  While "murder" was the end result, they were actually (again, if I'm reading correctly) recovered alive and died while being treated.  Thus: mortally wounded.  Presumably the report would have used the word "murdered" (Okay, not really: it's the MBM) had they been shot in cold blood instead of during negotiations for their release.

148 3 Well, I am sorry to hear this.  But those people were really freakin' stupid.  It's like a whitey like me going to the south side of Chicago on a Saturday night looking for drugs chicks.
Posted by: Chi-Town Jerry at February 22, 2011 10:38 AM

FIFY

149 I think Moammar has less than state of the art video equipment at hand. Today, he looks like he decided to wear old towels from the Tripoli Holiday Inn.

150

A little beer, a little sun, out on the fresh open sea....a weekend with the guys away from the "little woman" while hunting the most dangerous prey. WHAT could possibly make for a better weekend? You'd have to get NASCAR on water to improve that!

151 #147

I think not.  These guys don't give a fuck and have moved their operations further out to sea, with mother boats and runners. 

Ransom is the only business these fuckers have.  Till you either kill them all, or stop paying them, they will be around.

152 OT: Speaking of idiots...

Here's another report, from the Weekly World News (NSFW in a "People of WalMart" way).

153 Maersk needs to hiring machine gunners.

154 143 I'm trying to figure out where Qadaffi is givng this speeech from....it looks like a bombed-out rest stop.

Posted by: Circa (Insert Year Here) at February 22, 2011 11:34 AM (B+qrE)

Unfortunately, that describes about 85% of the middle east (and eastern Europe and South America, for that matter).  Are there any phallic, shiny towers in the background?  If not, we can be assured that he's probably not in Dubai.  Otherwise, it's anyone's guess.

155

My understanding is there are pirate-controlled ports on the coast.  Why isn't the US Navy shelling them right now?  I also understand that these pirates tend to work from mothership-type configurations, using a larger vessel at a distance to launch faster, lighter craft to conduct the actual raids.  Why aren't a few of these mothership vessels being spotted by radar or satellite and then bombed or torpedoed? 

I mean, we do have the capability to do this, right?  Or have I just read too many Tom Clancy novels?

Posted by: Insomniac
-----------
India just sunk 2 "motherships" when they got close to their waters.  That is practical and should be done when they are identified as such.

But shelling pirate-controlled ports?  Do you think the only residents are bucaneers drinking grog at the local pubs?  The news services would just love to broadcast the pictures of bombed out homes and mangled babies from indiscriminate shelling of port towns by American warships.

156 I would pay real money if some hacker could greenscreen Star Wars Kid behind Gaddafi right now.

157
Sorry, but fuck this.

The general is sorry?  $700B/yr in defense, for what?

Why do we buy so many neat toys if we're never going to use them to protect precious American lives?

158 >>And they paid for that mistake with their lives. They may have felt lucky sailing around those waters in the past without incident, but luck won't cover you forever. Well they paid with their lives but I guess I don't agree that being in international waters, not in Somalian waters, waiting to transit the Suez is a mistake. Yes, there are dangers to being in this region and I'm pretty sure as experienced boaters these folks were well aware of the dangers but at what point do we just retreat to within our own borders because the world is unsafe for Americans?

159 Do you expect our Navy to board each and every ship (little to medium sized motor boats is more like it) it finds on the high seas?  How does it tell fishermen from pirates?  Search each ship?

I actually believe in armed Merchant Men and private vessels.  Heck, against what the Somali's are using right now, 18th/19th century tech would be more than sufficient (and would kind of undermine that whole "gun-running" idiocy: what badguy would want to buy a Gatling gun?).

160 156 OT: Speaking of idiots...
Posted by: HeatherRadish at February 22, 2011 11:39 AM (nAOMZ)   "The 'Badger 14'"   That's offensive to badgers.  Those dem rapscallions better not show their face around Honey Badger's burrow any time soon.  Honey Badger don't give a fuck.  Honey badger will mess their shit up.

161

I would pay real money if some hacker could greenscreen Star Wars Kid behind Gaddafi right now.

I'd prefer the Chris Hansen lean-in photo.

162 KaDaffy is talking about David Koresh now.

163

Why do we buy so many neat toys if we're never going to use them to protect precious American lives?

<voice of Bill Murry> AAAaaarmy training SIR!!!

 

164 You guys are aware this isn't coastal piracy, like you see in Indochina and the South American coastline, these hijacks are happening way out to sea. 

The solution to piracy is (as it has always been) to destroy their bases of operation.  The "probability of intercept" solution is too hard to do it at sea and has an enormous resource cost.  If you don't want to kill everyone; then park a warship with a reinforced company of Marines on board just off shore.  Inspect, seize weapons, raid, etc.  In Somalia, a safe assumption can be that anyone that look rich is a pirate - so hit all the big houses and vehicles first.

165 The scroll above Muammar at Al-Jism: Libyan Leader: If you love Muammar Gaddafi, go out and secure Libya's streets Couldn't it be Honk if you love Muammar

166

To look on the silver lining of this, (my condolences to the families involved,) Obama/Hillary is un-doing 30+ of Liberal Foreign Policy talking points. Sadly, this is and will continue to cost American and our alliesÂ’ lives but their arguments of "willing hearts and minds," will fall on deaf ears very soon.

On the negative side, we're going to have to break out the 20lb sledge hammer at some point to crack someone's egg, the days of "pin-point" attacks and COIN are quickly drawing to a close I'm afraid.

167 See you morons later, off for a special pheasant lunch.  I got the birds, my restaurant is cooking up 30!

They go well with Valu Rite.  Going to see Sen DeMint after work(fundraiser), so will have to stay sober??? 

Ha Ha!

168 The news services would just love to broadcast the pictures ...

Hit the reporters first.

169
Maybe we need to spend another few billion on perfecting our negotiation skills.

Fucking negotiations with pirates.

So after the Americans were murdered, tell me that our Navy blew those muthafuckin Somali barbarians out of the water, please.

170 Low comedy. Muammar is straying off his mark. The camera Muzzie will have to pan the camera, but I'll bet it's just sitting on a stack of rubble.

171 Now, I get it, he's in one of the buildings Ronaldus Magnus bombed.  Patriotic symbolism and all that.

172 Jam their transmissions and have TSA search them for video.

173 No.  The prudent thing to do is for tourists to stay out of those areas. Love sailing?  Go to the Caribean.. the Mediterranean..  South Sea islands..  go to the millions of miles of sea that are safer than the Somali coast and the Horn of Africa.

Until they start practicing piracy in the 'safe' areas because it's lucrative and we don't fight back.

Nobody said enforcing laws is easy, but this is the Navy's job.  It's like complaining that our border is too big.

The US fucks around too much and lets people get away with killing American citizens and flouting our sovereignty.

174 126 #124

Would you call that a "trio of ass" er ribs all around!

Posted by: Kemp at February 22, 2011 11:28 AM (JpFM9)

Count me in and call it 8 cheeks in a week-week

or somthing.

 

175 Someone explain to me why any of the pirates were left alive?

176 166 KaDaffy is talking about David Koresh now.

Posted by: FlaviusJulius at February 22, 2011 11:43 AM (SJ6/3)

Geez, what next?   A twenty minute soliloquoy on Watergate?

177 I really wish Comrade Zero would send Hillary to Somalia wit somma dat Smart Diplomacy. Look at all the great results they have had so far!

178 179 Someone explain to me why any of the pirates were left alive? I won.

179

My boss had a 65' Irwin in St. Thomas and he had a pedestal mount 20mm canon. I just had a M 14 and a .45

FWIW, pretty much anything is available for $$ outside of US territorial waters (including the USVI, oddly enough).

I care not why they were sailing (sailing = can be overtaken by a well rowed johnboat) in those waters - self defense is available if one is willing to use it.

I was involved w/a nasty maritime incident many years ago off the coast of a small SA "republic", and can vouch for the perception that small arms fire (.30 Caliber) can be an effective deterrent w/o worring that the other party is in a "steel hull fishing boat" - they have to expose themselves at some point...

May they Rest in Peace.

180

Preferred new American Piracy Policy that will never be enacted by the Muslim in the White House:

Any pirates caught in the act in open International Waters will be executed on the spot, at sea with bullets dipped in pork blood before loading. Bodies to be commited to the deep.

Piracy is an act of war. Without proper uniform and identification, all pirates could be treated as spies during war time without reprisal and to my knowledge without violating any international treaties. Summary execution by the military on the scene.

That whole idea works for me.

181 This is his best state of the S#%&hole address yet.

182 182 179 Someone explain to me why any of the pirates were left alive?

I won.

Posted by: B. Hussein Obama at February 22, 2011 11:48 AM (AZGON)

yeah, that's about what I figured too.

183 Al-Jism-ra points out Gaddafi has been speaking for over an hour now. He hasn't done a single card trick yet or pulled a rabbit out of his turban. I don't think the network will run a second season of this.

184 I think his Sgt Peppers Lonely Dictators outfit looks more presidential.

185 Release the Kracken!

186 There's some latin legal phrase for piracy law, can't remember it.

Basically says something along the lines that pirates have removed themselves outside the bounds and laws of humanity, and we can pretty much do what we want to them.

Anyone put me some effin knowledge?

187 I'm starting to think the only thing limiting the length of a Gaddafi speech is the state of his bladder.

188

I think his Sgt Peppers Lonely Dictators outfit looks more presidential.

He totally stole that look from Idi Amin.  I bet they got into a slap fight about it.

189 I actually believe in armed Merchant Men and private vessels.  Heck, against what the Somali's are using right now, 18th/19th century tech would be more than sufficient (and would kind of undermine that whole "gun-running" idiocy: what badguy would want to buy a Gatling gun?).
Posted by: AllenG
-------
No problem with that idea.. except who funds it?  I would think the commercial lines would be doing this already for as much as it has cost them over the years.  I just don't think it is a U.S. military problem.  Indepedent Merchant Men (as you call them) with private vessels would be able to solve the problem much easier without the political baggage a Navy would bring along.  Don't know how that would jibe with modern maritime law, however.

190

I'm starting to think the only thing limiting the length of a Gaddafi speech is the state of his bladder.

 

We can only see him from mid-chest up, you know.

191

Skinny hunt.  $50/set of trophy ears, $100/trophy head.  No bag limit.  Round-trip transportation and a sack lunch provided.

192 Hostis humani generis (Latin for "enemy of mankind") is a legal term of art that originates from admiralty law. Before the adoption of public international law, maritime pirates and slavers were held to be beyond legal protection, and could be dealt with as seen fit by any nation, even if that nation had not been directly attacked. Is also used in the present to describe the status of torturers. --wackypedia and Jimmy Wales has a special personal appeal for you

193 The only proper response is to hang the captured pirates from whatever approximates a yardarm on the vessel they are imprisoned on.
Pirates need to start feeling the hand of death that used to follow such professions.

194 I'm starting to think the only thing limiting the length of a Gaddafi speech is the state of his bladder.

Posted by: George Orwell at February 22, 2011 11:52 AM (AZGON)

For all we know, there's a urinal in front of him.

195 The Military has more important things to do, like implementing 'allowing 'openly ghey' in the military. 

196

I actually believe in armed Merchant Men and private vessels.  Heck, against what the Somali's are using right now, 18th/19th century tech would be more than sufficient (and would kind of undermine that whole "gun-running" idiocy: what badguy would want to buy a Gatling gun?).
Posted by: AllenG

The problems are the whole arms coming into ports thing and insurance as I understand it.

197 Maersk should be granted letters of marque.

198 Gaddafi saying "we were living in safety, security, peace..." He sounds more and more like someone we know, well placed in DC.

199 Okay so maybe these people should have been smarter.  But weren't they in international waters?  If so it doesn't matter whether they were smart or not. 

200 There is no evidence that their Christian activities contributed to their capture. The Maersk Alabama was not distributing Bibles and they were captured, there are 30 other sizable ships that have been captured as well, none of which were prostelytizing. It is a function of being in the wrong place at the wrong time with a boat slower than pirate ships, and an inability or unwillingness to kill people who come onto your boat. The US and NATO should standardize a gallows and bolt it onto the back of every warship in the area. All pirates captured at sea should be executed by hanging and dumped into the sea. All captured ships should be scuttled in place. Yes, I know some of them are oil tankers, if you don't want ecological disasters on your shores, you shouldn't steal ships filled with oil. Pirates will not be permitted their prizes. The pirates should be informed that they have 24 hours to deliver their hostages to designated areas. After that the AC-130s and MEUs take over. Nothing owned by a pirate organization will be left unburnt or unshot. Westerners negotiating with pirates for ransom after that point should be considered aiding and abetting terrorism and prosecuted appropriately. All ships should be required to employ armed security contractors if transiting the area of pirate operations. Countries that will not allow armed security contractors to embark or debark in their port areas with appropriate supervision by local police or military will be embargoed until their laws are changed to permit this. Piracy is an 18th century throwback. Either we do these things or we do the other thing: give letters of marque to Xe, DynCorp and Triple Canopy and let them handle it the Q-ship way. This needs to end. Now.

201

Gaddafi saying "we were living in safety, security, peace..."

And bitchin' clothes....

202 Posted by: Badger Badger Badger Badger Badger I totally forgot about that great Weebl stuff! But honey badger still don't give a shit.

203 The statement said U.S. forces had been "closely monitoring" the Quest for approximately three days with four Navy warships tasked to recover the yacht: the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise, the guided-missile cruiser USS Leyte Gulf, the guided-missile destroyers USS Sterett and USS Bulkeley.

Vice Adm. Mark Fox, Commander of the US Navy 5th fleet, told a news conference that negotiations were taking place between the U.S. forces and the pirates Tuesday morning when they suddenly fired a rocket-propelled grenade at the Sterett, which was about 600 yards away. The RPG missed.



That RPG shot seems a bit -- optimistic, doesn't it?

204

I actually believe in armed Merchant Men and private vessels.  Heck, against what the Somali's are using right now, 18th/19th century tech would be more than sufficient (and would kind of undermine that whole "gun-running" idiocy: what badguy would want to buy a Gatling gun?).
Posted by: AllenG

The problems are the whole arms coming into ports thing and insurance as I understand it.

Then have a dingy pull off from the main ship when they get close to territorial waters with the armed crew onboard.  I get the whole issue with armed vessels coming into port, but there are bigger things at stake.

How much do these shipping companies pay in ransom for hijacked vessels and crew?  Millions at a time?  Why not invest a fraction of that amount into private security forces crewed with the vessel?  That can go a long way in reducing losses from piracy, not just in money but lives as well.

205 I know Barry hosted Muammar earlier in his term. Perhaps Muammar will make a gift of his speech to Barry, in a DVD boxed set of 48 discs. It will be the shortened version.

206 Even Al-Jism-ra had to cut away from Muammar's marathon outgassing. They just said it's still continuing.

207 Fish gotta eat, same as worms.

208 I know Barry hosted Muammar earlier in his term. Perhaps Muammar will make a gift of his speech to Barry, in a DVD boxed set of 48 discs. It will be the shortened version.

Posted by: George Orwell at February 22, 2011 12:01 PM (AZGON)

PAL or NTSC?

209 My plan to send several hundred highly-trained Community Organizers to Somalia, plus high-speed rail projects should end this problem.  The pirates must be unionized, too, of course.

210 Los Angeles Times: "fatally wounded."

Harsh words like "murdered" don't fit into the man-caused disaster dictate of the current administration.

Pathetic.

211 He said no shots were fired by the U.S. personnel as they boarded the yacht.

However, as the yacht was being cleared later, the special forces shot dead one pirate and killed another with a knife.



Having to kill a pirate with a knife when you all have guns seems odd.

212

The pirates are too well connected with international terrorism and the international drug and black market trade -- they have too much political clout with certain people in high places for anything to be really done about them.  Couple that with support from the international social justice bleeding heart set, and the bastards have near carte blanche.  Top it off with the shipping companies getting to write off the loss to piracy.  Only the little people truly suffer at the hands of the pirates.

We do have the ability (and the intelligence reports) to put an end to them tomorrow if we so desired, but it will never happen -- not while they perform an important role for the folks in charge.

 

213 Anyone put me some effin knowledge?

Posted by: Unclefacts, Confuse A Cat, Ltd at February 22, 2011 11:52 AM (eCAn3)

See post 41.

214 I think the Quest was attacked because they weren't ethnically diverse.  If they had more diversity, this wouldn't have happened.  Everyone knows that.

215

"Why not invest a fraction of that amount into private security forces crewed with the vessel"

An excellent question, and one that strikes to the heart of the issue.

Ship owners & operators run on thin margins (% basis) - volume matters. Having a defensive mindset costs real money, and quite frankly it's cheaper to have the ship siezed, sit for a time, negotate with the various interested parties (which spreads the costs), and go back to day to day operations. Most operators thought of early Somali piracy as absolutely nothing more that a cost of doing business, and some (operators) were against any retaliation against the pirates (as that would drive up costs). In some circles, blame for the current state of piracy is laid at the feet of the responders/enforcers...

With the escalation - murdered crewmen are expensive, owners & operators are fairly united in favor of some action - just not on their part.

Oddly enough (heh), most of the pirated vessels are Euro owned/operated - much in the same fashion as two hundred years ago along the Barbary Coast...

216
They 15 captured pirates should already be hanging from the yard arm...

217 It's time for Obama to stop pretending he's Lincoln and start channeling Jefferson and Madison: blow some pirate shit up, NOW.

Will never happen.  Pirates are black and Muslim.  Obama won't kill who he identifies most with.

218 The statement added that in addition to the 15 dead or captured pirates, U.S. forces had found the remains of two pirates on the vessel who were already dead. It did not say how they had died.

Asked about the two pirates who were already dead when the troops arrived, Vice Adm. Fox said he did not know the circumstances of their deaths.



So did someone fight back, or perhaps was there a bit of inter-buccaneer fratricide?

219 Posted by: George Orwell at February 22, 2011 11:54 AM (AZGON)

thanks George, that's exactly it.

220 I see somalia and I think of that movie that upset me so much I couldn't finish watching it.

221

An excellent question, and one that strikes to the heart of the issue.

Ship owners & operators run on thin margins (% basis) - volume matters. Having a defensive mindset costs real money, and quite frankly it's cheaper to have the ship siezed, sit for a time, negotate with the various interested parties (which spreads the costs), and go back to day to day operations. Most operators thought of early Somali piracy as absolutely nothing more that a cost of doing business, and some (operators) were against any retaliation against the pirates (as that would drive up costs). In some circles, blame for the current state of piracy is laid at the feet of the responders/enforcers...

With the escalation - murdered crewmen are expensive, owners & operators are fairly united in favor of some action - just not on their part.

Oddly enough (heh), most of the pirated vessels are Euro owned/operated - much in the same fashion as two hundred years ago along the Barbary Coast...

That is absolutely absurd.  Paying millions in ransom can't be more worthwhile than paying a fraction of that for armed security.  If they truly believe that piracy and ransoms are a "part of the business", then that mindset is fucked up.  How about paying armed security personnel as the new "part of the business" without having to worry about ransoms that are 10-100 times that amount?

222 Sockpuppet off.

223

they have too much political clout with certain people in high places for anything to be really done about them. 

You want to clarify that?

...not while they perform an important role for the folks in charge.

In charge of what?

224 Skinny hunt.  $50/set of trophy ears, $100/trophy head.  No bag limit.  Round-trip transportation and a sack lunch provided.

I'd say sign me up, but you need to up the bounties.  A man's gotta eat.

225

"Having to kill a pirate with a knife when you all have guns seems odd."

Maybe he didn't "have" to use a knife.

Like when people have asked me if I ever had to kill anybody, I always answered, "Well, I didn't have to".

226 Having to kill a pirate with a knife when you all have guns seems odd.

Posted by: Laurie David's Cervix at February 22, 2011 12:06 PM (bOKG+)

Hurts more.

227

Having to kill a pirate with a knife when you all have guns seems odd.

Obviously, the Marine was a sportsman.

228

That is absolutely absurd.  Paying millions in ransom can't be more worthwhile than paying a fraction of that for armed security

"Worthwile" is subjective. Most shippers could get their goverments to kick in some $, thus getting the crews released & the ships back on course fairly quickly (thus reducing overages)

"If they truly believe that piracy and ransoms are a "part of the business", then that mindset is fucked up"

Then you clearly aren't European. (Kidding... sort of. Ok, not really.)

Read the history of the Barbary Pirates. The European powers did exactly as I've described until the Americans decided that, yes, this is "f*cked up"...

229

228 NIce rhetorical question!

 

Follow the money: who financed some of our leader's political aspirations?

230 Do you expect our Navy to board each and every ship (little to medium sized motor boats is more like it) it finds on the high seas?  How does it tell fishermen from pirates?  Search each ship?

Why not? Make it painfully clear to the Somalis that these pirates are ruining their lives and their livelihoods. And simply hang pirates, caught in piracy. Why are we wasting time and effort seeing that these ocean going pond scum get all their rights? I'm beginning to think we have lost our collective minds. And what about retaliation? Attack an American flag vessel and jets show up to work over the countryside. Just make sure that there is some way to alert the West every time one of the pirate vessels puts to sea. From where and what they look like. Sell out your village mates, save your boats. If you're so worried about the Somalis being unable to fish, AFTER we sink all their boats, along a particular section of coast, then the Marines can land - armed to the teeth - and hand out some food.

231 Half measures and negtotiations only embolden our enemies.  Until we have the fortitude to do what is required to rid ourselves of this kind of sub-human filth, this kind of stuff will continue to get worse.  A previous poster mentioned how it would look if the news media posted pics and vid of poor Somali women and kids killed by our bombs.  My response is, so be it.  When are we ever going to learn that fighting with one hand tied behind our backs iresults in leaving enough enemy intact to grow and fight another day.  We are not dealing with rational human beings.  These people are sub-human and cannot be viewed with the compassion that we would otherwise grant civilized peoples.  Does this sounds harsh?  Sure, it does.  But it's required if we are to survive.  Political correctness and compassion for the spawn of our enemies must be done away with to perserve the civilized world!

232

Then you clearly aren't European. (Kidding... sort of. Ok, not really.)

Read the history of the Barbary Pirates. The European powers did exactly as I've described until the Americans decided that, yes, this is "f*cked up"...

Yes, I'm aware of the history of Barbary Pirates.  I'm of the type that doesn't accept this kind of behavior.  If business means intentionally funding an industry of criminal activity, but not taking measures to prevent it or avoid it, then the true blame lies with them and no one else.

233

"but not taking measures to prevent it or avoid it, then the true blame lies with them and no one else"

I am in full agreement.

234 The 4 yachtists have been on a DHS watch list for years as members of various right wing extremist groups.  We'd like to thank the Somali pirartes for reducing our paperwork load.

235

who financed some of our leader's political aspirations?

The Somali pirates?

236 Not sure that many here are up on geography.  Sailing around the horn of Africa is far less dangerous pirate-wise than the usual shortcut through the Gulf of Aden-Red Sea-Suez Canal, which takes you directly passed Somalia.

I think some morons here think Somalia is in the Southern portion of Africa.  It ain't.

The best strategy is to make a beeline from Australia to Mauritius, avoiding the Maldives and Seychelles entirely (pirates love those waters), and from there go around Madagascar's southern tip and into East London (Buffalo City).

237

 

"Do you expect our Navy to board each and every ship (little to medium sized motor boats is more like it) it finds on the high seas"

 

Sure. FWIW, "fishing" boats are easy to spot & track - lots of exposed equipment, consistant routes, and a relatively few number of hands on board. A "fishing boat" out of coastal range (operated & refueled from a "mother ship") w/many "fishermen" on board and not dragging nets nor being followed by clouds of gulls would be highly suspect & easily identified.

238 Land a battalion of Marine Honey Badgers on the Somali coast and let them have their way.

239

Ah, "Rod" - ?????

Somalia is part of the "Horn of Africa", and there are very few private vessels that can readily sail, say Perth to Port Louis, much less any SA port or the Cape, thus the Northerly route thru Aden to the Suez...

240 240 Just forget it.

241

Land a battalion of Marine Honey Badgers on the Somali coast and let them have their way.

Just don't use a Cobra helicopter as the transport. Could get ugly real fast.

242 Somalia is part of the "Horn of Africa", and there are very few private vessels that can readily sail, say Perth to Port Louis, much less any SA port or the Cape, thus the Northerly route thru Aden to the Suez...

First of all, my bad about the "horn".  I got horn mixed up with cape.  Sorry.  But still, there is simply no way to be in the Gulf of Aden without being right off the Somali coast.  So I still like my route better.

243

The honey badger doesn't know he's been stung by the Cobra's 20mm cannon.  Look, he's going to sleep.  Now, he's waking up.  20mm cannon fire can't stop the honey badger.  He's going right back to eating that f***ing Cobra. 

244 @107 I guess we could also solve the Mexican drug smuggling problem by blowing up every car and truck in Mexico too, right?

Now, that's an idea. 

245

FWIW, I like that route too - with a few hundred lbs. of supplies, ammo, etc.

Oh - and two or three months off. Just like a Wisconson Teacher...

(couldn't resist)

246

Out, damn sock!

247 That part of the world needs to burn. We need to start sinking every ship that leaves that shithole. Real WWII style stuff, find a ship and pound it till it sinks. I'm all for shelling the coast too.

248 I can see one advantage to going the Gulf of Aden route: It's probably not too hard to pick up some AK-47s in Oman or Yemen.  Still, once you get to the Med it will make clearing-in a bitch.

As for the time off, assuming you're in a position to sail around the world, time off really shouldn't be a factor.

249 Just when I start thinking we shoulod treat Muslims like people, something like this happens, or the Lara Logan thing, or something.  There's a consistent track record here.  We are dealing with an entirely different concept of "civilization." 

250 Is Gaddaffy still on?

251 send in "the expendables" ....

252 When, oh when, will Americans learn to stay put in the safety of the borders of the United States  of America, where it's safe, for now?
/sarc
Soon, I'd suspect.

253 I'm all for shelling the coast too.

An Iowa-class battleship would have been ideal for the task...

254 how did the koreans manage to get their whole ship back and we lost these four people?

255 how did the koreans manage to get their whole ship back and we lost these four people?

They have balls.  We have military and civilian leadership which is risk averse and incompetent.

256 259 how did the koreans manage to get their whole ship back and we lost these four people?

Posted by: curious at February 22, 2011 02:14 PM (p302b)

Honestly, dumb luck. Something happened here, the pirates did something idiotic, and everything went to shit.

We don't know what happened on the boat beforehand, maybe one of the pirates got frisky with a hostage and a fight broke out, maybe the pirates started fighting, but one of them fired an RPG at the Navy and we had to go in, found the hostages dead.

We don't know if they were killed in a struggle or if the pirates executed them.

257 You've got it all wrong! Killing pirates only makes them stronger by making the cause more attractive to new recruits. Also, by nature of kidnapping being illegal, you create a black market with a core of the hardest criminals. If kidnapping were legal, by contrast, independent kidnappers could compete and operate freely and therefore reduce the power of operating pirate gangs.

258 We need some "trap" ships in the area, mid-sized (captured drug yachts?) refit with concealed heavy weapons. Sail 'em through the area as bait and blow the fuck out of pirates that attack.

You don't need to get all of them, though hey, that would be nice. If pirates simply disappear 1/5th of the time they go out, they will run out of pirates.

As far as the existing 650 hostages, how the hell did we let it get that far? Oh, yeah, everybody's a sissy.

We just don't have the credibility to threaten for the release of the hostages right now because we've been letting them get away with it.

We need to take care of this horseshit because it's in international waters and its spreading, and it's not the only place in the world with a pirate problem, and we're *letting* it spread.

Either arm the merchant ships or go after the pirates, or just continue to lose people and money hand over fist to the world's largest criminal racket.

259

We need some "trap" ships in the area, mid-sized (captured drug yachts?) refit with concealed heavy weapons. Sail 'em through the area as bait and blow the fuck out of pirates that attack.

The day Obama signs off on sinking skinnies off the African coast is the day I start preparing for the impending apocalypse.

260 Really, just a couple of nice-looking catamarans full of SF-types with Javelins and some deplorable 20mm Oerlikons would do well. Jamming equipment would also be necessary, the Javelin has flight time long enough to allow a warning to be transmitted. A sub can pop up at night to restock the beer & ammo. What SEAL team wouldn't want that job? Sail the up and down the African coast taking out ships one after another. They'd just disappear into the ocean. After a while, people would stop seeing piracy as a good profession. At least, that would be our assumption...in truth, fishermen die all the time for far lower wages, and there is the chance that pirates might become rich. I think that as a society that supports Powerball lotteries we might understand why there will continue to be pirates until the pirate infrastructure is deployed. The loss of life is probably not a significant deterrent considering the money to be made in piracy and the relatively low value of human life in Somalia. If you can block the payment of ransom you have a much better chance of stopping piracy.

261 More: Via Galrahn of the indispensable Information Dissemination,
link peddling donations to AMISON...?

Why weren't the American Christian Evangelists carrying Bibles to distribute into Somalia in contact with AMISOM for protective guard to have the AMISON police/military coordinated with the Somali government meet and greet them before entering the coastal pirate waters under protective guard? Because the amison peacekeepers are just another pirating scam fronting for UN corruption?
 
from their home page: AMISOM conducts a Peace Support Operation in Somalia to stabilize the security situation, including the take over from Ethiopian Forces, and to create a safe and secure environment in preparation for the transition to the UN.

262 Why am I not surprised?

The American Bar Association (ABA) has decided to undertake the fight for Sharia law...to develop "an informal set of ‘talking points' that local opponents of these [anti-Sharia state legislative] initiatives could use to make their case in each of the 14 states that have introduced anti-Sharia legislation. -- Pamela Geller

263 Does the ABA have any members who are not communists?

264

Gotta love Wikipedia.  From the linked article on "The First Barary War":

Even so, most captives were pressed into hard labor in the service of the Barbary pirates, and struggled under extremely poor conditions that exposed them to vermin, disease, and Muslims. [emphasis added]

The vermin and disease were bad enough.

265

Gotta love Wikipedia. From the linked article on "The First Barary War":

Posted by: OCBill at February 22, 2011 03:33 PM (YJvVE)

And that's the sanitized version. A million Europeans taken as slaves, brutalized, tortured, raped and forced into slavery, in the name of Allah.

The few actual individual stories that escaped were incredibly horrific.

And the ideas behind it haven't really changed.

Yeah, I have trust issues.

266 They came from the sea....return them to the sea

267

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