Who wants to be a pirate

[greg755]

Gee a couple of AK47's, a Dingy and you too can make a million dollars....

This is really pathetic....

[Dewi]

The last time we had pirates on the seas, we hung them in the entrances to ports when caught... it was a sufficient deterent to the majority to be law-abiding seagoers. These latest lot want compensation for their boat which was damaged during an act of piracy... I mean come on, whats that all about?

It's akin to a bank robber wanting compensation for damaging his getaway car!

Personally I don't think America should be expected to risk any more of their troops... they already do enough... it should be for the countries surrounding to send in armed escorts and re-establish the merchant navy convoys of WW2... essentially if you wish to commit an act of piracy, expect to be shot at, sunk or captured and imprisoned.

Sorry if I'm expressing quite a strong view over this, but I percieve pirates as bullies... and I can't stand bullies in whatever shape or form.

Cheers, Dewi

[greg755]

Dewi,

I just cant believe that we sit there and put up with this, a couple of Navy Seal Snipers and we don't risk any troops...

At least the French stood up to the plate, that's a good sign.

The down side is a couple of merchant semen may get killed, but I believe if we don't do something now, that number will grow exponentially.

I also don't understand why these companies would pay them off when they could protect their ships with a minimal investment.

The Pirates would have a hard time boarding these ships if the crew had a couple of 50 cal Browning's not to mention if they had larger mounted weapons.

These are big ships how hard can it be to stop a couple of guys from climbing up a rope, its not like they can just pull up and step onto the tankers...

[S. Heisley]

Whether on the high seas or a bank parking lot, we're known for waiting the bad guys out when they have hostages. You just never know when (if) our police or military will strike. They watch for the time to be right or for the bad guys to get tired of the stand-off. After all, our guys can take naps, take turns, etc. The bad guys have to be ever on the alert and that does wear on them. It ain't over 'til it's over!

[High Desert]

I have been wondering if a revival of the "Q-ships" might put these guys off a bit. Their type is less likely to strike an uncertain target

[Steve_Cox]

If the navy starts shooting they will kill Capt Roberts. The lifeboat has no fuel and is adrift. Waiting seems prudent and won't make things any worse than they are.... and for all we know, a seal team may be on the way. If the pirates kill the hostage, they are immediately out of options.

[caseydog]

If the navy starts shooting they will kill Capt Roberts. The lifeboat has no fuel and is adrift. Waiting seems prudent and won't make things any worse than they are.... and for all we know, a seal team may be on the way. If the pirates kill the hostage, they are immediately out of options.

Thank you for that voice of reason.

Why kill the innocent Captain if you can wait and see what happens?

Besides, this piracy problem wasn't a problem for us here in the USA, until they got an American ship and captain. And, the problem didn't develop in a week, so why should we expect to end the problem by shooting up one boat full of pirates.

This thread needs one more poll option: Let's use our heads as our primary weapon.

[dakotamouse]

If the navy starts shooting they will kill Capt Roberts. The lifeboat has no fuel and is adrift. Waiting seems prudent and won't make things any worse than they are.... and for all we know, a seal team may be on the way. If the pirates kill the hostage, they are immediately out of options.

Thank you for that voice of reason.

Why kill the innocent Captain if you can wait and see what happens?

Besides, this piracy problem wasn't a problem for us here in the USA, until they got an American ship and captain. And, the problem didn't develop in a week, so why should we expect to end the problem by shooting up one boat full of pirates.

This thread needs one more poll option: Let's use our heads as our primary weapon.

I thought the poll was an overall view of how to handle pirates. In this instance with the captain being held hostage a wait and see is the best option. But even better would be preventing piracy in the first place.

Piracy has been going on for a long time we just haven't been aware of it because it was concentrated on the private sailing and yachting community. http://www.yachtpiracy.org/en/index.htm

The pirates have upped the ante and are no longer content with small stakes vacationing sailors. I believe large commercial vessels and tankers should be armed. Large bank deposits are made in armored cars. Why wouldn't cargo vessels with millions of dollars in value not be protected?

[greg755]

Well that not quite true.

The life boat has fuel, and food and water to last a week or more according to the news reports.

Lets see, we ignored it, just waited to see what would happen as they pirated other countries ships, and NOW they have taken an American hostage.

Waiting for bad people to get more emboldened is never a good idea.

These people will never stop unless the price gets to high.

We had a great opportunity to finish this when the Captain jumped into the water, but unfortunately we didn't capitalize on it for some reason...

[hotrod]

they should be treated just like the pirates of old...once a scallywag always a scallywag...I really cant believe a seal team hast snuck into the scene yet either, this should not have lasted an afternoon if the navy was handy...

[greg755]

Lets see four pirates, 8 sharp shooters, a small count down.

I doubt they would know what hit them.

[caseydog]

Well that not quite true.

The life boat has fuel, and food and water to last a week or more according to the news reports.

Lets see, we ignored it, just waited to see what would happen as they pirated other countries ships, and NOW they have taken an American hostage.

Waiting for bad people to get more emboldened is never a good idea.

These people will never stop unless the price gets to high.

We had a great opportunity to finish this when the Captain jumped into the water, but unfortunately we didn't capitalize on it for some reason...

I will make sure, if you are ever held hostage, to tell the authorities to kill you in the name of ideology. Trust me when I say that your life now means absolutely nothing to me, as long as we can send "bad guys" a message.

Thanks for your sacrifice. I look forward to seeing you die for principal, as I'm sure you do, too.

Now, back to the real world. The Navy had no idea that the captain was going to jump off the boat, and he was back on the boat within seconds, not minutes.

C'mon, man. Take a few minutes to think. NOTHING is as simple or easy in the real world as it is in the make-believe world of ideological hyperbole. If it were that easy, then Iraq would be a peaceful western democracy right now, and the death penalty would have completely eliminated murder in Texas.

The world is a complex and complicated thing, and the world's problems will take more than simplistic ideology to solve.

CD

[S. Heisley]

greg755 wrote:

Lets see four pirates, 8 sharp shooters, a small count down.

I doubt they would know what hit them.

That would be true if the boat were open; but, looking at the pictures on television, it shows the boat as an enclosed structure with a teardrop-style door opening. I doubt the sharp shooters could see to get 'em all through that. If they're smart, the pirates probably have the hostage sitting in front of the door opening, to block even a tear gas canister from being shot in.

[madjack]

...there is no need to hurry in the current case...however, these pirates should in no way be allowed to escape even in the event of the good Captains death...this namby pamby treatment of the pirates on the overall situation MUST stop...pirates, throughout history have been considered anathema and to be destroyed on site...the pirate leaders are building mansions on shore...a prime target for a Tomahawk strike...say around 3 o'clock in the morning...see a "mother ship" leave shore with auxillary boats...blow it up...is this harsh...you betcha...will "innocents" die...probably...if you can actually find any...a couple months of such actions and this problem will be history...that is my 2cents worth..........
madjack

[starleen2]

...there is no need to hurry in the current case...however, these pirates should in no way be allowed to escape even in the event of the good Captains death...this namby pamby treatment of the pirates on the overall situation MUST stop...pirates, throughout history have been considered anathema and to be destroyed on site...the pirate leaders are building mansions on shore...a prime target for a Tomahawk strike...say around 3 o'clock in the morning...see a "mother ship" leave shore with auxillary boats...blow it up...is this harsh...you betcha...will "innocents" die...probably...if you can actually find any...a couple months of such actions and this problem will be history...that is my 2cents worth..........
madjack

May I quote A line from History and from an old familiar tune . . .
"From the Halls of Montezuma to the Shores of Tripoli."
"Tripoli" refers to the First Barbary War and the Battle of Derne - piracy in the Mediterranean Sea. - Worked before