[wCYvMKAc]

what would johny depp do?

[LindaSmithXV]

Almost as good as the Iranian mystery death ship that we want.

But theres a problem for the pirates, the Russians have already sent ships out to the region.

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20080923/117048983.html

[jabader]

Japan should step up to the plate and sic some ninjas on them.

[Indian Butt Magic]

Somalia sounds like a nation of parasites. Jacking Western aid and piracy are the only news reports you hear.

[Tij84ye]

Originally posted by Riesstiu IV
Somalia sounds like a nation of parasites. Jacking Western aid and piracy are the only news reports you hear. If there is an improverished, unstable country near a shipping lane, there will be pirates. FACT.

BTW: The U.S. Navy is charged with combatting piracy. Why aren't we?

[Rinkeliacasse]

Originally posted by Zkribbler


If there is an improverished, unstable country near a shipping lane, there will be pirates. FACT.

BTW: The U.S. Navy is charged with combatting piracy. Why aren't we? Umm, we are. We (and the UN) created a security corridor. Didn't you read Patroklos' post? It seems that this particular ship did not stick to it.

[floadaVonfoli]

As opposed to the ... western coast of somalia???

[Boripiomi]

Originally posted by Zkribbler

BTW: The U.S. Navy is charged with combatting piracy. Why aren't we? There's a NATO naval mission going on for years at the coast of Somalia to combat terrorism (within OEF), with ships from various countries. Some time ago, in another incident with pirates, one of our frigates was near the scene but couldn't do anything since the UN mandate that is the ground for the mission covers only action against terrorists, but not pirates.



I heard meanwhile they are going to change that (or already did, didn't check)

[adunnyByday]

Blockade Runners

[BokerokyBan]

Originally posted by Zkribbler


Convoys! just arming the merchant ships is sufficient. One of our tankers was approached but managed to drive them off.

[tabcdyop]

Convoys! Good luck trying to convince the merchants for hundreds of coutries to submit to Western let alone US authority. Thats half the problem as I said, many merchants aren't interested in cooperating and insist on doing their own thing.

PLus although the Indian ocean is large, the Somalian coast (north or east) isn't that much so couldn't a couple of nations deploy some vessles-- heck wouldn't a half dozen small coast guard style vessles (with the backing of ONE helicopter equipped vessel) Pretty much eliminate this problem. Assume anything going into or out of Somalia is pirate and act accordingly Somalia has 3,025km of coastline, the majority of which is along the more remote Indian Ocean. The pirates have been known to go over 100nm out to get to vessels. On top of that, we are forbiden from entering Somali territorial waters (12nm), and they know this. In order to monitor all of that in real time you would need several dozen full scale warships with extensive air support. It is important to appreciate the shear area we are talking about here.

As for how they get the ships, they just roll up in speed boats and point an RPG at the bridge/waterline. You stop and let them on, or they kill/sink/cripple you.

[globjgtyf]

Originally posted by Tattila the Hun


Nonono, a ninja. Remember the inverse ninja law! Hell, just see the law in action:




A ninja would have pulled it off!

[dremucha]

Tanks! You know, for kids!

[wrefrinny]

I don't know where the tanks come from, but the flag of a ship doesn't mean much. I bet over half of all merchant men are Panamanian flagged just because Panama doesn't have any safty regulations or give a **** about what they do.

That is one reason the US doesn't have a significant merchant marine anymore.

[tinamasak]

Originally posted by Dr Strangelove
Even though the tanks are Russian design, I think they were being sold by Ukraine, since the articles keep mentioning the Ukrainian defense minister as spokesman. The tanks are a SOVIET, not Russian, design, and the Ukraine manufactures its own versions of Soviet designed tanks.

[Vegeinvalge]

There's not a whole lot of difference between terrorists and pirates.

The article mentions the difficulty deciding what to do with the pirates. I thought that there already was a body of international law dealing with piracy.

[Gazeboss]

No it's not. Aircraft carriers are considerably faster than 18th century sailing vessels. You just get the ship underway, say to a speed of 20 knots, then lower the pirate from the stern end of the flight deck. When he reaches the surface of the ocean you let out an additional 50 feet of rope so the pirate is dragged a respectful distance behind the ship. You continue to drag him as long as necesary.

[nithhysfusy]

Originally posted by Dr Strangelove I thought that there already was a body of international law dealing with piracy. I want to say it's soft law rather than hard law, i.e. nations have generally observed a common practice of punishing that in all its forms, but have not yet written anything specific.

I remember hearing that it's one of the few offenses under UK law that still carries the death penalty. But this would have been in the early 1990s and they may have changed it.

[Kilsimpaile]

The other thing that I recall carried the death penalty in Britain was "high treason", which was a vague crime that could potentially include having a sexual relationship with a woman who was in line for producing an heir.

I recall that this was particularly relevant in the allegations of marital infidelity for Princess Diana. She couldn't have been charged but anybody apart from Prince Charles who had an affair with her could conceivably have been.

I don't know how seriously the law was taken though. I imagine it might be one of those centuries-old laws that live on because nobody overturned them.

[pseusawbappem]

Originally posted by BeBro
Edit: Oh, and I'm glad pirates use a spokesman these days qft