[advabHixavoip]

Exactly. In fact, I'm wondering if under international law, those who gave the orders could be prosecuted for murder considering that they would have reasonable knowledge that the pirates chances of surviving were dismal.

A Russian helicopter approached the ship and the pirates fired at it. The Russian destroyer returned fire. However, that is a moot point and I am sure that Russia could care less what some hand-wringing left-wing person or persons thought. Everyone knows if you F**K with the Russians you get back 10 times the grief. And to the poster who is complaining that they are only poor fishermen who have to resort to piracy to survive I suppose you would complain about a bank robber who is killed attempting to rob a bank because they are broke. Using a weapon during the commission of a crime is due cause for the authorities to respond with lethal force.