April 13, 200917 yr Personally, I think its a good example of where the United States can't simply go it alone. I can just picture your version of the Marine Hymn: "To the shores of Tripoli (as long as other nations go with us)"... Either you stand up for yourself and your people, or you don't.
April 13, 200917 yr France used lethal force either yesterday or the day before. I would say it's too early to gauge. Pirates still hold about 230 hostages on different ships, and I doubt they'll stop taking over new ships. Article I read sounded like it had been some time in the past as it mentioned another country and said they had seen no rise in retaliations. It didn't sound like they were talking about a recent incident. I'll see if I can find it. I don't expect them to stop taking over ships as that is their business. I just don't expect them to retaliate because of this incident. Just a business cost to them.
April 13, 200917 yr I am glad that the Capt is alive and well and safe from harm. The fact that Obama green-lighted the force is shocking, I am glad but shocked. Now if he would authorized service men and women aboard these ships and start sinking all pirate ships and their crew, IT WILL STOP! Don't go and talk to the Somolian govt, and sit down with Pirate leaders to work out a reasonable offer, kill them and sink their boats now! Edited April 13, 200917 yr by FootballisKing I can't spell
April 13, 200917 yr That's the billion dollar question, lbbc. Personally, I think its a good example of where the United States can't simply go it alone. We can and should if the rest of the world fails to come on board. It was 200 years ago, but Thomas Jefferson sent the American Navy and Marines in to stop the Tripoli pirates. We do not need the world's permission to defend ourselves. And the world's cowards to boot.
April 13, 200917 yr I have to give President Obama credit for allowing the military to do what they had to do in order to handle the situation.
April 13, 200917 yr Article I read sounded like it had been some time in the past as it mentioned another country and said they had seen no rise in retaliations. It didn't sound like they were talking about a recent incident. I'll see if I can find it. I don't expect them to stop taking over ships as that is their business. I just don't expect them to retaliate because of this incident. Just a business cost to them. Well, it's not old. Posted today on CNN The pirates told a Somali journalist that they were angered by the U.S. action as well as a French raid Friday that killed two pirates and one hostage and freed four hostages. “We have decided to kill U.S. and French sailors if they happen to be among our future hostages,” said Abdullahi Ahmed, a member of a pirate group based at Harardhere, a coastal town in central Somalia. Members of the U.S. Navy shot and killed three pirates who had been holding Capt. Richard Phillips hostage in a lifeboat on Sunday evening. The pirates seized Phillips after a failed attempt to hijack his ship, the Maersk Alabama. I think everyone is failing to see that these aren't "rational" people. I always love it when we presume to anticipate what terrorists really will do. As much as this is about money, this is about more than money. I don't believe they'll hesitate to do exactly as they threaten.
April 13, 200917 yr Well, it's not old. Posted today on CNN I think everyone is failing to see that these aren't "rational" people. I always love it when we presume to anticipate what terrorists really will do. As much as this is about money, this is about more than money. I don't believe they'll hesitate to do exactly as they threaten. I agree with you. Pirating isn't exactly a regulated industry. There is no way to rationally work things out with a group of pirates or other terrorists.
April 13, 200917 yr Leave the Navy Ship in those waters. Everytime a Pirate ship enters the water.... SINK IT! Show them that most of us bow to no men.
April 13, 200917 yr Leave the Navy Ship in those waters. Everytime a Pirate ship enters the water.... SINK IT! Show them that most of us bow to no men. It's a great idea in theory but pirates have a tendency to strike when there are no warships around. They attack swiftly, grab their loot and hostages and the flee to safe harbors. (Same tactics used since the 17th century) To send a fleet out would bottle up our ability to be in other hot spot areas that might require more fire power. One of the the things I noticed in this episode is how long it actually took for a frigate to get there with military help, and they were "in the area." It's not that easy to patrol the vast oceans and then get there with the force needed at the exact moment.
April 13, 200917 yr It's a great idea in theory but pirates have a tendency to strike when there are no warships around. They attack swiftly, grab their loot and hostages and the flee to safe harbors. (Same tactics used since the 17th century) To send a fleet out would bottle up our ability to be in other hot spot areas that might require more fire power. One of the the things I noticed in this episode is how long it actually took for a frigate to get there with military help, and they were "in the area." It's not that easy to patrol the vast oceans and then get there with the force needed at the exact moment. I know you are right. It just felt good to say it and to dream it. Talk about the true, ONE SHINNING MOMENT! One can hope! :taz:
April 13, 200917 yr I know you are right. It just felt good to say it and to dream it. Talk about the true, ONE SHINNING MOMENT! One can hope! :taz: :thumb:
April 13, 200917 yr It's a great idea in theory but pirates have a tendency to strike when there are no warships around. They attack swiftly, grab their loot and hostages and the flee to safe harbors. (Same tactics used since the 17th century) To send a fleet out would bottle up our ability to be in other hot spot areas that might require more fire power. One of the the things I noticed in this episode is how long it actually took for a frigate to get there with military help, and they were "in the area." It's not that easy to patrol the vast oceans and then get there with the force needed at the exact moment. Which is why a carrier battlegroup would be more effective. While I hate the idea of having to devote such resources to this matter I think that the ability to project power quickly from the carrier deck is essential for quick responses to the pirates. They may be fast, but they aren't going to outrun an F/A-18 in hot pursuit.
April 13, 200917 yr The title of this thread should be Yankees 3 Pirates 0 :clap::clap: Swamprat just won the thread. :lol:
April 13, 200917 yr Why are these shipping companies not arming their boats with enough fire power to fight off the pirates? Just seems logical to me.
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