Someone explain why we can't just send in enough naval ships to escort convoys/hunt the bastards down?
C'mon, we got a half-black dude in the White House now. It's got to be ok.
Diogenes of Sinope: "It is not that I am mad, it is only that my head is different from yours."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."
Because we need to go through the UN. Amerikkka is not the world's policeman. International law needs to be taken into consideration. And many, many other liberal platitudes.
On the other hand, it seems American-flagged vessels don't need the navy to take care of their pirate problems.
"Be bold, and mighty forces will come to your aid."
The American captain of a cargo ship held hostage by pirates jumped overboard from the lifeboat where he was being held, and U.S. Navy SEALs shot and killed three of his four captors, according to a senior U.S. official with knowledge of the situation.
Capt. Richard Phillips was helped out of the water off the Somali coast and is uninjured and in good condition, the official said. He was taken aboard the USS Bainbridge, a nearby naval warship.
At the time of the shootings, the fourth pirate was aboard the USS Bainbridge negotiating with officials, the source said. That pirate was taken into custody.
Maersk Line Limited issued a statement saying it was informed at 1:30 p.m. by the U.S. government that Phillips had been rescued. John Reinhart, president and CEO, called Phillips' wife, Andrea, to tell her the good news.
The ship's crew was "jubilant" when they received word, the statement says.
"We are all absolutely thrilled to learn that Richard is safe and will be re-united with his family," Reinhart said. "Maersk Line Limited is deeply grateful to the Navy, the FBI and so many others for their tireless efforts to secure Richard's freedom."
"We look forward to welcoming him home in the coming days," Reinhart added.
Maybe they'll storm the pirate HQ and wipe 'em out.
By the way, why don't they just let these merchies arm themselves? For heaven's sake, a bunch of dudes in a rubber raft should not be able to take over a big ship. Put a Ma Deuce on the fantail and blow those assholes out of the water.
They say that if you arm one, then the pirates will shoot at all of the others thinking they are armed. As it stands, they know they can just walk on. If some ships have guns, then the pirates will shoot first and find out if they needed to later. Not only does this hurt people, but it could poke holes in the ships making them leak, or blow up.
Cakedaddy wrote:They say that if you arm one, then the pirates will shoot at all of the others thinking they are armed. As it stands, they know they can just walk on. If some ships have guns, then the pirates will shoot first and find out if they needed to later. Not only does this hurt people, but it could poke holes in the ships making them leak, or blow up.
Then the smart ships will not return fire and they can see the whites of their eyes. I think that has happened before
"Happy slaves are the worst enemies of freedom." - Marie Von Ebner
"It was always the women, and above all the young ones, who were the most bigoted adherents of the Party, the swallowers of slogans, the amateur spies..." - Orwell
Three more ships overnight. Remember the old days when this would have been Bush's fault for provoking the pirates with violence?
By the way, I watched a hijacking on one of the morning shows. These clowns rode up to a tanker in an inflatable life raft. You don't need to arm these crews like commandos to stop these pirates. A grenade dropped in the raft when they come to dock would have stopped that hijacking. A high powered rifle would sink their boat long before they got close to the ship.
Edited By Leisher on 1239712621
"Happy slaves are the worst enemies of freedom." - Marie Von Ebner
"It was always the women, and above all the young ones, who were the most bigoted adherents of the Party, the swallowers of slogans, the amateur spies..." - Orwell