http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7686806.stm

Apparently don't go down with the ships.

In additional pirate news, things don't look to be turning out so great for those pirates that hijacked the Ukranian arms ship, either:

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/africa/10/23/Somalia.piracy.ap/index.html?iref=mpstoryview

Okay this is impressive..... so now what do they do?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27766333

Why would these pirates want to screw with the Saudis. The Saudis may pay the ransom now, but I would not want to be in the pirates shoes when Saudi black ops comes knocking on their doors.



Cheers,

Why the sudden increase in the Somali pirates successful raids? Or were they just not public knowledge before? It can't really be purely the recent economic woes driving them to hit the high seas as Somali has never been plush with any type of wealth no?

It's the FSM revealing his plan to all of us to combat global warming!


Actually they have been reporting this for awhile (like 2+ years now) but it has been getting progressively worse. I think with them stealing the ship full of weapons etc it really put it up on the military's radar.

Yeah I meant recent as in last few years. Your point stands tho , and I think you're right with them stealing the ship load of weapons it would've put them on the radar.

Not a good radar for them to be on as I can see naval powers deploying and using them as joint exercise targets.

Naval diplomacy at it's best, even better since we don't have to fork out the money for the targets!

The BBC article on the hijacking, containing some statistics (check out the events from just the past week, listed near the bottom of the article):

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7733482.stm

Also of interest was the tidbit at the bottom of the article indicating that this region 'accounted for a third of all piracy attacks worlwide', which begs the question, what else is going on, and where, on the piracy end that isn't reported?

Regards,
Nydia

Time to have some 24/7 air patrols with standing orders to "terminate with extreme prejudice" any naval craft harassing larger ships.

Might be some employment opportunities for some Merc crews to ride shotgun with these ships, as well.

At the least it's a good reminder that the world is not as tame as we'd like it to be.

I am surprised that we don't hear much about pirates, unless they are usually used as target practice, and a few slipped through. I can see the military not wanting to advertise that...more likely thought it's minor civilian attacks that get reported as robbery attempts and the like.

I'm all in favor of letting the navy boys have some fun, as long as they triple check those targets.

Don't those pirates have some sort of rights? Don't we need to bring them to a trial or something before we kill them?

International waters so laws are iffy...

But the reality of it is, they're pirates they should be dealt with today the same way they were dealt with a couple hundred years ago. A nice short plank, or a hangman's noose.

Don't those pirates have some sort of rights? Don't we need to bring them to a trial or something before we kill them?Sure - but I would say attacking another vessel with weapons qualifies as an act of war. Treat them as you would any other armed threat. Unless I'm missing something from the story?

International waters so laws are iffy...

But the reality of it is, they're pirates they should be dealt with today the same way they were dealt with a couple hundred years ago. A nice short plank, or a hangman's noose.


A mini-gun would be a nice substitute for the noose, in present day terms. :eek:

They're not pirates, they're coast guards! ;)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7650415.stm

Rofl!

One man's freedom fighter.....?

In what can only be described as a comical threat, some pirates found out that they could not in fact steal an Indian destroyer:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/nov/19/piracy-somalia3


Pointed comments from several individuals about the extra-national money and support these guys are getting.

Mummy, can I phone the pirates?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/7754622.stm

If one needed any further proof that these guys are the rock stars of that area, check out the giggling-groupie result when a 12 year old girl, daughter of the BBC reporter who had been trying to interview the pirates on the Sirius Star (the captured Saudi oil tanker), called them (by pressing P for pirates on mom's cell ;) ):

"Hello. Please can I talk to the pirates," said my daughter in her obviously childish voice.

I could hear someone replying and a bizarre conversation ensued which eventually ended when my daughter collapsed in giggles.

The next day, the reporter had the Somali Service ring the pirates back up, since dialogue had been established, and he got this response:

A pirate answered. "I'm sorry," he barked in Somali, "the boss pirate is sleeping. He was very busy last night keeping watch for possible attackers, night time, you know, is the busiest time for us. Call back in two hours."

And maybe we'll get you backstage passes ;). The bit at the end about the Somali Service guys was pretty funny, too:

"They tease me mercilessly. I was worth dozens of camels when I first arrived at the BBC as a fresh-faced young woman, they say, while now I may only be worth one or two camels, or maybe just a half."

Regards,
Nydia

Does this qualify as an act of war, yet?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28011013/

Does this qualify as an act of war, yet?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28011013/


No because there is no oil to take.

Actually with that tanker they stole from the Saudis, there is oil to take.....

Actually with that tanker they stole from the Saudis, there is oil to take.....


You are correct however I don't see Halliburton making any money from it so that negates a reason to get the oil.

UN security resolution now allows for multinational armed response, including an invasion of Somalia, to deal with the issue. Given the activity of the Indian navy and their other recent peacekeeping missions in Africa, they may take this opportunity to flex their armed forces.

I hope so. East Africa, especially under the British, was always a prime sphere of influence for India. It would be good to see those with balls take care of the problem, as opposed to the states of the West that hesitate so much.

No because there is no oil to take.


Actually there is a substantial oil deposit below that area. American companies are already locked in however.