American Morning
Somali women flocking to port in hope of marrying pirates
Pirates are holding a U.S. captain hostage at sea. The Navy is watching everything that happens. So what is supposed to happen next? And what is driving this problem? We talked to someone who knows a thing or two about the pirates and has experience covering them in Somalia. Kaj Larsen, former U.S. Navy SEAL, spoke to T.J. Holmes on CNN’s American Morning Thursday.
Larsen says the root conditions of poverty, lawlessness and civil war on the ground in Somalia are to blame. The large sums of ransom money being paid out to pirates, he says, is even leading some Somali women to venture to the port town of Bosaso in hopes of marrying these newly-rich men.
T.J. Holmes: We know that piracy pays. What is it that's going to break this cycle if every time they take a ship, they get paid. Why stop it?
Kaj Larsen: That's the 50 or $100 million question, which is about the money that the pirates took in last year in ransom. The solution unfortunately is not going to be a military-centric one. Ultimately, you to have to find some way to govern this ungoverned space, this lawless sanctuary that the pirates have in Somalia. That's really the only long-term solution you’re going to see to this problem.
Holmes: Let's start with the military solution. Why not send a message?
Larsen: Certainly there would be some deterrent effect. I think in this case, the incentives are so large. The money that they’re making is so extraordinary, especially by Somalia standards, that it would be difficult. However, in this particular situation, the goal is to solve it as quickly and as safely as possible without putting the hostage in jeopardy.
Holmes: There are hopeless, deplorable conditions in Somalia. A life of piracy looks pretty good for some of these young men compared to the conditions in Somalia.
Larsen: You couldn't have said it better, T.J. I’ve been on the ground in Somalia. One of the interesting demographic things that’s happening right now is that single Somali women are flocking to the port town Bosaso where these pirates come out of in the hopes of marrying a pirate. So you can see that it really is - the root conditions of poverty, lawlessness and civil war on the ground in Somalia are really what are breeding this problem.
Holmes: Is it worth the risk for these companies to continue to go through the Gulf of Aden? Does it cost much to take another route? Is it worth it to take the chance, pay the ransom, and keep moving?
Larsen: So far, that's been the model. As these attacks increase, we've seen six in the last week alone, the cost of doing business in that area is just going to be too high. The insurance companies are going to jack up the rates of insurance. And at some point, they're not going to be able to continue without taking much more serious security measures or without finding an alternative route.
Holmes: Do you think this situation will begin to draw more attention to what's happening there off the Horn of Africa and maybe more action will begin to be taken by countries all over the world?
Larsen: I think this is a clarion call to the international community that Somalia is and continues to be a failed state. And that if we don't continue to pay attention to it, if we don't start changing the conditions on the ground there, if we don't start governing that ungoverned space that it’s going to be a breeding ground for piracy and possibly international terrorism. So yes, I would hope that this situation, that the silver lining in the cloud is that people would start paying attention to this horrific situation in the country there.
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Why bother to go there if they continue to take what is freely being given. If the government can not put a stop to it then other countries need to stop giving. The rule should be, until you provide safe passage for our workers we can not provide food and aid. I really don't believe the people who need the food and aid the most are getting it anyway so why bother.
Wouldn't it be cheaper for the shipping industry to contract with black water? Ten hired security contractors on the ship is a lot cheaper than paying a ransom. Give them ample armament and explicit orders to protect. After a year, through attrition the problem will go away. If you keep rewarding them expect the piracy to continue. The US is too soft so we’ll just give them some stimulus money in exchange for the hostage
Pay them before they leave the port!
Better yet....how about a Reality Show "Pirates of Somalia and The Women That Want Them" pay them, put them on television, hold open casting calls that would bring out thousands who want to make the cut, let Simon Cowell help pick the top 50 and keep them so busy they wouldn't have time to be out on the water being real pirates. Men would want to try and be one of the pirates, women would want to win one of the pirates...problem solved...we put idiots like Joan Rivers on TV so that she can "steal" millions from people selling her junk jewelry on QVC, why not do a real reality show? It's becoming pretty obvious we aren't going to do any military intervention to save the hostage.
Jackie in Dallas and Joeb.. you are both very wrong. Both sound great and I wish you were right... but it can't and won't work at all.
From a previous CNN Article:
"It is common for the crews of merchant vessels to travel through the area unarmed, despite the risk of pirate attacks, experts have said. An armed crew could provoke a firefight that would endanger the crew's lives or its cargo, which often contains flammable or explosive material."
So for those who think that the "simple" answer is to arm the ships and kill without consideration (and anyone who considers killing as a simple thing should give serious thought to getting therapy) it is not that the thought hasn't occured to the shippers, just that there are bigger issues. While the price of the ransom is undoubtedly too high, the lives of a loyal crew must be counted as immeasurably valuable. And tho' the ship is almost certainly insured against destruction (as well as piracy) the cost of a new ship is more expensive, both in money (anybody ever have a car stolen? – I did, it was insured and I still paid a boatload of money [unintended pun] to get what I already had a week before) and in time (do you know how long it takes to build one of these monster ships?)
datdude92 suggested military grade pacification weaponry. Not the worst idea, but verry expensive. also, what happend when that weapon technology falls into the wrong hands(as it surely would if distributed to the crew of commercial vessels traveling in waters known to be havens for piracy.) Eventually it would be stolen and used against the crew by the pirates, or even sold to the "bad guys" by a crewman who fell into a little more debt than he can handle with his bookie.
I hate the idea of the US getting involved with yet another failed state, but with the global economy circling the drain, and Ssomolia didnt have all that much, so probably started a lot closer to the bottom, we may have no choice if we are to succeed in stopping the incentive of piracy.
But then I think, 'what the hell do we know?'
People posting about "blowing them out of the water" just dont get it. Simply arming the ships, or the crews, will not stop a pirate from shooting an RPG at the side of an extremely large (and expensive)vessel. Then the ship will sink and eveyone on board will die or be drifting in life rafts in pirate-infested waters. Sound like a good idea? No. To the owners of the vessels it is MUCH MUCH cheaper to just pay the ransom than to pay for an expensive security detail, expensive weapons, and expensive training for its crew only to lose the entire boat because of an RPG shot from 1,000 yards. To all the people who think there is a nice, quick and easy, violent solution to every problem: Think again.
It's an interesting article but I believe it tries to make the Somalis out to be victims. I read an article by Time recently that described the "impoverished" pirates. In fact these pirates are supported by wealthy people from all over the world. They have Satellite phones, GPS units, large "mother" ships that allow them to go far out to sea to stalk these ships and attack them from smaller expendable boats.
As to why the merchant ships are unarmed? Protecting each ship would require 10-12 experienced combat personnel that would charge upwards of $100k each for their services. Which explains why the ships aren't protected, the bean counters have calculated the odds of a ship being attacked and decided it's cheaper to take the chance.
To be honest I don't really care, the companies that own these vessels have the money, what is the issue? So the executive staff has to cut back on caviar and cocaine? Perhaps order a few less ladies for the next corporate party? The CEO will get a 200 million dollar bonus vs. 300 million dollar bonus for laying off as many jobs as possible?
I think more of you are actually upset that you aren't getting the money vs. the fact it's being stolen.
The piracy is affecting surrounding, peaceful countries in ways that need to be addressed – urgently. The ransom money is being used to buy property in Kenya, so much so that the Kenyans themselves cannot afford to own any real estate. Apartment prices have gone up 100% in the last year. The pirates are sending the ransom money to their families who have taken refuge in Kenya. There are neighborhoods in Kenya that are occupied solely by Somalians, wealthy Somalians! And most of them are armed. Prices of everything in Kenya are now pegged to the dollar. This is a ticking time bomb as the average Kenyan cannot afford the cost of living. We need the piracy to stop and the Kenyan governnent needs to step it too. Killing the pirates may not be the solution, but this is just the beginning of this story.
It is a head-scratcher that after so much talk for so many years about the sophisticated surveillance the U.S. Navy has–how is it that these boats slip through in wide open spaces? It has long been a head-scratcher as to how so many boats and aircraft ferry drugs into the United States each year.... even worse, how truckloads of drugs cross over the boarders by land. I could understand individuals sneaking across the desert but.. This is ridiculous.
The solution must be better technology and the resolution of corruption issues of our border guards. Trying to govern Somalia and raise its economic standards is just treating a symptom, in this case. What happens when those boats and trucks are carrying bombs or other lethal substances? What about when these are enemy commandos in a time of war?
Transport all cargo using submarines!!!
How 'bout we use the "negotiations" as a mere diversionary tactic, all the while sending a squad of SEALs, underwater, over to the life boat. SEALs pop up out of the water, kill the pirates with precision firing skills and rescue the hostage unharmed.
The ship should arm themselves. Bofor, CIWS, quad 50s fore and aft. As soon as these scum get close blow out of the water. They dont have the right to do what they are doing. I have no problem with getting rid of them
scott,
youre the only normal person on here...everyone else i just ignorant
sounds like a wonderful job for BLACKWATER. the state dept sure screwed them up by not standing behind them. they were there when they were needed they were in a war and war zone.
where is johnny depp when you need him?
So what do Somolian women look like anyway, any good???
I wouldn't be surprised if Xe or another primate military company jumped on this as a business opportunity. Deploying ex military professionals on these civilian cargo ships for a price. Considering how remote the area is I doubt anyone would blink if the occasional body washed to shore from a failed cargo ship raid. If I had the capital to start something like this I would do it myself. Welcome to a brace new world people, when in doubt don't wait for the government to step in and take action, just hire the guys the government has already trained to do the job for you.
Kill em all, Let God sort it out!
Why are those ships there in the first place? They don't have permission to be off the coast there. All they do is dump waste and then are pissed when Somalis want to take a ship.
It is sad that a country like the US or any country for that matter can't handle pirates! Is it hard to have military ships travel with these vessels? Imagine what these pirates can get away with if they thought about it.
i think we can place the blame for this squarely on the shoulders of obama and the liberals' pre-9/11 appeasement mentality. i was watching hannity the other night and he made a good point that obama is showing the world he's scared and that emboldens our enemies.
blow away the whole country. No one will miss them!
Let's try this: Take the Battleship Texas out of mothballs. Ever see that bad boy? It's got guns everywhere, turrets, cannons, you name it.
But seriously folks, I like the stealth plan. Float some large cargo vessel out there moseying along about 5 knots, play some party music, have some babes on board dancin'. Down below, behind the trap doors, park some serious firepower. Fifty cals, RPGs, cluster munitions, etc. Be sure to get pictures of the carnage to post back onshore. Time to feed the sharks!
The solution is to somehow improve living conditions in Somalia and beefing up security on the ships. IT sounds like a team of armed security personnel should be present on each ship in that region.
arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr matey!
I worry if Somalia is an Al Qaida stronghold. It has been in the past and I feel this is very likely and that a portion of these ransoms are funding operations.
Ok heres the deal....Since no law will stop these clowns become one. I really could use 50 to 100 million right now ( I just filed bankruptsy) I figure that I could grab a ship hold the crew hostage and get a good payout and come back here to enjoy my winfall....Anyone care to Join me in this adventure??
Sink every suspected pirate ship immediately. Next, give thought to strategic 'strikes' inside Somalia.
its not as easy as you think to track these boats, they blend in with other fishing boats and break off to try and capture other large vessels for ransom. if there were a sure fire way to know which boats were the pirates i'm pretty sure we would have done something by now. if i were the pirates though, i would be pretty scared tho with warships surrounding them. don't they know that once they give up the capitan, they are all going to die? rip captain hook
I find this all very interesting. During WWI the British navy had a number of ships called Q-ships. Their purpose was to protect English shipping from German submarines by posing as a merchant sloop when in fact they were heavily armed warships. If an enemy submarine approached to take a shot, the Q-ship would run out the guns and engage them. It worked in 1918 and it would work today.
Hopefully this hasn't been suggested yet but, why not put whatever sum of money these pirates are wanting into a clear case made out of bullet proof material. Also include a near indestructible lock that will only be deactivated from one of our destroyers in the area after we get our hostage back unharmed. We get our hostage back, open fire on the pirates, kill them all, then swing by and pick up the money.
Why don't these ships keep armed guards on board? It's ridiculous that a few people in tiny boats can take over a huge ship. Anything we do to help them would not make their quality of life better than piracy will- they won't stop taking ships just because they're given a few sacks of rice through a food program.
Why risk SEALs or Marines lives for this? These ships are shipping "Stuff". Stop buying stuff from overseas. Stop buying oil. Export via convoy protection only.
This is like the drug problem here. Stop buying drugs and there is no longer a problem.
To me the response to the immediate threat to the saftey of the crews would be to have small arms on board. These hijackers had AK-47 assault rifles with no body armor. A cheap Glock 17 could easily stop someone with an Ak-47 with no body armor. Get several hand guns for the crew.
I read that it was just cheaper to stand and watch; do nothing and hope for the best. This would be true if you were trying to load the cargo ships with weapons like cannons, machine guns, rockets, and the like. Getting a few guns together with ammo wouldn't be incredibly hard to do...trust me, you could gather that many guns illegally in the United States on a Sunday afternoon. In fact, I'd give up one of my guns to the Captain.
The U.S. needs to remember its history; between 1783 and 1800 our nation paid the Barbary Pirates who operated in the Mediterranean off North Africa. We either paid the tribute demanded or we could exercise a military option, and the more we paid, the more they wanted! In 1801, in the face of large demands fom the pirates, President Thomas Jefferson ordered the military option to take place. Jefferson's decision led to a new found freedom of the seas.
Clearly, appeasement has not worked throughout history. Why should anyone expect it to work now?
Hire some ex Marines, armed them appropriately and let them ride shotgun on these pirate-infested lanes... like air marshalls. Not only will you get rid of some of these scums, you also create immediate job opportunities for some of the vets.
If the shipping lines spread the cost, over a year, of hiring these ex Marines and equip them accordingly.. it will still be cheaper than one ransom payment alone.
I agree with Ian, hook something simple and purely defensive up to these ships and if those mothers try to board then torch them. It uses the parts that are already on the ships, and there is no clean up; just some pirate BBQ for the sharks.
I would doubt that these women would be flocking any where to marry a guy that looks like a burnt squirell.
Now only imagine if we were not using oil imported from Persian gulf. If somehow we learned to use more hybrid cars or electric cars.
We could simply show them middle finger sipping our coffee here.
But looks like we would rather drive a humongous gas guzzling truck and keep dealing with gulf troubles one after the another, dictators, instability, terrorists, pirates, and on and on.
Perhaps the next ship to be hijacked should be one we want the pirates to capture. We could set them up by allowing the to take a ship carrying a payload of biotoxins. These biotoxins could then be released once its in port, killing everyone, and thus solving the problem. Done and done.
Now that I'm unemployed, I wonder if I could go over there as an IT consultant to set up a shopping cart where you could "shop" for hostages (Paypal would be accepted, of course). I mean these guys set up a clearly successful business entreprise that doesn't seem all that much more criminal than those I've seen on CNN, and all without venture funding it seems. They just need an IT infrastructure in place to improve the financial transaction process. So when people say "I don't have the cash to pay off this randsom!" the pirates can say "that's all right, we take American Express, Visa and Mastercard! You can pay off your balance every month and have your family back together in no time!"
Granted, there might be a bit of subprime risk involved there, but it's worth a shot; and in the end they can cash out and flee to a pirate island somewhere off the coast of New Zealand. They could even go to India and get a real leg graft (peg legs seem like they're itchy, and let's not even talk about the splinters). After all, once they're retired as pirates, there's no need for show anymore, is there? I might even start printing pixelated pirate flags; it'll be a clever marketing campaign to show that pirates have gone high-tech.
Or maybe I need to find better uses for my time.
It's quite ridiculous to suppose that obliterating a few pirates would not result in a major escalation of violence in return. Remember there are 200 plus hostages still held. In any event, when poverty, survival and economic opportunity go hand in hand the record for winning the wars on drugs and illegal immigration is not too brilliant. I think that probably the most severe and fearsome detterent would be to place batteries of large screen TVs at critical point on the boat and beam the daily SOAPS along with their advertising, right at the pirates. If that doesn't terrify them then switch over to the ultimate mind killer of REALITY TV which should send them scurrying away from the joys of consumerism and leave them to peacefully contemplate starvation, desease, war and other delightful pastimes like counting rocks. Of course the West is blameless in that the piracy exhibited by Madoff and a few megalomaniac executives in banking and industry never, as far as I know, involved weapons and therefore was never intended to set any example for the rest of the world when it comes to the taking of wealth.
I don't see any effective, simple solutions. While the pirates might not be following the law, the rest of do, so that rules out wholesale bombing and killing like too many of you advocate.
In the early days of U-boats, these would surface and allow the merchantmen to abandon ship before torpedoing the freighters, so human lives lost were minimized. Once the Allies began putting deck guns on merchantmen, and using decoys to sink these surfaced subs, the U-boats–understandably–switched to surprise attacks and a lot more merchies died. If you arm ships sailing near Somalia you can be certain that the first response of the pirates will be to up-gun as well, and, I suspect, they will be much more violent towards the crews and/or guards/mercenaries onboard.
An armed response will work in the short term, but political and economic gambits will also be needed for long term success. Somalia is a failed state, and the piracy originating from here won't stop without a major involvement from the UN and regional players.
Please, guys, no more knee-jerk reactions about blockades, bombing and marines. That's just more of "Ready....fire....aim!"
PS. I don't think spraying fuel oil on them will work. It doesn't ignite as easily as you think, it would endanger you as much as them, and I just don't think dumping the $#@$% into the open ocean is a good idea.
Arrrrggggg... Matey! Sounds like we need to do some target practice in those waters.
They have water canons .. just put the pickup hose into the diesel tank instead of the ocean and use a $4 Bernzomatic torch duck-taped to the nozzle to light it on the way out. Presto .. instant flame-thrower. As the charred remains wash up on shore, maybe they'll get the idea.
As for you "root cause" apologists .. since when did being poor become an excuse for being a crook?
The "pirates" are not hurting anyone. Why not just continue to pay the ransoms? Look at it like a tax.
Paying this tax is far cheaper than giving aid to a corrupt government.
1) Employ former Navy Seals as cooks on the ships ala Under Siege with Steven Seagal.
2) Or alternatively. Use transports with military personnel to bait hijackers then blow them out of the water. Has to be cheaper than having a conventional naval presence. A few Somali floaters later they would give second thoughts to attacking these ships. Veeeery NIiiice! Yes?
A pirate needs a wife in every port!
I am familiar with Somalians and their tactics. They just seem to naturally gravitate to lawlessness. They wrecked havoc (aggravated robberies, etc.) to the neighboring Northern Kenyan Coast where tourist flourished. They have also operated organized bandit rings in the only intercountry highway that goes thru Kenya and Ethiopia. Long haul truckers have either abandoned this profitable route or simply risk their lives, and actually die in numbers. Somalians have generally been lawless. Their failed state has only worsened the situation. Even when their country had law and order, they still find ways to earn a living off somebody else's sweat - and violently for that matter.
I say start responding violently and forcefully. They will eventually be outdone and go back to raiding their neighboring states. Sad but true.
Open Seas piracy requires ships. Send a Tarawa class carrier with Attack helicopters up and down the Somali coast with the orders to sink any ship larger than a rowboat. Only screened ships going in and out of the UN food distribution point are allowed to sail.
If the pirates have no ships then...they are not pirates but land bound bandits who can only prey on each other.
Just do a Maritime exclusion zone where all non registered ships within 25 miles of Somalia are sunk on sight...no warning shots..nothing...SUNK and no rescue for survivors.
To all of you who write that the poor Somalians need to perpetrate these crimes because of the conditions in their country I ask this: Why are the pirates are more willing to confront the US, the UN and the European Union than they are to confront the wealthy warlords in their native land. Answer: the consequences of those actions.
Send anyone who pays pirates a ransom to jail for financing terrorism.
Why don't they just use some DECOY ships. Once the pirates try to take a DECOY ship...surprise!! It's a military war ship...a few
50mm machine guns under a few fake shipping containers and the problem is solved!!
Amazing how ignorant the masses are. The ships are not in Somali waters, they are in international waters which start at 11 miles out. You handle this the same way we did 200 years ago. Bombard their cities every time they take a ship. Kill them all if need be. Not for deterrence but because a dead man can't hijack a ship. We can't do anything to help them, colonialism was killed by political correctness. Besides, what civilized country would want to own Somalia.
If Ronald Regean was President (bless his sole) the captain would be back in Norfolk celebrating with a crabfeast and beer by now. Wait until it gets dark and send in the Navy Seals then call it a day. What is funny is the boat has has run out of gas, it's not going anywhere and we are tryring to figure out what to do! Where's Colin Powell somebody beg him to take control of this situation.
Two alternatives, Invade somali shore lines with navel power and kill all young men between 20 to 40yrs or handover the pirates the loots of Wall street CEOs and secret money stashed by the tax evaders to free the ships.
To all ye Captains: For brazen use of phrases such as "be havin’ on th’ lad’s or th’ lass’, this", I nominate this entire forum for an award for revitalization of the humble apostrophe. The poor key goes nearly jobless on so many of the world's keyboards. Now ye pirates have given it a new lease on life. Every dark cloud does indeed have a silver lining!
Send over a supertanker full of rat poison labeled "SNACK’s"
"They don't carry weapons but they can turn hoses on them to deter them????" Men with no morals carrying AK-47's against hoses...the heck with that...fill the hoses with something that will take them out rather than just water...defending themselves with a hose is like trying to survive being hit by a train by holding up your hand and saying "please don't hit me". There is no politically correct way to end this...they don't care, they have no souls...take them out, kill them because at the slightest chance they would kill the crew. And while we are at it lets go on every station in the world debating this issue and letting the idiots know they really have nothing to fear. Anyone remember 9/11??? While we debate this the Captain is the one paying the price...or why don't we just give them the stimulus money we gave companies like AIG?
I hear Blackwater is looking for some Work.
Sarcastically speaking, the USA should just give out instant citizenship, a free Freddie Mac home, and a unionized public sector job to each Somali pirate. Then there wouldnt be any pirates left, right... Those poor, poor, little pirates. You know it's our fault! If we weren't so rich and arrogant we wouldn't have these big ships to flaunt aound in the first place. Shame on us! In fact we should do the right thing and apologize to them and just switch countries. We will live in Somalia. We deserve it, since we were so bad to people all these years and we are so evil. It's sad to think some people reading this probably think it's a good idea. The same people that voted for obama.
Can't the ships just hire a sharpshooter or two for every vessel? Or use rpg's and the like because of the difficulty with being on the seas? Use the Israeli airplane security approach. Put one guy on each end of the ship and give warning shots to anyone approaching. I'm sure that financially this isn't a problem. There's no stable government in Somalia and money is scarce, so we cannot look to Somalia itself for help.
Where is the UN on this? Once again, the UN sits by with their thumbs up their backside. If we decide to take action on our own, we will be labeled as the bad guy again. I am sure we will hear: "There goes those Americans again forcing their will on other nations". I guess we won't have to worry about that since the Messiah will follow the Clinton lead of trying to get consensus with the rest of the world just so we all can agree to try to act tough but not take action.
Convoys through area with navy destroyers.
Easy answer – american boat pulls up, start shooting (hopefully sparing the captain). This will teach them a lesson. All these 3rd world country low lifes need extermination. Oh yes......america, give us money....but we will NEVER pay you back. And america is the bad guy in the end. Shut up, PLEASE.
Quote from wimpy Holmes : There are hopeless, deplorable conditions in Somalia. A life of piracy looks pretty good for some of these young men compared to the conditions in Somalia
Of course this is true - unless such a life leads to a swift end swinging from a rope!
The response from Mr Seal Larsen was not much better. I too was in Somalia as a Marine..... and can tell in no uncertain terms you that there IS something that motivates these people better than easy money - AVOIDING CERTAIN DEATH...
Didn't they figure out how to get rid of piracy several centuries ago? It worked then and it will work now. Hang them from the yardarm (I'm not being funny here)
Also, these wimpy shipping companies refuse to arm their crews because some lawyer told them it was a bad idea - what a joke! These crews should band together and refuse to sail in that part of the world unless armed.
Ahrrrrr...throw em a line ye mateys...let em aboard...what need ye be black fella....whisky, rye o rum...Ahrrr. ye think ye might want o bottle o MD 20,20 do ye...How ye gonna walk ye plank wit ye shorts draggin on the deck ye matey...Ahrrrr.....
After Sept. 11. What did almost every flight over the US have in common? An Air Marshall! Why can't we put a "Ship Marshall" on these routes. It's cheaper than having a convoy of Military ships pissing away our FUEL and Tax dollars!
With this much money on the table, I fail to realize why the international shipping community and governments can't protect themselves agains some guys in rowboats – pathetic!!
The entire mess is Somalia is very concerning, in part because tens of thousands of people from Somalia have immigrated to the U.S. in the last eight years. This is a "nation" that has had no formal central government of any nature in nearly 20 years. It is largely a nation of Muslim warlords, who have now found that piracy pays well.
I would think that many people should be getting very concerned about the nature of these tens of thousands of Somali immigrants becoming terrorists, and worse. Evidence of this has surfaced in the last few years, especially in cities where the Somali immigrants have settled in huge clusters, in places such as Minnesota, Ohio, Maine, Georgian and California. How can there be any vetting of these people when there is not a shred of a central government left in their country?
While I fully agree that the U.S. is a nation of immigrants, it is also a nation of settlers. In most of these areas where the Somali people have settled they have isolated themselves from the rest of the community, and cry out when they are expected to accept delivery of services and benefits in the same fashion as the rest of the community. Many questions need to be answered about the Somali people, now.
They shall quickly be parsonified,
Conjugally matrimonified,
by a doctor of divinity
who is located in the vicinity.
I wonder if it was white people, as pirates, out there in Somalia, if you guys would still be so quick to say "Kill Them" "Kill Them All." Is that really your most intelligent solution??
Sounds like these ships need a big "Protected by Blackwater" sign painted on their sides.
Agree with Chris
There is an easy explanation as to why we have not taken a greater interest in this issue. This is THE FIRST American crew that the pirates have messed with. Until now this hasn't been an issue for our country.
Most people think you can just apply the latest technology that they saw in movie theaters to this issue and it will be solved in a day. As a member of the military I feel compelled to tell you if you feel that way you are all idiots.
Shutting down pirate operation is not extremely difficult considering all the military assets we have available, but heavily arming civilians is about the dumbest thing I have ever read. Thanks for the morning comedy.
Shiver me timbers. And oh by the way pass me that AK47.
Q-Ships
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Q-ship
This isn't even worth discussion. Just hire Somalis to police their own waters. Im sure they would be glad to have a decent job. I doubt if it would even cost much considering the economy of that region.
Where are the pirates getting their arms?
Where's Dick Cheney when we need him?
The solution is simple. Contract a private security firm to ride along with cargo ships. Establish a protocol for everyone on the ship to follow in the event of a pirate attack. Kill as many of them as possible so they cant go back to their miserable country and breed more idiots. The world should consider any instance piracy in international waters as an act of war and should retaliate against the country responsible for harboring these criminals.
Hahahahahah, pirate needs a wench, arrrrr matey, me parrot keeps me company but me wench keeps me warm.
We have safaris to go to Africa and shoot poor helpless innocent animals – I've got an idea for the ultimate adventure cruise!
I shipping companies need to hire mercinaries to protect thier vessels. Furthjermore all companies that have payed ransoms for thioer crews should be investigated for aiding and abetting the pirates.. Moreover any port that is home to piates should be carpet bombed out of existence. Somalia is a lawless entity and thus draconian methods should be used until the problem is curtailed.
http://www.venganza.org/about/open-letter/
The solution is more carbon emissions and higher global temperature.
WWFSMD?
American ships are easy targets, they aren't like the mighty Russians, Chinese, etc. If a pirate goes after a Russian or Chinese ship they die.
Americans can't defend themselves on land or at sea.
Ships should have a security force on board. let the pirates board. Security force disarms pirates and then takes appropriate action:
* Turn Pirates over to authorities
* Keel Haul
* Walk the plank
* Hang from yard arms
What a pathetic culture. How far they have devolved. Tragic!
It must be that cowboy in me that says we need to rope and ride 'em 'till they break. I'm not saying we need to bomb everyone to kingdom come but I'm tired of the U.S. pussyfooting around with pirates, terrorists, and rogue nations. Talks with moderate Taliban? They have already expressed how ridiculous they find that as I do. I feel like we are trying to apologize to the world to improve our image, (which may be appropriate for some issues). Respect is very important but a little fear does not hurt either. My fear is we will become the United State of Wimps. Thanks Mr. President. And after I voted for you.
How about Doe season?
Semper Fi,
Dave
Just pay 'em just like we pay crooked cops, judges and every other kind of crook. this is oppression these people are hungry. There just not the roll over and die type people. They gone find away to eat. I just hope ignorant people like the other ones saying kill them all will never be in power. Minus will bring Hitler back with the solution of "Kill them all."
Poverty is not something to be taking lightly.
Truthfully I think the pirates should set up a toll booth for passing through so they can help there country. Just like toll roads.
and the pirates should be employees without the guns. 'cuase then it just looks like Homeland security...
Sounds like a good training exercise for one of our Aircraft carriers. They mention there are thousands of square miles so no single boat can patrol that entire area at a whole time, however carries can certainly patrol all over it and be at a point of action within minutes if they are stationed in the zone. If a ship encounters pirates, they radio it in, a jet fighter is launched, the pirated ships are destroyed within minutes of the call for help. End of story.
During the Presidency of Thomas Jefferson we had a similar problem. He sent in the Marines and U.S. warships and wrecked the communities and infrastructure used by the pirates and killed them and their families. Instead of hand wringing we need to emulate him. Shell the communities and towns housing these monsters, sink their boats, and kill as many of them and their families as possible. Make it painful enough and this nonsense will cease.
Why is it that Americans, after reading an American newspaper story, quickly decide what course of action to take? Is this not ignorance as well as arrogance? Why are there no pirates in South Africa, India, Mozambique and other places that are used by civilian ships? The reason is that there are functional governments there, stupid! Instead of helping the world think about how to bring long-term stability to the Horn of Africa, we have a bunch of trigger-happy cowboys prescribing really dumb "solutions".
Killing the pirates isn't the solution and arming the crew isn't the solution. If we kill the pirates then they learn from their mistakes and become expert killers. Right now no one is really dieing so lets not escalate it.
Arming civilian boats it out. The civilians are trained to right or be tatical or use 50 cals and RPG and stuff. They would hurt themselves.
Also lets not forget the Somolians aren't afraid to die. They are at thier wits end. Death isn't a deterannt.
The US sent 5 little boats to patrol millions of square miles of ocean. We are not trying our hardest to stop this. Also its very expensive to send 1 of our boats out. Think about fuel/food and everything for our crew on deployment. We have kinda half heartedly made a gesture to do something about this. We could try harder.
The long term solution is to fix Somolia's problems, The short term is for each country's military to escort thier own ships. OR a multinational coalition being constructed to escort ships thru/down a shipping channel.
I like what Christy said a full US fully staffed naval DESTROYER vs. 4 rouge "pirates" in a life boat! ...lunch break
i know we can hire Captain Jack Sparrow he always wins
NUKE EM!!!! WE NEED TO DISPOSE OF SOME OF ARE OLD BOMBS 🙂
Dont do business with that part of world.... and then see who steps up to combat piracy.