Mike, not bashing Obama or anyone else. Just saying that in the course of history, IF the situation goes bad and IF the President chooses not to accept responsibility, THEN there is usually a military guy there somewhere to take the fall for him. Most military commanders at that level understand that and would do so willingly.
Yaaaar!
- Thread starter MikeD
- Start date
Perhaps, perhaps not. Asymmetrical warfare.
France: 2 dead pirates, 1 dead hostage, 11 captured pirates
US: 3 dead pirates 1 in custody
We need to catch up.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090415/ts_nm/us_somalia_piracy_109
US: 3 dead pirates 1 in custody
We need to catch up.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090415/ts_nm/us_somalia_piracy_109
Pirates to America: We'll f@cking kill you!
Unless we kill them first, that spoils their plans a bit.
Unless we kill them first, that spoils their plans a bit.
Since both American ships that have been attacked have been carrying food aid to Africa, in particularly Somalia, just stop all aid. Let em starve, let the people revolt and put a government in, if it's Muslim, so be it.
More that starve=less AIDS problems.
More that starve=less AIDS problems.
While it would be convenient to send F/A-18's with our response, I know the reality is that the Somali people are misled by their government, and we aren't doing much to help them.
However, at what point does this become our problem? What's our realistic options? Embargo? Diplomatic talks? UN intervention?
Unfortunately, the easiest solution is military action, whether it is strictly on the sea or land attacks as well. I hope smarter minds can offer a permanent solution.
But our best solution is leveraging the UN to rebuild a government there. The good news is that no UN states are benefiting from the current situation, so it should be relatively easy to obtain consensus (relatively). It will be much much harder to try to bring government to an area that continually rejects it and falls into local-based tribalism.
Hey...if you can grow poppies in Afghanistan, you can grow poppies in Somalia...Once the drug trade is lucrative enough, people will be throwing themselves into Somali government service.
Step 1: Grow drugs
Step 2: Control the country that grows drugs
Step 3: .....
Step 4: Profit
Less aids, less pharma sales. That's bad for US companies; it will never happen.
If they really want help they need to find some oil.
Great points. It already is our problem when US flagged ships and Americans are attacked. Military action is the first step. The US Navy is chartered to specifically keep the sea lanes open. That's open for all nations trade and our military. Not control the seas, but keep ships moving.
Permanent solution is a stable government to prevent this from being profitable and acceptable. Not a government that we think they ought to have but a stable government that best serves the people of Somalia.
Also, quit calling them fvcking pirates in the media. Remove the romance. They are criminal aquatic based hijackers.
Just look at what it's done for Iraq!!
No pirates in Iraq!
i guess the U.S. doesnt negotiate with terrorist....we just use SEAL snipers to blow them outa...errr, into the water
Well apparently they have plenty of Nuclear waste to sell for use in dirty bombs?
oster_oops:
I'm with Rush, oh the humanity!
I love breathless hyperbole. I'm still a little flushed from these two pearlers.
I could feel the blood starting to rush and then this;
UP PERISCOPE!!!
"This weekend's incident highlights what the world's best-trained military can accomplish under the right conditions"
Against teenaged thugs...also loving the hyperbole. Sheesh.
Against teenaged thugs...also loving the hyperbole. Sheesh.
Sooner or later shouldnt the parent corporations of the tankers be held responsible for not planning better shipping routes? Sending (or allowing them to go...) their people into harms way via poorly patrolled or policed waterways surely should have some corporate liability...
Anyone hear the report on the water cannon for ship-board defense?
Anyone hear the report on the water cannon for ship-board defense?
You'd have to be well and truly inside of Ak47/RPG range to use one of those against them!
The sonic weapon (LRAD) sounds like it would work better though with it's supposed 300m range.
The sonic weapon (LRAD) sounds like it would work better though with it's supposed 300m range.
There's not much option for alternate routes through the Suez. Some companies are now springing for the extra 3.5 mil in gas to get the ships around the Horn instead. However, this still doesn't make them completely safe from piracy.
Time for naval escorts with the US charging for protection, mafia style.
If you don't pay our price, your ship is overrun by heavily armed children. Rescue fees are 10x protection fees, plus ammunition.
If we're going to be guns for hire, might as well seek out revenue streams instead of our current money pits.
If you don't pay our price, your ship is overrun by heavily armed children. Rescue fees are 10x protection fees, plus ammunition.
If we're going to be guns for hire, might as well seek out revenue streams instead of our current money pits.
Why don't you get your .30-06, a cantaloupe, and a pool float; head down to the local water hole and see how long it takes you to hit a bullseye from 82 feet.
Oh, and do it at night too.
Shooting from the fantail of a destroyer is quite a bit different then shooting from a pool float...
FWIW, I am a military member, and a Ft Benning trained sniper. I know fully the realities of shooting at targets, be they moving, floating, driving or sittinng still. Minute of angle? Elevation? No problem. Mirage? Humidity? Same.
I never said anything about the quality of the shooting/shooters. The SEALS made world class shots, that is for sure. I think you mis-interpreted my meaning, Mr Oh So Cool...
Sanjuro, you are almost as cool as you think you are. No, not really.
FWIW, I am a military member, and a Ft Benning trained sniper. I know fully the realities of shooting at targets, be they moving, floating, driving or sittinng still. Minute of angle? Elevation? No problem. Mirage? Humidity? Same.
I never said anything about the quality of the shooting/shooters. The SEALS made world class shots, that is for sure. I think you mis-interpreted my meaning, Mr Oh So Cool...
Sanjuro, you are almost as cool as you think you are. No, not really.
Sorry, I thought you just hated America.
Now they're just stupid.
Pirates fire at U.S. Navy ship off Somalia
Pirates fire at U.S. Navy ship off Somalia
They need to remember, if you're going to pull the tiger's tale, better have a plan for the teeth.
I feel let down that we go ape**** on them. I guess firing an AK from a mile away isn't a real enough threat to elicit an armed response.
wow they get dumber and dumber.
it woulda been funny if the U.S. ship started to run away, then stopped and blasted them with their deck guns
I bet the guys onboard the US ship took awhile to figure out they were being shot at.
"Hey Mike, are those guys shooting at us?"
"Nah...they arent that dumb, are they?"
"No, that guy is definitely shooting"
"No way, really? What do you think we should do?"
"I dont know, want to fuk with them?"
"Nahhh, there is a movie coming on later I want to see..."
"Ahhright, floor it"
"Hey Mike, are those guys shooting at us?"
"Nah...they arent that dumb, are they?"
"No, that guy is definitely shooting"
"No way, really? What do you think we should do?"
"I dont know, want to fuk with them?"
"Nahhh, there is a movie coming on later I want to see..."
"Ahhright, floor it"
I bet the pirates think they have scared off the US Navy.
An ass whoopin is imminent.
how the ruskies get **** done:
Freed Pirates May Have Drowned
Freed Pirates May Have Drowned
yep, just like how a sharply worded letter to the un sec council should get someone's attention
I personally like Russia/USSR's Alpha Group - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia@@AMEPARAM@@/wiki/File:Alpha_antiterror_group_emblem.png" class="image"><img alt="Alpha antiterror group emblem.png" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6a/Alpha_antiterror_group_emblem.png"@@AMEPARAM@@commons/6/6a/Alpha_antiterror_group_emblem.png...
THAT is how sh!t gets done.
According to the BBC they were not released on their own boats but an inflatable, which seems to be just a bit of extra "your f*cked now fella"
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8675978.stm
Not the most subtle of folks the Russians..... Nice sense of humor though.
