Blackwater to Battle Pirates

[marmar]

I think I'll be rooting for the pirates.....



from In These Times:



Blackwater to Battle Pirates
The private security firm eyes a new market: the high seas.

By Sanhita SinhaRoy


Blackwater Worldwide and other private security firms are taking to the high seas to battle pirates.

In 2008, pirates attacked more than 100 ships off the coast of Somalia, and, as of early January, roughly 15 ships and 250 crewmembers were being held for ransom.

For months, the U.S. Navy has been part of an international coalition patrolling the Gulf of Aden, a busy shipping lane located off the coast of Somalia. About 20,000 merchant ships pass through the region annually, often traveling between Asia and Europe and carrying an estimated 90 percent of the world’s traded goods. Vessels captured in the Gulf of Aden attract, on average, a ransom of $2 million.

Blackwater began offering anti-piracy services in October and reports that it has been in contact with more than 70 companies inquiring about protection. In early December, officials from the North Carolina-based security firm were in London to woo potential clients, including shipping and insurance companies. So far, it has not received any contracts. .......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/4173/blackwater_to_...

[leftstreet]

1. Go Pirates!

[Botany]

3. beat me to it

hope the pirates rip 'em a new one.

[Ian David]

2. Oh, I don't really know who to root for. n/t

[NNN0LHI]

4. Out of work mercenaries Vs. Out of work fisherman

Interesting times.

Don

[conspirator]

8. It's the good ol' half the poor killing the other half, while the elite eats popcorn nt

[lib2DaBone]

18. Yes...Great analogy.... Every Day..............

Every day half the population of the U.S. gets up...and their mission for the day.. is to figure out how they can screw the other half of the population out of their money.

We call this Free Market.. NAFTA...World Bank....we call this America.

[lob1]

5. We hire our pirates to fight their pirates?

[Gman]

6. Just a side note here...

but pirate activity has increased... and we're having a colder than normal winter.

[Ikonoklast]

14. Must be an anomaly.

You apostate.





Ramen.

[tridim]

7. As long as it's not on my dime, go for it.

At least those Blackwater gun nuts wont be here, probably looking for new ways to kill us.

[flvegan]

9. You don't think mercenary costs will be passed on to the consumer?

Either way, via our Navy or outsourcing militia services, it'll cost us.

[tridim]

10. At least they'll have to submit a bid this time.

No more millionaire mercs, er pirate police.

[flvegan]

12. That's true.

[lamp_shade]

21. That was my first thought. n/t

[groundloop]

11. I can see the headlines now....

Cruise ship mistaken for pirate vessel and sunk.

[tridim]

13. Or a legit ship full of brown people.

Shouldn't these murderers in jail instead of contracting more services?

[burning rain]

15. Freebooters vs. pirates!

I hope both sides have plenty of ammo.

[bonito]

16. The privateers vs the pirates all over again.

[Ichingcarpenter]

17. Blackwaters chosen logo is red black and white

Where have I seen those colors before?

[cynatnite]

19. I won't root for anyone. Nothing good will come out of this...

why anyone cheers for this sort of thing is beyond my understanding.

[jazzjunkysue]

20. My money's on the pirates.

[obiwan]

22. Great. Pirates fighting pirates.

Only in America. (Well,worldwide, actually.)

[Iggo]

23. Fuckin' mercenaries.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

24. It was Darkwater, not Blackwater!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pirates_of_Darkwater , for anyone who doesn't get the reference.