Pirates threaten to "slaughter" US crew of next ship...

[cwcwmack]

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/18/20090413/twl-pirates-threaten-revenge-on-us-after-dd37b76.html

So since we're all political junkies...

Let's look at this.

IF the pirates take another US ship (highly likely) and they kill 10-20 Americans, what are the repercussions?
Will some play "pin the blame" on Obama? Will it unite the populace behind a strong anti-Piracy policy? Will it start a new theater of war? Somalia has AQ related terrorist groups, could Somalia become a "pain" again?

Is it time for private security firms on ships? I mean we're not talking about a platoon on a ship... literally 3 or 4 guys with Light Automatic Weapons can repulse these attacks from the deck.

[maxsolomon]

1. it will be time for an international blockade of somali ports

you can see the hysteria already building for action in somalia - today's "missing somali teenagers" story out of minnesota.

[cwcwmack]

2. agreed...

but Somalia has a coastline of 3000 miles. Quite an operation.

[maxsolomon]

4. the drones can handle it.

there aren't 3000 ports that can launch "mother ships". or 3000 ports with range rovers driving about.

[Mike Daniels]

12. I'd think satellite images could identify where they store the tankers

You can't slip these things into just any waterway. There has to be something passing over that area of the world that can take some photos that would allow governments to identify where these carriers are being stored.

Once you have those locations you bring in the military to blockage the inlet/outlet and at minimum you prohibit the pirate's ability to bring anything else in.

[On the Road]

15. Pirates are Concentrated in Certain Towns

A couple of them are marked on this map (remove space after http://):

http:// whiteafrican.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/somali_pirate_attacks_map.jpg

One caption says (sic): "The government administration in Mudug provincial town of Haradhere, voiced concerns that the Somali pirates have begun massing at the town. The pirates were reportedly intending to launch hijacking the ships crossing Somalia coasts."


I think putting the screws to those towns would be the next step.

[Ganja Ninja]

9. They'll probably do more than that.

Shoot up some boats on the beach or at sea and destroy some fuel facilities maybe.

[WinkyDink]

3. We have sky-marshals, so why not on-board armed forces? If the ship is private, private security.

If not, it's national defense, and I don't want more Blackwater crap.

[cwcwmack]

6. yeah...

When you think about it... if pirates are on a dinghy with a 20 hp Evinrude... a lookout can spot the boat before it gets to the tanker. 2 or 3 gunmen move to that side of the ship and open fire... no problem.

Again, it all comes down to money. The Pirates KNOW that if they start killing people, they will have their business destroyed.

[MidwestTransplant]

5. Excellent point. They would probably make up the nominal extra cost in insurance savings.

A 50 cal Machine Gun should be more than sufficient. Those wooden boats wouldn't stay buoyant for long with those kind of holes punched in them. Neither would the occupants for that matter.

[sharp_stick]

7. 3 or 4 guys with weapons

would be all it takes to protect these ships from the Somalies.

The first thing to be done though is to convince the ship owners that it's worth the cost. So far, when it comes down to price it hasn't been. Each of these massive ships now only carries a crew of 20 to 30 people so adding the cost of say 4 or 5 specialized, and expensive, security specialists to each ship hasn't been worth it.

There are more than 30,000 ships passing this area each year and in the last year something like 40 or 50 ships taken by pirates. A lot of the shipping companies find it's cheaper to just pay off the dirtbags and move on. That has been so far when the pirates really haven't been threatening the lives of the crews.

Now that the pirates are becoming more threatening and if the number of attacks increase it may be a lot more worthwhile, from a purely cost effective standpoint, to hire some onboard security. Especially if the insurance costs continue to rise.

[TheDebbieDee]

10. Yeah, protecting ships in that part of the world

sounds like a great job for Blackwater. They'd be perfect for jobs like these.

[lumberjack_jeff]

8. re: Armed marshals stationed onboard.

I think the idea has merit.

It seems that it would be practical to deploy security on each US flagged ship when they enter pirate waters and disembark when leaving. Station a ship at each end to conduct the transfer. It avoids the issues of armed ships entering waters in which the arms are prohibited.

Ships flagged by other nations could participate for a fee.

The pirates are becoming more sophisticated because of the ransom that is being paid by insurance companies. The piracy won't be stopped by continuing what they are doing.

[sammythecat]

18. I like the idea of having security only when needed

by having some sort of "security depot" at either end of dangerous waters.

I googled "speedboat armament" and came up with a nifty boat used by the Sri Lankan navy called an Arrow boat. The boat itself costs $17,000, it's 18' long, crew of 5, and has a 20mm cannon mounted on the front and 2 .30 cal. machine guns on both sides. The cannon could easily disable and probably sink any pirate boat and 2 German MG3's firing 20 rounds per second would keep all the pirates heads down while the cannon did it's work.

A ship could pick up one of these boats when entering pirate areas and tow it behind and drop it off when leaving the dangerous area. If pirates were encountered the Arrow would drop the tow and, not only defend the ship, but actually attack the pirates, removing them from any future pirate activities.

The cost to the shipowners would be acceptable, I think, and would also serve to raise the risks to pirates to an unacceptable level. Their chances of success would be almost none and their chances of death and failure almost certain. Piracy would cease to be an attractive career choice.

I'm no naval tactician and I don't know if the pirates have any way of countering the 20mm cannon, but it seems to me RPG's and AK-47's are no match for a 20mm cannon, MG3's, and a trained crew.

[sammythecat]

19. dupe

[Captain Hilts]

11. They'll be sooorrrryyyyy. nt

[Mike Daniels]

13. I think they threatened France the same way and the French navy didn't back down

These guys may want to talk smack but if they kill anyone in the process of taking a ship I think they're going to start seeing their shit getting blown out of the water.

[Dreamer Tatum]

14. I think every unidentified or unfriendly vessel could be driftwood within an hour

Seriously, enough of this shit is enough. The only thing they respect is might, so give them some.

[DevonRex]

16. Wow. Exactly how stupid ARE these guys? nt

[Blue_Tires]

17. i've noted that all these new 'threats' against U.S. ships

are being made by the fat rat warlords sitting on the pile of money back at the compound...not like they are risking their lives for anything -- they send the poor teens to do it...