US Navy. 1 Somali pirates. 0

[Wholley]

'Bout time.
Even the French are getting annoyed.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/piracy

What is your answer to this major problem.
Convoy system maybe?

[mr_man_2168]

'
What is your answer to this major problem.

More of the same, stop letting them take the piss and get away with it all the time. Up until now the default response has been to pay them off, which surely is just encouraging them? Keep slotting 'em and they'll soon give up on it

[Tab]

As the US Special Forces have rescued the Captain and killed three hostages I would say that is game set and match to the Americans

[just_me]

As the US Special Forces have rescued the Captain and killed three hostages I would say that is game set and match to the Americans

Shouldn't that read pirates?

[Whitey]

I say bring in the Missouri and shell the Somalian coast for 30 days, send in Marines to burn and destroy all boats in the area after the bombardment and then at night fly in low with chemical agents and crop dust Somalian population centers with HN and HD.
This is simply a resources vs. population problem. We cannot make more out of nothing to pacify them, so eliminate them. Their contribution to this world is nothing but sickness, disease and violence. Their culture prevents progress and they are hostile.
I say a salvo operation to shock the world and exhibit US resolve and then a final pest control spraying to rid the area of rats.

That oil and cargo is vital to the civilized world. An attack on it is an attack on all of us and out nations.

See you in the summer Wholley! When I get home I'll call you.

[timex]

Couple of "Q" boats like WW2, "unarmed" ships with hidden guns that were used to lure attackers in close..

[Wholley]

"Q"Ships may be a good idea,at least it would make the bastards think twice.
I see there has been much wailing and gnashing of teeth on ABC recently asking why the crews of these merchant ships are not armed.
This,coming from a notoriously liberal anti-gun network would be laughable if it wasn't so serious.
I will say I'm impressed with Obama's handling of this event although I didn't vote for him.
His Democratic predecessor would still be dithering and watching his popularity polls
Whitey,I'm going to be home in a couple weeks to house hunt probably Aiken SC where I have already bid on a property online.
Sorry,off topic....
Here's the latest.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/ar ... 11&ref=rss

Seems this will escalate and if it does I'm in agreement with Whitey(Apart from the chemical side)

Best,

Capt.Pugwash.

[MSI64]

I would say Bomb Somalia back to the stone age, however its pretty much there already.

Simple an attack on Merchant vessels is a declaration of forcibly intent on which ever flag that ship flys.
So safetys off and to your targets in front, CARRY ON!!!!

[Wholley]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090414/ap_on_re_af/piracy

A pirate spokesman has said that in future American and French crews will be killed rather than taken hostage.
That is tantamount to a declaration of war and so the USN's RoE should be altered accordingly.

[Wholley]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090418/ap_ ... /af_piracy

Most of the western states have naval hardware to spare.
Why bring the bastards ashore under arrest and then,like the Dutch let them go?
Phalanx CIWS would solve the problem in an instant.
A few fiber-glass chips bobbing around and some body parts.
This is High Seas Piracy and the death penalty under many countries laws(Including the US,Britain and France)Still applies.
The British government never took the death penalty off the books for piracy.
The United State's pre-amble to the Constitution mentions"A vessel under the flag of the United States when attacked on the high seas may defend herself without let or hinderance or recompense"
Largely aimed at the British this still applies.
As a historical aside the USS Bainbridge is named after Commodore Bainbridge of the USN who captured a British third rate frigate during the war of 1812.

AAARRRR,Bring me another cabin boy,this one's split.

[druadan]

Sadly the death penalty no longer exists in either Britain or presumably France due to the European Convention on Human Rights. Protocol 6(1) abolishes the penalty altogether, so as of 02/10/2000 when the Human Rights Act 1998 came into force, any remaining law permitting the penalty effectively becomes worthless. Without looking into it I think it was only high treason and high seas piracy that remained anyhow (arson in the Royal Dockyards was removed late 70s I think). Technically if the relevant law has not yet been repealed and it is a matter of statute rather than common law, if the letter of the law allows the courts no other option then the wording of HRA 1998 means they still have to give national law precedence; however, they have to interpret domestic law in light of ECHR 'as far as it is possible to do so'; thus if there is another penalty allowed for, they must opt for that. If it was a common law offence anyway, it would be appealed up to the House of Lords who would depart from the precedent in order to adhere to HRA 1998.

Protocol 6(2) does allow laws applicable only in times of war to carry the death penalty, but as we're not at war technically that doesn't help much. To the best of my knowledge Britain at least has no such laws anyhow.

Still, I prefer your line of thinking Wholley

[Wholley]

If I were a seventeen year old pirate with no range time I would not point my AK47 at this.
http://www.navsource.org/archives/05/05019609.jpg
Druadan the death penalty does still exist in the UK but your right only for High Treason so send them to us in NC and we'll fry them for you.
Would you like a salad with that?

[druadan]

Just looked it up, knew it was in my notes somewhere; death penalty for high treason was abolished by the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, coincidentally the same year as the Human Rights Act. Europe would have a heart attack if someone was maintaining the death penalty.

Nice boat

[Wholley]

"Someone"IE the United States still has the death penalty along with the right to use deadly force.Thirty six states still slot people for Capital murder.Unfortunately since the advent of"Homeland Security"The use and right of deadly force has become a little blurred legally,
except in the South where we just find a convenient mountain to throw the bodies off.
Saves all the paper work involved with discharging your firearm at a miscreant who may or may not be guilty as shot at.
At this point I'm taking the Fifth

It's a ship,not a boat Royal.
Boats are what Royal bobs around in, Ships are what gets them to the point where they can bob around a little.
I'll get me coat.

[Wholley]

maybe we should bring her out of mothballs.
Give them summat to think on from twenty miles away.
USS North Carolina.


http://www.navsource.org/archives/01/015505.jpg
would'nt want to get her pissed at me.