Posted on 04/08/2009 5:25:46 AM PDT by Jeff Head
NAIROBI, Kenya - Somali pirates on Wednesday hijacked a cargo ship with 21 American crew members aboard, a diplomat and U.S. Navy officials said.
The Kenya-based diplomat identified the vessel as the 17,000-ton Maersk Alabama. The diplomat spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.
A spokeswoman for the U.S. Fifth Fleet confirmed that a Danish-owned, U.S.-operated container ship carrying 21 Americans "came under attack" about 240 nautical miles southeast of Eyl, a town in the northern Puntland region of Somalia.
Maersk Line is one of the U.S. Department of Defense's primary shipping contractors, according to GlobalSecurity.org. The Web site said the firm "manages a fleet of nearly 50 ships in commercial and government service, including vessels requiring Top Secret security clearances."
U.S. Navy spokesman Lt. Nathan Christensen said the vessel was not working under a Pentagon contract when hijacked.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
Because the Navy doesn’t have that many ships.
Whew, it’s a good thing we have a new liberal President in office. He’ll act immediately, and they’ll never try this again.
I’m sure if president Obama humbly approaches these pirates in the spirit of peace and international “cooperation” then our sailors will be home in no time.
I wonder what would happen if pirates were to seize control of the white house or congress or SCOTUS or the media or the schools? What if instead of ‘or’, it was ‘and’?
I thought “The Kenya-based diplomat” was our new liberal President.
Instead of paying millions in ransom, why don’t these guys hire security teams for their vessels (i.e. Blackwater etc.). I read somewhere that these cargo ships are prohibited from bearing arms. If correct, that is stupid. Contracted Security with proper armaments to repel attackers seems me to be the cheaper alternative.
Hussien Obama told the N Koreans “Dont you launch that rocket!” They did, he did nothing. Now the pirates have taken our ship. Once again he will do nothing. The building blocks to another 9/11 disaster are being put into place one by one.
Teddy Roosevelt would know what to do, if he had to send an expeditionary force to Somalia to stop the pirates and then demand an indemnity.
In a sane world, the US would send armed decoys to meet and neutralize the terrorists.
But we all know that the “pirates” are being given a free pass because of their “race” and their “religion.”
“Dat’s rassist” Whatever “racist means?
They did; look who's the President, LOL!
“I read somewhere that these cargo ships are prohibited from bearing arms. If correct, that is stupid.”
Yes, it seems so stupid.
There seems to be some international law that says merchant
vessels can not defend themselves.
I understand that the pirates do nothing more then throw some
grappling hooks up and just climb on board as they wish.
My dream would be to pour 20 gallons of gas down the road and strike a match.
I don’t know who made that law, but what would be the penalty if a ship just went ahead and armed itself and by virtue of doing that stopped a pirate attack? I think if I were a vessel owner I would be willing to take my chances that way. What are they going to do? Fine me?
You kidding, he’s writing a letter of apology for Americans even being in Somali water, it’s the boat’s crew’s fault for even crossing the border.
Is our president still in the region? He needs to go to Somalia now and visit with the various heads of those in power to bring this madness to an end...he can do that, right?
American citizens, held hostage in an Islamic foreign country. Deja Vu, all over again.
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