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What are the Pirates (holding U.S. Captain) armed with? Prediction by marktwain: Knives.
10 April, 2009 | marktwain

Posted on 04/10/2009 9:22:26 AM PDT by marktwain

There are four Somali pirates holding a U.S. merchant captain hostage. I have followed the story a bit, but I have not heard any coverage of what the pirates are armed with.

I would like to know what they used to hijack the ship.

I suggest that people make predictions about what they are armed with. I will make mine first.

They were and are armed with edged weapons, knives, perhaps fairly large ones such as machetes or pangas.

This is based on the lack of coverage of the weapons used, perhaps because the media knows that a great many people in the U.S. will be embarrassed to find that an American flagged ship could so easily be taken over by a bunch of rag-tag extortionists with common garden tools.

If anyone has any more information on this, please post. The truth will come out, as the crew is going to be on leave and will be interviewed.


TOPICS: Government; Military/Veterans; Miscellaneous; Politics
KEYWORDS: arms; banglist; pirates; somali
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Please post your prediction as to what you believe they were armed with. If you have actual information, please post that as well.
1 posted on 04/10/2009 9:22:26 AM PDT by marktwain
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To: marktwain

One photo I have shows an RPG, rifle, and possibly a couple SMGs.


2 posted on 04/10/2009 9:24:04 AM PDT by ctdonath2 (John Galt was exiled.)
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To: ctdonath2
Picture here.
3 posted on 04/10/2009 9:25:58 AM PDT by ctdonath2 (John Galt was exiled.)
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To: marktwain

Small arms and possibly a grenade launcher or two.


4 posted on 04/10/2009 9:27:14 AM PDT by cripplecreek (The poor bastards have us surrounded.)
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To: marktwain

I have no idea what type of weapons they have, but I’m sure 90% came from the U.S. /sarc


5 posted on 04/10/2009 9:27:18 AM PDT by Above My Pay Grade
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To: marktwain
My guess is they were armed with Strong Words, perhaps in ALL CAPS!
</sarc>
6 posted on 04/10/2009 9:27:46 AM PDT by Redbob (W.W.J.B.D.: "What Would Jack Bauer Do?")
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To: Above My Pay Grade

LOL its a river of steel don’tcha know.


7 posted on 04/10/2009 9:29:30 AM PDT by cripplecreek (The poor bastards have us surrounded.)
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To: marktwain

At best they have “small arms” — and so we become the bad guys because of our “disproportionate response”. I mean, these guys may have knives, and we show up with a guided missile cruiser! How unfair! We are such beasts. No wonder everyone hates us. [/s]


8 posted on 04/10/2009 9:29:46 AM PDT by ClearCase_guy (American Revolution II -- overdue)
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To: marktwain

If these pirates are affiliated with the Islamist group al Shabab, they might have AK-47s.


9 posted on 04/10/2009 9:31:01 AM PDT by 12Gauge687 (Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice)
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To: marktwain

The media yesterday reported AK-47s.

But those jack-asses wouldn’t know an AK-47 from an F250.


10 posted on 04/10/2009 9:33:15 AM PDT by WayneS (Respect the 2nd Amendment; Repeal the 16th)
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To: marktwain

Well, this is not about the pirates, but about the shipping company itself and what it’s armed with. Just fire hoses... that’s all they want their crews to be armed with (according to the President of the company...).


11 posted on 04/10/2009 9:33:19 AM PDT by Star Traveler
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To: Redbob
Well we're pert'much doomed, then, I reckon.

Ain't no one come up with a good defense against Strong Words in ALL CAPS yet!

Ah'm pert' near sceart right about now, I don' know about yew.

Dang them Muslims. Dang 'em to heck.

;^)

12 posted on 04/10/2009 9:36:30 AM PDT by WayneS (Respect the 2nd Amendment; Repeal the 16th)
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To: marktwain
Soon we will be told that the weapons came from an evil gun shop owner in El Paso TX who sold them to the Mexican Drug Cartel, who sold them to the Venezuelans, who sold them to the Iranians, who sold them to the Palestinians, who sold them to the Kenyans, who sold them to the Somalians, who sold them to the pirates.

If only we had better gun control laws none of this would have happened donchano.

13 posted on 04/10/2009 9:37:13 AM PDT by mosaicwolf (Strength and Honor)
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To: marktwain

AK’s in 7.62x39

LLS


14 posted on 04/10/2009 9:38:16 AM PDT by LibLieSlayer (hussein will NEVER be my President... NEVER!!!)
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To: mosaicwolf

...all part of the evil ‘gun show loophole’ for pirates.


15 posted on 04/10/2009 9:38:31 AM PDT by WOBBLY BOB (ACORN:American Corruption for Obama Right Now)
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To: marktwain

straws and spitballs


16 posted on 04/10/2009 9:38:55 AM PDT by zwerni (this isn't gonna be good for business)
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To: marktwain
Defense officials say that one of the pirates holding an American captive fired an automatic weapon ...
17 posted on 04/10/2009 9:39:38 AM PDT by Tax-chick ("Never offend people with style when you can offend them with substance." ~Sam Brown)
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To: marktwain

Inside the covered lifeboat with the captain, I’d be surprised if they had anything larger than pistols, or maybe machine-pistols. Knives almost certainly: they would be the most convenient weapon to use to hold the captain at close quarters, without risking injury to each other.

I’m going to guess switchblade or lockblade knives, the sort that are easy to carry. Machetes would have been useful for taking the ship, as they’d be something like cutlasses. Inside the lifeboat they would be much harder to use effectively.


18 posted on 04/10/2009 9:39:56 AM PDT by DieHard the Hunter (Is mise an ceann-cinnidh. Cha ghéill mi do dhuine. Fàg am bealach.)
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To: DieHard the Hunter

There are also hatchets and a few knives as part of the lifeboat’s provisions.


19 posted on 04/10/2009 9:41:52 AM PDT by cripplecreek (The poor bastards have us surrounded.)
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To: marktwain

If CNN is to be believed, they are armed with rods, reels, bait, and a hatred of America instilled in them by George Bush.

But really, these are complex operations, 300 miles from shore. I’m not thinking knives. Photos of these guys shows RPGs and AK47’s usually, which I assume is what these particular pirates have.

There has been alot of conflicting information on why the cargo ships aren’t armed. Does anyone know for sure why?


20 posted on 04/10/2009 9:46:47 AM PDT by lacrew (Obama and cabinet: Fool and the Gang)
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