[Timmy]

So, what's a "French warship" look like? Anyone got a picture? Yes, I know what I'm asking for.

[hosepipe]

Thats a fine kettle of fish.. NOW the pirates can take over a French Warship.. for ransome.. if the pirates can stand the smell..

[RightWhale]

DEBKA aside, a French warship has been assigned to this task.

[PAR35]

DEBKAfile’s sources

You had me going until I got to that.

[robomatik]

"DEBKAfile’s sources"

debka has sources?

[DainBramage]

Can the pirates feed that many more hostages? Perhaps the plan is to surrender them to death.

[1rudeboy]

Not to get in the way of the French Navy-bashing, but are there any squids out there who know whether the French are in command of CTF-150? Serious question, I know . . . please return to your regularly scheduled programming.

[NordP]

I believe we need to be changing the word "Pirates" to "Terrorists" - there's no Johnny Depp here...these people are dangerous and horrible.

There's NO ROMANCE here folks! Call it what it is -- TERRORISM !!!

[txzman]

Hope this ship’s propeller stays on - the French have such a hard time with simple things like that...

[PAR35]

The French navy doesn’t seem to have a ship of that name.

http://www.defense.gouv.fr/marine/decouverte/organisation/unites/batiments_de_surface/batiments_de_combat/liste_des_batiments_de_combat_de_la_marine_nationale_par_unite

The form of the name would indicate it would be a Type A69, but here’s their list of that type:

Avisos type A69

* Aviso Lieutenant de vaisseau Le Hénaff (F 789)
* Aviso Lieutenant de vaisseau Lavallée (F 790)
* Aviso Commandant l’Herminier (F 791)
* Aviso Premier maître l’Her (F 792)
* Aviso Commandant Blaison (F 793)
* Aviso Enseigne de vaisseau Jacoubet (F 794)
* Aviso Commandant Ducuing (F 795)
* Aviso Commandant Birot (F 796)
* Aviso Commandant Bouan (F 797)

It’s possible that it’s a new ship and they haven’t updated their website yet. But we are talking a known unreliable source. A google of “Le Commandant Rouen” turns up only this story.

I consider it more ‘creative writing’ until there’s a legitimate source.

[LSUfan]

There is a great misperception about the French military.

The French military is not incompetent. In fact, they are excellent. Their political LEADERSHIP has been horrible for decades and the French population in general has been ambivalent with regard to just about anything dealing with defense and national security.

But the French military is far from the incompetent, cowardly force that so many in America seem to think it is.

[Yollopoliuhqui]

So who is the freaking navigator on that “luxury” tour ship. Somalia- most dangerously pirate ridden seacoast on the planet + a shipload of really rich doofuses = nice ransome injection into a the local economy.

[Dumpster Baby]

Communicating with the pirates will be a problem.

[jas3]

Looks a little cramped to me...

jas3