If so, French navy should take possession of the vessel and then destroy the port to which it was taken. The host country would understand the negative benefits of hosting pirates.
I agree. Lay waste to the country for miles around. It's not like there is any kind of real government there that could be influenced, but the tribes that tolerate pirates in their midst should be taught a very painful lesson and reduced to Stone Age conditions-- not that they are much further along the evolutionary scale of civilization anyway.
-ccm
My god, what ineffectual, effeminate asses we must appear to the tree swinging, moon god babbling hordes.They have been preying on tankers, container ships, private yachts and small craft for years now. It is not a question of why would anyone get within 300 miles of the East African coast, but why in the hell is anything larger than a paddle boat allowed to float away from it ?
As to my own opinion;
"Destroying the port", might not be best, while it should also be remembered there are various factions in Somalia, and not all of them are taking part in, or approving of lawlessness. The people not making a way of life, as being thieves and murderers, have been suffering it's effects for years.
The question still hangs, who there will gain enough plurality of ascendancy to shape, then enforce "law". Presently, it's not happening...
But outside nations should perhaps pressure those in leadership positions, at that area of Somalia where the pirates are operating. Do a bit of sifting, of who's who, and what's what, before going in with military force. "hand over the pirates or we'll blast ye?"
Before doing anything like that, we'd better know full well what it is, that one is trying to accomplish, and what the other ramifications of doing that would mean.
If it's just revenge, or even punishment, then don't punish the innocent, along with the guilty, if one can keep from it. Doing that, can make a bad situation get even worse.
I'm wondering if there are not agents in other ports in the region whom are sharing with the Somalian pirates, info and itineraries of shipping, which would be headed for transit off Somalia. Been wondering about it for a while...
Radio intel could help. But they could even be passing things along through something as simple as email, at least until the pirates leave shore.
I think there is some bare-bones internet access available in Somalia. The AP stringers get their messages out, and they aint using carrier pigeons.
The article cites a Somalian fisherman witnessing 9-10 heavily armed men headed out to sea some time before the piracy. Now were these pirates headed out, depending on luck, or were they tipped off? It could have been just "luck", I guess...it seems like that was part of the methodology when they began doing this, some years ago. But have they gotten more sophisticated, with a few islamist type sympathizers passing on info, to help steal from, and murder Westerners, and others foreign to islam? You know, the "stick it to *the man* syndrome?" In this case, stick it to wealthy, non-muslims.
That particular ship, with it's relatively high-masted, three masted sailing rig, could be seen from quite a distance. The yacht most likely has radar reflectors placed somewhere in the rigging also, to help it show up on radar better (for increased safety amongst other, larger shipping). Hostages and ransom are part of the booty. On a luxury yacht, there likely be plenty of other booty, of the inanimate kind.