Posted on 04/21/2008 4:12:48 PM PDT by george76
Spain appealed to France, the United States and NATO on Monday for help in ending a crisis sparked when pirates seized 26 crew members of a Spanish fishing boat off the Somali coast.
The defence ministry said a Spanish military frigate was heading to the area off east Africa, where the pirates have demanded money for the release of the crew, a day after storming the vessel armed with grenade launchers.
The coastal waters off Somalia, which has not had an effective central government for more than 17 years and is plagued by insecurity, are considered to be among the most dangerous waterways for shipping in the world.
On Monday, a major Japanese oil tanker was damaged and then chased by heavily armed pirates off the coasts of Somalia and Yemen ...
Four pirates armed with grenade launchers seized the boat some 400 kilometres (250 miles) off the coast of Somalia, Spanish media said.
The seizure came two days after a Paris court charged six Somalis with taking the crew of a French luxury yacht hostage earlier this month.
The Spanish fishing boat was seized in the same area where the French yacht was attacked...
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
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Is that the same Spain that cut and ran from the WOT? Talk about chickens coming home to roost!
This sounds like an opportunity for some entrepreneur.
No one should be operating in these waters without an attachment of sea-going gurkhas, or some-such. Some bright guys could contract to put security teams aboard as ships enter the zone, to remain aboard until they have reached safer waters.
Or contract to escort them through in another craft.
As it is, though, until things change in the region, you’d have to be crazy to traverse these waters unarmed and unprotected.
Time to bring back Winston Churchill’s Q-ships.
This idea has been in practice for a long time. Just not enough resources to go around. Its a very very expensive kind of security.
Spain is Anti-American and Anti-NATO.
Middle of nowhere, maybe 300 mi north of Mogadishu. Looks like a breakwater but no port facility (GoogleEarth is amazing). I'm sure there's a local warlord who might be displeased about a blockade.
Funny that the socialists in Spain want our help now.
The socialists should have plenty of troops to deploy, since their only fronts (besides the ETA) are Portugal, UK (Gibraltar), and France — all of whom are members of NATO I think. :’D thanks george76.
Here's a rope.
You know what to do.
Spain? Spain wants help with Islamic terrorists?
Is this the SAME Spain that once expelled the Muslims?
NO - this is the Spain that threw an election to win the favor of Muslims, seeking to avoid further “problems” by kissing ass.
If Spain wishes to fight Islamic terrorism - she will have to get off her ass and lead the way to the fight..
Perhaps then - we can provide ASSISTANCE..
They’re way ahead of you.
But... the US is not the police of the world remember? Eurocentrists throw that at us every chance they get so... I dont see problems staying wayyyy out of it LOL.
Why appeal to NATO instead of the UN?? (WE know why but I love seeing the truth hit the fan).
Hmm lets see what do those 2 nations have in common (besides geography)? Could it be the word WUSS? Time for them to remember what happens to people who forget to stand for SOMETHING. This is gonna be fun to watch :)
“If you want to blame who really is pulling the strings now in Spain, blame the Catalonian Nationalists, please!”
The point is that America is not interested in helping such faithless “allies” who slam us at every turn except when they need help. That “Catalonian Nationalists” run the government is Spain’s problem, not mine. I am fresh out of sympathy and children.
Let the Spanish risk their their own lives to save their own people.
Remember, A friend in need is a friend indeed.
This was doone very effectively in the 60’s by a company (Salvage Engineers) operating out of Singapore to provide security in the Straits of Malacca.
They had mother ships at each end of the straits and would put a heavily armed squad on board of a ship going through and pick them up at the other end and keep shuttling back & forth.
any would be pirates got a nasty reception and attacks soon petered out.
The company, of course got a tidy fee for their service and later went on to bigger things.
I encountered them in RVN where they were a dredging sub-contractor to RMK at Dong Tam (9th Inf Base) in the delta.
Point 1: Try to avoid using Lydon LaRouche as a reference..
Here in the United States he is regarded as a fool and criminal, in fact a CONVICTED, SENTENCED and TIME SERVED fool and criminal.
Point 2: You can twist and turn the politics of Spain and put the blame for the vote to “succumb to Muslim wishes” on any “group” you please — It doesn’t alter the fact that Spain responded as defeated women to the terrorist attacks..
The Attack on America was far more severe and unpredicted.
America responded with responses that have informed the world they put their very existence at risk to ^&*%^ with us. My only regret is we didn’t go far enough by leaving several cities as ruined FORMER cities...
Spain in contrast — crawled under a rock and hoped the Islamists would leave them alone...
They haven’t and they won’t until they have been bloodied beyond their tolerance to continue.
See synonyms at pacify.
The Spaniards voted overwhelmingly for surrender after a terrorist attack, apparently hoping the terrorists would leave them alone. I knew it wouldn't work out. It didn't. 'nuff said.
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