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.
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.
“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.
The reason is many ports refuse to allow ships in if the crew is armed.
There is no reason why once they’re in international waters they couldn’t be met by another boat loaded with security forces that could escort the ship around the horn, then transfer off to another waiting boat.
Granted an oil tanker or LNG tanker would not want to be involved in a firefight, but a regular cargo ship sitting up nice and high would be a perfect platform for defending against a bunch of idiots with rifles and perhaps at most a few RPG’s.
That's a holdover from the days when piracy was treated as something to be dealt with firmly and quickly. Take back the ship, hang the pirates. Better still, kill them before they can take control of a ship.
The rules have not kept up with the times.
If it were my call, I'd have US special forces board the ship by night, behead the pirates, hang their heads on the railings of the ship and then quietly slip back into the night. The sight of a few ‘pirated’ ships sailing into port with the severed heads of the pirates on display would have a chilling effect on future plans of would-be pirates.
Just look at the picture of that ship. A decent weapon placed high with a knowlegable operator would be able to take care of business. Sure, they could point the barrel up and lock it in place when in port, but out at sea it should be manned.
“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.
Let's say you have a cargo ship manned by foreign nationals, many with potential anti-american setiments, coming into New York harbor. They are all heavily armed. You want to let that ship come into port?
Well, we have numerous ships already conducting operations against these pirates...and I also heard that Blackwater and others have made proposals to do exactly what you said with both people on board these vessels, and using small craft of their own. It just amazes me that we are not...two or more years into these activities...already there.