Posted on 04/08/2009 6:28:05 PM PDT by tsmith130
The U.S. is closing in on pirates that hijacked a U.S.-flagged ship off the coast of Somalia. According to a spokesman for the owner of the Maersk Alabama, which had been hijacked by pirates before American crew members were able to regain control of the vessel Wednesday, a U.S. Navy warship arrived at the scene Wednesday night.
The ship's captain still is being held hostage on a smaller boat.
Family members said Capt. Richard Phillips surrendered himself to the pirates to secure the safety of the crew. "What I understand is that he offered himself as the hostage," said Gina Coggio, 29, half sister of Phillips' wife. "That is what he would do. It's just who he is and his response as a captain."
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called Wednesday for world action to "end the scourge of piracy" as U.S. warships raced to confront the pirates.
"We are deeply concerned and we are following it very closely," Clinton said. "Specifically, we are now focused on this particular act of piracy and the seizure of a ship that carries 21 American citizens.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
What innocents who die?
Blackwater doesn’t exist any longer. That company is called Xe.
“We are deeply concerned and we are following it very closely,” Clinton said.
A fleet Chinese Nuclear Subs could wash up on the shores of San Francisco and she’d probably say the same thing.
I have sailed on tankers loaded with 40,000 barrels of gasoline and jet fuel, and you were not allowed to carry a cell phone or lighter on deck. The wrenches and tools were non-sparking bronze.
Engaging in a gunfight would be mutually assured destruction.
Frgds,
3/M
Dawn’s coming over there. I suspect we’ll be hearing something soon.
“Give them our most gifted leaders in exchange for the captain: Nancy Pelosi and Barney Fag”
I am not sure I hate even the terrorists that much...to do that to them... ;0)
No, he's the archetypal American't.
We need to send in an entire fleet and show these pirates who’s boss
“One semi-well aimed tactical nuke will permanently stop this bullshit.”
And enlarge a Somali harbor.
I believe that could be called the new Sea of Kenya.
or something. :-)
Hmmm. Title indicates that a naval vessel has arrived on the scene than proceeds to offer no evidence that this is the case.
Obama Bay?
Thank you!
USS BAINBRIDGE DDG-96 CLASS - ARLEIGH BURKE Flight IIa As Built. Displacement 8373 Tons (Full), Dimensions: 509' 5" (oa) x 66' 11" x 20' (Max) Armament: 1 x 5"/62 RF, Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM), 96 VLS Cells, 2 SH-60B helicopters, 8 Harpoon Missiles, 6 x 12.75" TT. Machinery: 100,000 SHP; 4 GE LM-2500 Gas Turbines, 2 screws Speed, 30+ Knots, Range 4400 NM@ 20 Knots, Crew 370. Operational and Building Data: Christened at Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine 13 November 2004 Commissioned 12 November 2005 at Ft. Lauderdale. Active unit of the US Navy. Homeported at Norfolk, VA.
What "legal difficulties". Piracy has always been a violation of international law. It doesn't matter who the pirates are, what nation they are from (or protects them!). Warships of all nations are obliged to go after pirates.
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