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US Warship Reaches Somali Coast
BBC News ^ | April 08, 2009

Posted on 04/08/2009 9:49:53 PM PDT by Steelfish

US warship reaches Somali coast

Pirates are believed to be holding Capt Richard Phillips hostage An American warship, the USS Bainbridge, has reached the area off the coast of Somalia where a cargo ship was seized by pirates a day earlier.

US crew members have recaptured their ship but the captain is still being held hostage by the attackers. The pirates' boat is floating near the Maersk Alabama, its owners told the Associated Press. Officials are waiting for sunrise to see what happens.

The ship was taken about 500km (311 miles) off Somalia's coast. Other US vessels are speeding towards the scene.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the government was following the situation very closely and urged the world to act to end the "scourge" of piracy.

Earlier, US media organisations telephoned members of the ship's crew to get details of their struggle against the pirates.

Second mate Ken Quinn told US TV network CNN how the crew had captured one of the pirates and kept him tied up for 12 hours.

As they attempted to negotiate the release of their captain, who has been named as Richard Phillips, they freed the captive attacker.

(Excerpt) Read more at news.bbc.co.uk ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: hostages; maerskalabama; maritime; shipmovement; somalipirates; usnavy; ussbainbridge
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1 posted on 04/08/2009 9:49:53 PM PDT by Steelfish
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To: Steelfish

If the waters are quiet, a SEAL team should quietly swim up at night and kill the pirates holding the captian.

We can expect the libscum crowd to hold candle light vigils for the pirates (just like they did for the mass murdering rampaging rapist of a 12 year old), but who really cares?


2 posted on 04/08/2009 9:54:40 PM PDT by piytar (Obama = Mugabe wannabe. Wake up America.)
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To: Steelfish
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the government was following the situation very closely and urged the world to act to end the "scourge" of piracy.

Elections have consequences.

3 posted on 04/08/2009 9:55:44 PM PDT by neodad (USS Vincennes (CG 49) "Freedom's Fortress")
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To: piytar
If the waters are quiet, a SEAL team should quietly swim up at night and kill the pirates holding the captian.

Which is exactly what should happen, and would if I were in charge.

4 posted on 04/08/2009 9:57:13 PM PDT by Shadowstrike (Be polite, Be professional, but have a plan to kill everyone you meet.)
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To: Steelfish
...I cannot believe the amount of coverage this is getting, and what it says about the state of our country. Just a few months back we were engaged in a global struggle against jihadists and rogue nations, America was strong and independent with a commander-in-chief who made it clear that you were either with the forces of liberty and goodness or against them. Now we have a 'president' that bows to the degenerate Saudi king, have no response to weapons tests by rogue regimes or communist coups in former Soviet satellites, are setting our enemies free and discussing overseas contingency operations for man-caused disasters while remaining glued to reports about a single U.S. destroyer about to engage a rowboat full of illiterate Somali 'pirates'...

wake me up when it's all over

5 posted on 04/08/2009 9:59:09 PM PDT by americanophile
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To: Steelfish

Skeet shooting off the fantail!


6 posted on 04/08/2009 9:59:33 PM PDT by Thrownatbirth (.....Iraq Invasion fan since '91.)
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To: piytar
If the waters are quiet, a SEAL team should quietly swim up at night and kill the pirates holding the captian.

I was thinking the same thing. Have a sub hover just below the surface and launch a seal team at night. Waste the pirates then torpedo the mother ship.

7 posted on 04/08/2009 10:00:25 PM PDT by ParityErr (It's impossible to make anything foolproof because fools are so ingenious.)
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To: neodad

The Clintonistas gave us WTC1; East African Bombings, USS Cole and gave us “The Path To 9/11” Now HRC with BHO will charter another path to disaster.


8 posted on 04/08/2009 10:02:05 PM PDT by Steelfish
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To: ParityErr

I hope and pray this turns out ok. I don’t have confidence in the Obama administration to deal with foreign crises. Remember Joe Biden said Obama would be tested?

I have no confidence in Obama, but I do hope I’m wrong.


9 posted on 04/08/2009 10:02:34 PM PDT by Dilbert San Diego
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To: Dilbert San Diego

My only hope is that zero is too distracted with his Wed night cocain bash to restrict the captain on scene’s orders, and the captain takes care of business...


10 posted on 04/08/2009 10:06:04 PM PDT by piytar (Obama = Mugabe wannabe. Wake up America.)
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To: Steelfish

11 posted on 04/08/2009 10:06:40 PM PDT by kellynla (Freedom of speech makes it easier to spot the idiots! Semper Fi!)
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To: Steelfish

We could sink every one of these “mother ships” before breakfast one fine morning if we so chose. I wonder why we don’t? Even if some of them are posing as “fishermen”, it ought to be child’s play to shadow major ports with a few of our attack subs, follow the big boats out to sea, wait for them to play their hand, and then turn every last one of them into chum.


12 posted on 04/08/2009 10:11:22 PM PDT by ccmay (Too much Law; not enough Order.)
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To: ccmay
I wonder why we don’t?

Every great president has had his War. Maybe Obamarama will have his War with the Pirates so he can be Great too.

13 posted on 04/08/2009 10:17:21 PM PDT by WesternPacific (I am tired of voting for the lesser of two evils!)
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To: WesternPacific

That would involve killing islamists. Zero won’t go there. Instead, he’ll find a way to kill Christians or (try) Jews ala Clinton bombing Christian Serbs to help islamists crack Yugoslavia apart. Not kidding.


14 posted on 04/08/2009 10:22:56 PM PDT by piytar (Obama = Mugabe wannabe. Wake up America.)
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To: Steelfish

Bookmarked and a re-visit is negotiated.


15 posted on 04/08/2009 10:30:43 PM PDT by Buddy B (MSgt Retired-USAF - Year: 1972)
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To: piytar
That would involve killing islamists. Zero won’t go there.

He can demonize and then target those few pesky Arab Christians for his great war. That way he will accomplish something President Bush couldn't do, gain the support of the majority islamic slim.

16 posted on 04/08/2009 10:41:07 PM PDT by WesternPacific (I am tired of voting for the lesser of two evils!)
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To: Steelfish

USS Bainbridge (DDG 96)

17 posted on 04/08/2009 11:03:47 PM PDT by Daaave ("Where it all ends I can't fathom my friends")
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To: Steelfish

“US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the government was following the situation very closely and urged the world to act to end the “scourge” of piracy. “

Oh, my! How decisive! Idiots.


18 posted on 04/08/2009 11:15:18 PM PDT by Levante
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To: Dilbert San Diego

Zero will offer them TARP money and call it a day.


19 posted on 04/08/2009 11:27:14 PM PDT by katykelly
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To: Steelfish
Isn't this a ObamaBidenClinton Fascist War against the Somalian pirates "Freedom Fighters"????
20 posted on 04/08/2009 11:35:27 PM PDT by Dallas59 ("You know the one with the big ears? He might be yours, but he ain't my president.")
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