Posted on 04/11/2009 8:35:25 AM PDT by BarnacleCenturion
Somali pirates have hijacked a US-owned tugboat in the Gulf of Aden with 16 crew on board, reports say.
Maritime industry sources say the tug, which sails under an Italian flag, was towing two barges at the time of the attack, at 1100 local time (0800 GMT).
The crew are said to be unharmed. The US and Italian governments have not confirmed the hijacking.
Meanwhile pirates holding a US captain hostage have warned that using force to rescue him could result in "disaster".
The pirates said they hoped to transfer Capt Richard Phillips from a lifeboat to a bigger vessel, as US and other naval ships made their way to the area.
He is being held by four pirates hundreds of kilometres off Somalia.
In other developments:
- Sailors on a Panama-flagged bulk carrier repulsed a pirate attack with water hoses. Nato officials on a nearby Portuguese warship said an unexploded rocket-propelled grenade landed in the commanding officer's cabin
- On Friday, one Frenchman and two pirates were killed in a rescue operation by French troops on another vessel captured off Somalia. Four others, including a child, were freed from the yacht
(Excerpt) Read more at news.bbc.co.uk ...
Yep, the captain might die, but on the other hand other people will die if we let these pirates continue with their BS. The French just handled a like situation yesterday, lost one hostage but saved others. You can bet the pirates won't take out any more French vessels anytime soon.
The people who advocate force are correct, you are wrong! Bozo is a weak President who doesn't have the guts to order action in this situation.
While people like me, with military experience, may be armchair quarterbacks, you, madam, are an armchair coward.
Sorry but apparently Secretary of State Clinton didn't think my solution will work in the 21st century.
Something you might like to think about. Hostages should be consider dead as soon as they become hostages. If you make your decisions based upon a fear of their being killed you lose, the hostage takers win. Kill the hostage takers and try to spare the hostage. Repeat as needed. Before long the idjits will learn that taking hostages only results in their dying. That will reduce the number of hostage situations. And it will make very, very sure that no one takes hostages more than once. Cruel and heartless? Perhaps, but then it is called the real world for a reason.
You would set it up in Switzerland or some other place, finance it through Cayman or Aruba, and keep it COMPLETELY AWAY from American soil considering this moron in office. You would then recruit the best of former American crack military, as well as former military from Brits, Aussies, NZ, S. Korea, Japanse, Polish, what not, train and then armour up these ships to stop this nonsense. You gotta keep this operation as much as possible away from the purvey and grubby fingers of both the UN and the United States (under Obama and Holder). Any Americans who work there will have to be satisfied to get paid in Euros. Should have a good health, workmans comp., death and dismemberment insurance plan.
The whole country looks a lot like those pictures of Mars.
Of course, that does not count the ship North Korea took ...
President Bush also conducted at least five military strikes in Somalia.
Looks like we need a few more. The cheese-eating surrender monkey that now occupies the White House is hiding in the Lincoln bedroom.
Our enemies know Mr Obama is weak and they will take full advantage for the next four years.
Excellent idea but I heard on TV that the Europeans are worried about the pirates “human rights” and of course BO doesn’t want to do anything without the approval of the world.
To get our Captain released I figured, since I heard we delivered food and water, that maybe we could drug the food or water. But if the pirates were smart they’d make the Captain eat and drink first so not foolproof.
If this inaction keeps up they’ll soon be seizing ferry boats on Lake Champlain.
I agree.
This ship was flying the Italian flag. This is just another routine hijacking. The ship just happens to be American-owned. I don’t think there are any Americans on board.
send wide end Michelles biceps but on a serious note, America what have you done??!! Is the o-bow-ma experiment over yet?
I simply asked a question and have had several responses. You just reply as a jerk. Go away.
I did not advocate not using force, I only advocated Obama keeping his mouth shut that he would do more harm than good. The FBI and Navy are handling this situation as they should be.
Might want to brush up on that reading comprehension as well as learning some manners.
excellent!!!
The Obamanation in Chief doesn’t have time to respond to the piracy “situation”. He’s too busy talking about housing.
And the fat asshat SOS Hildebeast cackled like a stoned witch when axed about it.
Feel safe now?
COMPLETELY AWAY from American soil
___________________
Yep. This is where businesses are headed, IMO.
Great. Champy will be our last line of defense.
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