Posted on 10/30/2011 9:20:20 AM PDT by george76
British ships are to be allowed to carry armed guards to protect them from pirates, David Cameron has announced.
A legal ban on weapon-toting protection staff will be relaxed so that firms can apply for a licence to have them on board in danger zones.
The Prime Minister said radical action was required because the increasing ability of sea-borne Somali criminals to hijack and ransom ships had become "a complete stain on our world".
...
Under the plans, the Home Secretary will be given the power to license vessels to carry armed security, including automatic weapons, currently prohibited under firearms laws.
Officials said around 200 were expected to be in line to take up the offer, which would only apply for voyages through particular waters in the affected region. It is expected to be used by commercial firms rather than private sailors - such as hostage victims Paul and Rachel Chandler.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
I cynically state any vessel that does arm with such guards will probably be cut off from insurance by Lloyds.
Seems from past readings that Lloyds has been a major obstacle to such action as guards on board the vessels, or arming of qualified crew members.
I don’t know why they’d do that. They wouldn’t have to stump up so much cash for every time one of their insured vessels gets hijacked...
Nonsense just a couple of .50 cal. heavy machine guns & a couple of RPG-7,s manned by security guards round the clock & if the sailors run into a mother ship a 120mm recoiless gun mounted atop the wheelhouse . The key is to not get cuaght with your pants around your ankles.
Not commerce raiders that is what the pirates are doing bring back the armed merchant man cargo ship concept with trained crews of gunners who would also be qualified watch standers aboard ship.
Just put a bounty on the pirates and let them kill each other off.
“....They wouldn’t have to stump up so much cash for every time one of their insured vessels gets hijacked...”
Tell them.
good, and i'm sure they are proud of their work as they should well be...
You have no idea. :)
damn straight..
Had the U.N. Small Arms treaty been law, the legality of nations arming their merchant ships in international waters would have been disputed...perhaps even abrogated.
To Americans this arming is only common sense and self-defense. Yet, somehow, to the British this is a ponderously difficult issue for them; a profound change that may lead to a radical undermining of British society and four o’clock tea..
Go Figure!
My reference to commerce raiders was to the style of ship. Innocent looking, but armed to the teeth.
Civilian ships, Einstein.
This misses the point — the PROBLEM is that it’s not AGAINST THE LAW for Somalian pirates to be armed. Geez.
Thanks george76. ;’)
Your response is logical, but I have often seen leftists do things that do not make sense. I have often seen ideology triumph over common sense and profits. Is the board of Lloyds dominated by doctrinaire leftists, as the BBC seems to be?
Did I say otherwise?
OBVIOUSLY a military ship will be armed. Any ship, Merchanter, passenger or pleasure should have an armory of some sort, and ones going into regions where they are likely to meet pirates, especially so.
Also, you should learn some manners.
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