HOZE-EM!!! 
LOL. Whatever you say.
Time to play the old game of, “imagine if Bush had done that”. Can you say, “cowboy”? Come on, ya know ya can.
Depends on the armaments involved - are they packing small arms, or something big enough to blow them out of the water?
Cameron better watch his tongue! That can be interpreted by some as being racist!
HOZE-EM!!! Water cannon, boiling vats of oil, flame throwers, electirfied railing...........
But...But...Evil people might be hurt. Next, commoners will want to be able to own guns to protect their homes. Oh, the violence........
What I find to be a sign of insanity is that British law has to be changed to allow their ships sailing into troubled waters to protect themselves.
Admiral Lord Nelson must be spinning in his grave.
Until complete safety can be assured, and it can not be, every zone is a danger zone; at best safety is only belief about probability.
about damn time
I have never understood how motley poorly equipped Muslim bandits in tiny boats could overtake a large modern tanker. Put radar on board and weapons that can sink small craft. If you can’t make radio contact on one approaching your ship, sink it.
"Apparently they all have died"
Bring back the commerce raiders, then when the pirates are cleaned up go after the illegal fishing in their waters.
There aren’t very many British-registered ships around. Its not a popular “flag of convenience”.
Perhaps a few more vessels will be shifted to British registration because of this, but based on the numbers its insignificant in itself.
However, it could start a change with the shipowners and insurers.
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.
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!