Posted on 03/14/2017 9:51:19 AM PDT by rktman
Pirates have hijacked an oil tanker off the coast of Somalia, local officials and an expert said Tuesday, the first such seizure of a large commercial vessel on the crucial global trade route since 2012.
The reported seizure Monday of the Aris 13 came as a surprise to the global shipping industry as patrols by the navies of NATO countries, as well as China, India and Iran, had suppressed Somali pirate hijackings for several years.
However, the United Nations warned in October that the situation was fragile and that Somali pirates "possess the intent and capability to resume attacks." One expert said some in the region had let down their guard as the situation calmed.
(Excerpt) Read more at bigstory.ap.org ...
> Due to international maritime laws, I guess most ships are prohibited from carrying weapons. <
Many ports will not permit ships to dock if they are carrying any weapons. As you said, stupid.
Make their coast a boat desert.
Weren’t pirates in the ‘old days’ hanged from the highest yardarm?
And I’m sure the UN had no hand in facilitating this piracy in order to underscore their usefulness, viz. their earlier “warning?” /s
The only solution but you didn’t go far enough. Add a few “countries”.
Yup... new policy: within 100 klicks of any piracy incident, for all “unidentified” boats, if it floats, it dies.
Dictators watched too many mercenary war movies in the 70s-80s, and know exactly how their internal enemies are planning to overthrow them - that's why.
That’s why you hide the weapons. And you hire consultants.
IIRC they can be armed on the high seas but not in any port.
So why don’t they enforce these laws on the pirates?
Hmmm. I see an opportunity here. Arms supply ship that arms them when they hit international waters and disarms them before the enter a new port. Anybody got a pirouge we could use to do this? ;-)
Typically this would piss me off but this incident does not. Tanker owned by towel heads with a load of fuel for a towel head capitol high-jacked by towel heads. Pay the ransom with throw weight.
Somalis doing what Somalis do best. That is why we went into Somalia in 92-93 Operation Restore Hope. The three ruling clans were hijacking food supplies at the port and not letting food get to the starving people in the countryside. Now they have expanded to the high seas.
All ships should be armed, and all pirates should be hunted down by special forces and killed.
Agreed. Keep at least 2 50-cal rifles and at least 4 or 5 semi-auto rifles of the AR-15 or AK-47 variety, plus numerous handguns. Have them loaded and secured in a locked container onboard. Captain plus 2 or 3 crewmen to have the keys to unlock. First sign of piracy activity and the container is unlocked and weapons distributed. begin with a warning shot from a 50-cal and if they don’t immediately change course they’re inviting aimed incoming fire. The shooting doesn’t stop until all pirates are dead. If one of them happens to be lucky and stubborn enough to actually board the ship, that’s when the shorter guns come out to take out the trash.
And I’m all in favor of sending decoy ships out there with the sole purpose of turning pirates into fish food.
Why haven’t pirates received the recognition and respect for what they truly are - entrepreneurs?
They are new business owners who have recognized an opportunity and have taken all the risks associated with a start-up. They should be lauded.
Not only that, their initiative provides employment for others, provides health care for their families and creates career ladders from junior pirate to senior pirate and beyond.
And nobody will deny the stimulant effect to the local economy of the pirates’ home bases. As local income has risen, per capita income in Somalia has risen.
Personally, I don’t see the downside.
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