The Somali pirates are running a pretty effective scam:
They capture a ship, sell the cargo, get $$$.
Or they ‘ransom’ the ship back to its owner, and get $$$.
If they keep the cargo, the shipper’s insurance pays for the loss.
[Wonder how many of those shippers use AIG — who is getting taxpayer bailouts.]
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Apparently, ship crews are not allowed to be armed (if I heard right via Fox&Friends this morning), so the pirates pretty much have free reign of the area.
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Considering the number of pirate attacks/captures (7 just this week?), it seems the interenational community isn’t too concerned. The piracy has been going on for years, with little response.
>>>> ship crews are not allowed to be armed <<<<<<
Once a vessel is in port or within a nation’s waters it is subject to the laws of that nation, including its gun laws.
Too many legal liabilities in carrying weapons.