US Marines capture ship hijacked by pirates off Somalia

US Marines capture ship hijacked by pirates off Somalia

www.bbc.co.uk

US Marines have boarded and seized a vessel hijacked by pirates off the coast of Somalia, navy officials say.

A group of 24 marines swooped on the German-owned M/V Magellan Star and took control of the ship from nine pirates who had captured it on Wednesday.

There were no casualties during the pre-dawn raid, the US Fifth Fleet said.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Well here we go again. This seems to be a never ending story with Somali pirates. The Navy SEALS killed 3 last year. The Russians took out a few and now the Marines have taken back a ship.

They were able to capture nine alive.

What is it going to take to stop the seizure of ships in the area? One has to ask the question when will the world focus on the causes instead of mopping up after the fact?



www.bbc.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)

Well you can tell who is interested in this topic.
Business Week posted the story...
yeah I wonder why.$$$$$

Marines Storm Ship Seized by Pirates, Rescue Crew

Bloomberg(Updates with Gulf of Aden trade in third paragraph.)

Sept. 9 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. Marines stormed a German-owned ship seized by pirates in the Gulf of Aden and rescued the crew, the first time an international taskforce set up in 2002 has recaptured a hijacked vessel.

I think if you were to watch Ross Kemps' documentary on the piracy issue, the reasons are in plain sight. Of course I can't discount the fact that there will always be opportunists regardless of economic stability, but essentially it seems to boil down to the oil harvest in that part of the world destroying the environment for the locals, who in the past used fishing as a source of income, or livelihood.

What will it take to stop it? Economic opportunity in the region, a stable government where there is no government currently, the merchant vessels need to be prepared to defend themselves and for the rest of the world to stop paying the pirates the ransoms they are demanding. Man, even the French are starting to fight back (remember the botched hijacking of the French frigate? whoops. Lol) ...

Awesome news. I'd bet my weight in gold that fleet recon Marines fast-roped in and soiled a few pants in the process. I've got moderate respect for these pirates as criminals though. They are at the sh__-end of the poor stick and snagging these boats is a quick and efficient way to feed your crew. They are usually non-violent and rarely fire a shot in anger. Of course, there are those that have and will continue to do so.

Piracy in this day and age is not a smart career move. God help the swashbucklers if Marines and Sailors are given the green light to engage.

As far as $ goes, of course it is the motivator my friend. If these guys were pirating local fishing vessels by the hundreds we wouldn't even hear a peep about it. You start messing with international shipping lanes, well then, the big dogs get let off the leash. Globally, there has probably been more money spent and more military action taken against these pirates then there has been against the genocidal and maniacal tribes and "liberation" groups of the Congo, Sudan etc etc etc.

reply to post by SLAYER69


The only way to stop it is to fix Somalia.

The world allowed Somalia to descend into chaos and they have no solution to fix it, and if people are starving while million dollar cargo floats slowly by, then they are going to go after it. I would.

Kudos to the Marines for seizing the ship. In no way am I saying that we should not defend our interests in the area. But, I can't blame the Somalians for their part. If I were in their shoes, I would be pirating everything that moved until my family was taken care of, or some international force noticed my plight and sent in some help.

Originally posted by getreadyalready
reply to post by SLAYER69

 

The only way to stop it is to fix Somalia.

The world allowed Somalia to descend into chaos and they have no solution to fix it, and if people are starving while million dollar cargo floats slowly by, then they are going to go after it. I would.

Black Hawk down anyone?

They waited until the US Marines left then started back up again and then the US pulled their now famous raid to capture the Strongman. What a fiasco. Lacking the proper equipment [which by the way was requested and denied by Washington as being too controversial] weeks before hand. I can write a whole thread on why that mission went south [Maybe I will] the point is that the West and the US in particular are a tad bit gun shy about going into Somalia AGAIN. I don't blame them.

I think Education and opportunity would help a lot more than bringing a new sheriff to town.

I find it hard not to sympathize with the pirates.

Why are taxpayers footing the bill to defend these ships. Can't the companies who own these ships prepare for their own defense?

Drop a care package out the back, and hit the pirates with water cannons. A 50mm machine gun from the top of one of these ships should be plenty to deter the pirates, with a burst off the bow for a warning shot. Die or take the care package consolation prize.

Two Words.

OOH RAH!

Originally posted by poet1b

I find it hard not to sympathize with the pirates.

Why are taxpayers footing the bill to defend these ships. Can't the companies who own these ships prepare for their own defense?

Drop a care package out the back, and hit the pirates with water cannons. A 50mm machine gun from the top of one of these ships should be plenty to deter the pirates, with a burst off the bow for a warning shot. Die or take the care package consolation prize.

I wondered how far down I'd have to read before I found a "bleeding heart" feeling sorry for the pirates - who are criminals BTW. Do you also feel at least a little bit or sorrow for their victims (crews and passengers on the ships) for what the pirates made them go through?

Aren't tons of these ships stolen each year?

Makes you wonder what was actually on the few that the military goes after to get back...

reply to post by Jeanius


True but how many are recaptured?
I'm not exactly sure that the Pirates know which ones out of hundreds are more valuable than any other though.

reply to post by LadySkadi

for the rest of the world to stop paying the pirates the ransoms they are demanding.

Funny how many countries cave in so easily. I think that money would be better used in establishing a stable region.

ARM THE CREW.

Simple as that. I don't understand why this is so complicated. The US can hire contracted mercenaries or "hired thugs" to fight its wars but merchant ships crossing international waters cant even posses a mere potato gun...

reply to post by AzoriaCorp


Now there is probably the most reasonable concept I have ever heard.


Of course the multimillion dollar cargo is not worth the expense of putting two or more well trained and armed security personnel on board.

I'm giving this thread a shameless bump then off into the abyss it goes.

reply to post by SLAYER69


Question, I am wondering if piracy on the high seas, still allows hanging from the yard arm?

Summary judgement and all that.

Otherwise, what are you going to do. Spend millions on trials and bleeding heart liberal and money grubbing lawyers to defend them? Then put em in prison and feed and clothe for 50 years? Or maybe just releasing them back into their country where they will do it again.

Sorry, if a country cannot provide for itself, I am really losing my political correctness on these issues.

Quick search-legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com...

Today, the primary source of antipiracy law is title 18, chapter 81, of the United States Code, although numerous other antipiracy provisions are scattered throughout the code. Additionally, international cooperation has shaped a unique form of jurisdictional agreement among nations. Significant in bringing about this cooperation was the geneva convention on the High Seas of April 29, 1958 and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The primary effect of such agreements is to allow pirates to be apprehended on the high seas—meaning outside of territorial limits—by the authorities of any nation and punished under its own law. This standard is unique because nations are generally forbidden by International Law from interfering with the vessels of another nation on the high seas. It arose because piracy itself has never vanished; in fact, since the 1970s, it has appeared to have undergone a resurgence.

Alright, from what I can see here we HIRE the country with hanging from the yard arm for pirates still on the books.

What ya think mateys?