The Great Pirates off the Somali Coast thread

[PropStop]

So if we are (as the Iranians allege) getting into a bidding war to try and get the ship, does that mean we are negotiating with terrorists?

No, they are pirates. You know what they say, one man's pirate is another man's privateer!

 

[Gatordev]

This seems like another perfect opportunity for LAMPS to conduct its mission and utilize its weapon systems and training. As such, it will probably never happen.

 

[MasterBates]

Gator, I hate to say it but you are right. I hope one of these days, the SWOtivated higherups will realize the B and R can do much more than just SSC and ASW. But I doubt it. The 60B and 60R can do a lot of cool shit most FW types don't realize. If I am ever in a postion to go "You know, the HSL/HSM guys can handle this, let them get some action" I'll throw in the good word.

 

[Layzee101]

We swo-lings can only hope...

I'm with you brother.

 

[Zissou]

Sink it.

 

[snake020]

Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me!

 

[usmarinemike]

Sink it.

Except for civilian considers (and this is a BIG except) that would actually be a viable course of action. That's just 33 fewer tanks and other sundry bits of war paraphernalia that we don't have to worry about later.

 

[BullGator]

With Russia (& Ukraine?) giving us the official go-ahead (permission) to take action, what do you guys think will happen in the next two days before a Russian ship shows up? -Are we too cautous to get involved, between the hostages and the foreign news; therefore we are just standing guard to make sure we have the weapons "in sight"? I am terribly interested what will happen here and would like to get some actual Naval Officers' opinions about it. I'd like to think we can take some of these particular pirates out, so to speak; the less -the better. The US obviously controls international waters, but some of these Somalia and Asian pirates (& South American, from one incident I remember) are getting out of hand and can be extremely violent towards the civilian-crews.

 

[Flash]

With Russia (& Ukraine?) giving us the official go-ahead (permission) to take action, what do you guys think will happen in the next two days before a Russian ship shows up? -Are we too cautous to get involved, between the hostages and the foreign news; therefore we are just standing guard to make sure we have the weapons "in sight"? I am terribly interested what will happen here and would like to get some actual Naval Officers' opinions about it. I'd like to think we can take some of these particular pirates out, so to speak; the less -the better. The US obviously controls international waters, but some of these Somalia and Asian pirates (& South American, from one incident I remember) are getting out of hand and can be extremely violent towards the civilian-crews.

Unless they start offloading arms or killing hostages, I doubt we get involved. It is not our ship, not our cargo and really not our problem unless the arms get offloaded.

And we don't exactly control international waters, especially off of Somalia. We are just he biggest and baddest dudes on the block.

 

[BlkPny]

What Flash said.

Still, I'd really like to think that somewhere off the coast of the Horn of Africa, in a grey ship bobbing quietly, there's a SEAL team cleaning their weapons and talking quietly amongst themselves..........

 

[Single Seat]

What Flash said.

Still, I'd really like to think that somewhere off the coast of the Horn of Africa, in a grey ship bobbing quietly, there's a SEAL team cleaning their weapons and talking quietly amongst themselves..........

You mean chomping at the bit. This is THEIR mission!

 

[BullGator]

What Flash said.

Still, I'd really like to think that somewhere off the coast of the Horn of Africa, in a grey ship bobbing quietly, there's a SEAL team cleaning their weapons and talking quietly amongst themselves..........

I'd like that. This is a perfect SEAL mission, and we can't let these pirates get away; even if it wasn't our ship.

I'm not saying we should board the ship this minute; I think maybe offer them the money, have them release the hostages, and then make sure they never set foot on any shore again (oh, and take the money right back). It's not necessarily an "make an example" opportunity (ie. court trial) so much as taking out the scum one at a time, IMO. Sea transport of cargo is an international interest and pirates need to be much less prevalent.

 

[mtsupilot09]

Anyone read the book by Michael Durant called Nightstalkers. It's all about the Army's special forces helo unit. Pretty interesting read, this sounds like something they'd want to get a piece of. Apparently they did (still do) work very close with SEALS, they refer to the SEALS as their "customers" flying them all over the globe dropping them off in some pretty hot zones. Bottom line is something should be done soon. Will our guys get the go ahead from Washington in time? Doubt it. I agree with Zissou though. Sink that damn thing.

 

[Flash]

I know that you all are fantasizing about the SEALs storming the ship, but aren't you all forgetting that we have two wars going on? I know that this is something the SEALs would be good at, but our leadership might not really consider that important an issue. It probably would not even be that much of a deterrent, the French have already rescued two crews of French nationals, killing and capturing pirates in the process, but it has not deterred the pirates at all.

Unless our leadership chooses to intervene, SEALs and other SOCOM types are plenty busy doing good work in Iraq and Afghanistan.

 

[raptor10]

I know that you all are fantasizing about the SEALs storming the ship, but aren't you all forgetting that we have two wars going on? I know that this is something the SEALs would be good at, but our leadership might not really consider that important an issue. It probably would not even be that much of a deterrent, the French have already rescued two crews of French nationals, killing and capturing pirates in the process, but it has not deterred the pirates at all.

Unless our leadership chooses to intervene, SEALs and other SOCOM types are plenty busy doing good work in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Pirates threaten world trade