Who'd be a pirate?

[JonnyHungwell]

What a bunch of crazy guys - they just want to be African versions of Jonny Depp No harm killing them, it's what they deserve - they should have executed the 4th pirate as well, but maybe he'll be useful for a bit of info and a life sentence.

[Sam Slater]

Yes, Gerrard.



Oh, you said 'fab four'. Sorry, I thought you said 'big four'. !wink!

[jj]

Well, yes, in principle.
But having them inside apparently means them pissing all over
us in comfort.

Concerted action [e.g. trade embargos/concessions?] is only
possible when like minds meet- something along the lines of the
current policy of engagement with China, in the hope that a
burgeoning middle-lclass will eventually demand greater political
freedoms [not that I'm exactly putting my house on that bet....].
Does anyone think we can negotiate human rights with some of
these fanatics except from a position of strength?

[welkram]

In the Great War the Royal Navy used Q Ships, they were manned mainly by Merchant Seamen with RN or RNVR officers, they were either large fishing vessels or small merchant men and coasters.
These ships carried hidden guns and had the job of lureing German U-boats to the surface, at a given point the gun(s) would be uncovered, the Red Duster hoisted and the fight would begin.

Why don't we (western navies) use a similar thing in the Gulf of Aden and the waters off Somalia. Fit out a couple of small coasters armed with heavy MG's and up to date radar. Tempt out the pirates and when they try to board destroy them, I guess we could always try to arrest them but who would try them? I guess we could bring them to the UK for trial, give them 2 years let them go in 12 months and then apoint them social workers who can give them advice on how to claim refuge status in the UK as they no longer feel safe living in Somalia. On second thoughts shooting them is a much better idea, no trials, no witnesses, no press coverage, no social workers.

Perhaps Blackwater Security could be hired to to the job, no perhaps not, if Iraq is anything to go by these people would sink every friend or foe fishing boat in the area.

[jj]

You're talking about a Wold War, where all bets were off.

Maritime Law is a closed book to me but I doubt the legality of
violent action in International waters against citizens of a
sovereign nation. There would naturally be an 'entrapment'
defence mounted, nations laying claim to the waters the action
occurred in would claim it as an act of war, the list goes on......

[andy at handiwork]

Q Ships could be said to have played a part in escalating the maritime conflict in 1915 and the introduction by Germany of unrestricted u-boat warfare. Though doubtless such raising of the stakes would have been inevitable later in the war, the Kriegsmarine entered the First World War with a policy of surfacing and giving the crew time to take to the lifeboats before sinking the ship. The appearance of Q Ships made u-boat captains very wary of taking the risk of being shot at in what they considered an underhand deception.

[c.j.jaxxon]

What's up y'all! Just thought I'd weigh in on the subject at hand. I haven't read any of the comments before me but you really put it in perspective Andy. The one thing I heard last friday was that their credo was that they don't want to kill anybody. They just want the money. It's all the U.S. fault that it's got this far. Blackhawk Down? Yeah! Everybody's just raping Mother Africa of everything and no, it ain't an excuse but DAMN! (Sorry I'm angry!) Ain't nobody really helpin' black Africans because of what they are, BLACK! The aid their sendin' them. RICE? The bleached white stuff at that! Waste being dumped in THEIR waters. China and whoever else fished the waters empty so now how are the African's gonna feed themselves? Well? Now you have PIRACY! As far as I'm concerned you only made matters worse by sharp shooting them (which is what they probably wanted to do ANYWAY!) It's a shame!

[andy at handiwork]

Good to have you back cjj. I'm glad I 'm not totally the only one who thinks going in with all guns blazing isn't necessaryly the best way to solve this problem in anything but the short-term. And short term methods tend to need repeating ad infinitum. For as long as Somalia is a failed, lawless, and defunct state, there will be no end to the young men who think piracy is a way out of their poverty.

[c.j.jaxxon]

No problem at all. I think as long as we ignore the REAL problem of what's goin' on over there yes, piracy will continue. And you can blame the media (at least over here) for the false info these days.

[Jonone]

All I need is Solid Gold Easy C.J Axxon .... cha cha cha