Just kill the pirates !

[Howie]

C'mon. They're not even real pirates. They don't have poofy shirts, or parrots or eye-patches or anything.

I don't think we should give them poofy shirts or parrots, but a missing eye, a peg leg and a hook would be a good idea.  Then feed the bastids to the sharks.

[Triple J]

The problem is that they hold some 200+ other prisoners from various countries. While killing them is the preferred course of action, it could lead to the executions of the other prisoners as retaliation. That would cause a shit storm if we saved the US hostage, but our actions led to the deaths of so many hostages from other nations.

Saying the US is gutless is just silly. It's not as black and white as you're making it out to be.

[superjohn]

The problem is that they hold some 200+ other prisoners from various countries. While killing them is the preferred course of action, it could lead to the executions of the other prisoners as retaliation. That would cause a shit storm if we saved the US hostage, but our actions led to the deaths of so many hostages from other nations.

Saying the US is gutless is just silly. It's not as black and white as you're making it out to be.

How dare you infer that the world is more complicated than can be summarized into 6 word sound bites on the evening news.

Keep it up and you'll destroy our world view and make us French. 

[ducatiz]

at the end of the day, we all need to just accept that every profession has unique risks.

cops get shot
doctors get stuck with needles and have to do hiv therapy
lawyers have to listen to obnoxious clients

and sailors have to live with the fact they might run into pirates and get their throats cut. 

i'm not saying it's pretty, but if you're going on a boat 10k miles from land and the nearest armed help is 5 hours away by boat, then you probably ought to prepare for it. 

it blows my mind that these ships don't have some kind of armament. 

[krolik]

two words

armed merchantmen

two more words:

insurance rates

[ducatiz]

two more words:

insurance rates

good point, what about bonded security guys, like a man-at-arms for the boat?

[krolik]

good point, what about bonded security guys, like a man-at-arms for the boat?

Its interesting that a US flagged & crewed vessel can effectively take care of itself, due to the training of the crew.

When there's a foreign flagged vessel with a low paid/trained crew the pirates seem to have much more success.

[ducatiz]

Its interesting that a US flagged & crewed vessel can effectively take care of itself, due to the training of the crew.

When there's a foreign flagged vessel with a low paid/trained crew the pirates seem to have much more success.

oh, i don't know.. those chinese crewman armed with hoses, empty beer bottles and cans (!) and cigarettes really did a good job..

question is, where did they get all the empties??

[rgramjet]

two more words:

insurance rates

Hm whats cheaper the increased insurance or a couple of adequately armed "operators" paid to defend the ship?  I prefer the proactive approach!

[Grampa]

4 navy seals in dive gear

1 extra airtank

1


fixed

[Triple J]

I too find it weird that these ships aren't armed. I understand that certain types aren't due to cargo (i.e. oil tanker ships being highly flammable), but it seems to me if you're going to be shipping in waters known to be this dangerous you should carry weapons.  

I also read somewhere that there is a lot of friendly traffic in these waters, and the cargo ships are massive with small crews, so often the pirates are able to sneak up and basically be on board before anyone realizes it. It's not like they are flying the skull and bones as they approach! Leads me to believe the actual situation is much more confusing and difficult to control than we are assuming from our comfy computer chairs.

[Triple J]

4 navy seals in dive gear

1 extra airtank

1


fixed

Possibility that dozens of existing hostages from other countries will be killed in retaliation. 

[Grampa]

so


do nothing then, based on the "what if"?


I say... send a message or be the pregnant dog

When they kick out your front door
How you gonna come?
With your hands on your head
Or on the trigger of your gun

When the law break in
How you gonna go?
Shot down on the pavement
Or waiting in death row

You can crush us
You can bruise us
But you'll have to answer to
Oh, Guns of Brixton

The money feels good
And your life you like it well
But surely your time will come
As in heaven, as in hell

You see, he feels like Ivan
BORN under the Brixton sun
His game is called survivin'
At the end of the harder they come

You know it means no mercy
They caught him with a gun
No need for the Black Maria
Goodbye to the Brixton sun

You can crush us
You can bruise us
But you'll have to answer to
Oh-the guns of Brixton

When they kick out your front door
How you gonna come?
With your hands on your head
Or on the trigger of your gun

You can crush us
You can bruise us
And even shoot us
But oh- the guns of Brixton

Shot down on the pavement
Waiting in death row
His game was survivin'
As in heaven as in hell

You can crush us
You can bruise us
But you'll have to answer to
Oh, the guns of Brixton
Oh, the guns of Brixton
Oh, the guns of Brixton
Oh, the guns of Brixton
Oh, the guns of Brixton

[rgramjet]

so


do nothing then, based on the "what if"?


I say... send a message or be the pregnant dog

When they kick out your front door
How you gonna come?
With your hands on your head
Or on the trigger of your gun

When the law break in
How you gonna go?
Shot down on the pavement
Or waiting in death row

You can crush us
You can bruise us
But you'll have to answer to
Oh, Guns of Brixton

The money feels good
And your life you like it well
But surely your time will come
As in heaven, as in hell

You see, he feels like Ivan
BORN under the Brixton sun
His game is called survivin'
At the end of the harder they come

You know it means no mercy
They caught him with a gun
No need for the Black Maria
Goodbye to the Brixton sun

You can crush us
You can bruise us
But you'll have to answer to
Oh-the guns of Brixton

When they kick out your front door
How you gonna come?
With your hands on your head
Or on the trigger of your gun

You can crush us
You can bruise us
And even shoot us
But oh- the guns of Brixton

Shot down on the pavement
Waiting in death row
His game was survivin'
As in heaven as in hell

You can crush us
You can bruise us
But you'll have to answer to
Oh, the guns of Brixton
Oh, the guns of Brixton
Oh, the guns of Brixton
Oh, the guns of Brixton
Oh, the guns of Brixton

Its a catchy little tune....

[Old-Duckman]

I too find it weird that these ships aren't armed. I understand that certain types aren't due to cargo (i.e. oil tanker ships being highly flammable),

The cargo should have no impact on the ship being armed or not.

I spent 3 years and 5 months of my 4 year tour in the USN on the USS Detroit AOE-4. It had 4 ammunition holds, each were 6 decks deep, these were in the center of the ship, one directly behind the other. These ammo holds were surrounded by fuel tanks all around the perimeter of the ship. The fuel tank in the bow (the very front of the boat) held high octain gasoline !!! What idiot designed that vessel?

Anyway we had four twin 3"-50 gun mounts (the ammo looked just like giant bullets. The diameter of the projectile was 3") and an armory full of small arms.

We fired our guns for drills and practice. There were 4 AOEs when I was in and none of them exploded...at least not that I am aware of.

So there is no valid reason (cargo-wise) why these ships could not have armament.