NationStates Jolt Archive

COMMENTARY: Seems strange that there should still be such things as piracy on the high seas in this day and age, but there ya go! Pirates!


U.S. Navy Seizes Pirate Ship off Somalia (http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,86072,00.html?ESRC=eb.nl)


Associated Press | January 23, 2006
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - The U.S. Navy boarded an apparent pirate ship in the Indian Ocean and detained 26 men for questioning, the Navy said Sunday. The 16 Indians and 10 Somali men were aboard a traditional dhow that was chased and seized Saturday by the U.S. guided missile destroyer USS Winston S. Churchill, said Lt. Leslie Hull-Ryde of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command in Bahrain.

The dhow stopped fleeing after the Churchill twice fired warning shots during the chase, which ended 54 miles off the coast of Somalia, the Navy said. U.S. Sailors boarded the dhow and seized a cache of small arms.

The dhow's crew and passengers were being questioned Sunday aboard the Churchill to determine which were pirates and which were legitimate crew members, Hull-Ryde said.

Sailors aboard the dhow told Navy investigators that pirates hijacked the vessel six days ago near Mogadishu and thereafter used it to stage pirate attacks on merchant ships.

The Churchill is part of a multinational task force patrolling the western Indian Ocean and Horn of Africa region to thwart terrorist activity and other lawlessness during the U.S.-led war in Iraq.

The Navy said it captured the dhow in response to a report from the International Maritime Bureau in Kuala Lumpur on Friday that said pirates had fired on the MV Delta Ranger, a Bahamian-flagged bulk carrier that was passing some 200 miles off the central eastern coast of Somalia.

Hull-Ryde said the Navy was still investigating the incident and would discuss with international authorities what to do with the detained men.

"The disposition of people and vessels involved in acts of piracy on the high seas are based on a variety of factors, including the offense, the flags of the vessels, the nationalities of the crew, and others," Hull-Ryde said in an e-mail.

Piracy is rampant off the coast of Somalia, which is torn by renewed clashes between militias fighting over control of the troubled African country. Many shipping companies resort to paying ransoms, saying they have few alternatives.

Last month, Somali militiamen finally relinquished a merchant ship hijacked in October.

In November, Somali pirates freed a Ukrainian ore carrier and its 22 member crew after holding it for 40 days. It was unclear whether a US$700,000 ransom demanded by the pirates had been paid.

One of the boldest recent attacks was on Nov. 5, when two boats full of pirates approached a cruise ship carrying Western tourists, about 100 miles off Somalia and fired rocket-propelled grenades and assault rifles.

The crew used a weapon that directs earsplitting noise at attackers, then sped away.

Somalia has had no effective government since 1991, when warlords ousted a dictatorship and then turned on each other, carving the nation of 8.2 million into a patchwork of fiefdoms.

I don't find the pirate part shocking... I find the US military (or any other nation's armed forces or police) doing anything about it shocking.

Is anybody still issuing Letters of Marque? I'd love to be a Privateer... :p

I don't find the pirate part shocking... I find the US military (or any other nation's armed forces or police) doing anything about it shocking.
Why is that? Piracy on the high seas has always been an area of international cooperation.

They should have just sunk them for target practice. The pirates off of Africa are responsible for numerous murders and rapes, aside from stealing and sinking of other vessels.
Annihilate them wherever they are found.

last year they captured the semlov, a relief ship, that was carrying rice donated by germany and japan to survivors of the tsunami and held the crew for ransom for several months.

i hope the practice of executing pirates is still in use.

Is anybody still issuing Letters of Marque? I'd love to be a Privateer... :p
There comes a time in almost every man's life when he wishes he could cast off the thin veneer of civilization and start lopping off heads! ;)

They should have just sunk them for target practice. The pirates off of Africa are responsible for numerous murders and rapes, aside from stealing and sinking of other vessels.
Annihilate them wherever they are found.
[ volunteers ] :D

There comes a time in almost every man's life when he wishes he could cast off the thin veneer of civilization and start lopping off heads! ;)
Arrr!

Recover the booty and scuttle the ship! Arrr!

Yarr matey, look what they found amongst the pirated hardware:
http://www.craphound.com/images/piratekeyboard.jpg

Yay, pirates!

Ok seriously, they are a problem, but what are the US navy doing off the cost infront of Somalia?

Yarr matey, look what they found amongst the pirated hardware:
http://www.craphound.com/images/piratekeyboard.jpg
The funny thing about that picture is that it is an "Ergonomic Keyboard." Damn, wussy new age pirates. In my day, they typed with real keyboards like real men, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome be damned!

Ok seriously, they are a problem, but what are the US navy doing off the cost infront of Somalia?maybe they are protecting the ships of the world food program? after all the us is the biggest contributor of food aid, so they may have an interest in making it arrive.

They should have just sunk them for target practice. The pirates off of Africa are responsible for numerous murders and rapes, aside from stealing and sinking of other vessels.
Annihilate them wherever they are found.
And the peacenik types wonder why guns are necessary. :rolleyes:

Give me a "pop-up" quad .50, bow and stern, a Metalstorm Area Denial pod and two canister-launched MK-4 torpedoes fore and aft on a small merchant ship and I'll have a field day.

Hello "Q" Ship? :D

Yay, pirates!

Ok seriously, they are a problem, but what are the US navy doing off the cost infront of Somalia?


The US Navy patrols most international waterways. And the piracy problem isnt new there. I'm betting they were looking for them specifically.

Why is that? Piracy on the high seas has always been an area of international cooperation.

Yes, they seem to have all agreed to ignore it....

Arrr!

Recover the booty and scuttle the ship! Arrr!
Hahahahaha! Avast there! Ye can keep my portion of the booty. These two beauties be my prize! [ runs off with two wanton women! ] :D

Hahahahaha! Avast there! Ye can keep my portion of the booty. These two beauties be my prize! [ runs off with two wanton women! ] :D

Hehehe. Booty. :)

Yes, they seem to have all agreed to ignore it....
http://www.icc-ccs.org/main/index.php

"An alarming rise in the number of piracy attacks off the coast of Somalia is reported by the ICC International Maritime Bureau (IMB). After a quiet spell of nearly two years, says the bureau, serious attacks by heavily-armed pirates have resumed: 25 in the past six months."

And the peacenik types wonder why guns are necessary. :rolleyes:

Give me a "pop-up" quad .50, bow and stern, a Metalstorm Area Denial pod and two canister-launched MK-4 torpedoes fore and aft on a small merchant ship and I'll have a field day.

Hello "Q" Ship? :D


"Honey-just give them what they want and they'll be on their way"....

We should have decoys there posing as recreational craft. Manned by Navy Seals and all their toys.

Or boats rigged to be detonaed by remote control. Watch from satellite and if they are boarded aggresively, blow them up.

Hehehe. Booty. :)
Arrr! They be "booty" for sure, matey! :D

Yay, pirates!

Ok seriously, they are a problem, but what are the US navy doing off the cost infront of Somalia?
They're everywhere! [ shifty eyes ] <_< >_>

http://www.icc-ccs.org/main/index.php

"An alarming rise in the number of piracy attacks off the coast of Somalia is reported by the ICC International Maritime Bureau (IMB). After a quiet spell of nearly two years, says the bureau, serious attacks by heavily-armed pirates have resumed: 25 in the past six months."

Er... except piracy isn't limited to the Somali coast. And piracy has been an on-going problem for centuries.

And the peacenik types wonder why guns are necessary. :rolleyes:

Give me a "pop-up" quad .50, bow and stern, a Metalstorm Area Denial pod and two canister-launched MK-4 torpedoes fore and aft on a small merchant ship and I'll have a field day.

Hello "Q" Ship? :D
"Quad .50s?" OMFG! ROFL! Can you say "shredded pirate" boys and girls? :D

Piracy never ended.

My boss is from Viet Nam. One of the many "boat people" from the 70s.

He told a story of his ship being taken by pirates. Nearly died in the hold....

"Quad .50s?" OMFG! ROFL! Can you say "shredded pirate" boys and girls? :D
Never know when you might need at least minimally acceptable anti-air equipment...

Er... except piracy isn't limited to the Somali coast. And piracy has been an on-going problem for centuries.
Well, duh.

I rather suspect that the new US Navy "Littoral ships" will be able to handle them quite nicely ... when they can find them:

http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/7470/littoralshipcutaway8wg.png (http://imageshack.us)

Yay, pirates!

Ok seriously, they are a problem, but what are the US navy doing off the cost infront of Somalia?


Worlds Current Troublespot for pirates
(Somalia, well at least its the one getting reported, I know Indonesia is bad too)

Worlds Largest fleet with the most assets to patrol the Sea
US Navy


Kind of makes sense doesn't it?

Never know when you might need at least minimally acceptable anti-air equipment...
Heh! You can never have "too much" firepower! :D

http://www.xbox360source.com/forums/images/smilies/smiley%20-%20pirate.gifhttp://www.shadowraven.org/forum/images/smilies/pirate_smiley.gifhttp://www.mytreasurespot.com/spot/forums/smiley/pirate.gifhttp://board.ikotikashi.de/~corax/pirate.smiley.captain.wink.gifhttp://www.hbclive.com/images/smilies/pirate.gifhttp://community.the-underdogs.org/smiley/happy/pirate2.gifhttp://www.bk.tudelft.nl/students/bk246267/internet/smilies/pirate.gif

I like Pirates - unless I'm not part of the crew...

Well, duh.

I rather suspect that the new US Navy "Littoral ships" will be able to handle them quite nicely ... when they can find them:

http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/7470/littoralshipcutaway8wg.png (http://imageshack.us)

It would be nice if every nation were going after them, or if the owners (or captains) of cargo ships were allowed to arm their vessels with MGs and their crews with rifles.

It would be nice if every nation were going after them, or if the owners (or captains) of cargo ships were allowed to arm their vessels with MGs and their crews with rifles.
As I understand it, most of the industrialized, sea-faring nations are going after them. Arming the crews of cargo ships ( and by extension, cruise ships! ) is inherently dangerous, especially without extensive training. I suspect it's a matter of cost/benefit to most companies.

It would be nice if every nation were going after them,
a lot do. Thats what navies are for.

or if the owners (or captains) of cargo ships were allowed to arm their vessels with MGs and their crews with rifles.

They are and they do.

Well, duh.

I rather suspect that the new US Navy "Littoral ships" will be able to handle them quite nicely ... when they can find them:

http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/7470/littoralshipcutaway8wg.png (http://imageshack.us)
I'm not a fan of the Littoral Combat Ship. I hope we cancel it and just go ahead with DD(X). She is supposed to be good in littoral waters, but also a better comabating for blue ocean operations. Besides, she packs a much larger punch with a better gun, VLS cells, and probably Aegis.

Well, duh.

I rather suspect that the new US Navy "Littoral ships" will be able to handle them quite nicely ... when they can find them:

http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/7470/littoralshipcutaway8wg.png (http://imageshack.us)
Your puny ship will never be able to stand up the the ultimate in modern naval warfare!

http://travelnewsblog.latimes.com/./photos/uncategorized/pirates_iq0yfkkn.jpg

Oh, wait, I've got an old Garand back here somewhere.... :sniper:

Never mind.


(Really. Hire a few ExMilitary Snipers and geve them a Barrett. No More Problems.)

Yarr matey, look what they found amongst the pirated hardware:


Thanks for the loudest laugh I've had on NS yet. You made my day.

wtf is LP?

[http://prismenterprises.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/canadiannavy.jpg

wtf is LP?
Arrr, you're a n00b Arr'nt ya? :p

Legless Pirates - who has been notably missing of late... :confused:

Arrr, you're a n00b Arr'nt ya? :p

Legless Pirates - who has been notably missing of late... :confused:

I actually realized that after posting, but didn't figure Eut. would be that much of an infantile gipper to post something like that. :D

Heh... nice to see the US Navy going back to its roots.

Though looking at the boat, I think they could have taken the Constitution out of her dock and gotten them. ;)

Guys, if you're going to quote a post, remove the picture. We don't all have 15000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000Mbps connections.

Pirates are a big problem near China as well, from what I hear, especially the South China Sea.

Pirates are one area where every nation is in agreement, and every nation cooperates.

Old school pirates are awesome...

Modern pirates suck.

I'm not a fan of the Littoral Combat Ship. I hope we cancel it and just go ahead with DD(X). She is supposed to be good in littoral waters, but also a better comabating for blue ocean operations. Besides, she packs a much larger punch with a better gun, VLS cells, and probably Aegis.
According to globalsecurity.com (http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/dd-x.htm), the DD(X) is actually a program for a number of different ships, one of which is this LCS.
So obviously they reckon they need a specialised, smaller boat - obviously for things like this.

But Syniks is right...do you really need something that fancy to find and board a fishing boat with an RPG on it?

Does the US intend to try them? If yes, which court will they face?

Does the US intend to try them? If yes, which court will they face?

If the US tries them, it will be in Federal (district) court. Under Title 18, sec. 1651 I imagine. (Providing this is in international waters).

Personally, I wonder why they bothered taking prisoners.

I'm more surprised that anyone who follows the news with any regularity is surprised by this. Piracy has been on the rise, especially over the last 10 years, especially in Asian, African, and South American waters. Pirates attack shipping in the South China Sea and the Malacca Strait with fequency. I undserstand maritime shipping copmpanies are having difficulty with insurers due to this.

Piracy never ended.

My boss is from Viet Nam. One of the many "boat people" from the 70s.

He told a story of his ship being taken by pirates. Nearly died in the hold....

I grew in in a community with a large number of "boat people" (costal SE Texas), and you are indeed correct. Almost all of my Vietnamese friends had either had run ins with pirates on their trip over or had family who did.

I'm not a fan of the Littoral Combat Ship. I hope we cancel it and just go ahead with DD(X). She is supposed to be good in littoral waters, but also a better comabating for blue ocean operations. Besides, she packs a much larger punch with a better gun, VLS cells, and probably Aegis.
Gotta link? :)

The dhow's crew and passengers were being questioned Sunday aboard the Churchill to determine which were pirates and which were legitimate crew members, Hull-Ryde said.
LMAO

*inset stupid American joke here*

Does the US intend to try them? If yes, which court will they face?
I think they will be tried by an international court. If I remember correctly, there's some sort of maritime law court set up for just this sort of thing.

LMAO

*inset stupid American joke here*
Oh ... way to dride a thread set up just for you, twit! :p

;)

Oh ... way to dride a thread set up just for you, twit! :p

;)
I'd kiss you if your skin wasn't all wrinkly and dry..... :p

I'd kiss you if your skin wasn't all wrinkly and dry..... :p
[ Slaps LP with the world's largest, most smelly trout! ] :p

[ Slaps LP with the world's largest, most smelly trout! ] :p
:eek:

Pull up your pants! Pull up your pants! Think of the children...:(

I think they will be tried by an international court. If I remember correctly, there's some sort of maritime law court set up for just this sort of thing.


its called an Admiralty court, and those things have been around for centuries.

I think they will be tried by an international court. If I remember correctly, there's some sort of maritime law court set up for just this sort of thing.
Erm, I don't think so... There is an understanding that any country can try pirates caught on the high seas, because they are enemies of humankind. I was interested whether it is going to be a US federal court, a Navy court-martial... or even a military commission.

BTW, glad to see you!

Olantia I was wrong and your right about that.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Admiralty_courts

According to globalsecurity.com (http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/dd-x.htm), the DD(X) is actually a program for a number of different ships, one of which is this LCS.
So obviously they reckon they need a specialised, smaller boat - obviously for things like this.

But Syniks is right...do you really need something that fancy to find and board a fishing boat with an RPG on it?
Global Security hasn't been undated recently (neither has FAS.) The LCS and DD(X) are too seperate projects. The DD(X) is a destroyer born out of the now canceled DD-21 Zumwalt project. DD isn't a trimarian, has a 5" gun (larger than LCS gun), VLS cells, and state of the art RADAR systems. The LCS is a smaller trimarian with a weak gun and no VLS.

The DD(X) is going ahead though. It will have a crew of under 100 and will likely have a railgun too.