Somali Pirates in Standoff - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Txjake · #1 10-06-2008, 04:36 PM

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,433322,00.html

Sounds like the making of a combined Delta/Spetznaz operation to take the ship back. It's gonna be wet.....

MTI · #2 10-06-2008, 04:38 PM

Is there some law of the high seas or diplomatic reason why US resources are involved in this?

Txjake · #3 10-06-2008, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MTI

Is there some law of the high seas or diplomatic reason why US resources are involved in this?

The pirates seized 33 T72 Russian main battle tanks (although export models) with spare parts and ammunition that could fall into the hands of some bad guy (read Al-Quida, Dafur combatants, etc) Plus the pirates are out of control there and a threat to maritime security, thus a national security issue. Someone else will have to come up with any specifics on maritime treaties or such. It is good business to snuff these guys...

Botnst · #4 10-06-2008, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MTI

Is there some law of the high seas or diplomatic reason why US resources are involved in this?

Aside from an attempted hijacking of at least one US flagged vessel, not much.

We had naval forces in the area.

Who ya gonna call, the Swiss Navy?

B

Hatterasguy · #5 10-06-2008, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MTI

Is there some law of the high seas or diplomatic reason why US resources are involved in this?

Yeah because those SOB's are attacking our shipping to. The reason the Marine's exist is for stuff like this. This is also one of the first and most important jobs of the US Navy, to protect our commercial shipping interests.

ImBroke · #6 10-06-2008, 05:20 PM

Sink em. If you sink them as they get hijacked, it won't take long before they quit that avenue. Same thing for airplanes. Show no mercy, and they'll look elsewhere.

Medmech · #7 10-06-2008, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Txjake

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,433322,00.html

Sounds like the making of a combined Delta/Spetznaz operation to take the ship back. It's gonna be wet.....

I think GIGN will get some trigger time as well.

MTI · #8 10-06-2008, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hatterasguy

Yeah because those SOB's are attacking our shipping to. The reason the Marine's exist is for stuff like this. This is also one of the first and most important jobs of the US Navy, to protect our commercial shipping interests.

I was unaware of any "American flag" cargo ships being taken by Somali pirates. Is there a link to that story/stories? I reason that there are international treaties or agreements regarding crimes on the high seas, but I wonder to what extent we have become the cops of the Indian Ocean.

Hatterasguy · #9 10-06-2008, 07:38 PM

They just tried to attack a US Navy supply ship a month ago. Try sailing through that area of the world on your cruising sailboat and you'll get killed to. Lots of Americans are affected by these guys.

I don't have the time to dig up the articles, but they are a bane, and I'm glad my tax money is going to a good cause.

Besides except for this ship, the French, Canadians, and now Russians are doing most of the work. They maintain a fleet off Somali, we don't.

MTI · #10 10-06-2008, 08:16 PM

USNS John Lenthall, Jr. is the oiler that came under pirate attack. Thanks for refreshing my memory.

mpolli · #11 10-06-2008, 10:50 PM

What I don't get is how some rastafarians in a dinghy can hijack a ship 10 stories high. How can the crew even hear the threat? It's like if I got mugged by an ant holding a tiny sign. Wouldn't I just step on the ant? A yacht I can understand, but a giant freighter?

Botnst · #12 10-06-2008, 10:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mpolli

What I don't get is how some rastafarians in a dinghy can hijack a ship 10 stories high. How can the crew even hear the threat? It's like if I got mugged by an ant holding a tiny sign. Wouldn't I just step on the ant? A yacht I can understand, but a giant freighter?

They're smaller, that's for sure. Also faster and armed. The can outmaneuver a larger vessel very easily. They either come alongside and scramble aboard with automagic weapons aimed at the unarmed crew or they standoff with a boatload of heavy machineguns and rpgs. They can shoot-out the bridge or steering gear. The ships are not armored.

But you do have a point. All the shipper has to do is stick some mercenaries onboard with a .50 MG on each wing of the bridge and the ship would have the advantage over a small boat.

Fulcrum525 · #13 10-06-2008, 11:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mpolli

What I don't get is how some rastafarians in a dinghy can hijack a ship 10 stories high. How can the crew even hear the threat? It's like if I got mugged by an ant holding a tiny sign. Wouldn't I just step on the ant? A yacht I can understand, but a giant freighter?

Kinda reminds me of stories from WW1 (And maybe WW2) of merchant ships ramming U-Boats. You can just imagine the captain thinking "Oh yeah think your tough? Watch this!"

As was already said though its much harder to do against a very small power boat. I suppose if a captain was savvy enough he could to suddenly and try to send a large wave their way as they tried to board.

Hatterasguy · #14 10-07-2008, 12:15 AM

Only when they got lucky, U boats were faster than merchant ships, when the diesels were on.

Isn't that how JFK's PT boat got sunk? Japanese destroyer proved that steel is tougher than playwood.

Botnst · #15 10-10-2008, 05:46 PM

Somali pirates issue ultimatum
Al Jazeera

Pirates, who hijacked an arms-laden Ukrainian tanker off the Somali coast on September 25, have issued an ultimatum threatening to destory the ship if no ransom is paid.

Talks aimed at freeing the MV Faina stalled on Friday, a spokesman for the group holding the vessel said, deepening a two-week stand off over the vessel's fate.

"The negotiations with the owner of the ship have totally collapsed," Sugule Ali, a spokesman for the pirates, said.

"The owners are changing their mind from time to time, maybe because they are being advised by somebody that they can resolve the matter militarily."

Later, the AFP news agency quoted him as saying: "We held a consultative meeting for more than three hours today and decided to blow up the ship and its cargo - us included - if the ship owners did not meet our ransom demand."

Dangerous cargo

The ship, which is carrying 33 tanks and other heavy weapons, is surrounded by US warships, and a Russian frigate is heading toward the scene, raising the stakes for a possible commando-style raid on the ship.

"Given the situation, we are on alert and preparing ourselves for any eventuality, including military against us," Ali said.

Lieutenant Nate Christensen, a spokesman for the 5th Fleet, which is based in Bahrain and helps monitor the Somali coast, said the US Navy had no comment on the pirates' threat to destroy the ship.

The pirates have been demanding $20m to release the Faina and its 21 crew, seized on September 25 while it sailed toward the Kenyan port city of Mombasa.

Sources close to the hijackers say the amount may have been reduced after several days of talks.

Piracy problem

The exact details of the negotiations remain sketchy, but the pirates have insisted they must be paid before letting go the ship.

The hijacking of the Faina off the Horn of Africa has drawn the most international concern because of its dangerous cargo and momentum is gathering for co-ordinated international action against piracy.

Nato ministers agreed on Thursday that they would have seven ships in the area within two weeks, in addition to the US warship already on the scene.

On Tuesday, the UN's Security Council unanimously approved a resolution urging states to deploy more air and naval forces to combat piracy off the coast of Somalia.

The Gulf of Aden is one of the world's busiest maritime routes.

At least 63 ships have been attacked by pirates off the coast of Somalia since the start of the year alone and almost half of them were successfully boarded and held for ransom.