Four Americans, including a Seattle couple, aboard a private yacht hijacked by Somali pirates are dead this morning, and readers reacting to the CBS story on-line are wondering why any of the pirates were taken alive. Likewise, after the Seattle Times caught up with the story at about 7:25 a.m., it didn’t take long for readers to suggest that the pirates be taught a lesson.
The incident is hardly a first in that part of the world. Somali pirates have been emboldened by the willingness of some victims to pay outrageous ransoms. Reports indicate that negotiations were underway between the pirates and a U.S. warship nearby.
Today’s dead are identified as Seattleites Bob Riggle and Phyllis Macay, along with Californians Scott and Jean Adam, who owned the Quest, whose home port may be Marina del Rey, where the Adams lived.
Then we should bring the Navy in and blast those Somalian (sic) MF's back into the stone age (or farther back into it). If a Somolian (sic) ship is at sea and is not fishing, blow them up and ask questions later.—Seattle Times reader
Early in the Obama administration, Navy SEAL marksmen took out some pirates holding a merchant captain hostage, but one can now conclude that message was insufficient to convince pirates that attacking boats or ships on the high seas, sailing under the American flag, is a bad idea. It will be up to the administration to take appropriate action. Examiner readers are encouraged to comment below, explaining what you think would be appropriate.
Meanwhile, what can private vessels do to discourage pirates or defend against them?
This column checked on line and it appears that it is legal – with some red tape, naturally – to carry arms aboard. Big shipping companies may be hiring professional security teams, but sailors aboard private yachts probably have no such option.
According to this website, carrying shotguns aboard a vessel is probably the easiest strategy, though one might conclude that a single shotgun is not going to ward off a pirate vessel, even if the thugs aboard are not used to getting shot at by their intended victims. On the other hand, a fast-cycling semi-auto shotgun, perhaps loaded up with buckshot and slugs, just might save the day or keep pirates at a distance until help can be summoned. Rifles and handguns are optional, and may involve a bit more red tape, and in some countries, all arms on board must be immediately reported to the authorities, kept locked on board while in port, or perhaps secured ashore.
Also many people feel a gun could aggravate a situation when attacked, and for persistent, well-armed pirates a whole arsenal would be needed. Far better to avoid trouble spots to begin with.—Noonsite
If arms aboard private vessels seems a bad idea, the only sensible alternative is to stay out of that part of the world.
Perhaps it is time to change tactics. As one would never waste time trying to negotiate with a band of thugs kicking in the front door of a home in East Tacoma, why waste time negotiating with high seas terrorists? Why not just hunt them down and kill them, and throw an international blockade along the Somali coast? Give foreign vessels time to depart with their crews and cargo, then level the Somali coastline.
Barbaric, you say? At the moment in that part of the world, barbarism appears to be the only thing some people understand.
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Comments
I'm drawn on this one. On the one hand, I want nothing more than to use violence against violence.
On the other hand, what is the underlying reason for the pirates for even doing what they do? Perhaps there is more that can be done from within. I just don't know.
I never understood why a boat/yacht/ship can not carry small arms in international waters. It just doesn't sit right with me.
I see no reason that a few AK's on my sailboat would be a threat to good guys, but may very well save my life against some pirates.
First and foremost people are not going to like my comment but here goes anyway. The first and safest thing is just staying out of the area completely. To think you can fend off these pirates with a Shotgun, Rifle, or Pistols just plain Foolish, they are far better armed that that and even if you could wound or kill a couple of them all you will succeed in doing is making them mad and more determined to take you.
The only thing that could be done effectively is for a group of High Speed Boats fully armed with the necessary weaponry and a crew of qualified combatants that can and will take out any pirate vassal contacted of observed in the area waters. These pirates are for the most part Terrorist and Thugs; the only language they will ever respect is superior Fire Power, and the determination to defeat them.
If you are stupid enough to enter into the known area that these thugs are know to operate in then do not cry foul if you get into a conflict with them, it then becomes your fault for not exercising common sense.
I don't think stupid is the right word for those people. They obviously knew the dangers and took their chances, much like the 12 disciples did in the first century. You or I may not think our lives are worth the effort of spreading the Gospel, but they did; and who knows what their reward or impact has been or will be. To them, they did what they felt they needed to do. Our lack of understanding their motives makes us unqualified as judges.
IIRC, under international law, piracy on the high seas is punishable by hanging by the captain of the ship who captures the pirates. This should be done early and often.
Carrying firearms (shotguns, the Saiga would be good here) would deter a few armed men used to bullying their way on board, but for the Somali types, with RPG, PKM etc., a shotgun won't do the trick.
The Navy/Marines should do as Lt. Presley O'Bannon did to the Barbary pirates...Attack them, and leave no one with arms able to use them. (I'm an Army guy, but this is a Marine job, what they have trained for, what they are good at, and what they do.)
As a former President once said, you are either with us or against us. The world needs to let these cretins know that the WORLD will not stand for this kind of action.
Maybe, maybe not. Pirates are a tough thing. Just ask yourself, if your car was stormed by heavily armed thugs, expecting a fight, while you were driving, or simply eating lunch in a parking lot; could you fend them off? Either way, it would be nice to have a gun on hand, but I'm not giving good odds.
The Somali pirates range up to about 1,000 miles from Somalia. This area includes the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, the Gulf of Oman, the Arabian Sea, and part of the Indian Ocean. It simply isn't practical to avoid this area--you'd have to go around Africa. Avoiding it would be like driving from Miami to LA via Sao Paulo, Brazil.
A blockade might work, if we had permission to operate within Kenyan and Djibouti territorial waters. It would be difficult though, as Somalia has 3,025 km of seaboard (Cuba has 3,735 km of seaboard, for comparison), and we need to stop and search everything from 20' ocean-going skiffs on up.
We also have to be careful to defend Somali fishermens' rights as we root out pirates, or else we risk trading the pirate problem for an al Qaeda problem.
We could also use air strikes to destroy the physical profits of piracy, like the head pirate's mansions, and CIA/Special forces to hunt down pirates in Somalia.
In my 50 years on this earth, I've never had a problem avoiding the waters off of Somalia. Why, I bet I've never come within 8 thousand miles of that area! (or however far it is from the Pacific NW)
If you are going to this area you;d better be prepared or don't go. Ruger Stainless Steel M14s are _THE_ boat gun. Pirates won't RPG your boat and sink it before they get what they want. Guns are not illegal on the high seas. Inside territorial waters, stainless steel and fiberglass hull berths (built into hull in hidden locations) will hide your firearms and ammo. Prepare reliable and relatively safe moltof cocktail components these are made with plastic pipe etc. Have hands assemble cocktails if shooting starts. Head shot all pirates at distance. Burn their boat to the water and sink it. Prepare break down firing positions using Kevlar wall panel material. Have Kevlar protected safe area for non shooters. vessel in your vicinity in pirate think waters. Get set! If they continue to get close bullhorn or radio them to id themselves and to stay clear. ask their intentions. If they don't, refer to above
So many comments; so little time.
So some obsrvations:
- One impetus for the priates was "illegal" EU fishing in their H20
= Many of these countries are not likely to go easy on gun "smugglers"
-Not smart to be in the area, let alone with a boat load of Bibles
These nitwits were asking for it.
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