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| Africa Horn |
| Royal Navy authorized to destroy pirate vessels |
| 2008-10-28 |
| The Royal Navy has been given a new role to actively hunt pirate vessels, MPs have been told. Armed Forces Minister Bob Ainsworth said the navy had moved to a more 'proactive posture' in tackling the threat. Royal Navy sources said commanding officers had been given the power to destroy equipment used by pirates -- including sinking their vessels. In a Commons written answer, Mr Ainsworth told shadow foreign secretary William Hague yesterday: 'The government's stance on piracy has recently been reviewed. This has resulted in a move to a more proactive posture whereby Royal Navy units in the region will actively seek out pirates, and we have issued them with more robust guidance to deal with any pirates encountered.' Previously, commanding officers could only engage pirates if they caught them in the act and were not allowed to destroy their weapons or equipment. A navy source said: 'The UN Convention on the Laws of the Sea does not permit them to destroy equipment. What the UK guidance will do is allow commanding officers to do that.' A Nato fleet, including attached Royal Navy units, is deploying to the area and part of its mission will be to protect World Food Programme shipping heading to Somalia's capital Mogadishu. A US-led international fleet Combined Task Force 150, including the British frigate HMS Northumberland, is already patrolling the Gulf of Aden. |
| Posted by:Pappy |
| #6 'The UN Convention on the Laws of the Sea does not permit them to destroy equipment'. Another very good reason the United States should never accept this POS "treaty", including the loss of the ability to move warships freely through any "international" waters. The Law of the Sea Treaty(LOST) is the UN's biggest attempt yet to claim sovereignty overy 2/3 of the Earth's Surface. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2008-10-28 13:06 |
| #5 Previously, commanding officers could only engage pirates if they caught them in the act and were not allowed to destroy their weapons or equipment. "Ahoy there, kindly release the Captain from walking the plank and in a calm fashion report yourselves to the nearest authorities or we shall be forced to ask you a second time." Proactive Posture, Hah. Its a friggin ship of war in dangerous predatory waters protecting merchants. In the days of the Caribbean Pirate roundups they seemed to be able to determine whats what but in the days of sending via satellite images with a 2 second delay from Puntland to England cannot make a determination? And screw the UN and its supposed body of law. In the real world it don't mean jack. |
| Posted by: swksvolFF 2008-10-28 12:13 |
| #4 There is a Royal Navy? |
| Posted by: bman 2008-10-28 11:32 |
| #3 Captain Hooke Silver, Attorney at Law: http://www.boredtodeath.co.uk/ani129.php Specializing in ninja lawsuits. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2008-10-28 10:12 |
| #2 Glad to see they have use for their last few ships |
| Posted by: Dan 2008-10-28 09:45 |
| #1 Old pirates never die , they just get blown offshore ! Sorry couldnt resist :) |
| Posted by: Quetta Sucks 2008-10-28 05:08 |