Article

2007-12-01 Africa Horn

Pirate mother ship hunt off Somali coast

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Posted by tu3031 2007-12-01 17:49|| || Front Page|| [6 views ] Top

#1 Sounds like bullshit. Aerial survellance ought to spot it almost immediately, even if it is in somali territorial waters...

Posted by M. Murcek">M. Murcek 2007-12-01 18:21|| 2007-12-01 18:21|| Front Page Top

#2 The pirates boarded the Japanese vessel before their skiffs were destroyed and remain aboard. The U.S. Navy has in the past persuaded pirates to abandon ships they have boarded and still hoped to do so in the case of the Japanese vessel though that might be complicated now that the pirates no longer have skiffs on which to leave.

A slight complication, indeed.

Posted by trailing wife">trailing wife 2007-12-01 18:25|| 2007-12-01 18:25|| Front Page Top

#3 combined with connections between the pirates and powerful figures in key Somali clans that receive multimillion-dollar ransoms, mean that pirate ships can cruise the ragged coastline with relative impunity.

until the entire port, and clan support facilities (i.e.: the warlord's compounds) for the "motherships" are completely destroyed from the air, this shit will continue. Time to put out bait and kill the flies it attracts

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2007-12-01 19:41|| 2007-12-01 19:41|| Front Page Top

#4 Aerial survellance ought to spot it almost immediately, even if it is in somali territorial waters...

They would look like a fishing boat or a small coastal freighter. You'd have to either establish a 'directory' and figure out what ship(s) have a pattern of being at the right place.

Maybe better would be to cultivate intel assets at the Somali ports known for piracy. Get data of the vessels in port; track them when they sail. Time consuming, but more effective long-term than just reacting to pirate attacks.

Posted by Pappy 2007-12-01 21:55|| 2007-12-01 21:55|| Front Page Top

#5 more effective, yes, but I'm constantly reminded about our poor humintel assets in the region (by the media, yes.....). Wouldn't backtracking sat observations help?

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2007-12-01 22:53|| 2007-12-01 22:53|| Front Page Top

#6 I think the problem with backtracking sat pics is time and manhours.

Posted by Mike N. 2007-12-01 23:04|| 2007-12-01 23:04|| Front Page Top

#7 Mike N. - then the government needs to let out some bids for a software package to preform that search.

Posted by 3dc 2007-12-01 23:14|| 2007-12-01 23:14|| Front Page Top

#8 yup, but expending the effort a couple times and letting it be known (via awesome YouTube or LiveLeak pirate ship blowup vids, especially showing shark frenzy on the leftovers) might be cost effective ....just ~~dreaming~~ saying...

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2007-12-01 23:16|| 2007-12-01 23:16|| Front Page Top

#9 Time to put out bait and kill the flies it attracts

It's been discussed here before. Q-ships were disguised military vessels used during WWI and WWII to bait and then attack subs. Same idea could apply to dealing with these pirates.

Posted by DMFD 2007-12-01 23:49|| 2007-12-01 23:49|| Front Page Top

23:49 DMFD
23:44 Barbara Skolaut
23:40 Barbara Skolaut
23:37 g(r)omgoru
23:35 Frank G
23:23 Old Patriot
23:21 Red Dawg
23:16 Frank G
23:15 Red Dawg
23:14 3dc
23:11 Red Dawg
23:10 g(r)omgoru
23:04 Mike N.
22:56 Abu do you love
22:53 Frank G
22:52 Abu do you love
22:39 Abu do you love
22:38 Frank G
22:31 SteveS
22:24 Pappy
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21:55 Pappy
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21:41 Seafarious