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2009-04-10 Africa Horn

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Posted by john frum 2009-04-10 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11125 views ] Top

#1 "luring pirates into attacking apparently unarmed ships which then declared themselves as warships. Would this be in "accordance with international law"?"

Who gives a rat's behind?

Posted by Barbara Skolaut">Barbara Skolaut 2009-04-10 00:18|| 2009-04-10 00:18|| Front Page Top

#2 I'd suggest that you'd be surprised who gives a rat's ass, but you're a regular reader, so you won't be.

Posted by Steve White 2009-04-10 00:49|| 2009-04-10 00:49|| Front Page Top

#3 "And the UN Monitoring Group on Somalia issued a damning report last December in which it castigated ship owners for paying ransom. 'Exorbitant ransom payments have fuelled the growth of [pirate] groups,' it stated."

Any payment should be regarded as collusion with the pirates. Ship owners should be made aware that funding pirate activity by paying ransoms is enabling pirates to attack other ships. It should be regarded as a very serious offence.

Now that some crews have begun fighting off the pirates (all credit to them), the pirates will start using lethal force more frequently - expect violence associated with hijackings to increase, until the problem is dealt with properly.

Posted by Bulldog 2009-04-10 03:02|| 2009-04-10 03:02|| Front Page Top

#4 Satellite imagery is available which can monitor each of these buggers and how many Lucky Strikes they smoked as they leave their huts and villages, walk to their mother boats, or RB's and put off to sea. The solution is painfully simple. The only components missing are a 5 inch deck gun and the willingness to use it.

Posted by Besoeker 2009-04-10 07:53|| 2009-04-10 07:53|| Front Page Top

#5 Personally, I'm waiting for them to take a Russian, or Chinese, ship.

Posted by g(r)omgoru 2009-04-10 08:14|| 2009-04-10 08:14|| Front Page Top

#6 We have not signed nor ratified the LOST and we should boldly violate its terms.

Posted by Nimble Spemble 2009-04-10 08:19|| 2009-04-10 08:19|| Front Page Top

#7 Survey from Die Welt
Can the USA handle the Pirate problem?
0 Yes, they can do it better than the Europeans. 77%

No, the problem can only be solved together 20%

No, The Europeans can do this better.
3%

Umfrage
Bekommen die USA das Piraten-Problem in den Griff?

Ja, die können es besser als die Europäer Nein, nur zusammen ist das Problem zu lösen
Nein, die Europäer können es besser 77%

Ja, die können es besser als die Europäer
20%

Nein, nur zusammen ist das Problem zu lösen
3% Nein, die Europäer können es besser
291 abgegebene Stimmen

Posted by Besoeker 2009-04-10 08:27|| 2009-04-10 08:27|| Front Page Top

#8 Gee, NS, we signed a good portion of the Geneva Convention and had the Senate even ratify it, but that didn't stop SCOTUS Kennedy of ignoring that part about illegal combatants and lack of coverage of rights. Doesn't matter what the paper says or not, the focus of power is not in the waters off of Somalia, its on the bench in Washington. Get to the heart of the matter first, then the pirate issue will quickly disappear.

Posted by Procopius2k 2009-04-10 08:32|| 2009-04-10 08:32|| Front Page Top

#9 grom, I'm pretty sure I saw some mention of Chinese nationals being among those hostages being currently held by the pirates.

This shit isn't going to end until a foreign power seizes Puntland & hangs half the officials & hires the balance to run it as a colony.

Posted by Mitch H.">Mitch H. 2009-04-10 11:56|| http://blogfonte.blogspot.com/]">[http://blogfonte.blogspot.com/] 2009-04-10 11:56|| Front Page Top

23:41 Barbara Skolaut
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