Article

2008-11-21 Africa Horn

Somalia: Aramco says it will negotiate with pirates over seized oil tanker

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Posted by Fred 2008-11-21 00:00|| || Front Page|| [2 views ] Top
File under: Pirates

#1 Private US security firm Blackwater has announced it is launching a flotilla of gunboats for hire by the shipping companies crossing the Gulf of Aden's 2.5 million square miles of sea.

Oops! Things may get very ROUGH for the pirates, very soon.

Posted by Old Patriot">Old Patriot 2008-11-21 10:51|| http://oldpatriot.blogspot.com/]">[http://oldpatriot.blogspot.com/] 2008-11-21 10:51|| Front Page Top

#2 The price is under 50 a barrel. Maybe if they wait long enough the pirates will pay Aramco to take it back

Posted by tu3031 2008-11-21 12:39|| 2008-11-21 12:39|| Front Page Top

#3 That last graphic is hard to read. I reloaded the graphic. Mods---please delete above graphic. Thanks!

Posted by Alaska Paul 2008-11-21 15:27|| 2008-11-21 15:27|| Front Page Top

#4 Alaska Paul,
From your map, it appears that all of the ships being held are being kept in Puntland. This suggests active collaberation by the Puntland government.

Posted by Frozen Al 2008-11-21 17:04|| 2008-11-21 17:04|| Front Page Top

#5 S.Arabia has elite commando units don't they? They certainly have a marginal regard for human life. Why wouldn't they try to retake the vessel? Are Aramco employees among the crew? Cause if they aren't, I don't see why they don't go 'all in' on this.

Posted by bigjim-ky 2008-11-21 17:39|| 2008-11-21 17:39|| Front Page Top

#6 S.Arabia has elite commando units don't they?

Yes, but they're committed to the NWF and Kashmir.

Posted by .5mt 2008-11-21 17:57|| www.cybernations.net]">[www.cybernations.net] 2008-11-21 17:57|| Front Page Top

#7 Frozen Al---speaking of frozen,it is 11F in anchorage and -7F in Fairbanks.

Puntland will tell you, dinars to donuts, that they don't have the power or resources to deal with the pirates. Maybe they don't. I just have a hard time believing them.

From Wiki:

Politics

President Mohamed Musa Hersi dismissed the parliament of Puntland on December 9, 2007, and effectively rules by decree.[6] This follows a year of defections and secessions from Puntland over the increasingly autocratic governing style of the president sparked initially by a demand earlier in 2007 for an audit of the budget. Fallout from this political crisis include the defection of Ahmed Abdi Xabsade to Somaliland and the invasion of Sool by Somaliland and his supporters, the secession of Puntland-controlled Sanaag and subsequent creation of the state of Maakhir, and recently the defection of the commander of Puntland military forces in Sool to Somaliland.

Economy
Bosaso is the largest city of Puntland

Puntland has 1600km of coastline, which is abundant with fish and other natural marine resources. However, after the collapse of the Somali central government in 1991, the coast was left unguarded against foreign intruders. As a result, many ships equipped with heavy trawls and other unlawful fishing equipment have worked in Puntland's territorial waters. These ships violate catch regulations, including some which keep their catch alive and stock them in waters where fishing has been depleted. Puntland's coastal authorities continue to receive complaints from local fishermen about the damage being done by these outsiders.

Puntland exports great quantities of seafood such as lobsters, dried fish, shark vines, and tuna. Sea salt is also produced.

Other economic products and activities of Puntland include livestock, frankincense, gum arabic, manufacturing and agriculture.

In Lasqorey district there is a medium size fish processing plant that produces and processes great quantities of tuna fish. The products of Lasqorey fish factory reach commercial level, and its tuna are found throughout Puntland and also outside the region. A fish processing plant is also being constructed in Habo, which locals hope will reduce poverty and unemployment and improve the economy of the area.

Piracy threatens shipping near the Puntland coast, with pirate crews operating out of ports on the coastline.[7] The pirates actually have an income of $30m per year [now $150 mil per year per Rantburg article], $10m greater than that of Puntland as a whole.

Posted by Alaska Paul 2008-11-21 18:27|| 2008-11-21 18:27|| Front Page Top

#8 You're gonna have to get down to the Bush Co. for some warm chili and crackers Pual...ehhehehe.

Posted by Besoeker 2008-11-21 18:29|| 2008-11-21 18:29|| Front Page Top

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