Pirates grab another US boat and 4 people.

[geronimotwo]

i still can't understand how?why we allow this to go on.  with the amount of satelite surveilence we have it would seem a matter of a week or so to level their resources.

[kgbsquirrel]

Your base might have to be a ship or ships, just because of how finicky the furriners are about bringing guns, etc into their countries.

......

It's Somalia, have you ever been to a bazaar in Mogadishu?

[geronimotwo]

sorry, no.  and of course the above is said with no previous military experience.

[Tallpine]

......

It's Somalia, have you ever been to a bazaar in Mogadishu?

You want to live there 

[Devonai]

The Russians seem to recall how to deal with pirates, judging by the video I saw not too long ago.  

We need either a change in regime, or some independent action.

Beyond This Horizon was a great novel, and welcome to APS!

[kgbsquirrel]

You want to live there 

You must have misinterpreted my comment. I was referring to the pretty much lack of anyone caring what sort of weapons are brought into or out of Somalia.

[Hawkmoon]

......

It's Somalia, have you ever been to a bazaar in Mogadishu?

Given that the goal here is to fight off Somali pirates, somehow I don't think Plan A should include using Mogadishu as the fixed forward operating base.

[vaskidmark]

Given that the goal here is to fight off Somali pirates, somehow I don't think Plan A should include using Mogadishu as the fixed forward operating base.

When dealing with warlords, it is sometimes incumbent to ally with one against the other.  However, one should always remember that one is dealing with a viper who knows naught but to bite when the opportunity presents.

Personally, I can think of dozens of other lands where ports of call for resupply are available, and we stand off shore waiting for the pirates to venture out - as in anyone paddling beyond x miles from shore is neither fishing nor sightseeing.

While I agree that there needs to be a certain skillset to the crew of the M/V SS HMRN Fistful's Folly, I also note that the pirates seem to be doing significantly well with what appears to be the traditional crew of motley sailors.  Not much skillset to sailing, navigation, weapons deployment or any of the other items mentioned by our more professional bretheren, yet they seem to be managing fairly well.  My concerns center more around cooking, sanitation, and keeping certain individuals from expending the greater portions of the stores of ammunition and whatever will pass for unreconstituted (with water) grog before we even encounter the pirates.

stay safe.

[Scout26]

The pirates are simply criminals of opportunity.   Sail out and attempt to grab a ship if it comes into view.  If not, sail back home and try again tomorrow.

I surprised that the Naval Forces in the area haven't pulled their collective heads out of their fourth points and instituted the one thing that would stop the pirates cold.

Convoys.

Achmed, Mohammad and the boys in the oversized bass boats wouldn't stand a chance against a 5-20 ship convoy protected by ONE Frigate, Destroyer, or Patrol Ship armed with anything larger then 20mm autocannon.   Have designated points  (North/East bound, South/West bound) for ships to meet up with an escort vessel.  If you want to go it alone, then good luck, but you're on your own, we're not answering 911 calls as all lines are currently busy, please try your call again later.   

Should be simple to coordinate, rather then having ships from 10-20 different navies trying not to run into each other as they steam in circles off the Horn of Africa....

[vaskidmark]

Fox and other sources are reporting all 4 American captives are dead, as well asa 2 pirates.  No details on how anybody died.

Crank up the internet & watch for details.

stay safe.

[vaskidmark]

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/02/22/501364/main20034691.shtml

All I can find right now.  Seems the pirates shot the captives, then "something happened" and there were dead pirates.  Then US forces were on board to count the bodies.

stay safe.

[vaskidmark]

And now this brief mention http://www.mynorthwest.com/category/local_news_articles/20110222/Four-Americans-aboard-hijacked-yacht-killed/

But still nothing, even on TV, as to who/what/when the US warship was involved and how the Pentagon is knowing this information.

stay safe.

[kgbsquirrel]

 

I've got not much else to say on the matter.

[vaskidmark]

CentCom saying 13 pirates captured.  http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/02/four-american-hostages-killed-by-somali-pirates-during-rescue-attempt.html

Still no details.  Starting to wonder how come.

stay safe.

[vaskidmark]

MSNBC report http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41715530/ns/world_news-africa/  says no active rescue attempt was under way when the pirates shot the captives.

Still no details on who captured the pirates or how the 2 dead pirates got that way.

stay safe.

[vaskidmark]

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/02/22/americans-aboard-yacht-captured-pirates-reportedly-killed/

Seems 2 pirates were already dead when things went pear-shaped.  Nothing to say how those 2 got dead, but logic says they were killed by the other pirates.

Still nothing identifying which "US forces" were responding or which ship they came from or how they got to the yacht.

stay safe.

[280plus]

Nothing to say how those 2 got dead, but logic says they were killed by the other pirates.

Yea, pirates will do that to each other. I'm not understanding the 13 surviving pirates myself. Maybe we should have asked the Russians for help. 

[Ben]

Some further info. One of our SpecOps guys brought a knife to the gunfight and won.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110222/ap_on_re_af/piracy

[Brad Johnson]

This may not (and likely will not) garner many positive responses, but it needs to be said.  While I can appreciate the couples' dedication to their mission and faith, and am very saddened to hear of their fate and the associated grief their families will be facing, intentionally sailing directly into what amounts to an active war zone greatly tempers my sympathies.  If you know there's a fire and you intentionally sail around the world to jump into it, well, don't be surprised when the obvious happens.

Like I said, this sentiment won't be popular and I expect to get flamed a good bit, but stupid is stupid no matter how noble the motivation.

Brad

[Jamie B]

Did not end well this am.

Shots fired on yacht, RPG fired at US warsip.

Seal team hit the water, killed 2 pirates, H2H with knife to kill a third.

Hostages found dead below decks.

Nuts!

[French G.]

AC-130, cruise the coast, hit everything that looks like a pirate.

[HankB]

This may not (and likely will not) garner many positive responses, but it needs to be said.  While I can appreciate the couples' dedication to their mission and faith, and am very saddened to hear of their fate and the associated grief their families will be facing, intentionally sailing directly into what amounts to an active war zone greatly tempers my sympathies.  If you know there's a fire and you intentionally sail around the world to jump into it, well, don't be surprised when the obvious happens.

Like I said, this sentiment won't be popular and I expect to get flamed a good bit, but stupid is stupid no matter how noble the motivation.

You're not the only one to see things this way.

I'd like to add . . . with four dead Americans, am I the only one who is saddened that 13 living pirates were captured?

[kgbsquirrel]

I'd like to add . . . with four dead Americans, am I the only one who is saddened that 13 living pirates were captured?

No, you aren't. Not so, by a wide margin.

[Doggy Daddy]

I'd like to add . . . with four dead Americans, am I the only one who is saddened that 13 living pirates were captured?

Ditto.  I would have been much happier if it was reported that upon boarding only 2 living pirates were found and that they both failed to survive the encounter.  Reports of there being 13 other pieces of sharkbait pirates were found to be unfounded.

DD

[Harold Tuttle]

WWVPD?