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[Org]

inaluct: Considering the fact that the US intervened in Somailia in the 1990's and decided to get out quickly...yeah, no. Besides, destroying Zimbabwe will just lead to more instability. Haven't we learnt anything from the Iraq War?

Eh.

Crack down on illegal fishing. Take away the ideological backing behind the pirates. (Also, according to my research, illegal toxic dumping also occurs. The pirates also call themseleves "coast guards", protecting Somailia's coast from these criminals.)

Correct.
That is probably the best idea.

[inaluct]

No, look; Zimbabwe has some instability, right? If we destroy Zimbabwe, the instability goes with it. It's so simple.

I'm surprised that you, Servant Corps, a proud Republican, can't see the promise of this plan.

[kuro_suna]

Would it really cause too many shipping delays if we set up convoys? Instead of having a huge international fleet wandering around aimlessly and having to manually search ships to see if their fishermen or pirates we could have fleets of two to three military ships escort a few dozen merchant ships.

[Cthulhu]

What we need to do is dredge up some old men-of-war from the 1700s, internally refit them so they're seaworthy(But still look like ancient wooden ships), dress up the Navymen, marines, and the like as REAL pirates(Peg legs, yaar, the whole nine yards), and send those at them.  Show them who plunders what waters.

[FoboslC]

Actually, baclk in the days, Soviets had quita effective ways of defending against pirates: Soviet ships carried not only cargo, but also some troops with it. Once the pirates boarded, military quickly destroyed them and dumped bodies back into their boat. Needless to say, Soviets cargoships didnt experienced a lot of troubles with pirates.

[PTTG??]

Ah, I do respect Aqizzar and Bromor's opinions. I myself was wondering why, in this case, one of our satellite-targeted missile systems don't blow up a dinghy to give the Americans an edge in the negotiation for that captain.

But I say, other than arming US-branded ships (and only US-branded ships. If you don't register that hull here, then count on lybia, ya filthy tax-dodger), let India and China sort it out. Spain had thier turn, then Britain, so now it's time for the next world powers to do some chores.

[Cthulhu]

The Soviet military never ceases to brutally awesome, does it?



Oh, yeah...

[FoboslC]

Eltsin?. Are you kidding me? I'd shoot this fag myself - he ruined everything.

[Aqizzar]

But I say, other than arming US-branded ships (and only US-branded ships. If you don't register that hull here, then count on lybia, ya filthy tax-dodger), let India and China sort it out.

Cargo ships are armed, at least with handguns the crew buy and carry themselves.  How willing and effective some American wage-earners with pistols would be against toked-out Somali kids with AKs is another matter, but most vessels do take measures to defend themselves.

This was a rare case precisely because the ship was unarmed.  How they later overpowered the pirates is surely an incredible tale of heroism I can't wait to hear.  They were probably forbidden to carry firepower by some Geneva statute, because the ship was actually registered to America and was sailing on an international aid mission.

By the way, most independent cargo ships are not registered to their home ports, even if described as such.  They usually get their papers from Panama or Liberia (not Lybia), because by design they have unenforceable inspection and customs laws.  Which is a problem yes, but the Law of the Sea is one of those mired in tradition things we still haven't sorted out after 5000 years.

Eltsin?. Are you kidding me? I'd shoot this fag myself - he ruined everything.

He got sloppy drunk with a bowlful of beer and barfed all over an American dignitary.  What's not to love?

[kuro_suna]

But I say, other than arming US-branded ships (and only US-branded ships. If you don't register that hull here, then count on lybia, ya filthy tax-dodger), let India and China sort it out.

Cargo ships are armed, at least with handguns the crew buy and carry themselves.  How willing and effective some American wage-earners with pistols would be against toked-out Somali kids with AKs is another matter, but most vessels do take measures to defend themselves.

The biggest problem I see is that many of the half mile long container and tanker ships only have about a dozen crew members so its very difficult for them to keep the pirates from boarding in the night and easy for the pirates to just outnumber them.

[Ampersand]

Don't you people understand that increasing piracy levels is the only way to combat global warming?

[inaluct]

Damn, I wish I had made that joke. :I

[DJ]

But I say, other than arming US-branded ships (and only US-branded ships. If you don't register that hull here, then count on lybia, ya filthy tax-dodger), let India and China sort it out.

Cargo ships are armed, at least with handguns the crew buy and carry themselves.  How willing and effective some American wage-earners with pistols would be against toked-out Somali kids with AKs is another matter, but most vessels do take measures to defend themselves.

The biggest problem I see is that many of the half mile long container and tanker ships only have about a dozen crew members so its very difficult for them to keep the pirates from boarding in the night and easy for the pirates to just outnumber them.

Clearly a pack of roaming war dogs (20 or so) should be standard issue for ships traveling in Somalian waters.

[Aqizzar]

Or maybe a fence of barbed wire jutting ten feet off the railing all around the ship.

Or sonar.

Or locking all the doors.

[Org]

Or lasguns