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[cowofdoom78963]

Heh, DF needs a pirate mode...

Personally, I'd consider attacking somebody's ship, and then pointing an AK-47 at a dude's head while saying, "give us a million dollars ransom if you want this guy back alive" as "aggression".

Not to somalians(or pirates). They think different then you and me.

The pirates are saying that they're going to be more brutal with French and American hostages after this.  Incredible tactical genius, that.

Whats so illogical about it?

It's time to level Gara'ad and/or Harardhere and show the pirates what "aggression" really is.

Then the aftermath would be pirates vengeful for the deaths of their familys. Of course the piracy industry would barly suffer a dent...

don't think using nukes is appropriate (and I'd hope that all such suggestions are made in jest)

I hope this suggestion was made in jest... Leveling citys isent much of an improvement dont you think?

but it's certainly time to show these animals what it means to pick a war with the most powerful navy in the world.

And of course, they arent even fit to wash our feet etc. etc.

Just sounds like a whole bunch of rage and passion to me.

Sorry if I wasn't totally clear on this.  WE HAVE A TALK WITH THE WARLORDS. THEY DO AS WE SAY. GAME OVER FOR PIRACY.

its been done, dident work.

[Axe27]

The only way to solve the piracy problems in Somalia, is to solve the economic problem. I know, bloody impossible, but that's the only way things going to work, short of nuking Mogadishu, which would be a huge waste of resources, life, and have some pretty big consequences.

[umiman]

Why do people love to use multiline forum quotes? Do they not read their own posts? Can they not see how difficult to read it becomes or how silly they look trying to refute every single minor aspect of their opponent's posts?

On topic: I've been following the piracy problem in Africa for about a year now. Honestly though, you can't eliminate such things. The cost of fielding a navy to search and hunt down tiny vessels and speedboats far outweigh the benefits. In essense, the countries will just demonstrate displays of force, eliminate idiotic pirates who are too aggresive (hijacking vessels belonging to billion dollar corporations is not smart), and lots of other pirates will just do their thing and be part of a general statistic (Who cares if 10,000 fishing boats and small trader vessels are raided).

Piracy can't be removed. It only evolves. This is why all the people who want to wipe out crime are really just simply put: idiots. It can't be practically done. There's a point where the damage you do trying to stop piracy just simply isn't worth it any more. It's the same reason why you can't wipe out rape, murder, theft, and other such injustices. If you think about it, trade taxes and import tarrifs are a manner of piracy as well. Just legally sanctioned by the government. Countries used to hire privateers to conduct piracy in their name, though nowadays we call those privateers "multinationals".

There's plenty of seafaring piracy in Asia as well, and it's been going on for longer. Just not as well observed by the news as they know not to prey on targets that will obviously get them in huge amounts of trouble. They also have a lot of connections, what with bribery and corruption helping them along. I believe a US naval fleet was sent to patrol the Malaccan strait but who knows if they have had any success.

I personally think that the best way to deal with the problem of piracy is to do what the media has been doing all this while. Blow it out of proportion until no country is willing to send anything through that area. No supply, no feasable form of piracy. Of course, this also means that all your personal goods that were supposed to go through that route will go up in prices by quite a huge amount.

[Rilder]

How hard is it to actually get a job on a ship like that? Always been a bit of a dream of mine.

It's actually fairly easy.  I did it with basically no experience.  You just walk in to a shipping company and apply for a job as a deckhand.  They'll take any random joe off the street as long as he can pass a piss test and has a high-school diploma.  You usually live on the boat for two weeks and then get two weeks off, or some similar schedule, and you get paid by the day.  I was a deckhand (basically a combination janitor/loader/ boat-tyer-upper) for three months before they trained me to be an engineer.  You want to make sure that you don't get seasick, though.  I got BAD seasickness and tried to stick it out for a year.  It's very physical work and you have to be able to handle being alone or with a half-dozen guys for weeks at a time, but the company pays all your expenses on the boat (boat workers eat like KINGS), so you come home with piles of cash.  It's a great job if you can handle it, and they're always willing to train you upward.  If you work out as a low-level employee, most companies will agree to pay for your schooling to get a Master's License if you agree to work for them as a captain for a few years afterward.

Well I don't have the HS Diploma (Never got on school unless I wanted to learn what they taught me, meaning that I got Complete F's except for like one class) but that sounds like a not to bad career.

[umiman]

You didn't finish high school...?

[Bromor Neckbeard]

Did you get your GED, Rilder?  It's conceivable that you could get a job on a boat without one, there's some pretty sketchy companies out there, but if you don't at least have a GED, it's gonna be an uphill battle to get a job with a company you'd want a job with.  The deckhand that replaced me was this cowboy dude who was as wide as he was tall.  The dude could lift an 80-pound generator battery with one hand, and I guess that made up for his total inability to read, write, or do basic math.

(edit)  The guy I'm describing was ignorant, but he was a really decent sort.  He was basically a big overgrown kid, like a slightly-slower version of Forrest Gump (if Forrest Gump was built like a tank).  He wasn't bigoted at all.  The captain, on the other hand, was just as Axe described, but without the mullet.  The engineer I replaced was even worse.  You know that scene in American History X where the dude is throwing out the brown M&M's?  I saw that engineer do that exact thing on numerous occasions.

There's fishing boats that work 3-week hitches, and everybody on the boat does meth for 3 weeks straight so that they can catch fish 24-7 instead of wasting time sleeping or eating.  I don't think those guys care if you have a GED or a diploma or anything, but you may not want to work in that environment either.

[Rilder]

You didn't finish high school...?

Nah.

[Axe27]

The deckhand that replaced me was this cowboy dude who was as wide as he was tall.  The dude could lift an 80-pound generator battery with one hand, and I guess that made up for his total inability to read, write, or do basic math.

That sounds exactly like my father's business. You see, he owns this small window shade business that's been decently successful for a number of years, and I've worked many a summer in his factory. Let me tell you, that sounds exactly like the average worker there. They're all the same. They vote Republican, hate black people, can barely read the front page of the newspaper, and can lift and move a 70 pound barrel full of metal parts.

Oh, and did I mention they all have mullets?

[codezero]

It's fkn funny how some Americans think when a person from another country wrongs them, they are entitled to arbritrarily kill large amounts of that countries population. Even after Iraq!

Now I understand why Bush was so popular, I'm glad there's a two term limit.

If you were to use force, and this is what America should've done in Iraq and Afghanistan;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_Air_Service

[mainiac]

It's fkn funny how some Americans think when a person from another country wrongs them, they are entitled to arbritrarily kill large amounts of that countries population. Even after Iraq!

Now I understand why Bush was so popular, I'm glad there's a two term limit.

If you were to use force, and this is what America should've done in Iraq and Afghanistan;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_Air_Service

How is the SAS better equipped to operate in Afganistan then the Navy Seals, the Army Rangers, CIA special operations, Marine Force Recon, Airborne Infantry, etc?  Or for that matter, the SAS, who were on the ground!  Or the Green Barets, who are equipped for asymmetrical warfare in coordination with indigenous forces.  Americans might be so sure of their own correctness that the ignore the facts but certain people seem to be so sure that we are wrong that they make the exact same mistake...

I think that the rather small military shortcoming in Afganistan were vastly overshadowed by the giant civilian failures to set up a trustworthy democracy and build up a decent infrastructure or economy.

[Bromor Neckbeard]

Now I understand why Bush was so popular, I'm glad there's a two term limit.

Actually, near the end of his term, Bush was the most unpopular President in history.

And I suggest military operations (that would unavoidably kill civilians) because there's NO other alternative.  Keep in mind that these same pirates hijack ships that are bound for their own country, carrying humanitarian aid such as donated food and medical supplies.

[codezero]

I bypass the Seals, marines etc 'cause they obviously couldn't depose of Saddam or find Osama. And these are the forces that are designed to work in small groups behind enemy lines (remember they're all based on the SAS). Hence my suggestion.

If America can't target specific targets, like sending in the navy to deal with the pirate ships and the pirate ships alone, then they're best asking somebody else for help.

[Maggarg - Eater of chicke]

I was going to post something meaningful but the sheer amount of stupidity and bickering demoralised me.

[PTTG??]

Now I understand why Bush was so popular, I'm glad there's a two term limit.

...Actually, near the end of his term, Bush was the most unpopular President in history...

Glad as I am to see him gone, he wasn't quite the least-liked president; I believe that former president Nixon was more disliked.

[cowofdoom78963]

Now I understand why Bush was so popular, I'm glad there's a two term limit.

...Actually, near the end of his term, Bush was the most unpopular President in history...

Glad as I am to see him gone, he wasn't quite the least-liked president; I believe that former president Nixon was more disliked.

I think Grant was one of the "lesser" presidents, probably worse than bush.

And I KNOW Bush wasent as bad as Hoover.
(note Im not saying he was good)