US crew overtakes Somali pirates

Yeah, Carter should have given the Iranians all their money back and sold them missiles.
That's what a real president would have done.
http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB210/index.htm

 

This caught my eye in the AP story: "The pirates still hold about a dozen ships with more than 200 crew members, according to the piracy watchdog International Maritime Bureau."

One ship apparently has been held since November.

 

I have zero problems with killing pirates. It's war, not a tea party, dammit! </Edward Preble>

 

Yes, this has been going on for some time. Used to be that the Malacca Straits were the most pirate-infested, but no more.

The pirates likely attacked the Maersk Alabama without knowing its was US-flagged. Maersk Line Ltd. (whose ships look exactly like Danish parent Maersk Line's) hauls shipments primarily for the US military.

Another note: The largest US-based carriers, such as Horizon Lines, only work in Jones Act services between the US, Puerto Rico and Guam. Foreign entities bought up all the US international ocean lines, such as APL, years ago. The US has long been out of the international ocean shipping business. Think about that.

 

Oooh! Navy Seals!

 

Also, I think the question came up earlier of the reason that these boats don't have security forces. I think the main problem for that is insurance issues - obviously, these companies have expensive insurance policies on their cargo, and engaging in any kind of combat would void those policies. Maybe it would be more effective to say "screw the insurance" and hire mercenaries as deck hands, but I doubt shipping companies want to do that.

 

can they not just arm themselves?

 

I'd first say that companies shouldn't engage in business that requires shipping goods around or near Somalia.
I know, though, that it's lucrative to do work in more dangerous areas.

Other countries need to take U.S. lead here and start engaging in head-to-head combat with these animals.

It's a many-sided coin, this pirate/sea vessel issue. I just love seeing the bad guys go down like they did this weekend.
Awesome news.

 

Carriers typically don't carry cargo insurance, shippers do. Carriers only insure the vessel itself.

They have, but mainly in defense of their own ships. No one wants to chase pirates through Somalia. And no country wants to be seen as the policeman for the region's shipping.

 

One of my buddies is a former commander of SEAL Team Three. Badass doesn't even begin to describe it.

 

Oh yes. Already in with President Candyass columns... Although I've got to give Steyn points for the Archduke Franz Ferdinand line.

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/distraction-world-pirates-2361189-states-distractions

 

Missed it by that much.