...No, wait, I meant "More On Piracy." Or did I?
Latest news is the pirates have sworn revenge on anyone who would dare oppose them -- like, say, the United States Navy (or the French Navy, who took out a batch of pirates even earlier).
Good luck with that.
I'm thinkin' they're not understanding the disparity of force here; but I'm pretty sure there are at least a couple of Navies who would be more than willing to provide examples. While I'd rather see Letters of Marque and Reprisal issued, I'm okay with havin' the Navy handle the problem. Or the Orkin man, if he could target them precisely. Pirates are vermin.
Moron Labe.
ReplyDeleteThat means, "come and get the stupid pirates."
Or something.
Seems like it would be a simple job to drop a daisy-cutter at one of their bases as a warning. I think that would get their attention.
ReplyDeleteOr as someone else said, "Slum clearance, B-52 style."
ReplyDeleteGiven the state of what passes for infrastructure in Somalia, a full-on Arc Light would make little noticeable difference. I am reminded of PJ O'Rourke's comments on flying over Mogadishu, to the effect that it made him think of a massive game of Clue: The solution was "Everybody, in the bathroom, with an AK."
ReplyDeleteWhy don't we let them attack and do their piracy thing...then have the navies of the world practice their stirke force capability on 'em!?!?!?
ReplyDeleteI mean, they have already sworn revenge on "US"....and they are going to be embolden now...so why not? Let them bring it!
Steve
My concern rests not with their fantasy attacks on naval vessels but their attacks on American (or French) registered cargo vessels. I know the French have been through this kind of thing before and reprisals don't exactly bother them. I do hope America is ready for what might be in the offing.
ReplyDeleteA second thought, though, is consider the experience the Canadian navy has gained serving in the anti-piracy task forces. They've developed small boat tactics, boarding and searching as part of each frigate's normal mission when in those waters.
It amazes me that the shipping lines ... who've already paid out a reported $40 million ... haven't organized a convoy system. Jeeze ... for that kind of money, they could afford to hire their own escorts ... or pay towards the costs of regular naval protection.
Just my thoughts.
They could easily convoy -- perhaps they're afraid of negative PR? --I figure every nation of the world with a Navy worth mentioning -- or ambitious enough! can take turns trolling with a secretly-armed decoy vessel and a strike force just over the horizon. Heck, it could even be a competitive thing, we could have stats and playoffs between the best-performing navies...
ReplyDeleteI suppose I am only dreaming. >sigh<
Roberta, now there you have an idea. It'd be like the Bass Masters tour but on the high seas!
ReplyDeleteLOL
Your idea has merit. Their threats are not idle. Keep in mind what a rubber boat did to the Cole.Once a pirate culture takes root, it must be rooted out. Treating this like so many graffiti artists on skateboards will indeed endanger military ships as well as merchant vessels. If the attackers do not care overmuch about survival, our thin-skinned modern ships can be made vulnerable. Like any gang war, it's useless to strike once unless you intend to carry it through.
ReplyDeleteAfrica has crummy PR. Affairs like this one call into question the entire project of colonial divestiture. Puntland would be better off under King Leopold, and that's saying a lot. The UN (just joking, some group of real grown-ups) will need to draw up a legally defensible definition of "failed state," with a charter of what's allowed once that state obtains. Then we'll want to be very careful not to be on the list.
Wonder if the Italians would like to try their hand at nation-building again?
So if a cargo vessel took on a team of shooters, and was then attacked, and the shooters killed all the attackers and maybe lobbed a missile or three at the mothership, sinking it with all hands, would there really be any complaints from anyone at all?
ReplyDeleteHeck, my teenage son wants to start an "escort service" for cargo ships in that region, with some of his buddies. If even he can see the capitalistic opportunity, I suspect Blackwater (or whatever they are called now) already has contracts with major shippers and is providing the service described.