[smallpoxgirl]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Starvid', 'A') dead pirate is a good pirate.

[Dreamtwister]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Starvid', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Dreamtwister', 'A')ll this will do is turn the Gulf of Aden into a bloodbath.

My condolences to the families of the next American crew these guys get their hands on.

[Starvid]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Dreamtwister', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Starvid', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Dreamtwister', 'A')ll this will do is turn the Gulf of Aden into a bloodbath.

My condolences to the families of the next American crew these guys get their hands on.

[Blacksmith]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Dreamtwister', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Starvid', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Dreamtwister', 'A')ll this will do is turn the Gulf of Aden into a bloodbath.

My condolences to the families of the next American crew these guys get their hands on.

[Dreamtwister]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Starvid', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Dreamtwister', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Starvid', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Dreamtwister', 'A')ll this will do is turn the Gulf of Aden into a bloodbath.

My condolences to the families of the next American crew these guys get their hands on.

[Dreamtwister]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Blacksmith', 'M')ight I suggest a few Q-ships.

[eastbay]

Good idea. Q ships. The modern pirates would figure it out fairly quick, plus, liberal international pressure and civil rights advocates wouldn't allow us to do what a healthy society would do anyhow. So we must learn to live with them.


Anyhow, a friend of mine and I were talking about that last night, in fact. In WW I the Germans had success with the Muse and Wolf, each of which was disguised as a merchant ship and took out dozens of allies ships.

If anyone's interested in these raider ships there is an excellent book, The Cruise of the Raider, Wolf' written in the 30's by a British officer who spent several months onboard the Wolf. It's a 'must read' for anyone interested in naval history.

[Starvid]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Dreamtwister', 'W')rong.

Pirate1: "Hey um...this ship is American."
Pirate2: "So?"
Pirate1: "So if we take hostages, they will just shoot us."
Pirate2: "So we don't take hostages. Kill everyone on board."

They don't need to act in common cause. All that is required is a common awareness of the risks.

And before you say "Maybe they will think twice before taking an American ship", remember what you said: They are entrepeneurs. Life on the horn is cheap. What's the loss of a couple of teenagers hopped up on khat, when measured against a multi-million dollar ransom?

[Starvid]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Dreamtwister', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Blacksmith', 'M')ight I suggest a few Q-ships.

[Dreamtwister]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Starvid', 'W')e're not getting away from the fact that the sea lines of communications need to be open, and if the Somalis can't police their own waters somebody else will do it for them.

[wisconsin_cur]

How many miles out are they allowed to "tax" transport?



Take a look at the scale at the bottom left. 200 miles?

Maybe Cuba should "tax" transit into the Gulf of Mexico? Or we should "tax" shipments to Cuba?



Remember those hijacked freighters are going somewhere else and are coming within 200,300, 400 miles of the Somali coast on their way to where ever they are going.

Maybe I should tax those trucks who come with 20 miles of my house on the interstate? Urban areas (where most of those goods are bound) have been treating rural areas as colonies for centuries now so it must be valid right?

[Dreamtwister]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('wisconsin_cur', 'H')ow many miles out are they allowed to "tax" transport?

[Cabrone]

Whilst Somalia remains a failed state this will run on and on, only the stakes will get higher.

If I was a seaman having to pass through that area I'd be a lot more concerned for my safety now.

The long term solution has to be to get some kind of functioning government in that lawless country and then you can pressure them to deal with the root causes.

Just like Afghanistan it did actually have a government around 30-40 years ago so it's not an impossible goal, though it would take a lot of effort to bring back some semblance of stability now.

[Quinny]

Just in case you were thinking of downloading anything. Site is still up at the moment. link

[bencole]

Trying to stop the spread of file sharing on the internet is analogous to trying to plug a leaking and cracked dam with your finger.

[3aidlillahi]

[smallpoxgirl]

You people should all be thankful. This uptick in piracy is the only thing keeping global warming in check right now. link

[Kristen]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Starvid', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Kristen', 'I')t grosses me out how happy everyone is over death. ooh we're the good guys that stopped the evil pirates hurrah! hurrah! Perhaps the existence of the pirates stems from our inability to share with the rest of the world.

[jboogy]

The world consumes what is on the ships
The ships consume diesel to move
Diesel is utilized by the captain to move the ship
The captain is used by the pirates
The pirates are used by the seal snipers
The pirates brains are used to nourish the deck of the yellow boat

The circle of life is complete.

[bodigami]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('vision-master', 'T')here's another side to the story posted on LATOC.