[Cid_Yama]

If they can find a ship with tanks onboard, they can find a ship with fuel onboard.

[Tanada]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Cid_Yama', 'I')f they can find a ship with tanks onboard, they can find a ship with fuel onboard.

[mattduke]

Tanks for the link.

[BigTex]

This story reminds me of a dog that likes to chase cars and finally catches one.

What are a bunch of African pirates going to do with a load of tanks?

You can't stick a tank under your arm and run away.

Last I heard, a U.S. and Russian naval ship were chasing them.

This is an interesting story. I can't wait to see how it turns out.

[Pretorian]

As far as I am aware of, Somali exists only on maps. Isnt there like 11 or 12 independent fiefdoms?

[Revi]

This is like the first scene in Black Hawk Down, but imagine the warlords with tanks.

It's going to get wierd in the horn of Africa. I have heard that a nasty famine is happening there too.

These same pirates have commandeered a couple of ships carrying grain too. They must have quite a bit of stuff now.

Do they have a port? How are they going to offload stuff?

[Cloud9]

I wonder if they would sell me one?

[Pretorian]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Cloud9', 'I') wonder if they would sell me one?

[evilgenius]

The first thing I thought was that the Russians will deliberately sink the ship carrying the tanks if they can't get the pirates to capitulate. They won't worry about the crew unless somebody important has someone they care about working there.

[Cid_Yama]

The pirates control an autonomous region in Somalia called Puntland. The ship is already in port at Eyl.

The ship was Ukranian, not Russian and the delivery was intended for Kenya. I imagine the manuals are in a language the pirates can read.

[evilgenius]

So, a sitting target for a backfire or a bearcat bomber.

Do these pirates work for themselves? Does anybody know?

[BigTex]

Apparently, the pirates have a spokesman (spokespirate?), but there has been no official comment.

[Cid_Yama]

I imagine a typical Somali warlord situation. Powerful one though, since he controls a sizable region.

This might trigger a response from the major powers as it represents a significant shift in the balance of power in the region.

They may, however, allow them to fight it out among themselves, then take out the winner. Problem solved.

[evilgenius]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Cid_Yama', 'I') imagine a typical Somali warlord situation. Powerful one though, since he controls a sizable region. This might trigger a response from the major powers as it represents a significant shift in the balance of power in the region. They may, however, allow them to fight it out among themselves, then take out the winner. Problem solved.

[smallpoxgirl]

Ironic that this happened in the same week as Talk Like a Pirate Day. The flying spaghetti monster is smiling.

If pastafarian theology is correct, this surge in piracy should lead to a decline in global warming and natural disasters.

Argh!

[Cloud9]

C.O.D.

[Dreamtwister]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Cid_Yama', 'T')he ship is already in port at Eyl.

[Revi]

I think they might have a problem getting them off the ship. If we can see their hideouts on Google maps you can be sure that they can be seen by all sorts of sophisticated devices.

[CarnbY]

The had a report on this on cnn or bbc today (can't remember which...). Apparently the ship is still at sea, and a US warship has visual but is currently just monitoring the situation...

[Cid_Yama]

Sorry, Hobyo, not Eyl.

A US navy destroyer has made visual contact with a Ukrainian ship which was seized by Somali pirates last week and is now moored off the town of Hobyo.
link