NO!!! now go away...
Posted on 04/21/2008 4:07:25 PM PDT by Dawnsblood
Spain appealed to France, the United States and NATO on Monday for help in ending a crisis sparked when pirates seized 26 crew members of a Spanish fishing boat off the Somali coast.
The defence ministry said a Spanish military frigate was heading to the area off east Africa, where the pirates have demanded money for the release of the crew, a day after storming the vessel armed with grenade launchers.
It said the ship would arrive in 24 to 36 hours.
Deputy Prime Minister Maria Teresa Fernandez de la Vega chaired a meeting of senior cabinet members, including Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos and Defence Minister Carme Chacon, to discuss the crisis.
"We have sought the help of France and the United States," two countries with a military presence in the area, a Spanish government spokesman said.
The defence ministry "has already entered into contact with NATO authorities," the government said in a statement.
It said Madrid is also in contact with "Britain and other allied countries and friends with a military presence in the area."
(Excerpt) Read more at afp.google.com ...
Screw'em they bailed on us in Iraq....let them RESCUE their own people.
Does the current government of Spain, which won election by pledging to pull out of Iraq, intend to take action? Or do they want “help” negotiating?
It’s time that the maritime community got together and dealt with these Somalis. If necessary, they should go in and, at the least, destroy all the small power boats along that coast, if the Somali government can’t or won’t control this piracy.
"Somali government?" That's funny!
NO!!! now go away...
So, now that the socialist Spanish gov’t is in trouble, they call on the US military for help.
Does anyone think that we will be thanked by these same socialists after all is said and done?
All you gotta do is start keeping proper gear on your flagged vessels and the pirates will figure out that it's far easier to attack vessels of another flag.
No,
but thanks for asking.
We even helped a North Korean vessel against the pirates. We should take any excuse to move against the pirates, especially Islamic pirates, especially Somali Islamic pirates. Make the ocean there a no-float zone for the Somalis.
It seems that a lot of people have forgotten that, in the last Congressional election, America's voters also gave control of both houses of Congress to the political party that wants to bail out of Iraq. We are now one Presidential election away from actually bailing out of Iraq.
Spain is almost evenly divided down the middle between those who want to fight against terrorism and those who want to turn tail and run. America is no different.
Those who want to fight against terrorism stick together regardless of what the cowards in any of the countries do.
LLS
LLS
Such as it is.
I think we have an obligation to offer them a few days to clean things up before we do it ourselves. I wouldn't expect them to do anything, but it's only polite to ask.
I have to admit, these pirate reports, and the general lack of action by most of the large navies in the area, makes me wonder - are the ships being attacked in or out of Somali waters? I know, I know, I shouldn't express doubt about news reports, but I've seen so many false reports about conservatives, I gotta wonder if sometimes they happen otherwise.
wow, socialist weenies who usually spit on us have suddenly decided that they need us.......
we shouldn’t lift a finger on behalf of the wankers in Spain’s govt.
otoh, close to half the Spanish people are friends and not complete imbeciles like their PM, so anything that needs to be done we should do for THEM, and for the cause of clearing the seas of piracy.
Maybe they’d have a more robust response if their Defense Minister wasn’t 7 months pregnant!
Yep. Let the Pregnant Pacifist figure this one out.
Although I agree that Spain has not been the staunchest of allies, we would be foolish not to help them. It is in our vested interests to so as we operate on and near the horn of Africa.
LLS
LLS
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.