Posted on 03/03/2011 5:28:08 AM PST by reaganaut1
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Today, American ships are again under siege by pirates off the African coast. This time, however, the buccaneers are setting sail from Somalia rather than from the territories that are now Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco. Today, the U.S. has the greatest navy the world has ever seen. But the debate is exactly what it was more than 200 years ago: Do we have the will to fight? Or would we prefer to submit to blackmail — to pay tribute to sea dogs?
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Maj. Gen. Tom Wilkerson, USMC (ret.), is CEO of the U.S. Naval Institute. He told me he believes it is high time for a new approach. The U.S., along with a coalition of the willing, he says, could and should increase the risks of piracy and lower the rewards. That means taking the offensive: killing pirates at sea, in the harbors where they dock their vessels (and those they seize), and in what are now their safe havens and homes in the coastal areas of the northern Somali province of Puntland.
“Anytime you give your enemies places where they can rest and regroup, where they can’t be attacked, you cede the initiative to them,” Wilkerson said. “This doesn’t require putting boots on the ground. We have demonstrated that we have the technology” for both surveillance and remote attacks. Would taking the war to the pirates be a violation of international law, as some proponents of inaction and appeasement claim? Wilkerson said it would not: “Two UN resolutions, 1851 and 1897, allow hot pursuit” at sea, into port, and onto land.
Other measures could be implemented as well. There could be expanded and coordinated naval patrols in the area, drawing from all nations whose ships, cargoes, and crews are threatened.
(Excerpt) Read more at nationalreview.com ...
What a revolutionary idea. This is the only thing that has ever kept pirates (of any kind) under control.
Our intel knows where there camps are and where there boats are. They don’t want to attack the camps because women and children are all over the places. I think the unwritten comment, however, is that they are Muslims and we KNOW how the current CIC feels about Muslims.
These scum have no qualms about killing women and children on the boats they seize. I have no qualms about calling in airstrikes on their camps and boats and raining hellfire down on them until they simply cease to waste oxygen.
“Their” not “there” (sorry, need caffeine)
Their women.....don’t forget their women.
The women are the supporting and are aiding and abetting. The vipers dens must be eliminated and total extermination is required to eradicate the problem
New approach?? This is an old approach--but the only truly effective one. This is one security threat that every civilized nation should be able to sign onto--even the Chinese (who are using warships to protect convoys in the region).
“Do we have the will to fight?”
Take it up with the Muslim-in-Chief.
Bush did nothing also. It is the US that has no balls.
For centuries there has been only one way to deal with a pirate; hang him in public as an example to others. Eventually word gets around.
In my view this is yet another area where The Regime has utterly failed. Why do we spend $500 Billion a year on DOD if we refuse to use the expensive hardware we have outfitted them with over the decades?? All the talk about the capabilities of Aegis, Littoral Combat ships, drones, “brilliant” missile technology and all the rest are completely for naught if the ships sit in port.
The US Navy could and should have led the effort to rid the earth of Somali pirates starting years ago. We have the technology but we lack the will to use it.
“Do we have the will to fight?”
The Muslim-Chief would not like to violate the Holy Koran and kill other “believers.” However, he has no problem with “unbelievers” — the Infidels — dying by ones, hundreds, or millions. In his mind, Allah (Praise be upon Him) will be pleased by his reaction (lack of it).
It's only when we took direct military action that we blunted the endeavors of the pirstes
What a revolutionary idea. This is the only thing that has ever kept pirates (of any kind) under control.
The easiest and most cost effective way of reducing or eliminating piracy would be to up the cost to the pirates to the point they don’t want to play the game anymore.
Here’s my idea. Suppose a medium-size tanker is crossing the Indian Ocean on it’s way to the Suez, when a NATO warship orders it to rendezvous. Once alongside, 20 heavily armed Marines with anti-tank missiles, their sleeping bags, etc., transfer onto the ship. A Navy rating takes over the ship’s radio room and a cell phone jammer is activated to make sure nobody on board can warn the pirates.
The Marines settle in, set up weapons on the stern — but carefully so nothing shows — the ship proceeds as normal. If they make it past the dangerous part, into safe waters, another NATO warship makes rendezvous and pulls off the team.
If, however, the pirates attempt a capture and if a single weapon is fired by the pirates in the direction of the ship — the Marines pop up and blow it straight to Hell. No warning shots, no attempt to negotiate, STRAIGHT. TO. HELL. No survivors.
The only thing thing that the pirates ashore would know is that a boat went out — and didn’t come back.
But here’s the key point. Since not even the Captain of the ship selected would know it was about to play host to the Marines until the NATO warship pulled alongside, the pirates would have no way of knowing which ship was carrying them and which wasn’t. Without knowing, and since guessing wrong would be a death sentence, guaranteed, I think the allure of piracy would fade very quickly.
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