Posted on 05/10/2011 8:08:50 PM PDT by jazusamo
Pirate attacks quadrupled in the first three months of this year, as compared to the same time last year, several piracy experts said, and there have been four attacks in the last few days, prompting calls for Western powers to take a tougher stand against the threat.
The most recent attacks were unsuccessful, but they shows the pirates still pose a serious threat despite improved patrols in the Gulf of Yemen.
Pirates are now using hijacked “motherships” to do their dirty work, the European Union Naval Force in Somalia said. This makes them more powerful in two ways: They can travel much farther out to sea, to areas where seamen used to feel safe, and they do their hijacking with hostages on board —human shields—which makes international navies reluctant to use fire.
Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill., just returned from a fact-finding trip to the Horn of Africa. He thinks the U.S. Navy should put a total blockade on pirate ports.
“We should recall our Jeffersonian past and blockade main pirate port locations," he said. "That means they will not be able to meet their payrolls, and the number operatives and expeditions leaving Somalia will be reduced. And once you put a U.S. frigate or a naval destroyer off a pirate anchorage, with comprehensive rules of engagement to engage and sink pirate controlled vessels you’ll see a lot less piracy.”
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Rule of the sea - sink the scum and let them try to swim home.
How does one become a piracy expert?
Want to stop these pirates?
Carpet bomb their towns. Hang them when caught. Use their bodies for shark bait.
Bump!
For hundreds of years or more, the traditional treatment for pirates was execution on the spot.
Call it “the Osama Solution,” if you wish.
It worked then, it’ll work now.
The South Koreans and Indians have not done too bad either. The Russians do take the cake though with their “we released them but we don’t know why their ship blew up just beyond the horizon” routine.
Let’s hope they keep taking the cake.
They should break up the Pirates immediately, before they run away with the NL East.
Shoot the bastards in the forehead, but for God’s sake don’t waterboard any of them....
Armed with the latest guns and cheap short and mid range missiles.
$300 - $400 million per copy.
Instead we are planning beyond the Arleigh Burke class DDG (7,000 tons) at $1.1bil per copy...to the new stealth DDG (8,000 tons) at $2.8bil per copy.
This is silliness to any who has been charged with defending the seas.
Yes, we need Capital Ships. We need to complete the Burkes at 30 copies. We need to complete the Virginia class at 30 copies. We need to keep 12 Carriers and 8-10 Amphibious Assault Ships of the Wasp class.
But we also need numbers.
And we aren't building anything under $1bil each anymore. It's just plain silly.
Fighting pirates? One word: Q-ships.
Shootin’ the bastards in the forehead is the answer and feeding them to sharks would be the icing on the cake.
That sounds right to me and I don’t know the first thing about Navy ships.
HOORAY Mark Kirk! FReepers should be representatives (just read the comments)!
What a wonderful painting! Who was the painter?
To define and punish piracies and felonies committed on the high seas, and offences against the law of nations;Europe, but not the US, gave up this 'orange' options back in 1856. Ron Paul (not my candidate) tried to revive them after 9/11; however, no one else was interested, considering them too archaic and controversial. But no one is talking about having Congress exercise the 'red' Constitutional options, even while most wring their hands claiming no one has jurisdiction. The Constitution gave you jurisdiction, Senator. With the power comes the responsibility. Use it!
To declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, and make rules concerning captures on land and water
Well said. Sen. Kirk should have no trouble convincing a patriotic Senate and even Harry Reid decisive action is authorized in our Constitution. Unfortunately Reid and his supporters are not about to commit to actions against these pirates.
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