Actually I think the "protection" boats are Australian-built
Posted on 01/05/2010 3:48:01 PM PST by george76
YEMEN'S navy is charging commercial vessels up to $US55,000 ($60,800) each to guarantee transit through the pirate-infested waters of the Gulf of Aden under a deal that has reaped about $US30 million over 18 months.
The hiring of Yemeni military came as al-Qa'ida flourishes in the Arabian Peninsula nation, and was agreed without the apparent knowledge of Yemeni government officials or international anti-piracy military forces.
at least one merchant ship a day, including some of the largest ship owners, are discreetly paying Yemen for military protection,
Somali pirates have attacked more than 200 commercial ships and hijacked nearly 50 over the past 12 months...
About $US40m has been paid in ransoms.
A spokesman for the US military's Bahrain-based 5th Fleet said he had no knowledge of the deal.
(Excerpt) Read more at theaustralian.com.au ...
Pay in advance, or pay upon successful passage?
Welcome to the Barbary Coast II.
Why aren’t we sinking a number of pirate ships, and a number of pirates with them?
great racket! how much are they kicking over to the pirates?
the Soprano crew must have thought that one up!
Protection money, seems like we’ve heard that before.
“Millions for defense, not one cent for tribute.” Thomas Jefferson
Until the pirates offer $65,000 to deliver the ship to them. I can see a bidding war between the pirates and the shippers.
BTW, what evidence is there that the Yemeni Navy and Somali Pirates are distinct entities?
Because we are the largest muslim nation and therefore our navy can't harm another muslim. Just ask our Dear Reader.
Obviously this is tribute, because Yemen has no navy to speak of. Acceptance of this proposal provides the clearest evidence the Western task force in the Persian Gulf has chosen impotence from among the alterantives available. Instantaneous communications means politicians are micro-managing mlitary operations.
Not one thin dime for tribute. Blast the pirates to hell.
Perhaps the US State Dept will congratulate Yemen for its “business” acumen. Previous posts...”Barbary Pirates, tribute” are quite to the point. Islamic Jizya has not been applied, although it is central to the problem.
Can’t argue with that.
Can’t argue with that.
Can’t argue with that.
Yemen is part of the piracy in the Gulf of Aden problem.
The sentiment is admirable but that phrase is incorrectly, yet consistently, attributed to Thomas Jefferson.
The statement was actually made by Robert Goodloe Harper, Congressman from South Carolina and Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, on June 18, 1798 and had to do with the French Navy seizing our ships on the high seas. The proof is left as an exercise for Google.
According to Wiki they have two corvettes, eight missile boats and some coastal defense craft....In other words, eighteen seconds would be the maximum term of this Navy if the Obama administration had ANY balls.
Actually I think the "protection" boats are Australian-built
Most of the Yemeni ships are Russian built, but they do have eight Bay Class patrol boats built in Australia. I didn’t see in the article which they are “renting” out.
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