Pirates: Part Two

I think that this, reported by the AP, really needs attention:

One idea emerging from the UK today is the creation of a shipping corridor which would be policed by the navies of the world. Any vessel found in that corridor that is not on legitimate business will be sunk. Any vessels operating outside of the corridor do so entirely at their own risk with no rescue or support available except where mechanical problems cause them to drift out of the safety zone.

Here's one of their ships...

That sounds like the realistic way to go.

Here is the actual Maersk Alabama : http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-...ages/9c68c71e-3edd-4f24-bca2-0341cf1a3d20.jpg

The problem with that is that you give up research vessels, , and fishing vessels working outside to corridor , and yachts (potentially in and out of the corridor). Pirates masquerading as fishing vessels within that zone would be fine, although it would be risky. There isn't a huge problem with piracy from any other country in that region, we just need to fix Somalia, or at least put the fear of big ships into them.

I just saw a “lame” TV show that had the Somali Ambassador to Canada rationalise his countrymen’s Piracy, based on foreign fishing fleets illegally fishing in it’s territorial waters, and dumping hazardous material on it’s shores.
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BTW, I understand that another American owned ship just got seized, a Tug with 16 crew.

May I offer a solution....

Perhaps a lighter touch is called for in this situation.

I would like very much to hear an explanation of why, when the Captain had the courage to jump off that lifeboat and give the Navy a clear shot, that lifeboat is still intact and this obscene situation still exists.

Was there no on watching the **** boat? Are we to believe that thing wasn't constantly under observation and targeted? If it wasn't it is time to call that destryer crew home, they are useless and an embarrasment. If they were and nothing was done to prevent the recapture of a man brave enough to risk his life to give the Navy a clear shot then maybe it's time to admit the US no longer has the will to protect its own merchant marine.

What excuse could there possibly be for the continued existence of the scum in that boat?

Strong feelings? Yeah, like I wrote earlier, my "chief mate" just got off a Maersk ship (like the one K1W1 posted) a couple of weeks ago and transited those waters. She (and I) are members of MEBA, the union that supplies engineers for those ships and it makes me furious to think that we are so poorly protected even when within rifle range. This whole episode shows that while merchant mariners may have the guts to protect each other and defend our ships from seagoing scum, the Navy either can't or won't.

I think its a safe bet that most of us feel the same way Marmot.

Maybe we should just continue to pay the ransoms. That policy seems to be working very well.

Marmot: As a competitive shooter of high power rifles and other firearms,
I know a precision shot at a target beyond 100 yards with a shoulder fired weapon requires a stable platform, time to take aim, and consideration of windage conditions. Any firearm firing unguided projectiles over thirty caliber is no precision arm, ships are not stable platforms, opportunity in this case was presumably not known in advance by the U.S. Navy personnel. Range is unknown to us, but almost certainly in the hundreds or thousands of yards, well beyond the precision range of any unguided projectile.

A guided projectile (smart munition) would have exploded on impact with the lifeboat, endangering and probably injuring or killing the hostage we are trying to rescue.

A very frustrating and infuriating situation for millions of U.S. citizens,
which will hopefully be successfully resolved by waiting out the pirates
until they make a mistake which we can capitalize on. Use of firearms at
long ranges under current conditions is in my opinion not capable of successfully rescuing the hostage.

rgsuspsa

Totally unrealistic to blame the Navy for anything at this point. We don't even know what orders they are under.

Besides that, you have a hostage situation where the hostage is in an enclosed lifeboat as well as being in very, very close proximity to his armed captors at all times.

It's also my understanding he jumped overboard around midnight on what sounds like an impulse. (Bet he told them he had to piss.) The Navy ship is a good 200 yards away. And the pirates shot at him and stopped him with in seconds of him going over board.

Realistically, just what was the Navy suppost to do?

Hey propbet what has really gotten my goat over the last year is the lack of news coverage on this serious problem. Let's not be angry about what has brought the problem into the spotlight. Let's just hope everyone involved gets it right this time and in the future!

Realistically? Watch the boat, keep it targeted and vaporize it the first chance they get if there is the slightest chance to save the captain. If they were too far away to assist then they were too far away.

They should have the courage the captain has. He knew he was risking his life in an attempt to escape, he risked it for nothing under the observation of a politically correct beaurocrat.

This is becoming a perfect example of the reason we still have a pirate problem in that area. Government lacks the will to eliminate the problem.

I disagree with this statement. I've seen 8" 6-shot groups at 500 yards with .50 BMG.

My IPSIC friend, if there was a shot from under 200 yards (presumably we're 100 or so yards out), from a US Navy Destroyer, that shot would be taken, given the appropriate authorization. We both now what we can do sub second, let alone what can be done with patients and focus to reach out and touch someone from a distance.

I don't believe anyone in the area has been authorized to do anything! Otherwise it would have been done by now.

n

The naval ships must stay out of RPG & AK range. Becoming a target won't help. They should and probably do have forces at the ready for a fast assault, but in the middle of the night they wouldn't have had the time to react as it sounds like the perps were on the cap immediately. It's just one of probably many frustrating sub-plots. I'm very sure they have the same desires that everyone else has, but they also have the real situation in front of them to deal with. I would never second guess the crew of a U.S. Ship of War on scene. They are the best in the world. Besides, time is on their side. I'm sure that right now they're just letting time and the sloshing of an unpowered boat wear on the perps.

OPCN: Slow fire, at the shooter's discretion, mirage considered, wind deflection indicators over the length of the trajectory, on a range at a stationary target, from a stationary, sitting bench rest or prone position. None of those factors are present when firing at a bobbing lifeboat from a
pitching, rolling, yawing ship. Let's be realistic about the circumstances
in the field, versus a stationary paper target on a controlled range.

rgsuspsa