Maersk Alabama Hijacked by Pirates

Might be a little off topic, but am I the only person that feels our President needs to come out and say something, especially since our military is there?
 
“Might be a little off topic, but am I the only person that feels our President needs to come out and say something, especially since our military is there?”

Since this is an ongoing hostage situation, probably the least said the better. What could be said that would either not give solace to the pirates or, just the opposite, cause concern?

The US is in an untenable position. The shipping company/pirate/ransom/insurance company/ relationship is a totally economic process and, I am almost positive, they all had rather the US government stay out of it. The fact that it is the first US flagged ship to be taken by pirates in over 200 years will not allow us to do so. A really sticky wicket. The fat lady is not even on stage yet.
 
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If this is true (another hi-jacking of an American vessel),I think a lot of Americans may be getting their wish soon: military intevention DIRECTLY into Somolia to intervene at the source.

Unfortunately, what a lot of Americans are forgetting is that America has a well established history over the past 70 years or so that once we "intervene" at a certain locale,we tend to plant roots there for our armed forces for a significant amount of time, unless something happens where we lose face and are forced to scurry back home with out tails between our legs.

We'll win this battle, easily. But I get the feeling the flag the Marines plant on Somali soil will be cemented there long enough for a few of the candidates here to see it in person.
 
Just_A_Mom said:
As the standoff continues here is a graphic from The Guardian demonstrating the capabilities of both sides:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/interactive/2009/apr/10/somalia-usa
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I'm not sure that accurately reflects the "capability" as much as a snarky comment by the British press. I like this take on it better:

"The Barbarian Coast
Civility is not weakness.

In one of its more overstretched spins on a news event involving the U.S. military, the New York Times front page yesterday opined that the hostage stand-off with the Somali pirates "showed the limits of the world's most powerful military." What it has in fact showed so far is the apparently still-needed distinction between the behavior of the civilized world and of barbarism.

The U.S. aircraft over the small pirate boat bobbing off the Horn of Africa are prevented from turning that boat into floating scrap only out of concern for the American hero of the moment..."
​
Read more http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123940302250809641.html
 
Why pay taxes ?

I thought the shipping company payed taxes so our high priced US Navy could do its job. :thumbdown:And protect US property and civilians. Seems like we totally dropped the ball. I know pirate interdiction isn't a sexy high profile mission. But between the US Navy and the US Coast Guard. Something better than telling civilians to take care of the matter or highering private contractors. Would be proposed by the world's most powerful military .:thumbdown:
 
yogijer said:
I thought the shipping company payed taxes so our high priced US Navy could do its job. :thumbdown:And protect US property and civilians. Seems like we totally dropped the ball. I know pirate interdiction isn't a sexy high profile mission. But between the US Navy and the US Coast Guard. Something better than telling civilians to take care of the matter or highering private contractors. Would be proposed by the world's most powerful military .:thumbdown:
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I thought that the Coast Guard and the Navy were told that they can not be involved yet because it is a private company no the military. I could be wrong. But after talking to some of my friends (in both the USCG and the USN), I think the military want to end this pointless conflict right now. I have no doubt that there are men/ women who are trained in high-fire boardings. they could get the job done.
 
wilbur5672 said:
“Might be a little off topic, but am I the only person that feels our President needs to come out and say something, especially since our military is there?”

Since this is an ongoing hostage situation, probably the least said the better. What could be said that would either not give solace to the pirates or, just the opposite, cause concern?

The US is in an untenable position. The shipping company/pirate/ransom/insurance company/ relationship is a totally economic process and, I am almost positive, they all had rather the US government stay out of it. The fact that it is the first US flagged ship to be taken by pirates in over 200 years will not allow us to do so. A really sticky wicket. The fat lady is not even on stage yet.
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U.S. flagged ships have been taken by ships within 200 years. That's a side note.

The pirates have a hostage, but I'm sure they're scared. Even with a ransom paid, how do they get back? The life boat has no gas. They don't have months of food on board, and there are only 4 of them. How long until they catch some cabin fever?
 
Last time I checked this is exactly the kind of thing the US Navy was supposed to deal with. The idea that is a criminal matter and we need the FBI has me in a state of complete disbelief. This is simple and we have all the required tools.

Send a few SEAL Teams in using submarines. At night they engage our friendly pirates (Hopefully killing all of them on sight.) Take the good Captain home. Send a clear message to any other pirates "Do This and Die"!!!

Oh I forgot who the President was.
 
Oh and I hope you are wrong about Flag planting in that god forsaken dung hole. After all these years the nasty red sand is still fresh in mind.
 
The U.S. Navy is not really qualified to deal with hostage situations, which is why they are working with the FBI.

If I was hostage and I had the choice of the Navy or FBI negotiating/planning for my rescue, I would choice the FBI every day of the week.
 
averx615 said:
I thought that the Coast Guard and the Navy were told that they can not be involved yet because it is a private company no the military. I could be wrong. But after talking to some of my friends (in both the USCG and the USN), I think the military want to end this pointless conflict right now. I have no doubt that there are men/ women who are trained in high-fire boardings. they could get the job done.
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I agree. Piracy is a universal crime, so jurisdiction isn't so much a problem as finding them. Pirate vessels aren't the only things floating out there, and they can definitely blend in with other vessels.
 
I am sorry but these are Pirates. This is exactly the way we treated things through the 90's. Call me out of touch but the last person I want on the job is the FBI. Send in the SEAL's and end this. The good Captains life is a more risk every minute the PIRATES hold him. All so we can be a new kind of US.

The only thing that will make them think twice about ever attacking a US flagged ship is to string all of them up in a very visible way.
 
Lineinthesand:

"U.S. flagged ships have been taken by ships within 200 years. That's a side note."

All the news sources seem pretty uniform in reporting that this is the first takeover by pirates in over 200 years. Educate us.

I guess this is the FBIs job. Remember that they were the ones that showed up hours after the USS Cole attack. Hard to believe that they are better than NCIS though.
 
JCollins:

"ugh... now they have a US tugboat......"

US owned, Italian flagged. The owners made their bed. Now let them lie in it.
 
wilbur5672 said:
JCollins:

"ugh... now they have a US tugboat......"

US owned, Italian flagged. The owners made their bed. Now let them lie in it.
Click to expand...

What exactly does this mean Wilbur? Also, at what point will you be talking about Service Academies, or did you join the website to spout off about nothing you know?
 
"What exactly does this mean Wilbur?"

US owners foreign flag their vessels for many reasons, many of them economic. By reducing or even totally eliminating their taxes to the United States, should they be afforded the same protection as a US flagged vessel with owners paying the appropriate taxes?

" Also, at what point will you be talking about Service Academies, or did you join the website to spout off about nothing you know?"

Red herring alert. Actually, as a licensed investment professional, I joined to counter some very bad investment advice being given to upcoming academy graduates. I have seen very little opportunity where my "licensed professional" parent advice would contribute to any of the discussions.

Are you always this hard on new members simply stating their opinions?
 
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wilbur5672 said:
Actually, as a licensed investment professional, I joined to counter some very bad investment advice being given to upcoming academy graduates. I have seen very little opportunity where my "licensed professional" parent advice would contribute to any of the discussions.
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Wilbur, there IS a thread that discusses investments on the "Life after the Academy" forum, and I think your advise would be much appreciated there as well. Lots of "rules of thumb for yourpaycheck" that we all heard before (such as "pay yourself first"), but I would really like to hear some professional advise given to these candidates if you have the time and inclination. (And I'm betting a few of us parents would like to hear some professional advise as well :smile:).


I think we ALL can contribute here, we all just have to learn that not everyone's opinion is always going to be the same as ours. I'm sure LITS and you can both easily come to that conclusion, and decide to agree to disagree on some areas.

Just my $.02. Any chance you can take that and invest it into something that would make it $1.02 by the time I hit 65 Wilbur? :biggrin:
 
Pirates are terrorists. We SHOULD NOT negotiate with terrorists. We should take the offense; get the captain the best we can; then blow the terrorists back to wherever their religion takes them. Why do I get the terrible feeling this administration is: "Carter- Part Deux".
 
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