Pirates?

[deepdraft1]

Was the SS Mayaguez an act of war or an act of piracy? Your link stated that President Ford declared it an act of piracy.

The following is from the book “International Law for Seagoing Officers”

Piracy consists of any of the following acts:
(1) Any illegal acts of violence, detention or any acts of depredation, committed for private ends by crew or passengers of a private ship or aircraft, and directed:
(a) On the high seas, against another ship or aircraft, or against persons or property on board such ship or aircraft;
(b) Against a ship, aircraft, persons or property in a place outside the jurisdiction of any State;

(2) Any act of voluntary participation in the operation of a ship or of an aircraft with the knowledge of facts making it a pirate ship or aircraft;
(3) Any act of inciting or of intentionally facilitating an act decribed in sub-paragraph 1 or sub-paragraph 2 of this article.

An “act of war” is defined in title 18 of the U.S. Code as:

the term “act of war” means any act occurring in the course of—
(A) declared war;
(B) armed conflict, whether or not war has been declared, between two or more nations; or
(C) armed conflict between military forces of any origin

Those are the definitions.. I’ll let you draw your own conclusions as to the type of act the seizure of the MAYAGUEZ was.
Personally, I think it was an “act of war”; but who am I to argue with President Ford?

 

[jamzmom]

(Pre-disclaimer: The USS Clueless has arrived with some ponderings…..)

WELCOME DD1. Glad to see you’ve finally come over to the dark side. We have cookies. Thanks for putting most of my crazy ideas in the dirt. It took me a week to think them up too.

Does anyone think that some collateral damage to some pirate strongholds could or should happen? Would it help or would it only manufacturer more difficulties in that region?

Drones are all over the skies of the Middle East. Would it be feasible at all to do such as this over the seas & what could be done with information the drones find?

Understanding maritime law is a reach for most laymen so I’m wondering about the tactics Washington could be thinking up at the moment in trying to protect our interests. Any ideas? I realize I am asking for armchair quarterbacking but just curious about the things that might be done about this dangerous issue.

 

[AF6872]

Anyone remember Q-Ships. Admittedly they were anti Sub ships in both WWI and WWII but might be a good strategy during the current "crisis". A few disguised ships slowly plying the trade routes off the Horn of Africa might dissuade indiscriminate attacks on merchant vessels. It worked before why not in this day and age?

 

[Luigi59]

Article 1 / Section 8 of the Constitution gives Congress the power to issue Letters of Marque and Reprisal.

Just as Blackwater has taken over some of the duties of the military in Iraq, perhaps our own privateers could do the same on the high seas against Somalian pirates?

 

[jamzmom]

Fascinating AF6872! I know of WWII's Ghost Army but hadn't heard of the Q-ships. Really good stuff. Thanks. I see much to read on the interwebs about the subject. That'll keep me busy for a while.....


Hey Luigi. Wonder if they make a Dog the Bounty Hunter in a waterproof version. LOL I can see a bunch of ex-military guys banking some good bucks if they could procure a "Letter of Marque". Not a terrible idea IMHO.

 

[Viper56]

There's actually a very simple military solution to pirate attacks....An aircraft carrier off the coast of Somalia. These thugs operating on jonboats hundreds of miles off the coast need a logistical (mother) ship. Task several flights of F/A-18 Hornets and send the mother ship to the bottom of the ocean. Of course, in this time where we're trying to be nice to our enemies, we would have to give them a warning. Reach out, allow them several hours to abandon ship and then unlease the fury of American airpower. In addition, if any of these 14 footers approach an American Merchant ship, have these same Hornets strafe with 20 mm and send the tapes to mainstream media outlets. Just a hunch, but I would bet that pirate attacks would end real fast. Besides, its much cheaper than trying to rebuild the Somalian economy.

 

[Luigi59]

Doh! Pirates captured after attacking the wrong ship

May 4, 2009 - The Times of London

Pirate boat is 'cleaned' after capture by French navy

From a distance the large ship on the horizon looked like the perfect target, ripe for a successful spot of piracy.

But as the Somali pirates sped toward the vessel sailing near the Seychelles, they were horrified to see two boats and a helicopter set off from their target and launch their own counter-attack.

They had failed to spot, in the dazzling sun, that the 'merchant ship' they thought they were intercepting was, in fact, a French naval ship bristling with cannons, radar technology and armed commandos.

When the three pirate boats were spotted heading toward them the frigate Nivose, one of the ships patrolling the region as part of the European Union anti-piracy mission Atalanta, headed into the sun to camouflage its true identity before turning to confront its attackers.

When the boats were close enough, Lieutenant Commander Jean-Marc le Quilliec sent his commandos out on outboards, with a helicopter to provide air support.

The helicopter fired two warning shots to stop the three boats from fleeing and within minutes the 11 pirates had surrendered.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article6218274.ece

 

[BlessedX4]

Alright!!

 

[AF6872]

Mayaguez Incident

First Responders: May 12, 1975:

USAF 56th SPS - Call sign "KNIFE" out of NKP.

One Jolly Green down with all twenty three aboard KIA.

Never fully recognised or explained.

http://www.pbase.com/635thk9/image/51556047

Last picture before lift off. All on board killed when it went down on the way to the island.

Of course NKP was never suposed to be there or exist during the "Secret War". Sixty miles from Vinh Airfield and right across the Karsk from the Ho Chi Minh Trail.