21 Americans seized by Somali pirates
I don’t know what happened to this post – it just disappeared, so I’ll try to recreate the brillance of the first post.
Pirates captured a US-flagged ship and it’s 21-man American crew this morning according to the Wall Street Journal;
A spokeswoman for the U.S. Fifth Fleet said 21 crewmembers were believed to be taken captive in the attack, which took place about 240 nautical miles off the coast of Somalia. A spokeswoman declined to provide further details about the identity of the ship, saying it was allowing the shipping company time to notify families of crewmembers taken.
There’s very little in the media about this at this point aside from the tiny WSJ article and some AP stories like the one that just popped up on Fox News.
I wonder how Obama isgoing to deal with this one. Will it be Navy SEALs in the dark of night or will it be months of negotiation as his poll numbers fall on his apparent impotence. More sleepless nights that we’ll be bombarded with as excuses?
So is this one of those tests Biden warned us about? Will this be the latest Jimmy Carter moment for President Obama?
Category: Politics
I thought several countries were patrolling these waters? How did the pirates mae to travel 240 miles in open waters to hijack this ship??!
Its an American Flagged, American Crewed, ship owned by the Danish Maersk shipping company.
I would think that the US would take point on this because American lives are at stake. This really should be Obama’s first no-brainer decision on the use of military force, we should never set the precedent of bargaining with pirates for the lives of Americans. But I suspect he will persue the more European course of action of waiting and negotiation.
The noise you may be hearing is Stephen Decatur clawing his way out of his grave in Philadelphia. I suggest Obama stay out of his way lest he be challenged to a duel.
I agree with Bohica. The reaction to this assault on a US flaged ship will define Obama’s defense strategy. I have the sinking feeling (no pun intended) we are about to watch “Jimmy Carter, the sequel”.
To answer Questions first. . .
Yes, there are several countries patrolling the waters. But it would be a logisitcal nightmare to be everywhere. There are (maybe) several hundred ships, trying to cover several hundred thousand square miles of open waters, and several thousand ships traveling through there every day.
And the Somali pirates have moved their “operations” from close to the Somali coast and the Horn of Africa, to further out to the Indian Ocean.
If I were President (. . . .), first, I’d move the 6th Fleet to just offshore of the Somali coast. I would have the fleet do a multi-frequency (AM & FM radio, TV, shortwave, etc) broadcast ONE TIME. First, no boats will be allowed to leave their moorings without our permission. Any boats caught attempting to leave at this time will be presumed to be pirates attempting to escape, and will be sunk on sight, no warnings, no questions asked, and no rescue of any survivors. Next, without ransom or negotiation, we demand the return of any and all ships and crew, chattal and property, seized while under American flag. If this condition is NOT met within 24 hours, the Somali coast, to 5 miles inland, will be carpet bombed back to the stone age. All boats under 30 feet will be sunk. The Marines will be put ashore to regain control of U S property, with all armament and orders to shoot to kill any resistance. Any questions? Have a nice day! End transmission.
B Woodman
SSG (Ret), U S Army
Signal Corps
Well – judging by his words and actions, Obongo will respond by:
assuring the pirates that we will set an example by disarming all US citizens on the seas, not even allowing pocket knives or multi-tools, to prove how peaceful we are; announcing that the US is not, and never will be, an enemy of piracy;
admitting that in the past our attitude has been arrogant and dismissive of the legitimate desires of pirates;
and establishing “Midnight Basketball” for all pirates, to give them an activity – oh, wait, that was a DIFFERENT dhimmicrat asshole who said that one.
My solution is much simpler. USA sets the example by delivering one unannounced, massive nuclear strike to alter the geography of that area for good. It’s been a sewer hole for too many years as is.
Obambi will offer the pirates a unicorn and an I-pod filled with his speeches
I say smoke the country to “dead level sand” and we can forget these bastards ever existed.