Thread: Now We're in Trouble!

They really need to start arming these ships. A squad of Marines with 50 cals and RPGs (or similar private sector security force) would make short work of the little boats those guys are using.

As for the whole hostage thing. I don't think we should ever negotiate in a hostage situation. I'm sorry but if every time someone took a hostage a SEAL/SWAT/whatever team went in within the hour/day and resolved the problem people would stop taking hostages. Simple as that. It is rough that some hostages would die but I think in the long run we would be much better off.

All of this IMHO of course, lol.

Originally Posted by TomSD

They really need to start arming these ships. A squad of Marines with 50 cals and RPGs (or similar private sector security force) would make short work of the little boats those guys are using.

As for the whole hostage thing. I don't think we should ever negotiate in a hostage situation. I'm sorry but if every time someone took a hostage a SEAL/SWAT/whatever team went in within the hour/day and resolved the problem people would stop taking hostages. Simple as that. It is rough that some hostages would die but I think in the long run we would be much better off.

All of this IMHO of course, lol.

My thoughts exactly!

I agree with the sentiment, but the reality is that we don't have enough marines to do this and cost of private security on thousands of ships might be prohibitive. We should at least start sinking the "mother" ships that allow these guys to operate so far out at sea.

Jordan

Originally Posted by jnich67

I agree with the sentiment, but the reality is that we don't have enough marines to do this and cost of private security on thousands of ships might be prohibitive. We should at least start sinking the "mother" ships that allow these guys to operate so far out at sea.

Jordan

If the shipping company, or its insurer, isn't willing to shoulder the costs of keeping their ships safe then they shouldn't be crying to us. The reality is the area is too big to patrol effectively. Unless they are willing to provide their own security or alter their schedules so they can run in convoys with an escort or two they are going to end up on the short end eventually.

Nobody gave a rats @$$ about these pirates until they hit an oil tanker for the first time this year. I suspect it'll take these guys a long time to realise what should be done in response to western protection in the gulf there. I'm pretty sure there will be a slew of pirate deaths this year and that in the future they will simply avoid those ships which are not alone on the open seas.

X

Originally Posted by xman

Nobody gave a rats @$$ about these pirates until they hit an oil tanker for the first time this year.

X

I'm sorry X, I am not sure what your point is. Could you please elaborate?

Originally Posted by TomSD

If the shipping company, or its insurer, isn't willing to shoulder the costs of keeping their ships safe then they shouldn't be crying to us. The reality is the area is too big to patrol effectively. Unless they are willing to provide their own security or alter their schedules so they can run in convoys with an escort or two they are going to end up on the short end eventually.

I understand what you're saying, but at the end of the day, we'll end up paying for the security through higher prices...It will be passed along.

Jordan

Originally Posted by jnich67

I understand what you're saying, but at the end of the day, we'll end up paying for the security through higher prices...It will be passed along.

Jordan

and the ransom payments wouldn't be passed on to the consumer as well?

as long as we're going to have to indirectly foot the bill for something, i'd rather it be making the world a better place by ridding it of some vile, hostage-taking pirates.

Originally Posted by jockeys

and the ransom payments wouldn't be passed on to the consumer as well?

as long as we're going to have to indirectly foot the bill for something, i'd rather it be making the world a better place by ridding it of some vile, hostage-taking pirates.

I agree with you - I would rather pay the guards too. But I would think the cost of a few trained men on each of thousands of ships (based on what contractors in Iraq make, with expenses, maybe $100K+ per year each?) is going to be a lot more than the cost of the insurance they're paying now. If it wasn't, I think the shipping companies would have done it already. I don't know the scale involved here -how many ships would have to be manned? I'm happy to have my opinion changed on this one.

Jordan

I would like to see the pirates addressed with a seek find and destroy mission by our forces and those of our allies. Preemptive to any hostage taking and especially after the fact.