Poll - What Does the US do to rescue the Maersk-Alabama Captain

[garyd]

The pirates are the result of Clinton's failure to give armored support to the mission during the infamous Blackhawk down affair. Had we had the requested armor support Adid would most likely be history.

 

[dilloduck]

how about you sedn some seals to drill holes in the bottom of the boat and start it sinking....they all have to go into the water......seals pul them under and kill them rescue the captain.....carpet bomb the pirate home base.....

too risky---the second they see a leak they shoot the captain in the head. Bad PR

then they better give these dudes the money......

bingo

 

[Gunny]

Let the SeaBees get them.

Longer term have an international flotilla invade the Somali coast.

Nice. You want a construction crew to free a hostage.

I meant Seals but the Sea Bees could probably handle it.

I don't think so. Bear in mind the idea is to get the hostage back alive. Seabes are construction crews. That is what they are trained in. I fit was a matter of just force, there is more than enough force in the Gulf of Aden to light up some ass.

 

[Gunny]

The pirates are the result of Clinton's failure to give armored support to the mission during the infamous Blackhawk down affair. Had we had the requested armor support Adid would most likely be history.

Huh? Clinton didn't refuse to give armored support during the Blackhawk Down affair. That wasn't Clinton's call, That was the commander in the field's call. Y'all need to get a clue about real-world, real-time events.

The commander in the field fucked that up. It started with the arrogance of believing because we are the US, no one will mess with us. Try looking at it from the perspective of someone who has nothing; therefore, nothing to lose.

Clinton pulled us out os Somalia. That is waht he is blamed for. In hindsight, I can't fault the decision. We need to quit wasting out time, effort, and manpower on these idiots. If we aren't there, they can't attack us.

 

[American Horse]

Let the SeaBees get them.

Longer term have an international flotilla invade the Somali coast.

The piracy comes out of the fact that Somalia has no government, and so is a lawless state. So, to build on your longer term "international flotilla" invasion idea, we need some nation building by the UN. It would be a singularly good way for the UN to prove its worth.

 

[garyd]

Clinton prevented the Armor from being avaible to the commander in the field in the first place. You need to go read the history of the event. Clinton tried to do with just having a few choppers and light infantry type units in the field. The CO wanted armor back up just in case Clinton said no.

 

[Vel]

I think we should give Obama a cutlass and a pair of speedos, drop him in the drink from a helicopter and watch him single-handedly defeat the pirates on prime time news.

Can you waterproof a teleprompter? He's pretty useless if you can't.

 

[Mrs. G S Patton]

Paying the ransom is out of the question. That will only encourage this type of behavior. The last thing we should be doing is giving these pirates what they want.

And why is this still an issue anyway? Why isnt there a sniper on the deck of one of the Navy ships out there picking these bastards off?

 

[auditor0007]

But in answer to the OP, fighting piracy has always been a tough nut. These guys have no government to address, no real leader or organization and they operate in a vast sea. It's like herding cats. There is no turn key solution. The shipping lane is too valuable and busy to abandon and the corridor to large to protect effectively. It's easy to sit back and demand action but real, effective solutions are hard to come by.

Why not narrow the corridor? I'm not sure if anyone here really knows whether or not that is possible, but it seems to me, in order to better protect these ships, the routes they travel should be narrowed down. I would even think that they could run together as convoys.

The problem with going after these pirates is that it won't deter future attempts. Even if we have a successful mission to save one ship, and we kill those pirates, others will follow. And as long as this goes on, if military action is used, and the loss of life of these merchant marines rises, many will choose not to work, knowing that their lives have no value.

I, as much as anyone, would like to see them capture these idiots and hang them by their balls, but it will only make matters worse, not better. In order to stop them, they must be stopped before they can take these ships. Restricting the routes these ships may travel could help matters.

 

[Vel]

This whole sit has me sick. I can't believe we haven't sent in Spec Op or Marines to end this crap. I would be sorry if the Cap died, but he put himself in that position knowing what it could mean, so it would be a death with honor if it happened. I would be happy to die if I were in his position if it meant the pirates would get their justice. I know that sounds harsh, but some things ARE worth dying for.

I think you blow them all away and send the captain's widow a flag and a medal of honor.

Teach those goddamn pirates who's boss!

I assume you're being a smartass. The pirates have to deal in good faith or they have no bargaining leverage.

We don't. We can promise them whatever and as soon as the hostage is freed, blow them off the ocean.

We haven't had a ship attacked by pirates since the 1800s. If we pay and allow these pirates to go free, every US vessel hereafter will be a target.

I personally think this is a great idea but unfortunately our current government is filled with those that would cry how unfair it is that we lied to pirates. Then the idiots would go on television and say that the next time pirates took a U.S. hostage then they shouldn't expect them to keep their word either. Two hours later you'd find the pirates on television saying " We're not keeping our word next time either." Then it will all turn into a giant circus and Obama will appoint a commission to study who was responsible for lying to pirates and what punishment they should receive and how we can learn to work with the pirates for the greater good. I'm not sure we could stand the two years of hearings and recriminations if we actually did accidentally hurt a pirate.

 

[Annie]

Is it a US flagged ship?

NO?

Then it's not up to us to solve the problem, is it?

Actually, it was.

 

[Annie]

it is up to the dutch shipping company to pay the ransom....that is how it works and has worked...now if the us goes in and moves to kill the pirates...not only will this captain die but the fates of the other 200 men/women being held is in danger... the pirates have the upper hand...the governments of these countries are not going to do a thing....the pirates are bringing money into the country...now ships can avoid this totally by what....sailing around southern africa and avoiding the suez canal....longer and more costly but much safer...so who is suffering....well the cost is added to oil shipments...takes 15 or so days longer and adds maybe 20% or more...to costs....

Major Shippers Skirt Gulf Of Aden To Avoid Pirates - World - Javno


now i wonder how many americans are being held hostage in other countries etc...and how much effort is being made to get them back...

may the fates and muses be kind to this man....

much kinder than the people who should have blown that dingy to hell and back the minute the captain hit the water.....i wonder how he feels at this point..knowing he cant depend on anyone to help him..he gave it his best and was let down

The ship was not 'off the coast' is was 300 miles offshore.

 

[Annie]

The Captain who commanded the Maersk Alabama volunteered to be taken hostage to save his crew in a characteristic act of courage, his family says. The captain’s brother is now in command of the Maersk Alabama, and captain Richard Phillips is being held in a “life-boat by the pirates; a small, orange, enclosed craft.

At least a dozen ships and more than 200 crew members are currently being held by pirates off the coast of Somalia. It’s believed in an effort to provide assistance to the pirates holding Captain Phillips, at least four of these pirate-held ships, with their crews as prisoners, are heading toward the lifeboat, possibly to provide transportation for them and Phillips to another location while waiting for the ransom, or as cover for the pirates once a ransom is paid.

Just after Captain Phillip’s failed attempt to escape, French commandos stormed a yacht held by Somali and one male hostage and two pirates were killed in the assault. It was reported three other adults and a three-year-old child were rescued.

This is the first pirating of a US flagged ship since the days of the Barbary Wars, the first war waged by the United States, and involved the US Navy and the US Marine Corps against the “Barbary Pirates”, behaving then the way they are now.

We assume that our ships will prevent these rogue and pirated ships from getting very close to the pirates holding the captain, or perhaps there will be some other strategy.
The “life-boat” he and the pirates are in is a small 28-foot, orange enclosed emergency type craft, without any visible hatches or portholes. It carries provisions for 34 people for about ten days.

But what then; or what do we do in the meantime?
What is the best way to conclude this sorry affair, and get the ship’s captain back?

We can only pray that the whole question will be successfully rendered moot before the week-end is out.


Here’s an ABC link with a U-Tube Video imbedded
ship alabama and pirates "life-boat" - Google News

I'd have two SEAL teams sitting in their birds, pay the ransom, get the captain back, then wipe those fuckers off the planet.

Ultimately this is the scenario that will probably happen, IMO. The ransom will be paid by Maersk, hopefully the captain released, then the assets used to deal with those particular pirates. That still will leave the question, what to do about this failed state and the criminals it harbors, including al Qaeda.

 

[dilloduck]

I think you blow them all away and send the captain's widow a flag and a medal of honor.

Teach those goddamn pirates who's boss!

I assume you're being a smartass. The pirates have to deal in good faith or they have no bargaining leverage.

We don't. We can promise them whatever and as soon as the hostage is freed, blow them off the ocean.

We haven't had a ship attacked by pirates since the 1800s. If we pay and allow these pirates to go free, every US vessel hereafter will be a target.

I personally think this is a great idea but unfortunately our current government is filled with those that would cry how unfair it is that we lied to pirates. Then the idiots would go on television and say that the next time pirates took a U.S. hostage then they shouldn't expect them to keep their word either. Two hours later you'd find the pirates on television saying " We're not keeping our word next time either." Then it will all turn into a giant circus and Obama will appoint a commission to study who was responsible for lying to pirates and what punishment they should receive and how we can learn to work with the pirates for the greater good. I'm not sure we could stand the two years of hearings and recriminations if we actually did accidentally hurt a pirate.

and I'm sure the American industrial military complex caused pirates to be how they are in the first place. If we only understood them and their culture we would understand why they have to do this.

 

[editec]

The case that now vexes the Obama administration involves Richard Phillips, the captain of an American cargo ship, who was taken hostage Wednesday after a failed hijacking attempt on his ship.

The Pentagon has dispatched naval firepower, and the FBI sent in hostage negotiators But Obama has remained silent on the standoff so far.

His top lieutenants have fired back with broad pledges to solve the problem of piracy in the region -- without providing detailed plans for doing so.

Attorney General Eric Holder said this week the United States will take whatever steps are needed to protect U.S. shipping interests against pirates, but he also said it is too early to tell what action the U.S. government might take against the pirates if they are captured.

Somali Pirates Hand Obama Foreign Policy Emergency With No Easy Solution - First 100 Days of Presidency - Politics FOXNews.com

We have an administration of weenies.

As usual, lots of pledges to "fix the problem" but when pressed, no details.

And then...and then..."too early to tell what action we might take if the pirates are captured?"

They are probably drafting an apology for Obama to give to the pirates.

A coastline on the Somalia side roughly the length of the US eastern Seaboard. [Not even discussing Yemen-based pirates]

Loose coalitions of criminals set in a chaotic area that has already been the subject of a failed UN and US military mission.

Rising Islamic tensions throughout the area.

US, European and Russian naval ships currently in the Gulf having limited if any effect.

It doesn't seem like such an easy problem to solve. We could send the entire US naval forces into this area to prevent the hijacking of ships from all over the world, but that doesn't seem cost effective from the point of view of US shipping interests. What are the details of your solution?

Interesting. The second line in the Marines hymn is "... to the shores of Tripoli." Barbary pirates were doing the same thing. They sent Marines. This is the first incident since then.

Obviously, Jefferson and Madison had a solution.

Yeah...they paid ransoms.

And true the did invade once.

But the outcome wasn't entirely what they'd hoped for.

This problem is going to take both carrots and sticks to resolve, I suspect.

I doubt very much the military ALONE can resolve the issue.

 

[dilloduck]

A coastline on the Somalia side roughly the length of the US eastern Seaboard. [Not even discussing Yemen-based pirates]

Loose coalitions of criminals set in a chaotic area that has already been the subject of a failed UN and US military mission.

Rising Islamic tensions throughout the area.

US, European and Russian naval ships currently in the Gulf having limited if any effect.

It doesn't seem like such an easy problem to solve. We could send the entire US naval forces into this area to prevent the hijacking of ships from all over the world, but that doesn't seem cost effective from the point of view of US shipping interests. What are the details of your solution?

Interesting. The second line in the Marines hymn is "... to the shores of Tripoli." Barbary pirates were doing the same thing. They sent Marines. This is the first incident since then.

Obviously, Jefferson and Madison had a solution.

Yeah...they paid ransoms.

And true the did invade once.

But the outcome wasn't entirely what they'd hoped for.

This problem is going to take both carrots and sticks to resolve, I suspect.

I doubt very much the military ALONE can resolve the issue.

HAve any non-military suggestions that would stop sociopaths ?

 

[FactFinder]

I highly doubt these pirates are the martyring types.

Another consideration is just how much ammunition can they have with them?

I would lay the law down and spell out the conditions. Let them know in no uncertain terms exactly their fate if they make a single aggressive move towards the captain. Take control with power. Heathens do not respect any other means.

I think they will agree that they would have a difficult time getting back to shore with a bayonet stuck up their ass.

 

[editec]

I'm pleased to see that many of us are actaully thinking about this event, rather that spouting off a load of military nonsense about how we need to nuke people or get hostages killed to prove how bad-ass the USA is.

This is obviously an INTERNATIONAL PROBLEM that has been getting worse for quite some time.

And if the solution were as easy as blowing places up, I'm reasonly certain that the USA or some other nation would have done that already.

Those of you thinking with your balls instead of your brains need to grow up.

Ya'll sound like a bunch of childish chickenhawks.

There are, we're informed HUNDREDS OF HOSTAGES in Ely and surrounding communities that we cannot locate or save easily. That is the nature of hostages held in foreign lands, folks.

That alone makes this event ever so much more complex than something a SEAL TEAM can solve.

You people watch too many glorifying war movies and think that military wetwork is something easily done.

IF it was THAT easy, don't you think THAT would ALREADY have been done?

The military is not STUPID, and neither was BUSH II's team (who did nothing about this) or neither is OBAMA's team, who is now facing this most recent event.

Back off and let the EXPERTS do their thing.

This isn't an AMERICAN political issue, which it is apparent many of you want to make of it, this is way more complex than that.

This is NOT America's problem alone, this is the civilized world's problem to solve collectively.

In fact this might very well be a GOOD THING precisely BECAUSE it is an internaational problem that all governments will want to solve.

While we may have our differences, I think every government can probably agree that Somalian piracy is ALL our problem eh?

Many hand lighten the load, folks.

International cooperation to solve this problem is something we ought to be striving to encourage.

 

[dilloduck]

I'm pleased to see that many of us are actaully thinking about this event, rather that spouting off a load of military nonsense about how we need to nuke people or get hostages killed to prove how bad-ass the USA is.

This is obviously an INTERNATIONAL PROBLEM that has been getting worse for quite some time.

And if the solution were as easy as blowing places up, I'm reasonly certain that the USA or some other nation would have done that already.

Those of you thinking with you balls instead of your brains need to grow up.

Ya'll sound like a bunch of childish chickenhawks.

There are, we're informed HUNDREDS OF HOSTAGES in Ely and surrounding communities that we cannot locate or save easily. That is the nature of hostages held in foreign lands, folks.

That alone makes this event ever so much more complex than something a SEAL TEAM can solve.

You people watch too many movies and think that military wetwork is something easily done.

IF it was THAT easy I'm sure THAT would ALREADY have been done.

The military is not STUPID, and neither was BUSH II (who did nothing about this) or neither is OBAMA, who is now facing this most recent event.

Back off and let the EXPERTS do their thing.

This isn't an AMERICAN political issue this is way more complex than that.

Who are the experts ?

 

[Annie]

I'm pleased to see that many of us are actaully thinking about this event, rather that spouting off a load of military nonsense about how we need to nuke people or get hostages killed to prove how bad-ass the USA is.

...

We're so pleased that you've come to take us out of the darkness. More than a few knew the ship was US flagged before you. More than a few knew this problem has been brewing for more than a decade. Bush dealt with only in a limited way, figuring that American ships weren't being targeted. Europeans paid the tribute, just as they did so many years ago.

You did know on Friday, after the Maersk was taken, France fought back when one of their flagged ships was attacked, one of the crew died, but 2 pirates died?