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Pirates have been around since boats existed. Are they more prevalent now? I don't think the evidence supports that, but as the economy sours, criminals will engage in more criminal activity.America should be the country to put an end to this cycle of High seas hijacking, that seems now to be developing into a bussiness for the Somali Pirates, who are being given large ransom payments. How we are to put a stop to those Pirate criminals, if we are rewarding them for their criminal activity with huge million dollar ransom payments. Is this not just more gasoline on the fire,thus fueling even more desparate
Pirates.!!?$$?!!%
Piracy and Terrorism at Sea
A Rising Challenge for U.S. Security
Piracy and maritime terrorism are on the rise. In the period 2000 to 2006, the incidence of piracy rose 68 percent compared to the previous six years. During the same period, there was a modest yet discernible spike in high-profile terrorist attacks and plots at sea, such as the 2004 bombing of the Philippine SuperFerry 14, which left 116 dead.
These trends are the result of a range of phenomena, including a surge in commercial maritime traffic and a decline of coastal and port-side security (due to financial instability or government corruption). Maritime surveillance has proved challenging even for the United States because of the technical difficulties associated with inspecting incoming cargo and the need to balance sea- and land-based security requirements.
RAND Project AIR FORCE (PAF), a unit of the RAND Corporation, examined the nature of piracy and maritime terrorism to assess their overall relevance to U.S. security. The study resulted in the following conclusions:
...
PPI | Trade Fact of the Week | March 10, 2004
Piracy Rates Are Rising
Editor's Notes: The PPI "Trade Fact of the Week" is a weekly email newsletter published by PPI's Trade & Global Markets Project. To sign up for a free subscription, click here. (Just make sure to check the box next to "Trade & Global Markets.")
Original links are included though some may have expired.
The Numbers:
Number of pirate attacks on ships, 2003: 445
Number of pirate attacks on ships, 2002: 370
Number of pirate attacks on ships, 2001: 335
What They Mean:
Last week, according to the International Maritime Organization, pirates attacked seven ships. The attacks ranged from the fairly small (the theft of a life-raft off Colombia by pirates armed with knives) to the very alarming -- notably the hijacking of a tug-boat and barge en route from Borneo to peninsular Malaysia. The week's seven-attack total is about average these days, but far above the levels common a decade ago: annual reports published by IMO show that pirate attacks averaged about 100 a year in the early 1990s, and now routinely exceed 400. The record was set in 2000, with 469 attacks recorded worldwide; last year's figure of 445 ranks second. Pirates also seem more daring and violent: 100 attacks last year used guns, as opposed to 70 in 2002; and 19 whole ships were hijacked, as compared to eight in 2000. Pirates took 359 people hostage during the 2003 attacks and killed 21; 71 people are still listed missing.
....
When is the United States Navy going to shut down Somali Pirates who are Terrorizing the the high seas off the coast of Somalia?. The current situation could have been avoided, if only
the U.S. navy was patrolling the waters off the cost of Somalia. Get the U.S. Navy seals
involved in the removal and elimination of these Terrorists on Water!?
No other country is dealing with this issue, it is up to the U.S. Navy to police those waters.
The SEALS probably couldn't save the day in this case, as I vaguely understand the tactical situation.
Certainly not without putting the hostage's and their lives at enormous risk.
I commend whoever is doing absolutely everything (which looks like nothing to we who are not involved) they can do to get that guy back alive.
If that means standing down and negotiating, so be it.
I'm informed (by Fox news, ironically) that the so-called pirates have hundreds of other hostages from previous prizes taken.
They're being held in the city of Ely, and probably elsewhere, too.
Given how obviously these pirates are massive organized criminal cabal of corrupt governments and outright seagoing thugs, perhaps the rest of the world is reluctant to move because -- even if they get the hostage at sea -- these thugs can retaliate against those hostages?
We just don't know what's happening behind the scenes to comment intelligently on the specifcs of this event.
And in this case, I don't think we have the need to know, either.
Diplomacy is saying "nice doggie" until you can find a big stick.
Obviously the piracy issue is bigger than just this one hostage, too.
Interesting. I was unaware they were part of a cabal that still had other hostages. That puts the entire situation in a different light.
If they have literally "hundreds" of hostages it's past time somebody took some action to stop this crap.
I've no idea. People are opportunists. If they cannot make money legitimately they often turn to crime. I'm pretty amazed that you don't know this. How long has Somalia been a toilet?It is one of the causes...but that doesn't excuse it or make it acceptable. Somehow I think if Somalia had a stable government and economy these pirates wouldn't have so many members.Look out, Ravi. You nearly claimed that poverty causes piracy.
So do you think Blackbeard came from a ghetto ?
I've no idea. People are opportunists. If they cannot make money legitimately they often turn to crime. I'm pretty amazed that you don't know this. How long has Somalia been a toilet?It is one of the causes...but that doesn't excuse it or make it acceptable. Somehow I think if Somalia had a stable government and economy these pirates wouldn't have so many members.
So do you think Blackbeard came from a ghetto ?
I've no idea. People are opportunists. If they cannot make money legitimately they often turn to crime. I'm pretty amazed that you don't know this. How long has Somalia been a toilet?So do you think Blackbeard came from a ghetto ?
Conversely if you can succeed in life by being a criminal, why bother with the hum drum life of making a living legitimately ?
I've no idea. People are opportunists. If they cannot make money legitimately they often turn to crime. I'm pretty amazed that you don't know this. How long has Somalia been a toilet?
Conversely if you can succeed in life by being a criminal, why bother with the hum drum life of making a living legitimately ?
More importantly, and I suspect this might be the case in Somalia, if the only way you can live is to become criminal, then you can pretty much expect people to become criminals.
We see this over and over again, and still people pretend they cannot understand it, and play the outrage card.
Conversely if you can succeed in life by being a criminal, why bother with the hum drum life of making a living legitimately ?
More importantly, and I suspect this might be the case in Somalia, if the only way you can live is to become criminal, then you can pretty much expect people to become criminals.
We see this over and over again, and still people pretend they cannot understand it, and play the outrage card.
Quite an assumption to state that being a criminal is the ONLY way that someone can survive, isn't it ?
Conversely if you can succeed in life by being a criminal, why bother with the hum drum life of making a living legitimately ?
More importantly, and I suspect this might be the case in Somalia, if the only way you can live is to become criminal, then you can pretty much expect people to become criminals.
We see this over and over again, and still people pretend they cannot understand it, and play the outrage card.
Quite an assumption to state that being a criminal is the ONLY way that someone can survive, isn't it ?
Who ever said that?Conversely if you can succeed in life by being a criminal, why bother with the hum drum life of making a living legitimately ?
More importantly, and I suspect this might be the case in Somalia, if the only way you can live is to become criminal, then you can pretty much expect people to become criminals.
We see this over and over again, and still people pretend they cannot understand it, and play the outrage card.
Quite an assumption to state that being a criminal is the ONLY way that someone can survive, isn't it ?
Yes, that one.
The sad truth is, and as much as I don't care for some of her beliefs, Hillary was the best of the lot and I probably would have voted for her. That's not saying much, and has to be kept in context with the choices.
So far, Obama has turned out to be exactly everything I predicted he would be.
What did you predict he would be? did you vote for Hillary in the Texas primaries? I certainly think she was more qualified than obama, but it would have been tough for me to vote for her in the general election.
I voted for Giuliani in the primaries. I was shocked when McCain didn't choose him as a running mate.
After the polls are closed, anybody who has voted in their particular primary (they stamp your voter card) can stick around for a caucus.
The primary purpose of the caucus is to provide input for the State Party Convention. The State Party Convention writes the platform (that's a document that says what the Party's goals and objectives and plans are, and why you should vote for them). Party Platforms used to be very important and people paid attention to them... now a days nobody even reads them. The other thing the State Party Convention does is formally nominate who is going to be on the November Ballot, and it decides who is going to be a deligate to the National Party Convention.
Does Anyone Understand the Texas Voting Process Where Voting Twice is Allowed? - Yahoo! Answers
I'm not a Democrat, nor am I any fan of Hillary Clinton. I merely stated given the choices, I would support her over Obama, and was undecided between her and McCain.
The sad truth is, and as much as I don't care for some of her beliefs, Hillary was the best of the lot and I probably would have voted for her. That's not saying much, and has to be kept in context with the choices.
So far, Obama has turned out to be exactly everything I predicted he would be.
What did you predict he would be? did you vote for Hillary in the Texas primaries? I certainly think she was more qualified than obama, but it would have been tough for me to vote for her in the general election.
I voted for Giuliani in the primaries. I was shocked when McCain didn't choose him as a running mate.
I did not vote for Hillary in the Texas primaries. It wouldn't have mattered anyway. Voting in primaries here is a scam.
After the polls are closed, anybody who has voted in their particular primary (they stamp your voter card) can stick around for a caucus.
The primary purpose of the caucus is to provide input for the State Party Convention. The State Party Convention writes the platform (that's a document that says what the Party's goals and objectives and plans are, and why you should vote for them). Party Platforms used to be very important and people paid attention to them... now a days nobody even reads them. The other thing the State Party Convention does is formally nominate who is going to be on the November Ballot, and it decides who is going to be a deligate to the National Party Convention.
Does Anyone Understand the Texas Voting Process Where Voting Twice is Allowed? - Yahoo! Answers
What that says in English is Hillary won the popular vote here and should have been given all the delegates. The people who had time to hang around and caucus basically stole the votes from Hillary in favor of Obama.
They ended up splitting the delegates between them when it's supposed to be winner take all.
I'm not a Democrat, nor am I any fan of Hillary Clinton. I merely stated given the choices, I would support her over Obama, and was undecided between her and McCain.
The SEALS probably couldn't save the day in this case, as I vaguely understand the tactical situation.
Certainly not without putting the hostage's and their lives at enormous risk.
I commend whoever is doing absolutely everything (which looks like nothing to we who are not involved) they can do to get that guy back alive.
If that means standing down and negotiating, so be it.
I'm informed (by Fox news, ironically) that the so-called pirates have hundreds of other hostages from previous prizes taken.
They're being held in the city of Ely, and probably elsewhere, too.
Given how obviously these pirates are massive organized criminal cabal of corrupt governments and outright seagoing thugs, perhaps the rest of the world is reluctant to move because -- even if they get the hostage at sea -- these thugs can retaliate against those hostages?
We just don't know what's happening behind the scenes to comment intelligently on the specifcs of this event.
And in this case, I don't think we have the need to know, either.
Diplomacy is saying "nice doggie" until you can find a big stick.
Obviously the piracy issue is bigger than just this one hostage, too.
Interesting. I was unaware they were part of a cabal that still had other hostages. That puts the entire situation in a different light.
If they have literally "hundreds" of hostages it's past time somebody took some action to stop this crap.
Yeah, probably. But what action, exactly?
Did you follow that link?
If Fox is giving us the real deal, then any overt military action gets a whole lotta hostages in Somalia killed.
Apparently these hostages hail from many nations, so acting unilaterally is probably not something that the USA can do without getting a whole lot of those folks killed.
Looks to me like this is not just a few bold guys with a boat and a gun, but a whole society forming around piracy in Somalia as a means of survival.
Looks like none of us is very well informed about what really going on in Somalia, doesn't it?
I know I'm not up to speed on this issue.
So if we don't understand the situation on the sea OR on the ground, all our armchair digital generalship is just so much speculative pompousity, isn't it?
I STILL want to understand how this situation developed.
Obviously this priacy problem has been brewing for quite some time.
But it's only now just becoming something we're thinking about.
I suspect the time to start complaining about how it's being dealt with NOW is premature.
We don't KNOW what the overall situation is, and we don't really know what's being done about this particular hostage right now, either.
I was watching a talk show on T.V..The guest said the way to put a stop to the Piracy off the cost of Somalia, is to deny the Pirates sanctuary. If they don't have a place to go they can not function?.
Would this "deny sanctuary" tactic work?.
I was watching a talk show on T.V..The guest said the way to put a stop to the Piracy off the cost of Somalia, is to deny the Pirates sanctuary. If they don't have a place to go they can not function?.
Would this "deny sanctuary" tactic work?.
Do you know how to swim?
Inquiring minds want to know.
When is the United States Navy going to shut down Somali Pirates who are Terrorizing the the high seas off the coast of Somalia?. The current situation could have been avoided, if only
the U.S. navy was patrolling the waters off the cost of Somalia. Get the U.S. Navy seals
involved in the removal and elimination of these Terrorists on Water!?
No other country is dealing with this issue, it is up to the U.S. Navy to police those waters.
When is the United States Navy going to shut down Somali Pirates who are Terrorizing the the high seas off the coast of Somalia?. The current situation could have been avoided, if only
the U.S. navy was patrolling the waters off the cost of Somalia. Get the U.S. Navy seals
involved in the removal and elimination of these Terrorists on Water!?
No other country is dealing with this issue, it is up to the U.S. Navy to police those waters.
As usual you are an idiot with an idiot suggestion.
We are not responsible for all crime in the world.
We do rescue american citizens under some circumstances...but not everyone.
Somalia is a small country run by whoever totes the most guns.
The nations that send ships to Somalia are free to rescue thier own ships and people.
I doubt WE ever have to worry about a ship waving an American flag will ever be attacked by Somali pirates again.
Three shots..three dead pirates.. I bet even a Somali pirate can count to three.
When is the United States Navy going to shut down Somali Pirates who are Terrorizing the the high seas off the coast of Somalia?. The current situation could have been avoided, if only
the U.S. navy was patrolling the waters off the cost of Somalia. Get the U.S. Navy seals
involved in the removal and elimination of these Terrorists on Water!?
No other country is dealing with this issue, it is up to the U.S. Navy to police those waters.
When is the United States Navy going to shut down Somali Pirates who are Terrorizing the the high seas off the coast of Somalia?. The current situation could have been avoided, if only
the U.S. navy was patrolling the waters off the cost of Somalia. Get the U.S. Navy seals
involved in the removal and elimination of these Terrorists on Water!?
No other country is dealing with this issue, it is up to the U.S. Navy to police those waters.
We can't afford to involve ourselves in every problem around the globe. The hostage situation is over, it's time to move on.
