Comments on: Under Fire, U.S. Liner Outruns Pirates

Meanwhile, Security Firm Blackwater Meets With Shipping Companies To Discuss Protection Of Vessels

[impeach___w]

Haven''t you heard guns are ileagal on cruise ships? It''s For the safety of the passengers.
When danger reared it''s ugly head, the captain bravely turned his tail and fled...
And world peace continued.
What would the captain do?
We should all try to be like the capt''n?
Can we; Can''t we all just get along? (snifles, wipes away tear...)

[gce65]

Instead, put about a dozen well armed paramilitary people on each ship....

Posted by buttonjockey at 10:38 AM : Dec 02, 2008
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That''s a cost for each cruise ship and tanker company to make, but they haven''t done it yet. Why? Cost.
A dozen security people in today''s mercenary might cost about $80-100K each per year. That''s about $1.2 million per ship for personnel.
Then add arms to that at maybe $150-$300K. That''s $1.5 million per ship.
Doesn''t sound very affordable.

[bobnjersey]

[Two sets of quad 50s on the starboard and port sides and one set on the bow and stern. Anybody see what a .50cal round can do to wood or fibreglass not to mention Somali bodies? Train a few crewmen to use em and I''''d bet the Somalis would try and find a new line of chickensh*t work]
[Posted by Kk217 at 01:57 PM : Dec 02, 2008]

it will also mean a new business model for the cruise industry.

would you get on a cruise ship that needed 50 caliber guns all around the ship?

[kk217]

Nice hypermilitarized, arm-the-world rhetoric, you ****! Either the navies that operate in that part of the world need to expand their patrols, or the cruise ships and cargo vessels need to start investing in heavier security. If so, then the cruise ships and cargo companies will pass on the cost to their rich customers.

Posted by gce65

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Now why do I have to be a ****? I believe Homosexuals would rather just protest

[gce65]

Two sets of quad 50s on the starboard and port sides and one set on the bow and stern. Anybody see what a .50cal round can do to wood or fibreglass not to mention Somali bodies? Train a few crewmen to use em and I''''d bet the Somalis would try and find a new line of chickensh*t work

Posted by Kk217 at 01:57 PM : Dec 02, 2008
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Nice hypermilitarized, arm-the-world rhetoric, you ****! Either the navies that operate in that part of the world need to expand their patrols, or the cruise ships and cargo vessels need to start investing in heavier security. If so, then the cruise ships and cargo companies will pass on the cost to their rich customers.

[kk217]

Sorry about the multiple post. I didn''''t mean to do that on purpose. I clicked ont he PUBLISH button and notheing happened so I clicked on it a couple of more times and instant spamming.

Sorry everybody.

Posted by Abrame

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LOL been there done that

[kk217]

Can"t we just make yearly cash payments to the Somali Pirates to make them stop ?

I''''m sure the American people wouldn''''t mind having their taxes raised slightly for that purpose.

Posted by erb0087

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I hope you were being sarcastic

[kk217]

Two sets of quad 50s on the starboard and port sides and one set on the bow and stern. Anybody see what a .50cal round can do to wood or fibreglass not to mention Somali bodies? Train a few crewmen to use em and I''d bet the Somalis would try and find a new line of chickensh*t work

[erb0087]

That''s what the English did, to get the Vikings to stop attacking them.

They just paid them to stop. It was called the Danegeld.

It worked fine.

[erb0087]

Can"t we just make yearly cash payments to the Somali Pirates to make them stop ?

I''m sure the American people wouldn''t mind having their taxes raised slightly for that purpose.

[erb0087]

On second thought, lets not send troops into Somalia.

I have a bad feeling about that.

[erb0087]

Make that:

"War with the Barbary Pirates: The Sequel"

...From the Halls of Montezuma to the Shores of Mogadishu...

[erb0087]

This situation gives Barack Obama a chance to acquire some real Commander-in-Chief experience.

"War with the Barabary Pirates: The Sequel"

[erb0087]

"What kind of "speedboats" can"t do 20 knots?"

Somali ones.

[erb0087]

"Instead, put about a dozen well armed paramilitary people on each ship. Their instructions are to shoot to kill if the ship is legitimately threatened. I would call guys in speedboats shooting at you a legitimate threat.

That ended train robbery in the U.S. and that will stop pirates on the high seas."

Posted by buttonjockey at 10:38 AM : Dec 02, 2008
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This was portrayed in the film "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," when that "special train" pulled up after their last U.S. job, and Joe Lefors, Lord Baltimore and company came out shooting in hot pursuit.

"Whatever they''re selling, I don''t want it," said the fleeing Butch. "Who are those guys ?..."

[gjb5649]

six pirates in two speedboats.
The ship''s captain brought the Nautica up to flank speed (above its full cruising speed of 18.5 knots)

What kind of "speedboats" can''t do 20 knots?

[used2bfedup1]

They outran "speedboats" at 18.5 knots?

Were these solar-powered "speedboats"?

Made by GM?

Posted by MikeTotten1 at 12:50 PM : Dec 02, 2008

Thats what I was thinking... But I Imagine that boarding a vessel at speed even 18.5 knots(about 20mph) would be hard to do.

[bobnjersey]

[Stopping piracy is "not something Somalia can do alone. This needs a tremendous effort," he said. ]

where''s the loch ness monster when you need him/her/it?

[tipsyinct]

YAARR!!! We be wantin'' a mint mojito and a good sit by the pool.

[au_fait]

Funny how predictable and gullible people are, calling for some para-military solution just as Blackwater would like. Seems highly questionable that a cruise ship can successfully use "evasive maneuvers" against two speedboats--sounds like the whole thing was staged. Maybe the boats were not pirates (who saw them?). Maybe the ship captain played along (were there even really boats after them?).

Posted by andor3

Have you seen the articles and postings of the types of boats being used (actually in this article it was a skiff). Outrunning is possible depending of the conditions. Why is there always some hidden agenda? You show you lack of intelligence with that comment. Have you ever been on a ship or a boat in open water?