B
B1ackwater
Guest
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A U.S. Navy destroyer is searching waters off
Somalia hunting for pirates who hijacked a Japanese-owned ship,
military officials said.
The destroyer USS Porter, shown in 2006, sank pirate skiffs tied to
the stern of a hijacked vessel.
Over the weekend, gunmen aboard two skiffs hijacked the
Panamanian-flagged Golden Nori off the Socotra archipelago near the
Horn of Africa, said Andrew Mwangura, a spokesman for the Kenyan-based
Seafarers' Assistance Program.
The Associated Press reported a second incident Tuesday involving
another hijacked ship, whose crew had overpowered pirates and regained
control of the vessel, according to officials.
The guided-missile destroyer USS Arleigh Burke has been pursuing the
pirates after entering Somali waters with the permission of the
troubled transitional government in Mogadishu, U.S. officials said
Monday. In recent years, warships have stayed outside the 12-mile
limit when chasing pirates.
Two military officials familiar with the details confirmed the ongoing
operation.
The Navy's pursuit of the pirates began Sunday night when the Golden
Nori radioed for help. The Burke's sister ship, the USS Porter, opened
fire and sank the pirate skiffs tied to the Golden Nori's stern before
the Burke took over shadowing the hijacked vessel.
When the shots were fired, it was not known the ship was filled with
highly flammable benzene. U.S. military officials indicate there is a
great deal of concern about the cargo because it is so sensitive.
- - - - -
Pirates Of The ... er ... Gulf of Aden ???
Yep. Piracy never died. While there are still pirates
in the Caribbean, mostly stealing yachts from filthy
rich people, a more conventional brand has been an
ongoing problem near anarchic Somalia for years. Looks
as if what passes for a government there (for now) is
sick of it - or isn't getting its cut.
However - going after pirates will eventually generate
unfortunate incidents. Shoot at a ship full of flammables
and you can kill hostages as well as pirates plus spill
nasties into the water. Hostages WILL get killed in these
operations too. The Somali pirates will surely trend towards
keeping more hostages as "human shields" now. Not to say
the "shields" wouldn't be killed anyway though ...
Is the USA prepared to take the flak when things go wrong ?
You KNOW that doing 1000 rights will be ignored and media
and governments will fixate on that ONE unfortunate incident
that happens once in a while ...
Somalia hunting for pirates who hijacked a Japanese-owned ship,
military officials said.
The destroyer USS Porter, shown in 2006, sank pirate skiffs tied to
the stern of a hijacked vessel.
Over the weekend, gunmen aboard two skiffs hijacked the
Panamanian-flagged Golden Nori off the Socotra archipelago near the
Horn of Africa, said Andrew Mwangura, a spokesman for the Kenyan-based
Seafarers' Assistance Program.
The Associated Press reported a second incident Tuesday involving
another hijacked ship, whose crew had overpowered pirates and regained
control of the vessel, according to officials.
The guided-missile destroyer USS Arleigh Burke has been pursuing the
pirates after entering Somali waters with the permission of the
troubled transitional government in Mogadishu, U.S. officials said
Monday. In recent years, warships have stayed outside the 12-mile
limit when chasing pirates.
Two military officials familiar with the details confirmed the ongoing
operation.
The Navy's pursuit of the pirates began Sunday night when the Golden
Nori radioed for help. The Burke's sister ship, the USS Porter, opened
fire and sank the pirate skiffs tied to the Golden Nori's stern before
the Burke took over shadowing the hijacked vessel.
When the shots were fired, it was not known the ship was filled with
highly flammable benzene. U.S. military officials indicate there is a
great deal of concern about the cargo because it is so sensitive.
- - - - -
Pirates Of The ... er ... Gulf of Aden ???
Yep. Piracy never died. While there are still pirates
in the Caribbean, mostly stealing yachts from filthy
rich people, a more conventional brand has been an
ongoing problem near anarchic Somalia for years. Looks
as if what passes for a government there (for now) is
sick of it - or isn't getting its cut.
However - going after pirates will eventually generate
unfortunate incidents. Shoot at a ship full of flammables
and you can kill hostages as well as pirates plus spill
nasties into the water. Hostages WILL get killed in these
operations too. The Somali pirates will surely trend towards
keeping more hostages as "human shields" now. Not to say
the "shields" wouldn't be killed anyway though ...
Is the USA prepared to take the flak when things go wrong ?
You KNOW that doing 1000 rights will be ignored and media
and governments will fixate on that ONE unfortunate incident
that happens once in a while ...