Air attack on pirates today...

[terminalcitygrl]

EU helicopters strike Somali pirate base on land - Yahoo! News Canada

[SunDevil]

It is a drop in the bucket for what they actually need to do. Do they have a big international strategy yet for how to handle the problem there, and to investigate possible illegal dumping/fishing from EU countries?

AFP: UN envoy decries illegal fishing, waste dumping off Somalia

[mikepmtl]

Good start... I hope they keep it up.

[virginia boy]

If only those pesky pirates would keep their uniforms on so we could tell who the civilians are.

[sailorboy1]

I'm placing my bet on it occurring after post #35

[Blue Stocking]

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

I'm placing my bet on it occurring after post #35

--that far--yu think?

[Bloodhound]

Stated in the OP's original link:

"The Somali pirates have raked in millions of dollars in ransoms in recent years in what has become a highly organised international criminal enterprise."

So it's recognised what they are. Now what is to be done about it? Some 300 hostages puts a bit of a crimp in willingness to confront head on. But is there any other truly workable (as opposed to wishful thinking) way? You think removing foreign fishing vessels will work? The pirates have already done that. Piracy is just far too lucrative for any other occupation to be willingly adopted at this juncture.

[mdvick]

Not EVEN going to go there.

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by Bloodhound

Stated in the OP's original link:

"The Somali pirates have raked in millions of dollars in ransoms in recent years in what has become a highly organised international criminal enterprise."

LOL, as stated by a news service?
Must be true eh

What do you think the Somalian news service would be calling the crew's of the European helicopter gunships?

Do you think in their eyes they would be humanitarians or marauders?

[bobconnie]

Well it's a start!! It's to bad those darn Pirates don't wear a skull and cross bones patch or have some way to ID Them don't ya think?? when we burn em up or shoot them with our automatic american weapons we would know for sure there not simple fishermen !! Now Im being sarcastic, just so ya all know !! LOL The only way to safe from theives like the pirates over there, is dont go there or stay home !! Just my 2 cents

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by bobconnie

Well it's a start!! It's to bad those darn Pirates don't wear a skull and cross bones patch or have some way to ID Them don't ya think?? when we burn em up or shoot them with our automatic american weapons we would know for sure there not simple fishermen !! Now Im being sarcastic, just so ya all know !! LOL The only way to safe from theives like the pirates over there, is dont go there or stay home !! Just my 2 cents

I agree but I'll bet this thread goes to the usual 2 groups...
1) Macho Marauder Internet geeks that wanna shoot-em up and
2) The..."Oh there goes those dang Amuricuns again".

[sww914]

Yes, but there's a third common response.
"What happened to those poor people that forced them to become murdering criminals? It's not their faaaaaaault."

[Lt.]

No, I'm serious about this. They need to deal with their problems in a better way then they are. They shouldn't be holding people for ransom, or worse, kill people because they don't just give them 5 million$ per person. If they make themselves a threat to me, my family, or my frienda, or almost anyone else, I will find a way to make heads role. If there really is a problem with people dumping things in there waters, then they need to target the dumpers, or find a way to make the issue better known to the world. That's the way to do things.

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by Lt.

find a way to make the issue better known to the world. That's the way to do things.

You do realise that the western world and big money pretty much control the weapons and the media don't you?
How to you expect a little third world country to take them on?

Your suggestions?

[MacG]

It is a total international political issue. And therefore not really a subject of serious discussion because of the political agenda behind the reason that these nests of pirates are still able to operate. A few days ago another oiler became the victim of the combined Somali/Yemenite pirate forces.

Only the US, Russia and some Asian countries recognise the criminal institution c.q. attitude and organisation of the pirates.
The EU makes the hunt for the pirates a laughing stock.

It is better to leave this subject as is because there will be no solution since the Michiel De Ruyter's do not exist anymore.