US Navy Captures Pirates
By Wyatt Earp | February 12, 2009
Okay, I’m down with that, but what are we going to do about it? Will we prosecute these “people” the way Barack Obama would have us do, or the way Teddy Roosevelt would have us do?
Personally, I prefer the TR way. They still have yardarms, right Old NFO?
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Navy arrested nine more suspected pirates off the coast of Somalia Thursday — the second capture in two days — after receiving a distress call from an Indian-flagged commercial ship.
According to the Navy announcement, at 4 a.m. local time the Indian-flagged Premdivya sent a distress call to all ships in the area reporting that she had been fired upon by a small skiff, and suspected pirates were attempting to board it.
A U.S. Navy helicopter crew was launched from the USS Vella Gulf and fired two warning shots at the small boat to get them to stop. A Navy boarding team was then launched to investigate the skiff’s crew and found rocket-propelled grenades and other weapons on board the small craft, according to Navy officials.
Sweet! We’ll just transfer them to Club Gitmo, and . . . Oh, never mind.
The suspected pirates were taken aboard the USS Vella Gulf and processed. They’ll be moved to a temporary holding facility aboard the larger USNS Lewis and Clark, according to the statement.
The Navy is now holding a total of 16 suspected pirates while the U.S. and Kenyan governments work out legal details on how the suspects will be moved to Kenya for prosecution. (H/T - CNN)
Oh, that’ just swell. I am sure Kenya will prosecute these toads to the fullest extent of the law. Bwahahahahahahaha!
The navy should have saved just eliminated the middle man and let the pirates go free.
Topics: War On Terror |
February 12th, 2009 at 8:26 pm
Why not give them some good old-fashioned pirate justice? “Arg, walk the plank!”
February 12th, 2009 at 10:31 pm
It would seem from the pic,that Capt. Black Jack Sparrows,skiff is seriously underpowered, and over loaded. You think maybe one well placed torpedo, and this would all go away?
February 12th, 2009 at 11:48 pm
Personally, I advocate firing two warning shots into the backs of the offenders heads before asking for their surrender.
February 13th, 2009 at 12:27 am
Arrrrrrr! In the heyday of piracy, we woulda called ‘em “floaters.” Or sinkers, if ye attach cannon balls.
February 13th, 2009 at 10:07 am
I like Josh’s Idea
February 13th, 2009 at 10:22 am
Its not our job to be the world police. Of course, we could ship some of our soon-to-be-axed PPD officers to Kenya…
February 13th, 2009 at 10:32 am
Swim little fishies, swim in the sea. Hope that a big ole White gets to eat thee. Sink the boat and hope they float or can swim to shore from the middle of nowhere. MUD
February 13th, 2009 at 11:00 am
If more ships would pack some grenade launchers, these pirate problems might just sink away.
February 13th, 2009 at 3:13 pm
“A U.S. Navy helicopter crew was launched from the USS Vella Gulf and fired two warning shots at the small boat to get them to stop.”
I fail to see why the fired “warning” shots; seems like it would have been easier to just fire one shot into it, and then fly away.
February 13th, 2009 at 3:36 pm
Elm - Aye, scurvy!
Diller - With that thing, a well-placed spitball should suffice.
Josh - Two? One is sufficient. The rest is a waste of ammo.
AJ - Someone needs a trip to Davy Jones’ Locker.
Rick - It has its merits, for sure!
J Ringo - Not even remotely funny, but I expected that from you.
MUD - Bear Grylls could do it!
Doghouse - Agreed!
BobG - You’ll get zero argument from me, sir.
February 13th, 2009 at 9:03 pm
Yeah there go those ugly American bullies again keeping the world’s shipping safe from pirates. Yeah no wonder they all hate us. Tools
February 14th, 2009 at 3:36 am
They should have let loose with Browning M-2s. A lot of 671 grain projectiles at a high rate of fire would solve a lot of the pirate problem.
Cromwell said it best….” kill them all and let God sort them out.”
February 14th, 2009 at 11:19 am
I am not a huge fan of Wikipedia except as a general source of info. BUT
Looking up Law of Nations under Piracy:
1) Piracy is of note in international law as it is commonly held to represent the earliest invocation of the concept of universal jurisdiction. The crime of piracy is considered a breach of jus cogens, a conventional peremptory international norm that states must uphold. Those committing thefts on the high seas, inhibiting trade, and endangering maritime communication are considered by sovereign states to be hostis humani generis (enemies of humanity).
2) Criminal prosecution of piracy is authorized in the U.S. Constitution, Art. I Sec. 8 cl. 10: “The Congress shall have Power … To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offences against the Law of Nations;”
3) Sir Richard Branson wrote a book called “Screw It, Let’s Do It!” Among the chapter titles were the following:
“Just Do It!” “Be Bold”; “Have Fun!”;
1) + 2) + 3) = Some happy US Navy boys!
GO FOR IT!!
February 15th, 2009 at 11:50 am
a inch gun, or even .50 cal woulda fixed the problem pretty easily too. I mean c’mon, if they’re just going close Gitmo, and allow these toads back on the battlefield - what’s the incentive for a soldier to “arrest” them? Nothing… shoot to kill. drive on. hooah?
pirates = terrorists. sink ‘em/kill ‘em. nuff said.
February 15th, 2009 at 11:52 am
that was supposed to be “a (insert number) gun” heh, damned html… guess I shouldn’t use brackets where parenthesis would work.