Captain Phillips

[Onkel Neal]

I was pretty interested in seeing this but I had suspicions there would be too much "make us sympathize with the Somali pirates" to suit me. Looks like I may be right. Too bad, I like Tom Hanks, and I appreciate films that celebrate good over evil.

On a side note, how ridiculous is it these shipping companies send their crews and cargo into areas of the world where this could happen, and don't provide armed security? Well, I guess the US Navy can always bail them out.

[Jimbuna]

Looking forward to seeing the movie but in real life terms I wonder why the convoy system hasn't been introduced.

Sailing times would be pre-determined and soon known to the pirates but a warship at front and back equipped with a helo or two each should deter any illegal intervention.

[Skybird]

Maybe somebody calculated the costs of convoys against the costs of Atalanta, and the difference financially speaks for Atalanta. Or maybe "convoy" sounds too much like the unwanted w-word, and is against the idea that even pirates are humans and that one must try to understand them when they hijack hostages and lock them away and torture them for months.

But I agree, it is stupid the way they do handle the piracy problem now. It does nothing to defeat pirates, but encourages them, and has fostered them to grow stronger and reach out farther. For what it achieves, even Atalanta is too expensive. Either you kick the bad guy's butt, or you don't. There is no point in trying to make it a pleasant experience for him.

It sounds as if the movie features a solid performance by Hanks.

[CaptainHaplo]

Well ya know what your in for when the review says:

Captain Phillips is not just a liberal-guilt movie.

(emphasis added)

I like Hanks as an actor, but I will pass on this one.

[Bilge_Rat]

On the movie, I would not prejudge it. Paul Greengrass is a very good filmmaker who makes a geater effort than most in Hollywood to make realistic movies.

I was very impressed by "United 93". He did not treat the terrorists as cartoon characters, but it did not make them any more sympathetic. He also kept the story small and personal, really only focusing on what was going on inside the airplane.

He managed to turn "Bourne 2 & 3" into something more than average action movies.

His last movie, "Green Zone" left me cold. It was well made, but I thought he tried to pack too much story into it.

Very much looking forward to seeing his new movie.

[Platapus]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

Looking forward to seeing the movie but in real life terms I wonder why the convoy system hasn't been introduced.

Sailing times would be pre-determined and soon known to the pirates but a warship at front and back equipped with a helo or two each should deter any illegal intervention.

I am sure the idea of an armed convoy has been discussed. I am also sure the very next question discussed is : Who will pay for it?

The shipping company won't pay for it as they have insurance to cover the losses and the shipping company does not want assume any liability for armed responses, even assuming that armed responses are even legal.

The insurance company won't pay for it as they are amortizing the losses over all their insured accounts. Despite the losses they have to pay out, the insurance companies are still making a lot of money. Besides the insurance company does not want to assume any liability for armed response, even assuming that armed responses are even legal.

Securing the territorial waterways is the responsibility of the government of that territory. The Somali government is not going to pay for a convoy because 1) there really ain't no Somali government, and 2) what there is of a Somali government is probably getting bribes from the pirates.

International waters is a different matter.

So a convoy is a great idea.. as long as someone else pays for it.

[Schroeder]

Another problem would be the delays in the shipping. A ship that waits for a convoy to assemble doesn't make money. It has to sail (preferably 24/7) with minimum downtime for maintenance, loading and unloading.

[Jimbuna]

The convoy sailing times would be notified to shipping companies in advance to help them in positioning their vessels at the correct time.

As far as payments go, there are already enough countries supplying patrol craft so not as many would be needed if a convoy system were to be introduced...each country could rotate with others on a regular basis.

Just a thought.

[Admiral Halsey]

Originally Posted by Neal Stevens

I was pretty interested in seeing this but I had suspicions there would be too much "make us sympathize with the Somali pirates" to suit me. Looks like I may be right. Too bad, I like Tom Hanks, and I appreciate films that celebrate good over evil.

On a side note, how ridiculous is it these shipping companies send their crews and cargo into areas of the world where this could happen, and don't provide armed security? Well, I guess the US Navy can always bail them out.

Funny enough Russia of all countries actually has convoys they escort with their navy in those waters.

[AVGWarhawk]

He’s the Scary Black Man who haunts white America’s most xenophobic dreams.

This is just stupid.

But we understand the greater tragedy of Muse and the Somalis’ lives. We hate the world that fomented this bloody confrontation.

Yes, it's the worlds fault. It always is someone else at fault.

I think Pixar is making a new movie I would like to see.

[Ducimus]

Originally Posted by Neal Stevens

On a side note, how ridiculous is it these shipping companies send their crews and cargo into areas of the world where this could happen, and don't provide armed security? Well, I guess the US Navy can always bail them out.

Of the documentaries I've seen about the Somali pirates, it boggles my mind that they don't put armed security onboard those ships. You have these guys coming at them with speed boats, varying assortment of Kalashnikov's, and RPG's, and their fending them off with water hoses, and loud noise makers.

If I had my way, I'd replace those water cannons with a 30 caliber machine gun.

the most stupid is all they have to do is sail far enough offshore so pirates cant reach them. they stay within sight of land to travel faster and save fuel in calmer waters and in doing so become easy targets. these pirates are in small open boats so sail 15 miles offshore and spend 10% more on fuel costs and problem solved.

if that cost too much then a few 50 cal, 2 on each side bow and stern and 4-8 guys who know how to man them is a cheaper solution. im not saying arm the whole fleet but just the ships that make that crossing. of course if you do that they will shoot women and children for a photo opt and throw the bodies and fishing poles in the shot up boat and scream murder.

[Admiral Halsey]

Originally Posted by Ducimus

Of the documentaries I've seen about the Somali pirates, it boggles my mind that they don't put armed security onboard those ships. You have these guys coming at them with speed boats, varying assortment of Kalashnikov's, and RPG's, and their fending them off with water hoses, and loud noise makers.

If I had my way, I'd replace those water cannons with a 30 caliber machine gun.

I'd buy a couple of old naval guns to put on it as well.(Sure they would be nearly useless against such a small target but its more for a psychological effect on the pirates.)

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by Webster

the most stupid is all they have to do is sail far enough offshore so pirates cant reach them. they stay within sight of land to travel faster and save fuel in calmer waters and in doing so become easy targets. these pirates are in small open boats so sail 15 miles offshore and spend 10% more on fuel costs and problem solved.

Hm.






And that was just until 2010. I recall to have read some article some longer time ago that the Somali pirates alone now can operate amongst Africa's full Eastern coast and far into the Indian ocean.

You don't solve pirate problems by avoiding pirate ships - they start going after you then. You solve it by confronting them in their harbours and destroying their bases. You fight pirates on their own shore.

[Oberon]

Originally Posted by Skybird

You solve it by confronting them in their harbours and destroying their bases. You fight pirates on their own shore.

With whose money? We've already established that neither the US or EU have the finances for any sustained military operations, nor the social backing for them, and I doubt Russia or China would want to do any heavy lifting for the west, and the African Union has its hands full with various weekly crisis's in Kenya and the like.