Luxury Yacht Company Offers Pirate-Hunting Cruises

[VipertheSniper]

Dunno, but going over the comments on the linked article it seems that it was a hoax story to get some guys to click on that link in the last sentence...

[Buddahaid]

Originally Posted by Skybird

Yes, there is plenty of complex, of complicated, and very sensible, and really rational reasons not to confront the problem itself and leave things like they are. Thanks for another contribution to the strategy of not fighting piracy efficiently.

My post refers to respecting the law while confronting the problem. Laws that protect the good people also protect the bad, and you suggest lawlessness as the only effective solution. But where do you stop?

I haven't checked to see if Somalia is one of the 158 nations part of the law of the sea. If not, the pirates are fair game. If so, the problem is Somalia itself, and that's not news.

EDIT: The Q-ship type methode this post is about, does respect the law in that the pirates attack first. It seems a plausible, but would need to be operated by the navies of the world, not civilians.

Buddahaid

[Skybird]

With laws that complex that only an elitarist clique of secret specialists can understand them (if so), but neverthless often can read this out of them, and the exact opposite on another day, with such laws I have a problem.

I also have a problem with laws that rule or imply that ignoring a problem and not acting instead of confronting it, is the way to go.

I have a problem with highly subjective, almost arbitrary statements about "appropriate force" and "reasonably balancing" of one's own means. In military combat, we do not score points and win by a sufficient margin of two points when playing 12:10. We want to win by a score "to Nil", because every point scored by the others means dead and wounded for us. Overkill firepower is a relatively safe bet to prevent that.

And finally I have a problem with these laws by own experience, for I got almost sentenced for having defended myself against an unprovoked suprising street attack by a knife-armed junkey who almost killed me - and in the first reaction sued me for having used what he called "excessive force" when I defend mysyelf and took him out, causing injuries to him - while I had his knife in my side. The next burglar attacking me I will kill, most likely, claiming self-defence afterwards without being sued by some stupid sucker. That is advise given by a sport shooting colleague of my father - his friend being a police inspector.

the Q-shipt thing has been vetoed in grmany, for it "unfairly provokes attacks by the pirates". Oh these many geniusses in parliament, they are all so clever, so noble, so wise.

[Buddahaid]

One could argue the pirates, having little to lose, are driven by desperation given the brilliantly glowing bastion of prosperity Somalia has become. But I smell the hand of government thugs at work.

Why do Africans spend so much effort trying to kill each other? Think of how much prosperity would ensue if that effort was channeled into building. What a waste! But that is another thread for discussion.

Buddahaid

[geetrue]

Originally Posted by VipertheSniper

Dunno, but going over the comments on the linked article it seems that it was a hoax story to get some guys to click on that link in the last sentence...

If what you say is true ... leaves everyone arguing over nothing

This news item then becomes a "What if"

[Skybird]

http://www.spiegel.de/panorama/justi...634278,00.html

Der Spiegel reports about an email by the captain of the Hansa Starvanger, which is held hostage since over three months. I assume the email is part of the communication in negotiations over the ransom. The captain says that the crew is being mistreated, exposed to psycho-terror, fake-executioned, gets no food, water and medicine, and most are ill.

Puts comments on how pragmatic and non-hostile pirates are on a personal level into relation, doesn't it.

The Germans had a mission running to assault the vessel with their special unit GSG9 some time ago, but the mission was blown off again while already being under way.

No need to consider tougher actions on the piracy issue. After all its just some silly hostages that had been stupid enough to allow themselves getting captured. They probably get what they deserve.

Last time I heared a number, 25 ships are currently held hostage.