The New Terrorists - Pirates

Pirates are terrorists, no other way to describe them.  Their general operating procedure is to seize a ship, hold the crew as hostages, and demand large sums of money for the crew's safety.  

Today the pirates/hijackers/terrorists demand $10 million for the Saudi super tanker  (See Daily Mail.online article, amazing images)

Two months ago Somalia pirates commandeered a Ukrainian freighter off the Horn of Africa that contained 33 Russian T-72 main battle tanks and ammunition in its holds.

Now, just this week, Somalia pirates lurking off the east coast of Africa seized a Saudi Arabian supertanker loaded with 2 million barrels of crude oil worth an estimated value of $100 million. Also this week, just north of the supertanker attack, pirates hijacked a Hong Kong cargo ship loaded with 36,000 tonnes of wheat bound for Iran.

The latest news reports today have further reports of high-seas buccaneering exploits -- this time off the West Coast of Africa, as a Danish freighter with oil exploration equipment aboard was held for 30 hours by pirates near Nigeria.

It's as though we're entering a new golden age of piracy -- except this time the hunting grounds are primarily the seas off eastern Africa, not the Caribbean; ...  (The Mil and Aero Blog)

Many of the countries whose ships are seized do not have military means of recovery.  An Indian warship has exchanged fire with a pirate "mother vessel" off the hijacking-plagued Horn of Africa, leaving the ship ablaze in the Gulf of Aden ...

The skirmish took place Tuesday evening about 525 kilometers southwest of Oman's Salalah port when the frigate INS Tabar spotted a suspected pirate ship with two speedboats in tow, India's Defense Ministry reported.

"This vessel was similar in description to the 'Mother Vessel' mentioned in various piracy bulletins," the ministry said in a written statement.  [snip]

When the Tabar's crew hailed the ship and demanded it stop for inspection, the pirates threatened to destroy the Indian ship, the ministry reported.

"Pirates were seen roaming on the upper deck of this vessel with guns and rocket-propelled grenade launchers. The vessel continued its threatening calls and subsequently fired upon INS Tabar," the ministry said.

The Indian frigate returned fire, setting the pirate ship ablaze and setting off explosions on board, the statement said. Two speedboats in tow behind the ship fled; one was found abandoned after a pursuit by the Tabar. (BBC)

US Admiral 'stunned' by pirate's reach:

The top US military officer said Monday he was "stunned" by the reach of the Somali pirates who seized a Saudi supertanker off the east coast of Africa, calling piracy a growing problem that needs to be addressed.

But Admiral Michael Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said there were limits to what the world's navies could do once a ship has been captured because national governments often preferred to pay pirates ransom.

"I'm stunned by the range of it, less so than I am the size," Mullen said of the seizure of the Sirius Star Sunday by armed men.

The huge, oil laden prize, which is three times the size of a US aircraft carrier, was some 450 miles east of Kenya when it was boarded, he said.

That is the farthest out at sea that a ship has been seized in the latest surge of piracies, according to Mullen.

The pirates, he said, are "very good at what they do. They're very well armed. Tactically, they are very good."

Newsis, via Associated Press

The Saudi-owned supertanker Sirius Star in an undated photo taken during a trial run in the waters off South Korea.

From The Pantheon Journal, hat tip Michael:




... here is a snapshot of a live piracy map. No kidding. From these guys:

On a side note, thousands of Somalis are here in the United States illegally:

The US State Department has come out and admitted that thousands of Somalians have entered our country illegally. They came in under the pretext that they were being reunited with family members. The immigrants were tested by DNA to prove that they were actually related to people already in the USA. Less than 20% were confirmed, yet they were allowed to stay. Not only are they coming here illegally to take our jobs or live on welfare, they try and dictate terms to us in regards to their religion. Examples of this are the incidents at Swift Plant where they complained for extra breaks to pray for the month of Ramadan and the Minneapolis Airport cabbies who would not take passengers into their cabs who had alcohol in their possession. They obviously have no respect for us or our way of life. Thankfully the program has been put on hold.  (via Islam in Action)

Comments

[Stormwarning]

The emergence of the Somali pirate problem was highlighted well over a year ago on CT Blog as well as lesser blogs like mine. Somalia remains unstable. The hijacking of the Suadi oil tanker and the "ransom" for the 2 million barrels of oil is just the beginning. At least a portion of the $110 million ransom will end up in "Islamic extemist" coffers.

At this point, the "solution" might be AFRICOM and some missile firing helicopters blowing their little skows out of the water. However, on the one hand, the Pentagon is taking a position that force is not the answer against these pirates, and yet, the Indian navy (India has a navy?) is fighting back.

To a degree, there are historic parallels (remember the Lusitania).

[batman]

What is really stunning: The Commander of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of staff is just "stunned." The reaction from the commander of the world's finest Navy? I would be expecting something more than just "stunned."

Perhaps I am confused; And, piracy is not an act of terrorism; Or, the U.S. Navy is not actively engaged in the overall war on terror; Being "contained" by congress, to being waged in only in specific theaters?

Then, I have to ask, what are countries' purposes for maintaining naval fleets in peacetime?

The U.S. Navy was founded in 1775, and finished with the revolutionary war about 1783. Was not the U.S. Navy then a key player in preventing this kind of piracy activity back in 1791 or so: Off of the Barbary coast?

Am I missing something: Should I be reading between the lines?

Apparently, India's Navy has a different philosophy toward piracy situations. Perhaps, the Indian Navy admiral just wasn't interviewed. And, after all, it is closer to India's back yard.

Arrgh...Matey. Piracy is probably not known to be attractive to the brightest bulbs in the pack; Considering: A $10 Million dollars ransom for $100 million worth of cargo on at least, a half-billion dollar vessel.

[nanc]

those pesky somalians...wonder who's funding them?

[Debbie]

Comment from R.J. Godlewski:

"Modern" piracy is a very old problem. The waters surrounding the South China Sea and Indonesia are considered to be some of the most pirate-infested waters on the planet with the perpetrators going so far as to plan attacks against Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) tankers which could devastate an entire port if one were to explode (think of it as a small nuke).

A 1995 Adelphi Paper (#298, October '95) entitled China and the South China Sea Disputes served as partial inspiration for my first novel The Gatestrian Knights and highlights the broader international disputes of the region. The oil rich Spratly Islands, for instance, are contested by no less than five nations.

Over the past decade or so, the local nations have made extraordinary progress in the reduction of pirates through escorting tankers and other valuable vessels through these treacherous waters. Singapore, I believe, is very up on this duty.

I suspect that Somali piracy serves the same motive as does Indonesian/Asian piracy -- hijacking vessels for profit (either through ransom or ship-breaking) -- and will therefore require the same solution (coordinated escort/convoy systems).

Piracy is the third oldest profession; it won't be going anywhere.

**end comment**

[MK]

Someone needs to catch one of these pirates and blow the lot of them out of the water and put the video on youtube or something. It'll get the message out.

Piracy can lead to you becoming shark food, that ought to steady them up a bit.

[Layla]

Thomas Jefferson had a Koran not because he loved Islam, but to read to study - to know his enemy that was creating havoc on land and on the seas. Piracy is nothing new to civilization, and is one of the oldest tactics that Muslims have used over the centuries.

I guess they got bored with airplanes.....SPIT!

[Always On Watch]

The history of Islamic piracy precedes GWB by centuries. In fact, piracy by Moslems has nothing to do with our government and everything to do with Islamic expansionism and their predilection to attack infidels.

I do think, however, the AQ may be baiting Saudi Arabia so as to stir up the ummah.

[Skunkfeathers]

Brian,
In re-reading my anticipated letter from the UN to the persons of buccaneer tendencies and no specific geographic or religious designation to avoid offending anyone, I didn't see one mention of Obama. I did see a reference to us mean-spirited, greedy, capitalist Americans, who are still -- for a couple of months yet -- led by the esteemed and vilified President Dubya.

Perhaps this wasn't denigrating-of-'Mericans enough for you. Eh.

If I golf, and it rains, I have yet to blame a president, even when it was Clinton. Even when it was Carter. You see, Brian, I don't think like a progressive, who does seek to heap all blame possible for anything THEY DON'T LIKE on people they hate with such vehemence that they become delusionally irrational.

No, if I was golfing, and it started to rain, I would blame me for not paying better attention to the forecast, the sky, etc. See, we non-progressives tend to take responsibility for our own actions, and not take the progressive tact of blaming others for our own missteps.

But you have a right fine day, and if you don't, I'm sure it'll be Dubya's fault in your mind. That's up to you.

And my apologies to Debbie for baiting on her blog.

[md4palin]

"We need to do the same"

Who is WE? The pirates haven't attacked American ships have they? The big arrogant bully USA should stay out of it like the world asked us to.

[md4palin]

Brian,
These pirates have nothing to do with the US and President Bush. It's none of our business. We should not spend a penny of taxpayer money or risk a single American life. The world excpet for Israel, India and Iraq wanted Obama to win. Let Obama have a hearty chat with the pirates and they will see the light.

[Katie]

In the 1790's a collation of US, British, French and Spanish forces defeated and stopped the Barbary Pirates. It took a few years and was effective (Treaty of Tripoli).

We need to do the same and we must remember that in war civilians get hurt. If you hide behind civilians (as Muslims do all over the world) they will be targeted and killed to get at you.

[Randy]

http://www.venganza.org/category/pirates/

[Brian]

Mr. Skunkfeathers,

I was commenting on the slam on Somalis and other Muslims living in America.

I think something decisive needs to be done about these pirates. This has all happened on George Bush's watch. Why hasn't he done anything? He's still President, why isn't he doing anything now. Why aren't you all commenting on what he's doing wrong.

The absurdity of the zeal to blame everything on Obama is that you are blaming him for things you say he hasn't done as President, when he isn't even President yet.

I bet if you guys went out for a round of golf and it started to rain, you'd blame that on Obama. Or on Muslims. Or on the UN.

[Brian]

Mr. Skunkfeathers,

I was commenting on the slam on Somalis and other Muslims living in America.

I think something decisive needs to be done about these pirates. This has all happened on George Bush's watch. Why hasn't he done anything? He's still President, why isn't he doing anything now. Why aren't you all commenting on what he's doing wrong.

The absurdity of the zeal to blame everything on Obama is that you are blaming him for things you say he hasn't done as President, when he isn't even President yet.

I bet if you guys went out for a round of golf and it started to rain, you'd blame that on Obama. Or on Muslims. Or on the UN.

[Stanford Matthews]

Other names to use rather than terrorists? I suppose you could call them kidnappers, extortionists or simply pirates but that might be splitting hairs.

I have only skimmed reports on this during most of its chronology. Partly because I was surprised there was no military response early on. After various navies started stepping in 'carefully' I was again a bit surprised. The notion that nation's affected preferred to pay ransom rather than repel the threat makes sense as why this has not been snuffed yet.

Why is the almost leader of this country with African roots not pushing this issue and similarly why is the soon to be former leader of this country leaving it alone, or so it appears?

Perhaps they all have too much on their plates and are concerned more about other issues and avoiding engaging additional problems. You would think a couple of well executed missions would have the perps rethink their strategy and at least retreat for a while.

[Christopher Hamilton]

I feel like this happened during beginning days of our country by Islamic pirates. Oh, it did.

[Skunkfeathers]

I have the answer, and this will make Brian happy: let's have the UN pass a resolution! And send this letter:

Dear buccaneers of distressed circumstances and no particular geographic identification,

Please stop attacking and seizing ships. This is not civilized. Frankly, this is not very nice of you. Please stop, and we'll forego talking for months, only to subsequently vote for half-hearted sanctions, tepidly drawn up and timidly enforced, while quietly empowering you to continue this really bad behavior. I'm sure you appreciate the immense waste of time this would be, and will make the UN look bad. In return, we won't talk bad about you. We won't note that you're Somali or whatever origin you are; we won't note that you're Muslim or whatever religion you purport to be; that way, not only is your self-esteem protected, but Brian won't be offended, either.

So please, stop this untoward behavior, or at least just focus on those mean-spirited, greedy capitalist Americans who are the cause of all bad things in the world, according to the UN, you, Brian and Al Qaida.

Thank you for your appreciated cooperation,

Whozeewhatzits,
Secretary-General
UN
NYC, NY USA

[Brian]

This is very obnoxious. There are Somali pirates, therefore all Somalis are bad?

Lets' follow the logic, Timothy McVeigh coldly and calculatedly blew up hundreds of people, including pre-schoolers. He was white. Why doesn't that make everyone white bad? He believed in right wing political points of view. Why doesn't that make all conservatives terrorists? He had military training. Why doesn't that make all former military suspect.

There are Muslim Americans fighting and dying for the US in Iraq. Isn't it time to have a little respect and stop your mindless bigotry.

[md4palin]

As long as they do not attack US ships we should leave them alone. Let's see how the world likes the Obama doctrine.

[Maggie Thornton]

We have thousands of Somali's here who brought their Tuberculosis with them. We knowingly let them in.

It is seldom mentioned that the pirates are usually Muslim.

[Skunkfeathers]

Well...we have the means to combat high-seas piracy, just as we put it together and employed it in 1805. Question is, will we have the will in '09, that we had in 1805? Right now, that's a huge question.

[Jenn Sierra]

The U.S. has had problems with pirates before - around the time of our Revolution. (See http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/collections/jefferson_papers/mtjprece.html )

I wonder how the "blame America first" crowd reconciles this inconvenient little bit of information? Oh, yeah, for the most part, they simply ignore it.