Pirates attack but fail to board U.S.-flagged merchant ship off Somalia, NATO source says

Source: cnn breaking

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http://www.cnn.com/



Pirates attack but fail to board U.S.-flagged merchant ship off Somalia, NATO source says


UPDATE:

CNN) -- The Liberty Sun, a U.S.-flagged cargo ship bound for Mombasa, Kenya, was attacked Tuesday by Somali pirates, according to a NATO source with direct knowledge of the matter.
Pirates attacked The Liberty Sun, a U.S.-flagged cargo ship, but were unable to board.

Pirates attacked The Liberty Sun, a U.S.-flagged cargo ship, but were unable to board.


"The pirates fired rocket-propelled grenades and automatic weapons at the vessel, which sustained damage," said a statement from New York-based Liberty Maritime Corporation, which owns the vessel.

The ship was carrying U.S. food aid for African nations, the statement said.

The pirates never made it onto the ship and the vessel is now being escorted by a coalition ship, still bound for Mombasa, officials said.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/africa/04/14/somalia.pirates/index.html

No link yet.

and as the weather gets better, there will be many, many more attacks. It's been largely profitable up til now.

That's why the USS Brainbridge and USS Boxer were in the area to start with.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combined_Task_Force_150#Anti-piracy_operations

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combined_Task_Force_151

time to start blowing these fuckers out of the water. If they're so brave why aren't they on land taking back their own fucking country from the thugs that are "running" it?

If international shipping agreements ban crews from being armed, then put NATO troops on commercial ships with shoot to kill orders.

This piracy crap would be over in a week.

CNN) -- The Liberty Sun, a U.S.-flagged cargo ship bound for Mombasa, Kenya, was attacked Tuesday by Somali pirates, according to a NATO source with direct knowledge of the matter.
Pirates attacked The Liberty Sun, a U.S.-flagged cargo ship, but were unable to board.

Pirates attacked The Liberty Sun, a U.S.-flagged cargo ship, but were unable to boarD

"The pirates fired rocket-propelled grenades and automatic weapons at the vessel, which sustained damage," said a statement from New York-based Liberty Maritime Corporation, which owns the vessel.

The ship was carrying U.S. food aid for African nations, the statement said.

The pirates never made it onto the ship and the vessel is now being escorted by a coalition ship, still bound for Mombasa, officials said.





http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/africa/04/14/somalia.pirates/index.html

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I can't believe these (obviously updated) wouldn't be more effective than using multi-billion battleships against a low tech, highly dispersed enemy.

And what are being deployed are destroyers, not battleships.

L-

But I think something based off the old "Elco" class PT Boat would work better...with a "Few" modern Tweaks (Engines,Guidance,Weaponry)Imangine This Beast bearing down on you at 65 Knots!

Seriously, this would be the best platform to deal with these pirates. Not every boat in the ocean is a pirate vessel...there'd be a lot of boardings and I really don't think helicopters would be the best tool for the job. I'm sure with the advances in hull design, low profile stealth technology, and weapons technology these would be quite effective in surprising the pirates and neutralizing them.

Helluva recruitment tool for the Navy, too. I doubt they'd have a problem getting volunteers to sign on...

those old sea captains knew the answer.

"Taking a wasps' nest... is more effective than catching the wasps one by one."

A good model on how to treat a Somali pirate port would be to do like the Romans did to Carthage.

but that unfortunately Captain Richard Phillips is still onboard the Bainbridge and will be unable to join his crew for the trip home.

or anything like that? Of course 'aid' comes in the form of weapons, so that might have something to do with it.


http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/North_Africa/North_Africa_page.html
Somalia
The Long and Hidden History of the U.S in Somalia (2/02)
U.S. Secretly Backing Warlords in Somalia (5/06)
In Somalia, a reckless U.S. proxy war (12/06)
Somalia: US Foreign Policy and Gangsterism - Why the US supports the warlords (12/06)
More Blood For Oil (1/07)
Somalia and Ethiopia: a new front in the 'long war'(1/07)
America's interests in Somalia: Four major U.S. oil companies are sitting on a prospective fortune in exclusive concessions (1/07)
Somalia - Warlordism, Ethiopian Invasion, Dictatorship, & America's Role (2/07)
Somalia: The Other (Hidden) War for Oil (5/07)
Ethiopia in Somalia: One year on (12/07)
Somalia: Hidden Catastrophe, Hidden Agenda (5/08)
US' Somalia Policy Likely to Bring Blowback (9/08)
Somalia: Another CIA-Backed Coup Blows Up (12/08)

isn't the most effective way to fight them you're still talking about trying to patrol a vast area. I'd rather see a NATO strike agaist their land bases.

believe that humans evolved from pirates. Consider that humans share around 95% DNA with monkeys, and more than 99.9% DNA with pirates
We share almost ALL of our genes with that of Pirates. We found several 1756 pirates frozen in a glacier in the south pole. carbon dating proved when they froze, and genetical comparisons showed us how closely we were related. Also too, we took several pirate converts and ran the same genetic testing. They showed to be slowly reverting to DNA almost completely identical to the pirate’s.
Clear and concise proof!

RAmen

Flying Spaghetti Monsterism

Arrrrrgh!

May you be touched by His noodly appendage.

http://www.venganza.org/

RAMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"merchant" vessels with SEALS onboard, really undercover NAVY, just waiting. Cruise them close to the likely pirate areas, wait for them to attack, then take them out with the SEALS.