I hope the pirates are smart enough to release Captain Phillips

cali

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Thu Apr-09-09 07:52 AM
Original message

I hope the pirates are smart enough to release Captain Phillips

I can't imagine what they think they'd gain by holding onto him or even worse, killing him. It's not as if they're going to get a ransom at this point. I'm hoping that they make some kind of a deal, like safe passage to Somalia in exchange for the Captain.

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jpak

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Thu Apr-09-09 07:56 AM
Response to Original message

1. They are in a lifeboat - with limited food, water and fuel - they have no other option but surrender

Edited on Thu Apr-09-09 07:57 AM by jpak

If they harm their hostage - not a good outcome for them.

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elehhhhna

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Thu Apr-09-09 08:00 AM
Response to Reply #1

3. there' s a "mother ship" out there somewhere...

these guys can't travel 600 nautical miles out to sea in a lifeboat.

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jpak

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Thu Apr-09-09 08:03 AM
Response to Reply #3

5. A US Arleigh Burke class destroyer will be on-station there today

The pirates are going to need a bigger mother ship...

:evilgrin:

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ShortnFiery

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Thu Apr-09-09 08:06 AM
Response to Reply #1

8. I heard on NBC that the company who owns this vessel told the Navy to "Back Off" ...

they're now in the process of negotiations. :shrug:

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Marrah_G

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Thu Apr-09-09 07:58 AM
Response to Original message

2. I am assuming they will exchange him for safe passage to shore.

They are stuck in a dingy hundreds of miles off the coast.

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cali

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Thu Apr-09-09 08:04 AM
Response to Reply #2

6. the dinghy didn't come from shore

as someone upthread pointed out, there's a mothership in the vicinity.

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Marrah_G

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Thu Apr-09-09 08:10 AM
Response to Reply #6

12. They are not in the boat they arrived in... they are in one of the ships lifeboats

They also cannot get to any mothership in the area.

Their only choice is to surrender, die or hope to exchange their captive for safe passage to shore.

The mothership won't risk picking them up with military in the area.

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sufrommich

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Thu Apr-09-09 08:01 AM
Response to Original message

4. Yep, the Navy battle ship should probably be their first clue

that this isn't going to go the way it usually does for them.

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ShortnFiery

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Thu Apr-09-09 08:04 AM
Response to Original message

7. I'm getting a sick impression that this whole "waltz" has been somewhat orchestrated ...

in an effort to gin up financial support for the poor mercenaries of Xe (Blackwater) who have recently lost their contract in Iraq. :(

Whatever the situation, like the mafia, mercenary corporations will be standing in line to be hired by the HUGE magnates of our Shipping Industries.

This is not a good situation. :(

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scrinmaster

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Thu Apr-09-09 08:07 AM
Response to Reply #7

9. Well, this is clearly the first time piracy has occured off of Somalia, so you may be right.

:eyes:

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cali

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Thu Apr-09-09 08:09 AM
Response to Reply #7

11. I don't think this incident is going to change the practice of unarmed merchant ships

many, many countries simply wouldn't allow ships with mercenaries on them into port.

I don't see how this will benefit mercenaries or the CIA or anyone eles. Cui bono comes up empty here.

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CJCRANE

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Thu Apr-09-09 08:12 AM
Response to Reply #7

13. It did seem strange

that piracy only became a big media issue after Obama was elected.

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northzax

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Thu Apr-09-09 08:12 AM
Response to Reply #7

14. XE will be happy to rent you an armed escort vessel

carrying twelve armed mercs for the measly sum of $30K/day.

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Mike Daniels

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Thu Apr-09-09 08:15 AM
Response to Reply #7

15. And if someone wants to hire a private ship to trail their cargo container what of it?

Piracy is illegal and you can spare me any spin of how the pirates are revenging the loss of their fishing industry.

The last I read most of the ships being captured have little or nothing to do with the pirates "beef" and are sailing either in international waters or another country's territory.

As another poster already said, this is hardly the first ship to be captured by these thugs.

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CTyankee

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Thu Apr-09-09 09:44 AM
Response to Reply #15

17. I'm no expert but it seems to me that since this sort of thing is happening in the Indian Ocean

and not in the Caribbean or in the Mediterranean around Sicily or Malta, for instance, would suggest that utter chaos from the political situation in Somalia MIGHT have some bearing on the situtation. It is what it is, whether it's pure opportunism or the pirates' "beef" as you put it. My guess is that it is both.

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Lisa0825

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Thu Apr-09-09 10:13 AM
Response to Reply #17

18. Exactly...

and I hope that part of the negotiations involve the MSM airing their complaints.

Yes, they are wrong to steal and kidnap. But there are enough wrongs to go around there, and it't time the rest of the story got some publicity.

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AngryAmish

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Thu Apr-09-09 08:07 AM
Response to Original message

10. They are all dead

Or will be in short order.

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safeinOhio

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Thu Apr-09-09 09:32 AM
Response to Reply #10

16. I can picture a sub

coming up underneath them.

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