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HISTORY IN THE MAKING 2008-2016

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We've spent a good many years discussing politics, life, society and history. Most of all, the makers of history. The great events that changed the world - people, places, actions. Small acts have changed its hard-worn course, and effort and circumstance can make of its small actors immortal greats. In line with that sentiment, it seems pertinent now to recognize the potential of those who've made up this community for years, obvious through their contributions to the spirited debate and discussion that has proceeded here. HITM has sadly gone silent, though perhaps not lacking for things to say about making history, but rather for the realization that it is time we all commenced to do so, and make our mark.

Good luck to you all, see you in the history books!
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Pirates; Yay Netherlands
Topic Started: Mar 18 2010, 01:20 PM (289 Views)
Nghtflame7
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The Somali pirates are apparently just dumber than stumps!

Dutch Marines fought off an ill-advised attempt by pirates to hijack the warship Tromp off the coast of Somalia yesterday.

Troops fired warning shots when the pirates raced towards them in two small skiffs — prompting a swift about-turn and an unsuccessful attempt to flee when the pirates realised their mistake. The skiffs were later sunk and the pirates’ weapons confiscated. “It shows a lack of sophistication — but it is a warning that they will attack any vessel,” Commander John Harbour, an EU Naval Force spokesman, said.

The EU Naval Force has disrupted 11 pirate attack groups off the coast of East Africa over the past two weeks as part of a more offensive mindset to stop pirate attacks, he said.

Analysts say piracy will continue to be a problem until an effective government is established on Somalia’s lawless shores. It has not had a functioning government since a socialist dictatorship dissolved into civil war 19 years ago. The current administration is too busy fighting an Islamic insurgency to tackle the well-armed and well-funded pirate bases along its 1,900-mile long coastline.

The London-based International Maritime Bureau says Somali pirates captured 47 vessels last year and launched 217 attacks. More than 100 crew are still being held.
Build a man a fire, he's warm for a day. Set a man on fire, he's warm for the rest of his life.
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MaxJ
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Haha clever, clever pirates. Attacking a warship is a stupid thing to do. But when an attack like that succeeds their moralty will get a big boom :O

Hm and I didn't know the Tromp was in Somalia, I thought it was in Curaçao at the moment :hmm:
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Parasky
 
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DragonLegend
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This could all end if every one of those ships had well-armed guards. The pirates once attacked an unarmed ship, kidnapped the crew and then released them (for ransom, I think, or maybe they were rescued; I don't remember). Then, after a few months I think, they attacked them again, but this time the ship was armed. Needless to say, the pirates failed horribly.
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Parasky
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I think the pirates would make a great business partner for some of those merchants. Think about it; pirates come aboard and want to profit from you, so why not just offer to pay them to attack ships from businesses that you compete with? That way the pirates get paid to be pirates, they leave you alone, and they make trouble for your enemy (competing business).

The enemy of my enemy is my friend. And a large angry black man.
"The wages of sin is death but so is the salary of virtue, and at least the evil get to go home early on Fridays." - Terry Pratchett, Small Gods
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DragonLegend
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They don't strike me as smart. More like crazy savages. They're the kind of pirates you see in those old, PG-13 rated movies.
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Parasky
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You don't need to be smart to understand the phrase "I'll pay you double."
"The wages of sin is death but so is the salary of virtue, and at least the evil get to go home early on Fridays." - Terry Pratchett, Small Gods
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Ww2nerd
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Scion of the Midnight Sun

I think they had similar business with a Canadian warship a while back, and similar success.

Sailors > AK47s
"There are strange things done in the midnight sun,
by the men who moil for gold; the arctic trails have their secret tales that'd make your blood run cold...
the Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see...
was that night on the marge of Lake LeBarge, that I cremated Sam McGee."

- Robert W. Service
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Lazurath
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This is the best use for the navy if there ever was one :USA: !
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Nghtflame7
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DragonLegend
Mar 18 2010, 04:48 PM
This could all end if every one of those ships had well-armed guards. The pirates once attacked an unarmed ship, kidnapped the crew and then released them (for ransom, I think, or maybe they were rescued; I don't remember). Then, after a few months I think, they attacked them again, but this time the ship was armed. Needless to say, the pirates failed horribly.
That is not realistic, nor even cost effective. I'd explain, but I'm getting ready to go on a long drive to see my sons for the weekend in about five minutes. I've got a wealth of unclassified information I can share with you guys, but it will have to wait until next week, sorry.
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DragonLegend
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I anxiously await. ;))

By the way, this is what I was referring to.

Quote:
 
Somali pirates may have captured the Maersk Alabama ship in April (requiring Navy SEALs to rescue the captain) but a second attempt failed on Tuesday. The ship’s owners hired private security guards. (snip)

The Associated Press story:

NAIROBI, Kenya – Somali pirates attacked the Maersk Alabama on Wednesday for the second time in seven months, though private guards on board the U.S.-flagged ship repelled the attack with gunfire and a high-decibel noise device. (snip)

Four suspected pirates in a skiff attacked the ship again on Tuesday around 6:30 a.m. local time, firing on the ship with automatic weapons from about 300 yards (meters) away, a statement from the U.S. Fifth Fleet in Bahrain said.

An on-board security team repelled the attack by using evasive maneuvers, small-arms fire and a Long Range Acoustic Device, which can beam earsplitting alarm tones, the fleet said.

Vice Adm. Bill Gortney of the U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, said the Maersk Alabama had followed the maritime industry’s “best practices” in having a security team on board.

“This is a great example of how merchant mariners can take proactive action to prevent being attacked and why we recommend that ships follow industry best practices if they’re in high-risk areas,” Gortney said in a statement.
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MaxJ
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There are thousands and thousands of ships going through the Red Sea and going south to the African Cape :O
If they all need 10 guards :O
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Parasky
 
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Nghtflame7
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MaxJ
Mar 19 2010, 04:54 PM
There are thousands and thousands of ships going through the Red Sea and going south to the African Cape :O
If they all need 10 guards :O
That is correct. It costs several hundred thousand dollars for an armed security team for each ship per transit of the area. It is actually more cost effective to pay ransom.

Dragon is right, though, armed response seems to be the most effective deterrent. There are a variety of non-lethal measures that can be taken (this is what I specialize in) but a determined pirate can ignore the loud noise, and most other non-lethal measures are only effective inside small arms range. In other words, by the time you can employ most non-lethal technologies, the bad guys are already blazing away at you with AKs and RPGs.

I think it would be best to just invest a relatively small amount in weapons and training for the crews, and let them defend themselves. That would work fine for US and European (and Russian and other major powers) ships. Unfortunately, many of the second and third world nations don't have the same level of training and education for their merchant mariners. Consequently they fear two things: mutiny-Doh! and that their crew might start shooting at inappropriate times cauings expensive liability for the owners. Finally, many ports of call are in areas with very restrictive weapons laws and would not allow armed merchant ships in their harbors.

Juat last week, I read about one non-lethal system that appears to have great promise. A little background:

The US has developed RGES (Runningn Gear Entanglement System.) It is a limited in range but is basically a net that is fired from a big funky looking gun (man portable, not a cannon.) I slinks a big net in the way of an approaching vessel and tangles up the props brining the small vessel to a stop. Coast Guard usus it to stop drug runners who don't heed warnings. Now, some company has firgured out a way to use the same theory on long booms that extend this type of entanglement system around a merchant ship while they are transiting a high risk area. They don't even have to man it. If the pirates approach, they get caught and entangled, and can't get to the ship.

I still think a Barrett .50 cal between the eyes (or maybe in the chest) is the best way to stop these dickheads, though. :gun:
Build a man a fire, he's warm for a day. Set a man on fire, he's warm for the rest of his life.
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