When pirates come, the Navy is hours away

The Liberty Sun – carrying food and relief supplies to Kenya- was attacked by pirates who shot rocket propelled grenades (RPGs) and small arms fire at the ship while trying to board. The ship took evasive action and the crew hunkered down in the engine room.

After calling for help, the United States destroyer Bainbridge came to the aid of the Liberty Sun, but the Bainbridge took five hours to get to the scene. Five hours.

In no way am I knocking the response time, Somalia has quite a bit of coastline and it would be short of impossible to provide a “police force” to protect ship traffic. Even the United Nations approved the use of military force against the pirates in October 2008.

I’m calling for the the shipping carriers to protect themselves now. The short term solution seems to be to put a defensive force on the ships traveling in the area and fight fire with fire. I’m not an expert at all, but I think that this would be a smart move. Get the video tape rolling, record the attack as it begins, and quickly repel all boarders with extreme force.

That may be the only way to stop them.

Now, let’s take a look at two recent statements that may be the most ridiculous quotes about this subject. First we have Omar Dahir Idle who was interviewed by the Associated Press. My emphasis added.

One pirate declared Wednesday they are grabbing more ships and hostages to prove they are not intimidated by Obama’s pledge.

“Our latest hijackings are meant to show that no one can deter us from protecting our waters from the enemy because we believe in dying for our land,” Omar Dahir Idle told The Associated Press by telephone from the Somali port of Harardhere.

Then of course we have the good Reverend Al Sharpton who thinks the pirates probably should be called voluntary Somali Coast Guard members.

Hat tip to Brian Maloney at the Radio Equalizer…

You can call me [Sharpton] now at 1 877 532 5797, (to say) something about the so-called pirates. They call themselves voluntary Coast Guards in Somalia, which may be more apt. Ah, whatever your view.

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Steve McGough

Steve's a part-time conservative blogger. Steve grew up in Connecticut and has lived in Washington, D.C. and the Bahamas. He resides in Connecticut, where he’s comfortable six months of the year.

3 Comments

  1. gillie28 on April 15, 2009 at 5:09 am

    Why can't the international community (and by that I mean, of course, the U.S.) blow all the Somali boats out of the water.  Just do it from the air up and down the coastline.  Problem solv-ed



  2. Dimsdale on April 15, 2009 at 5:57 am

    Q ships.  Ordinary freighters outfitted with heavy artillery but designed to look like any other freighter.   Blow a few of those vermin out of the water, then all other shipping benefits from the doubt.

    Kind of like concealed carry for ships…..



  3. gillie28 on April 15, 2009 at 7:16 am

    I read somewhere that ships aren't allowed to bring arms into foreign ports which is why they are not fighting back.  Sooooo, how about a tugboat brings them arms when they go through this area and another picks them up at the port they're going to.. ok, too complicated.  just blow them out of the water like dimsdale says. 



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