The main reason we're in this position is because of the lack of action by the rest of the countries who have been victims. A precedent has been set-of weakness which has emboldened these barbarians!

 

And I have not followed the story but just read above that the Captain actually escaped but was re-captured.

Someone over there has egg on his face this morning.

Thats just un-acceptable!

 

I say send Oprah over there and talk them all to death


an hour listening to that woman would drive me to drink myself to a stupor

 

OK. Now we have a new thread for political pirates. Any mention of politicians or political practices can go over there.

 

Of course not! What I'm saying if that the pirates are successful, then they'll do it again. If we kill the pirates, destroy their land bases, sink their ships and generally wreak havoc on their way of life, the incentive would be to go into a different line of work.


...

Mod edit: cf. Panterakitty's post above.

 

Actually, my comment wasn't directed at you, cordy, but at someone in a previous post.
(I didn't even see that business about land bases on so on, because your being on my ignore list means that I have to search extra hard to see your stuff.)

But if you want to get all defensive anyway, well, go for it. HPH

 

Shoot 'em.

 

If they let the lifeboat reach land, the captain is dead.

 

I wouldn't assert that out of hand.
They seem to view hostages as unclaimed cash futures.

 

The problem that has led to this scourge of piracy is that private companies are paying these ransoms. I think this is primarily due to globalization and the fact that many ships sail under "flags of convenience" with crew of many nationalities (generally whichever are cheapest to hire) rather than vessels flagged and crewed by mariners of the respective flag states. This is a US flagged ship with a US Merchant Mariner so I think it is extremely unlikely that any ransom will be paid (regardless of what Maersk (shipowner) wants to do.)
We have a strong military tradition in the USMM, in fact we suffered the highest proportion of casualties in WW2 (almost 4%), I don't think anyone I know would be in favor of paying off a ransom. (unless it blew the recipient to atoms upon receipt).

From USMM.org
U.S. Merchant Marine Casualties during World War II

Mariners suffered the highest rate of casualties of any service in World War II, but unfortunately, the U.S. Merchant Marine had no official historians and researchers, thus casualty statistics vary. Revised 08/26/06

Mariners died "direct result of enemy action or as POW on American flag ships" according to U.S. Coast Guard, 1950 (excluded Army Transport and U.S. owned foreign flag ships) 5,662
Mariners died compiled by Captain Arthur Moore ("Careless Word" 1998 edition) 6,847
Mariners died compiled by www.USMM.org 8,421^

^Additional 1,100 died of wounds later according to testimony before Congress.

Comparison of Merchant Marine casualty rate to other services

How many U.S. Merchant Marine and U.S. Army Transport Service casualties were there in World War II? We may never know the exact count, because the U.S. government never kept accurate records as it did for other services. The best previous accounting has been by Captain Arthur R. Moore, an independent researcher, in his great work, A Careless Word -- a Needless Sinking: A History of the Staggering Losses Suffered by the U.S. Merchant Marine, both in Ships and Personnel, during World War II, American Merchant Marine Museum, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point, N.Y., 1983 to 1998. Captain Moore's book lists approx. 990 ships. www.usmm.org list includes 1,600 ships.

Service Number serving War Dead Percent Ratio
Merchant Marine 243,000* 9,521** 3.90% 1 in 26
Marines 669,108 19,733 2.94% 1 in 34
Army 11,268,000 234,874 2.08% 1 in 48
Navy 4,183,466 36,958 0.88% 1 in 114
Coast Guard 242,093 574 0.24% 1 in 421
Total 16,576,667 295,790 1.78% 1 in 56
*Number varies by source and ranges from 215,000 to 285,000. War Shipping Administration Press Release 2514, January 1, 1946, lists 243,000
**Total killed at sea, POW killed, plus died from wounds ashore