US Snipers take out pirates,save Captain

[Sergeant Chaosss]

MOMBASA, Kenya - U.S. Navy snipers opened fire and killed three pirates holding an American captain at gunpoint, delivering the skipper unharmed and ending a five-day high-seas hostage drama on Easter Sunday.

The pirates were pointing AK-47s at Capt. Richard Phillips and he was in "imminent danger" of being killed when the commander of the nearby USS Bainbridge made the split-second decision to order his men to shoot, Vice Adm. Bill Gortney said.

Phillips' crew, who said they had escaped the pirates after he offered himself as a hostage, erupted in cheers aboard their ship docked in Mombasa, Kenya. Some waved an American flag and fired flares in celebration. A lawn sign in the captain's hometown of Underhill, Vermont that read "Pray for Captain Phillips' release and safe return home" was changed to read, "Capt. Phillips rescued and safe."

[jameznyhc]

:applaud:applaud...

[James Maxx]

Thats awesome Im glad they didn't pussy out and give them the $2 million bucks.

[StateOfTrance]

phuckin-a!!!

[Bekim...]

fire it up

[metfan85]

Thats awesome Im glad they didn't pussy out and give them the $2 million bucks.

for some reason I don't think this would have been your opinion if you were held captive.

and this operation cost well more than 2 million. I think they'd have been better off paying them the ransom and learning from their mistake. Arm every ship to the teeth, drop the government regulations that do not allow them to put .50 cal rifle on bow and stern and fire on any ship that comes within 50 yards.

[Mathieu]

that's the spirit! im glad he's safe!

[CYBOUNCER]

A great precedent to set. Let those fucking skinnies know that we're not messing around.

Those had to be either Mariner Snipers or Seals. 2 of the best in the business. A 30 yard headshot from a pitching ship is god dam impressive.

[Sergeant Chaosss]

A great precedent to set. Let those fucking skinnies know that we're not messing around.

Those had to be either Mariner Snipers or Seals. 2 of the best in the business. A 30 yard headshot from a pitching ship is god dam impressive.Seals handled this one quite well I might add

[Rover]

excellent work. shouldve done this from day one w/o wasting $.

[ShaE]

MOMBASA, Kenya - U.S. Navy snipers opened fire and killed three pirates holding an American captain at gunpoint, delivering the skipper unharmed and ending a five-day high-seas hostage drama on Easter Sunday.

The pirates were pointing AK-47s at Capt. Richard Phillips and he was in "imminent danger" of being killed when the commander of the nearby USS Bainbridge made the split-second decision to order his men to shoot, Vice Adm. Bill Gortney said.

Phillips' crew, who said they had escaped the pirates after he offered himself as a hostage, erupted in cheers aboard their ship docked in Mombasa, Kenya. Some waved an American flag and fired flares in celebration. A lawn sign in the captain's hometown of Underhill, Vermont that read "Pray for Captain Phillips' release and safe return home" was changed to read, "Capt. Phillips rescued and safe."
fkin pirates, jesus.

good job navy :)

[CYBOUNCER]

Seals handled this one quite well I might add

I knew it had to be one or the other.

[.laurenx.]

:applaud about damn time

[metfan85]

excellent work. shouldve done this from day one w/o wasting $.

should've just let the ships be armed to the teeth from the beginning.

why can't the people protect themselves?

[Rover]

the times addressed this very topic this morning

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/13/world/13shipping.html?hp

[ShaE]

should've just let the ships be armed to the teeth from the beginning.

why can't the people protect themselves?

Ship owners also do not want crews to be armed because few merchant sailors have combat training and because pirates with deep pockets from ransom payments will always be able to buy larger weapons than ship owners in any maritime arms race, said Mr. Bowring, who is also the chairman of the labor affairs committee of the International Shipping Federation, a trade group representing employers.
“If we arm our crews with light machine guns, they can probably buy heavy machine guns,” Mr. Bowring said. “And if we buy light rocket launchers, they can buy heavy ones.” The answer to piracy, he said, was better law enforcement ashore.
Most ports severely restrict vessels from having weapons on board, and changing those regulations in each country would be difficult, Mr. Flynn said. The United States Coast Guard has been especially wary, fearing that the weapons could be used for terrorist attacks.
Because a commercial vessel might stop in a dozen countries during a voyage, it would be hard for it to carry weapons if any port along the route forbade that, Mr. Flynn said.

Interesting perspective

[eL FryEdo]

good shit :applaud

[James Maxx]

for some reason I don't think this would have been your opinion if you were held captive.

and this operation cost well more than 2 million. I think they'd have been better off paying them the ransom and learning from their mistake. Arm every ship to the teeth, drop the government regulations that do not allow them to put .50 cal rifle on bow and stern and fire on any ship that comes within 50 yards.

Its not just about the money its the principal. You give them the money and these pirates will think its OK and they'll do it again and again. It's not necessary to arm every ship to the teeth at best you can have a couple of military personell on the boat armed with long range missile launcher or somehing. Also remember these ships travel to many different countries. I don't think theyre gonna like having a tanker at their port with .50 caliber rifles.

[ShaE]

Its not just about the money its the principal. You give them the money and these pirates will think its OK and they'll do it again and again. It's not necessary to arm every ship to the teeth at best you can have a couple of military personell on the boat armed with long range missile launcher or somehing. Also remember these ships travel to many different countries. I don't think theyre gonna like having a tanker at their port with .50 caliber rifles.
the article also cited many of these ships are oil tankers and whatnot, firefights and weaponry abound isn't exactly such a bright idea lol

[whosjohnny]

30303

[metfan85]

Ship owners also do not want crews to be armed because few merchant sailors have combat training and because pirates with deep pockets from ransom payments will always be able to buy larger weapons than ship owners in any maritime arms race, said Mr. Bowring, who is also the chairman of the labor affairs committee of the International Shipping Federation, a trade group representing employers.
“If we arm our crews with light machine guns, they can probably buy heavy machine guns,” Mr. Bowring said. “And if we buy light rocket launchers, they can buy heavy ones.” The answer to piracy, he said, was better law enforcement ashore.
Most ports severely restrict vessels from having weapons on board, and changing those regulations in each country would be difficult, Mr. Flynn said. The United States Coast Guard has been especially wary, fearing that the weapons could be used for terrorist attacks.
Because a commercial vessel might stop in a dozen countries during a voyage, it would be hard for it to carry weapons if any port along the route forbade that, Mr. Flynn said.

Interesting perspective

It doesn't pay for the pirates to attack an armed ship. If they have to use bigger firepower, then they destroy the booty, if they get killed they do not get paid, and death, well, we know what death does to ones ability to use wealth.

Ship owners would rather their people be sitting ducks, because they don't want to pay with insurance and other various regulatory impediments.

[metfan85]

Its not just about the money its the principal. You give them the money and these pirates will think its OK and they'll do it again and again. It's not necessary to arm every ship to the teeth at best you can have a couple of military personell on the boat armed with long range missile launcher or somehing. Also remember these ships travel to many different countries. I don't think theyre gonna like having a tanker at their port with .50 caliber rifles.

But a US Navy ship with .50 cal rifle is any different? Who the fuck are they to have guns but not the people they supposedly protect?

Now you want to have the military on every ship? Since the government is buying banks, escorting ships through international waters, why doesn't it just completely take over the economy while it's at it. Not every ship has to be armed, just the ones that choose to be armed. that is the only way you can stop piracy, huge navy destroyer, can not follow every merchant and cruise ship, and cannot catch every pirate in 20' boats.

Limits of Power, people think there is no such thing. Korea, Vietnam, Beirut, 9/11, Iraq, Afghanistan, should be enough to teach us about the limits of power, apparently not.

[metfan85]

this great passage from Noam Chomsky comes to mind:

In the "City of God," St. Augustine tells the story of a pirate captured by Alexander the Great. The Emperor angrily demanded of him, "How dare you molest the seas?" To which the pirate replied, "How dare you molest the whole world? Because I do it with a small boat, I am called a pirate and a thief. You, with a great navy, molest the world and are called an emperor." St. Augustine thought the pirate's answer was "elegant and excellent."

[Benny B]

this great passage from Noam Chomsky comes to mind:

In the "City of God," St. Augustine tells the story of a pirate captured by Alexander the Great. The Emperor angrily demanded of him, "How dare you molest the seas?" To which the pirate replied, "How dare you molest the whole world? Because I do it with a small boat, I am called a pirate and a thief. You, with a great navy, molest the world and are called an emperor." St. Augustine thought the pirate's answer was "elegant and excellent."

:applaud

[Defekted]

:applaud

You should read up on Noam Chomsky......greatest contemporary mind from the left. ;)

[metfan85]

You should read up on Noam Chomsky......greatest contemporary mind from the left. ;)

a great left-libertarian, yes, but mainly ANTI-STATIST. missed that part?