US Snipers take out pirates,save Captain

[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."

[Defekted]

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?