Repel A Pirate Attack

[American X]

In the 'what's the coolest thing you've done' conversation, repelling a pirate attack on the high seas has got to be a winner.

"Oh, I swam with Dolphins."

"I climbed a big mountain."

"I ran a marathon."

"I repelled a pirate attack on my ship without weapons."

U.S. Cargo Ship Repels Pirates (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123918590857500753.html)

[blobfan]

Really sucks that the pirates attacked a ship with relief aid. What a bunch of a$$whipes!

[picknroll]

In the 'what's the coolest thing you've done' conversation, repelling a pirate attack on the high seas has got to be a winner.

"Oh, I swam with Dolphins."

"I climbed a big mountain."

"I ran a marathon."

"I repelled a pirate attack on my ship without weapons."
U.S. Cargo Ship Repels Pirates (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123918590857500753.html)

I heard $10 million was actually used as a "weapon". At least that's what the ship's owner said last night.

[picknroll]

Can someone tell me why these large ships keep getting attacked and overtaken by bands of skinny, malnourished Somalies in 22 ft. rowboats? What the hell? How about loading up these ships with "the few, the proud, the Marines" to act as lookouts, and arm them with the appropriate weapons to blow these mongrels out of the water as they approach. Just say "hey show me your flag, ID or whatever", and if they refuse, then BOOM. Duh. On the other hand, maybe the ships' owners are staging these attacks, and collecting the insurance money....hmmmm...tough times, you know.

[Cheesehead]

CNN said that pirating was a 150 million industry last year (I think I have that figure correct). Someone please correct me if I'm wrong. I am favor of letting thse ships use whatever force necessary to defend themselves. This has to stop.

[blobfan]

I didn't hear an exact figure but NPR said that pirating brings in more money than the entire GNP of Somalia.

[Kahns Krazy]

Repelling a pirate in a big-ass ship is pretty cool, but being a pirate would be a nice reunion conversation starter as well.

"What do you do?"

"I write code for payroll systems"
or
"I'm an open-seas pirate. Arr. "

[blobfan]

"I'm not married, I don't have any kids, but I'd blow your head off if someone paid me enough."

[American X]

'Rescued captain from pirate capture on the high seas' would also rank high.

[GoMuskies]

I enjoy that they put an icepick through the pirate leader's hand.

[Smails]

"Yeah...well I'm the Navy Seal who executed a head shot from 100 yards through a window."

[Kahns Krazy]

The rescue is bad ass. Some other countries are already all whiny because they're concerned that the US going in and blowing the heads off the pirates may cause other pirates to retaliate against their captives.

Who cares. I'm pretty sure what it says to the pirates is "Don't attack ships with the US flag, or you might get your head blown apart."

[GoMuskies]

Even the French are going in after the kill. It's time for this particular world problem to end.

[XUglow]

When this was happening, there was a story about the pirates around Somalia going out to support their brother pirates. Let's see. Somali pirates in whatever ships they can muster vs. the US Navy. Would have loved to have seen that confrontation, but I am sure that the prates are not that dumb.

[blobfan]

"Yeah...well I'm the Navy Seal who executed a head shot from 100 yards through a window."

In choppy seas, no less.

These pirates are a bunch of tools. Things must be bad in Somalia if they are the heroes of their country (I know, big understatement).

What the he!! do they expect to happen when they point a gun at someone's head? We're going to bow down and say "yes Mr. Pirate sir, here's your money." No. You point a gun at someone's head, expect someone to point one back at you. And we're supposed to negotiate with them after they already broke their first promise during negotiations?

Fellow pirates are vowing to shoot hostages if military ships approach them. Aren't they threatening to shoot hostages in the first place? How is threatening the same thing a second time going to influence people to behave differently?

Pirate logic, I guess.

What a bunch of tools.

[drudy23]

Can someone exlain to me how being a pirate is actually like having a job? Hey, these guess just came on my boat and flashed a gun in my face and stole my cargo. Well, they're pirates.

Oh..pirates...nevermind...proceed.

It's almost like the mafia. As the drug trafficking and drug abuse isn't enough to arrest them...they have to "build a case."

[American X]

Recapturing a ship from pirates would also rank high.

Dutch Marines Are Badasses (http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gB7YMEDuCwwY9ncDOtPAkEI4-H2wD9ETSR1O2)

"THE HAGUE, Netherlands — Gaining fast on the pirates who had seized a German freighter, Dutch naval captain Col. Hans Lodder had no time to waste on bureaucracy.

Sidestepping the command of the European Union's anti-piracy task force, he went instead to his own government for authorization to recapture the ship by force.

Lodder first ascertained that the freighter's crew had locked themselves in a bulletproof room. Then he launched his ship's Lynx helicopter with a team of six special forces marines.

With troops providing cover fire from the helicopter, the marines rappelled onto the ship's deck of the MV Taipan to shoot it out, if need be, with the pirates. But they met no resistance. The 15-man crew was rescued, and 10 Somali pirates were captured."

[XULucho27]

The rescue is bad ass. Some other countries are already all whiny because they're concerned that the US going in and blowing the heads off the pirates may cause other pirates to retaliate against their captives.

Who cares. I'm pretty sure what it says to the pirates is "Don't attack ships with the US flag, or you might get your head blown apart."

That's catchy. Can we get that made into a T-shirt or bumper sticker? I'd buy one.

[Xman95]

Thanks, AmX. I absolutely LOVE this thread!

[PM Thor]

"Don't attack ships with the US flag, or you might get your head blown apart."

http://cnnnews.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/t1larg-ship-usn.jpg?w=640

[American X]

U.S. Marines Are Badasses Too (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704644404575481252054001786.html?m od=WSJ_hpp_LEFTTopStories)

DUBAI—U.S. Marines early Thursday boarded and seized control of a German-owned commercial vessel that had been commandeered by pirates, in what appeared to be the first American-led military boarding of its kind amid a recent surge of attacks in the Gulf of Aden and along the east coast of Africa.

A raiding party of 24 Marines boarded the ship about 85 miles southeast of Mukallah, Yemen, in the Gulf of Aden, according to the U.S. Navy. Pirates had captured the vessel, which was carrying steel chains, in the same vicinity the previous day, the Navy said.

http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/OB-JX222_pirate_G_20100909082119.jpg

[boozehound]

We should just be able to execute these guys when we catch them. Every last one.

[X-band '01]

Should it be considered offensive for teams to nickname themselves Pirates nowadays?

[American X]

Headline of the day:

Nazi hunters urged the German government to prosecute former members of death squads who are still alive (http://online.wsj.com/articles/simon-wiesenthal-center-urges-germany-to-probe-nazi-death-squads-1412199961)

In my estimation, Nazi Hunter is the coolest job title in the world. Imagine the possibilities with the business card.

[Kahns Krazy]

Hey. Where the hell has Glow been?

[paulxu]

In the Grove prepping for Game Day.

[nuts4xu]

Hey. Where the hell has Glow been?

I think he is busy courting more hot babes....

Dude has to handle his business!

[nuts4xu]

Based on last night, the only thing you need to repel a Pirate Attack is Madison Bumgarner....

http://www3.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Madison+Bumgarner+Philadelphia+Phillies+v+wvCuVdj7 g8Jl.jpg

[xu82]

My sister and her husband are into sailing and chartered a boat to sail off of Greece. They were warned about pirates and where they could and couldn't take the boat. Pirates are real thing real people have to worry about them! It didn't matter, they were robbed of all their valuables on the train before they ever saw the boat. Oops! Damn pirates are everywhere!

[muskiefan82]

Based on last night, the only thing you need to repel a Pirate Attack is Madison Bumgarner....

http://www3.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Madison+Bumgarner+Philadelphia+Phillies+v+wvCuVdj7 g8Jl.jpg

Separated at birth?

1502

[X-band '01]

He's grown his hair quite a bit since that picture. Half of the Giants have the Severus Snape hairdo now.

[X-band '01]

Hey. Where the hell has Glow been?


In the Grove prepping for Game Day.

For a full month? He hasn't been on since August.

Now that I think about it, we haven't had a LadyMuskie sighting for a while, either. Maybe they're both getting ready for the Grove.

[paulxu]

The older you get, the longer your prep.

Maybe the Lady is helping out.