US Ships Block Help for Pirates Holding US Captain

[tekisui]

Source:AP

NAIROBI, Kenya – U.S. warships are trying to stop Somali pirates from sending reinforcements to a lifeboat where an American captain is being held hostage as the high-seas standoff off Africa's eastern coast entered a fourth day Saturday.

Underscoring the high stakes involved, France's navy on Friday freed a sailboat seized off Somalia last week by other pirates, but one of the hostages was killed.

A Nairobi-based diplomat, who spoke on condition on anonymity because he is not authorized to talk to reporters, said the pirates have summoned assistance but at least two American ships and U.S. Navy surveillance aircraft are deterring pirate ships and skiffs from contact with the lifeboat.

The pirates have threatened to kill their American hostage, Capt. Richard Phillips, if the U.S. attacks them, according to a Somali who has been in contact with the pirates.

The Somali said the pirates had called in four commandeered ships with hostages from a variety of nations including the Philippines, Russia and Germany.

The vice president of the Philippines, the nation with the largest number of sailors held captive by Somali pirates, appealed Saturday for the safety of hostages to be ensured in the standoff.

more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090411/ap_on_re_af/piracy;_ylt=Arg8xTFEAHdz0Fx23TO8wlus0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTI3ZmJydDZyBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMDkwNDExL3BpcmFjeQRjcG9zAzEEcG9zAzIEc2VjA3luX3RvcF9zdG9yeQRzbGsDdXNzaGlwc2Jsb2Nr

[cali]

1. They won't let them anywhere near the site.

period.

[tekisui]

3. They has already returned toport.

Good job by the US Navy, they didn't allow the hostage standoff to expand.

Pirates end search for Phillips lifeboat

EYL, Somalia, Apr 11, 2009 (UPI via COMTEX) -- Somali pirates using a commandeered a German cargo ship to search for a U.S. hostage being held in a lifeboat have returned to port, sources say.
Pirates steered the hijacked German ship Hansa Stavanger back to the Somali port of Eyl Saturday after using it to search for other pirates holding Capt. Richard Phillips in a lifeboat adrift in the Gulf of Aden, a Somali journalist told CNN.

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/pirates-end-search-phillips-lifeboat/story.aspx?guid={E2BCEF9C-5949-4CAC-9F84-5296855CC97E}&dist=msr_1

[TorchTheWitch]

2. Pirates seeking hijacked lifeboat turn back

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Pirates holding a German cargo ship returned to port Saturday after failing to reach a lifeboat containing four pirates and their American hostage, a local journalist told CNN.

The German ship Hansa Stavanger was among several hijacked vessels that pirates were using to reach the lifeboat some 300 miles off the Somali coast, a Somali journalist told CNN.

The ship had set sail to help the pirates holding Capt. Richard Phillips, but turned back because of the U.S. naval presence, the journalist said. The Hansa Stavanger is now at the Somali port of Eyl, the journalist said.

The Hansa Stavanger, with a crew of 24, was hijacked April 4 off the Somali coast.

more: http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/africa/04/11/somalia.u.s.ship/



While I'm encouragd that the pirates in the German ship decided to turn back, I'm discouraged that other pirates have killed a French hostage. They've always been happy to just collect ransom and escape without violence before, but this hostage killing incident means that the Somali pirate issue in general is escalating.

[KharmaTrain]

4. Interesting C-SPIN Call...Let Blackwater Handle It

Or XE or whatever the new name to avoid lawsuits is called. I was thinking of posting this in its own thread (but I know better...my posts sink like boulders). At first I chuckled cause the idea came out of a freeper, but then after a couple minutes, maybe this could be a way to kill two birds with one stone.

Tying up an over-extneded military in trying to play whack-a-mole with a small band of well organized "pirates" is a waste of resources...and to what effect? To ensure Chinese or German or Russian ships are safe? Maybe we should take a page from the "days of yore"...and hire "privateers" to go after the "pirates". Put a bounty on the bounty hunters and let the soldiers of fortune have something to fortune over. I'd rather see them doing this than electrocuting our own troops or shootign up innocent Iraqi civilians.

[tekisui]

5. I heard that idea floated.

I can't say I'm terribly opposed to it. For one thing, Xe could be paid by private shipping companies, instead of through government contracts. I really loathe that Xe is paid much more to do jobs that US troops can do, in a war zone.

But, as a protective force against pirates, I think I'd be ok with that.

[acmavm]

6. NO FUCKING BLACKWATER! NO XE! That corporation need to die,

not be given the go ahead to be the worthless thugs they have proven over and over and over to be.

We've condemned Blackwater and call for their being dismantled for 8 damn long years. Now you think they should be this country's "Dog, they Bounty Hunter".

If the US or France or Russia or anyone can't figure out a way to deal with these pirates with the manpower we have in our military, and we have to call in left-brained thugs who act like 'LTC Bill 'I love the smell of napalm in the morning' Kilgore' we are truly screwed. They're as bad as the pirates.

Yeah, let's give these yahoos the US Seal of Approval for things like this, that'll work. :sarcasm:

edit: now you thinks??

[KharmaTrain]

7. Who Said We Give Them Any Approval?

Unfortunately there will always be a market for Soldiers of Fortune. The Roland The Headless Thompson gunners such as XE will find their "opportunities". I would prefer that they don't do it from our shores...and that they are held accountable for all of their crimes against humanity.

My post was in reaction to what was a silly call on C-SPIN...but one that did have a rare grain of an idea. The concept would be to let a Blackwater...paid by the corporates and foreign governments that have been the targets of the pirates. Going after them will be no easy deal, and I certainly DO NOT want American forces used in any manner...we have enough on our plate as it is.

Trying to "invade" the havens of these pirates is inviting another "Blackhawk Down" situation...a country full of hostile sects in one of the most remote parts of the world. Truth be known, if a Blackwater has to exist...or any other mercenary group, I couldn't think of a better place for them to focus their attentions on.