Team America....

[Guest SUNTZU]

U.S. Marines Rescue Ship From Pirates - WSJ.com

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.

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Courtesy of U.S. Navy Helicopters provided aerial watch as U.S. Marines boarded and seized control of the M/V Magellan Star.

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.

The U.S. said there were no casualties among the raiding party or the ship's crew. Nine alleged pirates were captured in the operation.

The Gulf of Aden, a waterway connecting the Red Sea with the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean, is an important shipping route for goods going to and from Europe and Asia. It is also an important oil supply line, with Saudi Arabia shipping some of its exports through the passage.

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Somalia-based pirates started to ratchet up their attacks in the gulf and along the east coast of Africa in 2008. In January 2009, the U.S. set up Combined Task Force 151, designed specifically to fight the new piracy threat. Other bodies, including the European Union, have established their own maritime task forces, which tend to operate in coordination with one another, and with individual navies. Iranian and Chinese ships have also cooperated in more informal ways in the fight against piracy in the region.

America's antipiracy efforts go back more than two centuries, to when President Thomas Jefferson set out to combat Barbary coast pirates in north Africa. But the piracy threat against U.S. shipping largely evaporated by the latter part of the 19th century.

That is, until last year. In the spring of 2009, the U.S. military intervened in a pirate attack on an American-flagged merchant ship attacked offshore east Africa.

The crew of that ship retook control of the vessel, but pirates escaped in a lifeboat with the captain of the ship as a hostage. U.S. snipers killed three pirates, captured a fourth and freed the captain in an elaborate naval rescue.

American warships since then have intervened a number of times to ward off attacks while they were under way, often sending helicopters over ships being pursued by pirates, for instance. But this appeared to be the first time since the Somali piracy boom began that a U.S. military team boarded a large vessel under pirate control.

French commandos have in the past stormed French-owned ships taken by pirates, with mixed results. In April, the French Navy recaptured a 48-foot sailing yacht from pirates, who were holding five hostages, including a toddler. One of the hostages—the owner of the yacht and the father of the child—was killed during the French operation.

Amid the increase in attacks, a number of multinational naval task forces have sprung up to patrol pirate-infested waters in and around the Gulf of Aden. Still, naval commanders often have been frustrated by not having ships or aircraft available to respond to attacks, because of the large expanse of ocean they are patrolling.

A U.S. Navy spokesman said Thursday's raid didn't necessarily signal a change in tactics in the U.S. response to pirate attacks. Because commanders had resources available, they decided to act, he said.

"This is a case of us having the right people, with the right capabilities at the right place and at the right time," said Lt. John Fage, a spokesman for the U.S. Fifth Fleet, based in Bahrain.

The Fifth Fleet said 24 Marines from the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, attached to the amphibious warship USS Dubuque, boarded the German-owned M/V Magellan Star, after pirates attacked it the previous day. The U.S. military said a warship from Turkey, currently in command of a multinational antipiracy task force in the region, responded to a distress call from the German ship. Two U.S. warships from the task force, the USS Dubuque and the guided-missile cruiser USS Princeton, joined the Turkish ship on the scene.

A spokesman for the task force said no shots were fired during the boarding, which lasted about one hour. No pirates were injured in the operation, he said.

The U.S. Navy said the pirates were "currently under control" of the task force, "pending further disposition." One of the biggest challenges for global antipiracy efforts has been figuring out what to do with alleged pirates once they are caught.

Last month, a federal judge in Norfolk, Va., dismissed charges of piracy against six Somalis accused of attacking a U.S. Navy ship last April near Somalia. One of the men pleaded guilty to lesser charges and said he will testify against his skiff-mates, who also face lesser charges. The case underscored the legal hurdles in bringing alleged pirates, often apprehended in international waters, to justice.

[Guest Glock23ForMe]

Glad none of our men were killed....

[Guest 6.8 AR]

Don't know what to do with the pirates?

Shoot them!

[Guest drv2fst]

Make the pirates walk the plank.

and then shoot them. Sharks gotta eat.

[memphismason]

ARRRRRRRHHHHHHHH

[Guest jackdm3]

ARRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH

FTFY

[memphismason]

FTFY

there is no "g" when I say ARRRRRRRHHHHHHHH

[Guest db99wj]

I just love it when a plan comes together.

[JeffL]

Surprise c***f**s!

[Daniel]

[Guest Glock23ForMe]

there is no "g" when I say ARRRRRRRHHHHHHHH

Then why don't you just say...

RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

[memphismason]

Then why don't you just say...

RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Cause that sucks

[vontar]

About time some good news.

I still want to see the ships armed to defend themselves.

Here is the states when we need help police are only minutes away when seconds count. At SEA help can be hours if not days away.

[Ebow1]

The USMC doing what they were made for.

[Guest jackdm3]

there is no "g" when I say ARRRRRRRHHHHHHHH

Then how do you pronounce the "HHHHHHHH" part? Like "ARRRR HA"?

[Guest Glock23ForMe]

Cause that sucks

But it's the same thing unless you're doing what Jack is talking about...

Then how do you pronounce the "HHHHHHHH" part? Like "ARRRR HA"?

And that would just sound stupid...

[Guest Letereat!]

Hooo Friggen Haaa, Its about time we flexed a little Muscle on these damb Pirates. I know Somolia sucks ass. Met a couple of refugees from there not too long ago. But this pirate crap is a bit much to take on a weekly basis. In response to Vontar, there are some ships that are indeed arming the crew and have repelled pirate attacks with armed force. Ill try and find the news clips and post em.

Edited September 10, 2010 by Letereat!

[Guest Letereat!]

I laughed my ass off when I saw that movie."Team America World Police." I always wanted to watch it with some Muslims and see if they laughed as hard as i did.

[Guest Glock23ForMe]

I doubt they would....

[Guest Letereat!]

I doubt they would....

Im not so sure, it makes the american military to look like a bunch of self absorbed boobs who have no thought of all the Mayham and destruction we allegdly deliver to the rest of the world,particularly the middle east. It makes our intelligence core look like a bunch of mindless win at all costs thoughtless incompetant idiots too. The movie is clearly left slanted but is a great and in my opinion extremely humerous parody.

Edited September 10, 2010 by Letereat!

[Punisher84]

Don't know what to do with the pirates?

Shoot them!

Dead men tell no tales!

[Dolomite_supafly]

About time some good news.

I still want to see the ships armed to defend themselves.

Here is the states when we need help police are only minutes away when seconds count. At SEA help can be hours if not days away.

A number of years back I mentioned trying to get in on this to one of the companies I worked for. I do know there are some that did approcah a few of the shipping companies. I was also told that there are some security contracts out there for maritime security contractors but they are few and far between, not a big market. They are also looking for very specialized folks to work it, mostly SEALS.

Al have said a few miniguns, a few RPG's and some decent guys could do wonders to prevent the pirates from being successful at making it back to shore. Eventually word gets out that odds are you will be killed if you are caught. I know they don't have much to live for in Somalia but at least they are living so hopefully they would think twice.

This wouldn't have helped the sailing yacht but some of the big transport ships could definitely use it. I have read where shipping companies pay in the tens of millions to have a ship released. To a Somali that is like winning the lottery.

The biggest problem is regulations concerning a ship being armed. I am sure there are some sort of international law regarding a ship being armed with offensive weapons. Also, it depends on which port or ports you will be entering. Some countries don't take having firearms on board too well.

Dolomite

Oh and one more thing "America, **** YEAH!"

Edited September 10, 2010 by Dolomite_supafly

[Guest Letereat!]

Dolomite_supafly; Also, it depends on which port or ports you will be entering. Some countries don't take having firearms on board too well.

Dolomite

Oh and one more thing "America, **** YEAH!

.

This is very true I remember visiting many ports of call in the Navy where any combatant ship HAD to Anchor a good ways from the actual port and take liberty boats ashore. But were talking heavy duty munitions. I always felt that it was partially to protect those arms and weapons from being easilly accessable to would be bantdits too. I am in full agreement that these ships must arm themselves, the American Navy and other allies cannot escort or be avialable on the spot for every merchant vessell that is in durress.

Edited September 10, 2010 by Letereat!

[Guest mustangdave]

there is no "g" when I say ARRRRRRRHHHHHHHH

LOL...I understood that the "gh" was silent....according to Olde ANGLISH enunciation

[memphismason]

I don't care what any of you C***F*gs say. There ain't a "g" in it when I say it, PERIOD.

Here is some random youtube video of some kids playing pirates. The smallest child is saying it right (LOL). Hang in through the video cause some "booty" appears.

Edited September 10, 2010 by memphismason