"Eisboch" wrote in message
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"Pittman Pirate" wrote in message
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"HK" wrote

The ship, its contents, and ransom money are just property, a commodity
much less valuable than the lives of the ship crews.

True. And to continue to send unarmed men into these situations in these
areas is plain stupidity. We have US naval vessels all over the globe
doing such things as jellyfish research, listening, and retesting
something they tested 2,000 times before. It would be nothing to station
vessels on patrol in that area of the world, and to handle these
situations as they come up. If a SEAL can't handle a skinny terrorist
with an antiquated RPG, he should turn in his flippers.


Haven't spent that much time in the blue water, huh?
Mighty small ships in gigantic oceans. We have ships patrolling
the normal shipping lanes, but this event happened about 300 miles
from the nearest Naval vessel according to the reports.
Furthermore, there were apparently about 150 cargo ships transiting
the general area at the time. Which do you protect?

Eisboch

Actually, spent eight years there, holding Leading AB status. Other
certifications and positions, but I digress. I do know that it is
Pollyannish to think that we can patrol every ship and every waterway.
Imagine sugar ants on the Superdome parking lot, and multiply the asphalt by
100,000.. During WW2, we had convoys, and the U boats still sank ships. I
was talking about situations where ships are seized, and action taken after
that. Maybe the knowledge would trickle down that if you attack a US
vessel, there will be a no nonsense response. A captain who drops anchor
(if in shallow water) or some other way disables his ship isn't going to
have to worry about some illiterate villager getting it under way. So they
sit there in a Mexican standoff.

Steve