Easy come, easy go...

[shadron]

Seems the pirates operating out of Somalia bit off a bit more than they could chew yesterday:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090408/ap_on_re_af/piracy

I'm not normally a flag-waver, but this does make me feel good. Particularly about the three pirates that are "in the water" 128 miles from the shore.

Does the US (and perhaps some others) need to begin thinking about having a squad of marines (or perhaps the equivalent Blackwater people) on board ships bound through the Indian Ocean with some heavy weaponry? At the amounts the pirates are asking, it's got to be the cheaper solution.

(Sorry, perhaps this belongs in News rather than History...)

 

[Bikewer]

The initial reports are apparently not quite accurate; CNN has had ongoing coverage....

Apparently, the pirates are now holding the captain on board one of their small craft, the crew having captured one of the pirates and having tried to exchange him for the captain.

A US destroyer is steaming to the site, ETA 3 hours. (likely within helicopter range...)

A SEAL operation would not amaze me....

 

[tomwaits]

Since when did Maersk hire ninjas to operate their vessels?

 

[RobRoy]

Well, today, "Attorney General Eric Holder says the United States will take whatever steps are needed to protect U.S. shipping interests against pirates."

But as the article states, the USFG isn't saying what action it will take.