Pirates

[Khan]

Things are rarely as simple as they seem at first glance:

Off the lawless coast of Somalia, questions of who is pirating who -- chicagotribune.com

"We have some of the richest fishing grounds in the world," said Gayre. "Scientists say it is like a rain forest of fish. But our fishermen can't compete with the foreigners in big ships who come to steal from our waters."

Somalia, like all maritime countries, has legal rights over an exclusive economic zone that extends 200 nautical miles to sea. And though it has no navy to enforce its control, it theoretically owns the fish and minerals in that area.

Many of Somalia's angry fishermen have picked up rifles and joined the pirate mafias that have seized more than two dozen vessels off the Somali coast so far this year, maritime security experts say.

 

[Darryl]

Rescuing a hostage in this situation can't be that hard. Get a bunch of Marine snipers on the Bainbridge wait until night shot the pirates. Problem solved.

Clifp, post #71 will you stay retired or go politician, diplomat, military advisor, what will your path be?

 

[clifp]

I'd love to be a military adviser. Alas you actually have to have some knowledge and experience to perform this role. Politician is a possibility, but I think diplomacy is my true calling. "Surrender or die you scum sucking, motherless, sea dogs".

Who is happy that the Navy was reading this thread and took my simple advice

 

[REWahoo]

Who is happy that the Navy was reading this thread and took my simple advice

Uh...Capt. Richard Phillips?

 

[tuixiu]

Bravo to the US Navy, and congrats to the Captain.

 

[clifp]

Uh...Capt. Richard Phillips?

No that was a statement not a question. I am happy at the outcome, especially for the brave Captain safe return.

 

[RustyShackleford]

... I hope the crew and captain just stay silent. I'm much happier if pirates think when they go against a US flagged vessel it will turn out bad for unknown reasons. If this gets analyzed and reported in every little detail, other pirates will likely learn something about countermeasures and not let the same thing happen next time.

You mess with US shipping and suddenly your guys' heads all
simultaneously explode, including the guy who's behind a window and
has a gun trained on the hostage. Wow. Seems like it might be a
good thing for other pirates to know some of the details.

 

[FinallyRetired]

I'd love to be a military adviser. Alas you actually have to have some knowledge and experience to perform this role.

True, which would have made your advice worthless and/or too late to do any good. It's called paralysis by analysis. Trust me on this.

Politician is a possibility, but I think diplomacy is my true calling. "Surrender or die you scum sucking, motherless, sea dogs".

Just what we need at times.

 

[REWahoo]

No that was a statement not a question. I am happy at the outcome, especially for the brave Captain safe return.

Guess I need to use more of these:

 

[TromboneAl]

Interesting that it was resolved with a "24" type scenario after all.

 

[FUEGO]

Interesting that it was resolved with a "24" type scenario after all.

I bet Jack Bauer was the sole sniper and took out all 3 pirates simultaneously.

 

[REWahoo]

I bet Jack Bauer was the sole sniper and took out all 3 pirates simultaneously.

With one bullet...

 

[FUEGO]

With one bullet...

Bullets? Those are for novice snipers. He undoubtedly used a homemade shiv he crafted after being taken captive by the US Navy. Of course the amazing part was throwing it and hitting all 3 snipers with one toss. And he was in handcuffs while he did it.

 

[Westernskies]

Interesting that it was resolved with a "24" type scenario after all.

...diplomacy is so overrated.

 

[unclemick]

...diplomacy is so overrated.

You can get much further with a kind word and a gun than with a kind word alone.

Al Capone.


heh heh heh - Wonder what the other pirate folks are up to in the other shipping lanes out of Singapore?

 

[Bimmerbill]

I'd love to hear more about the shots. I'm a good shot, done lots of competition, but can't imagine taking that kind of shot from a moving platform, at a moving target, with those sort of stakes!

 

[REWahoo]

I'd love to hear more about the shots. I'm a good shot, done lots of competition, but can't imagine taking that kind of shot from a moving platform, at a moving target, with those sort of stakes!

I'm certain they had some assistance - think "gyro-stabilization". If it works on an M1A1 tank (and your video camera), it works on a rifle sighting system.

 

[clifp]

I'd love to hear more about the shots. I'm a good shot, done lots of competition, but can't imagine taking that kind of shot from a moving platform, at a moving target, with those sort of stakes!

The distance was only 30 years from the fantail of the Bainbridge to the lifeboat. . I am pretty sure that you could hit a head size target with a sniper rifle even if the boats were moving. I know that SEALS train to take shots under far more difficult circumstances. Heck I can (sometimes) hit a moving chicken with pellet pistol at that range, and I am no marksmen.

Still the pressure must be enormous.

 

[PX4sc40sw]

I'm certain they had some assistance - think "gyro-stabilization". If it works on an M1A1 tank (and your video camera), it works on a rifle sighting system.

And combine that with a target acquisition/lock scope, nice little feedback loop to that gyro-stabilized barrel and a 50 cal. projectile with a mean intent design. You would have pirate flavored Alpo.

 

[Martha]

Cliffy, why are you shooting chickens?

 

[FUEGO]

Those snipers are training on 1000+ yard ranges I think. So a 25 yard shot is probably like shooting pirates in a barrel.

 

[Htown Harry]

I agree with FUEGO, but I'd love to hear more from those that know more about rifles.

One article I read speculated the weapon used was the SEALS' favorite sniper rifle, the MK 11 Mod 0. Google "MK 11 sniper rifle" and you can find plenty of info.

One gung-ho testimonial from a Marine sniper said he was happy with his first trials at the range, where he was able to consecutively hit four 4-inch disks at 600 yards. In 8 seconds.

So hitting a target so close that it fills up the telescope sight should be well within a SEALS operator's capabilities. And I would assume they had been looking down the barrel for a long, long time before the opportunity to shoot was right - ample time to get the feel for the motions of both the ship and the lifeboat.

My guess is two SEALS are kidding the one SEAL whose shot landed the farthest from a pirate's earhole.

 

[clifp]

Because the Chicken are eating my tomatoes. Plus I hear free range chickens are ono. Having done more than scare the stupid critters.

 

[samclem]

I guess the pirate aboard the Bainbridge doing the negotiations had a quick change in his frame of reference. One minute he's holding all the cards, probably talking tough, driving a hard bargain, demanding tons of ransom, all kinds of toys, and spitting on the Americans. A moment later he's the captive. "Umm, I was just thinking my previous statements and demands may have been a little harsh. I'm thinking I'm gonna let you guys off the hook this time. Me and my buddies will just go back to Somalia. I'll just climb over this rail, no need to help me. Anyway, have a nice day."

Life's funny like that--everything is going fine and then the world changes.

 

[HFWR]

Life's funny like that--everything is going fine and then the world changes.

You could say that this was a "black swan" event for the pirates...