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Joe_D

Bob,

My Neighbor went to Atlanta Wednesday and got back Sunday night. He told me the only problem he encountered was in Atlanta, where they were rationed to 40 dollars a fill up. Not sure if it was city wide or just where they topped off. Had no problems anywhere else. Goes to show how the media likes to scare everyone with "The Sky is Falling" sensationalism.

An another note, sometimes pirates get what they deserve,

The Times

Joe D

Neil_Baumgardner

I took a slightly different route on the way down this time since I stopped to visit friends in Durham - I-95, then I-85, then I-77 (instead of I-95 almost all the way until I-20). And yes, I did stop for gas outside Charlotte and found a gas line (albeit at the cheaper station a few miles down the interstate from another one with no lines) - six or so cars deep for each pump. But they had wireless available ($2 for an hour - thankfully it only took 15 minutes), so I wasnt too unhappy Wink

Neil

bsmart

Didn't hear the actual base name, thanks. He is currently completing Sat Com school and gets assigned to the 50th Signal Battalion (along with many of the last couple classes) as part of pre deployment buildup. They were told last week that current plans are for deployment to Djibouti.

No he doesn't speak French (took Spanish in High School) but says they have access to Rosetta Stone and he is going to try and pick some up.

By the way any trouble getting gas on your recent excursion to Columbia? I didn't have any trouble when I took his car down to him a couple weeks ago but if you believe the evening news the shortages in the Atlanta area have spread as far as Charlotte NC

Neil_Baumgardner

Camp Lemonier eh? Does he speak French?

Neil

bsmart

- Neil_Baumgardner

South Sudan

Neil

You're right

I need to start paying more attention to that part of the world. Just found out the other night that my son at Ft Gordon will be deploying to Djibouti in the spring

Dontos

Since direct action (while in the spotlight) would give more publicity to the 'lower life forms' (ie pirates/terrorists, whatever), let them enjoy the 15 minutes of fame.

Then, after things calm down...

let the UAV's quietly patrol, aquire certain targets, and observe as the targets are dispatched to the after life.

Case closed

ALTHOUGH... A highly public Special Ops 'HIT', does have its benefits.

Don

Jim_Coles · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Jan 24, 2006 Posts: 56

I note a news article that quotes the pirate leader as saying his men were prepared to fight to the death. Between the US and Russian ships keeping an eye on them, perhaps there are some Marines/Naval Spetsnaz that could accommodate them?

Neil_Baumgardner

South Sudan

Neil

bsmart

I saw a report on another website that the tanks as well as the other equipment on the ship (ammunition, RPGs, small arms, etc) were destined to the 'South Somali Army' a breakaway faction in Somalia and only transiting through Kenya.

Maple_Leaf_Eh · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Jan 24, 2006 Posts: 517

When the Canadians redeployed from Kosovo in '00 after an initial deployment and one roto, they chartered a big Roll On Roll Off oceangoing ferry. Everything from AFVs to containers of ammunition went on board. The prudent thinkers put three grunts on too. They had no ROEs for the ship, just that the cargo wasn't tampered.

Well, the company and its chartering company got into an argument with a third party, and the master refused to put into port. After turning circles in the ocean for two weeks, the ship was boarded by a naval boarding party. The rest of the trip was peaceful. It was called Operation Megaphone for people who track these things.

Joe_D

Rikard said:

They even considered a deck mounted 0.50 cal. M2HB but the ship would have then been classified as a war ship and that would have complicated things beyond belief.

I didn't even think of that, makes sense. Who would want a ship coming into their port decked out with heavy weapons.

Big question, with the cargo being tanks, why wasn't there some sort of security detachment/ guard force assigned to protect it? Whenever the US ships stuff like this we send a detachment of Soldiers/Marines/Security on board. I would have hoped the Kenyan or Ukrainian Government would have had a team to travel with the equipment. Chalk it up to lessons learned.

Joe D

Rikard_Hufschmied

I have a couple of friends who sailed the China Seas, Strait of Malacca and the waters around Indonesia, Philippines and PNG in the early 90's. Piracy was on an all time high at the time so they had shotguns and pistols stored in the hold and they had around the clock guard duty. They even considered a deck mounted 0.50 cal. M2HB but the ship would have then been classified as a war ship and that would have complicated things beyond belief.

Nothing happened to them, not even the smallest incident, but they were told they were lucky.

Joe_D

Spokesman huh,

I guess next they'll be going to the UN to be granted combatant status.

That way when they start getting their A**es kicked they can run to them and get a cease fire arranged, like all these other groups in the world. Then they get legitimized and now a have bargaining rights when in reality they are nothing more than thieves and criminals with some deluded followers.

Oh well, it's all a matter of business with the owners, cheaper to pay and not fight right now compared to how many ships get through.

Joe D

piney

noted in the news today that the pirates press spokesman(?, guess everybody has to have one nowadays) said they would be willing to fight if anyone tried to stop them.

My only question would be the easiest way to sink the tub, aircraft, gunfire or torpedoes. good riddance to the pirates. If this happened a few times I bet the incidence of piracy would go waaaay down

Piney

Maple_Leaf_Eh · ***Power User*** Offline Joined: Jan 24, 2006 Posts: 517

Speaking carefully here, the shipping lanes are optimized for speed and fuel economy. The master has an owner who wants his ship delivering cargo. The shipping lanes off Somalia have been bumped further offshore to put more open ocean between the coast, the speed boats, the mother ships and the potential prey.

The typical self-protection methods are high speed, nothing hanging over the side, high pressure hoses, full running lights, calling contacts on open frequencies, and hope. The masters don't authorize any use of force, because word would spread and terrorists being spiteful, would find revenge. Instead of AK fire or grappling hooks, it will be RPGs to the wheelhouse, and the force escalates. Instead of locking the crew in a cabin, they'll be killed. Don't put it past these criminals to bring Recoilless Rifles to a knife fight next time.

I disagree that collusion must be a contributing factor. The average merchant crew are Phillipinos, Koreans or Pakistanis. But I agree that aimed rifle fire and plenty of it, would be a simple subtraction exercise.

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