UK ships will be able to carry armed guards

[Locutus]

British merchant ships sailing off the coast of Somalia will soon be able to carry armed guards to ward off pirate attacks, Prime Minister David Cameron said on Sunday.
Britain is one of only a few countries with major shipping fleets to currently ban armed guards on its vessels, alongside the likes of Japan, Greece and the Netherlands.
However, owners of ships from other countries are increasingly putting guards onboard as national navies struggle to combat Somali piracy in the vast Indian Ocean, a problem which is costing the world economy billions of dollars a year.
In an interview with the BBC, Cameron said that Britain now planned to license guards to carry firearms on ships.
"The evidence is that ships with armed guards don't get attacked, don't get taken for hostage or for ransom and so we think this is a very important step forward," Cameron said.
"The fact that a bunch of pirates in Somalia are managing to hold to ransom the rest of the world and our trading system I think is a complete insult," he added.



more


UK ships will be able to carry armed guards - Home News, UK - The Independent

 

[Colpy]

British merchant ships sailing off the coast of Somalia will soon be able to carry armed guards to ward off pirate attacks, Prime Minister David Cameron said on Sunday.
Britain is one of only a few countries with major shipping fleets to currently ban armed guards on its vessels, alongside the likes of Japan, Greece and the Netherlands.
However, owners of ships from other countries are increasingly putting guards onboard as national navies struggle to combat Somali piracy in the vast Indian Ocean, a problem which is costing the world economy billions of dollars a year.
In an interview with the BBC, Cameron said that Britain now planned to license guards to carry firearms on ships.
"The evidence is that ships with armed guards don't get attacked, don't get taken for hostage or for ransom and so we think this is a very important step forward," Cameron said.
"The fact that a bunch of pirates in Somalia are managing to hold to ransom the rest of the world and our trading system I think is a complete insult," he added.



more


UK ships will be able to carry armed guards - Home News, UK - The Independent

Well DUH!!!!!

 

[bill barilko]

How many ships fly a Briddish flag-most are Liberian registered if not some even more obscure hellhole.

It's not the flag of convenience that's the problem it's the countries they are doing business in-simply put regulations are against having armed anyone aboard cargo ships-they tie ships up in paperwork so that it's just not practical to have a small defence force aboard.

 

[Colpy]

How many ships fly a Briddish flag-most are Liberian registered if not some even more obscure hellhole.

It's not the flag of convenience that's the problem it's the countries they are doing business in-simply put regulations are against having armed anyone aboard cargo ships-they tie ships up in paperwork so that it's just not practical to have a small defence force aboard.

Then the regulations either have to go, or have to be ignored.

This situation is completely insane. Especially when it is so easily solved.

Arm the ships with guards or train the crews. Small arms are all that should be necessary.........the pirates have to board to be effective. Or at most mount a good old .50 cal Browning MG from 1921..........Shoot the pirates. Take no prisoners.

Problem solved.

 

[Johnnny]

Has anyone stopped to think why they the pirates are hijacking these easily targetted cargo ships.???? Mabye if the international community didnt **** on the fishermen from somolia and puntland then mabye they wouldnt feel so obliged to take their fight to cargo ships.....

 

[Machjo]

British merchant ships sailing off the coast of Somalia will soon be able to carry armed guards to ward off pirate attacks, Prime Minister David Cameron said on Sunday.
Britain is one of only a few countries with major shipping fleets to currently ban armed guards on its vessels, alongside the likes of Japan, Greece and the Netherlands.
However, owners of ships from other countries are increasingly putting guards onboard as national navies struggle to combat Somali piracy in the vast Indian Ocean, a problem which is costing the world economy billions of dollars a year.
In an interview with the BBC, Cameron said that Britain now planned to license guards to carry firearms on ships.
"The evidence is that ships with armed guards don't get attacked, don't get taken for hostage or for ransom and so we think this is a very important step forward," Cameron said.
"The fact that a bunch of pirates in Somalia are managing to hold to ransom the rest of the world and our trading system I think is a complete insult," he added.

more


UK ships will be able to carry armed guards - Home News, UK - The Independent

I agree in principle. I think a reasonable rule would be to say they're allowed armed guards in our national waters and international waters, while of course expecting them to respect the rules of whatever country's waters they enter. Economically, it makes much more sense than having a navy ship follow each merchant ship around the world.

 

[bill barilko]

Bombard the pirates with Adele recordings-clutching their ears they'll fall shrieking into the sea and drown-problem solved!

 

[EagleSmack]

Has anyone stopped to think why they the pirates are hijacking these easily targetted cargo ships.???? Mabye if the international community didnt **** on the fishermen from somolia and puntland then mabye they wouldnt feel so obliged to take their fight to cargo ships.....

I bet pirating cargo ships is so much more lucrative than fishing.

 

[The Old Medic]

Johnny, are you seriously mentally ill? I ask, because your comment is so off the wall, so psychotic, that it indicates a very real need for treatment.

Nobody is doing anything to any Somali fishermen. And there is no excuse for piracy at all.

They used to know how to treat Pirates. When caught, the Captain of the ship just hanged them, off of his yardarm, and left the corpses to rot. The captain and officers MIGHT be taken back for trial, but in amny cases, they were just sumarrily disposed of.

I say, put a couple of 40mm pom-pom guns on every freighter, and if a boat approaches, just blow the suckers out of the water,. A 40mm has a LOT longer range than an RPG, so the pirates would quickly learn that important lesson, "Don't screw around, or you become shark food".

 

[TenPenny]

Johnny, are you seriously mentally ill? I ask, because your comment is so off the wall, so psychotic, that it indicates a very real need for treatment.

Nobody is doing anything to any Somali fishermen. And there is no excuse for piracy at all.

Do you actually know anything about the issues in Somalia?

Not that it excuses piracy, but you might do well to familiarize yourself with the issue before proving that old adage about staying silent vs speaking.

 

[Machjo]

Has anyone stopped to think why they the pirates are hijacking these easily targetted cargo ships.???? Mabye if the international community didnt **** on the fishermen from somolia and puntland then mabye they wouldnt feel so obliged to take their fight to cargo ships.....

I do agree that it might be worthwhile promoting more open trade borders between Canada and Somalia so as to give Somalians more job opportunities, and maybe other forms of aid too. But their situation still does not excuse pirating.

 

[dumpthemonarchy]

On the high seas, to cut down piracy can require nasty solutions. The pirate ships have to be blown away as an example, the video posted on youtube to perhaps teach a lesson. Piracy these days often means riches, if it ofte meant quick death at sea, then it would likely be greatly reduced. International law requires a low level of guilt and evidence because the security of nations is the issue.

But these kind of solutions occur when prices skyrocket, and they haven't yet. Eventually though, if a ship comes too close, you shoot and ask questions later, like pirates do.

 

[Johnnny]

Nobody is doing anything to any Somali fishermen

this statement is false

I bet pirating cargo ships is so much more lucrative than fishing.

it is and these devout muslims are going against their religon and gathering money that is considered "Haraam" because they keep getting their load of fish hijacked by foreign fishing trawlers.

Do some research and you would understand that if you were in their position you would probally be hijacking cargo ships also. Even if they are khat chewing ragheads....

 

[Nuggler]

They're going to be armed!! Only taken five or so years. Idiots.

 

[lone wolf]

If the skeet happen to resemble dhows and zodiacs, so be it.....

 

[Johnnny]

as if i got a negative rep for my first post.... At least i took the time to learn about the conflict get real...

Get ****ing real there is 3 sides to a story, yours, theirs and the truth....

 

[Colpy]

as if i got a negative rep for my first post.... At least i took the time to learn about the conflict get real...

Get ****ing real there is 3 sides to a story, yours, theirs and the truth....

If someone breaks into my house, threatens my people, steals my stuff, holds my family hostage.....I don't give a rat's arse about his fishing spots........

Yes, foreign trawlers have raped the ocean off Somalia, but I doubt it is the poor unfortunate fishermen that are bank rolling large mother ships to take their murderous piracy further and further out to sea.........

Nor would I care.

 

[Johnnny]

And im sure if you were to come into my house, steal my **** and dump toxic material on my property id be more than pissed and want to retaliate..... Yes its pirates bankrolling pirates, and their overseas contacts from countries like Britian and such. But this has been a cumulative thing thats turned into a money making monster. These guys arent Taliban and the major Islamic courts(The ones we hate) in Somolia are fighting the pirates... That should say something

 

[Colpy]

And im sure if you were to come into my house, steal my **** and dump toxic material on my property id be more than pissed and want to retaliate..... Yes its pirates bankrolling pirates, and their overseas contacts from countries like Britian and such. But this has been a cumulative thing thats turned into a money making monster. These guys arent Taliban and the major Islamic courts(The ones we hate) in Somolia are fighting the pirates... That should say something

Yep.

But the rubber meets the road on the high seas...(kinda fun mixing the metaphors...lol)

And there is, out there, only one response to piracy.

Shoot them, blow their ships out of the water, and leave them for the sharks.

 

[Johnnny]

Naw man we should invest in a legitimate government in somolia and work to build their coast guard. Were rebuilding afghanistan why not try somolia?