The First Sea Lord and the pirates

[Cornishman]

The Navy Chief's frustration
http://www.thisiswesternmorningnews...ge-takers/article-1527555-detail/article.html

 

[wotayottie]

Makes you feel proud

Would Nelson have operated that way?

 

[sailaboutvic]

arrrrrrrr

I'm not getting into this , I think I made my feeling clear what I think about this and by the posting of other's it clear what most of us think about standing by and doing nothing ..

 

[xxyyzz]

"But he said the crew, made up of 75 merchant seaman and 25 Royal Navy sailors, were not trained in hostage rescue and any action they took could have led to the Chandlers being killed."
Of course taking no action could lead to them being killed as well, unless the Navy's going to pick up the release fee.

 

[Ludd]

QUOTE/"NOT TRAINED IN HOSTAGE RESCUE"



Considering that EVERY Somali pirate attaack becomes a hostage situation then perhaps the idiot that sends out ant-piracy patrols WITHOUT trained hostage rescue specialists should resign?

 

[drawkins]

did anyone have any comments on the BBC clip showing the interview with Commodore Bilt[?]I think that was his name.
watching the EU flag being hoisted and then his comments,I wouldn't be exactly quaking in my shoes if I was a pirate

 

[Cruiser2B]

Would you have been happy if the Chandlers had been killed in a hail of gunfire?
Show of hands?

 

[joha]

Well according to the BBC thats what could happen next!

 

[sailaboutvic]

Would you have been happy if the Chandlers had been killed in a hail of gunfire?
Show of hands?

it's ok let's all just stand by and do nothing , isit that what we good at .

 

[Cruiser2B]

it's ok let's all just stand by and do nothing , isit that what we good at .

So your answer is: "kill them all, let god sort 'em out"?

Considering that EVERY Somali pirate attaack becomes a hostage situation then perhaps the idiot that sends out ant-piracy patrols WITHOUT trained hostage rescue specialists should resign?

Anti-piracy patrols are all about deterrence. Many Somali pirate attacks are thwarted by evasion, active-countermeasures, or in some cases intervention by military ships or aircraft. Once the pirates have boarded the victim vessel, the situation changes. Since most forces have only a handful of special forces (hostage rescue specialists/snipers) it is not realistically possible for them to deploy a team in each vessel that is conducting anti-piracy patrols. USS Bainbridge did not have snipers on board when they responded to the Maersk Alabama situation - SEAL snipers were dropped by parachute to them. That had the desired outcome - 3 dead pirates, one captured, and the hostage returned safe and sound; that would not have likely been the case had the first military unit on scene started indiscriminately shooting.

Like it or not, the Chandlers invited their current situation by going into pirate-infested waters apparently without the ability to defend themselves from pirate attack. It's unfair to pin the blame on the navy for their predicament - they're still alive, and 'enjoying' the hospitality of their captors, because of their choices, not those of the captain of the Wave Knight.

 

[sailaboutvic]

So your answer is: "kill them all, let god sort 'em out"?

Like it or not, the Chandlers invited their current situation by going into pirate-infested waters apparently without the ability to defend themselves from pirate attack. It's unfair to pin the blame on the navy for their predicament - they're still alive, and 'enjoying' the hospitality of their captors, because of their choices, not those of the captain of the Wave Knight.

I'm sure the chandlers wouldn’t see there situation as you put it "'enjoying' the hospitality of their captors,"
and no I don't suggest in your words "kill them all, let god sort 'em out" would I do suggest tho is government and the navy stop lying to their people by suggesting that the yacht was found drifting with no one on board to start with .why would one lie if there have nothing to hide

and yes it would had been something if some attempt was made to delay them from getting away until reinforcement turned up was that so hard for them to do and if that meant a few shot over the bow so be it .
A large part of the world now have some kind of pirate even the English channel had a problem the other month if what we heard is to be believed . So what do you suggest , we stay on home ????

 

[Cruiser2B]

I don't know the story behind the misinformation, or whether it was the media that had it wrong. I don't think it's a good policy to lie, as the truth eventually surfaces - if they did lie, then heads should roll. I don't know, and certainly don't believe any of us know exactly what transpired - I do know that it would have been bloody near impossible for a tanker to blockade small, fast and manoeuvrable boats; and I can surmise that indiscriminately shooting at and/or sinking any or all of those boats would have resulted in innocent lives being lost. I don't know what Nelson would have done, but personally hope that those in charge of our warships are not so callous as to believe there are "acceptable losses."

A single incident that practically screams "inside job" should not lead you to believe there are roving bands of pirates in the English channel. And there are very few incidents of piracy against yachts anywhere in the world outside of the region around Somalia. So if you're going to go through that region, then it behooves you to understand your options. If you can't outrun the pirates, at least for a couple of hours until the Coalition forces can send a helo, then you either need to be able to offer some resistance, or be willing to be a hostage.