User Panel
Posted: 11/19/2008 11:13:08 AM EDT
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081119/ap_on_re_af/af_pirate_boomtown
If you read below, it seems that these pieces of shit are living the high life now in Somalia, everyone knows about it, and the government that pretends it cares and says if it could, it would arrest these pirates are even turning a blind eye. We need to send in a force of a few thousand Marines to assault those Pirate havens or something. MOGADISHU, Somalia – Somalia's increasingly brazen pirates are building sprawling stone houses, cruising in luxury cars, marrying beautiful women — even hiring caterers to prepare Western-style food for their hostages.
And in an impoverished country where every public institution has crumbled, they have become heroes in the steamy coastal dens they operate from because they are the only real business in town. "The pirates depend on us, and we benefit from them," said Sahra Sheik Dahir, a shop owner in Haradhere, the nearest village to where a hijacked Saudi Arabian supertanker carrying $100 million in crude was anchored Wednesday. These boomtowns are all the more shocking in light of Somalia's violence and poverty: Radical Islamists control most of the country's south, meting out lashings and stonings for accused criminals. There has been no effective central government in nearly 20 years, plunging this arid African country into chaos. Life expectancy is just 46 years; a quarter of children die before they reach 5. But in northern coastal towns like Haradhere, Eyl and Bossaso, the pirate economy is thriving thanks to the money pouring in from pirate ransoms that have reached $30 million this year alone. "There are more shops and business is booming because of the piracy," said Sugule Dahir, who runs a clothing shop in Eyl. "Internet cafes and telephone shops have opened, and people are just happier than before." In Haradhere, residents came out in droves to celebrate as the looming oil ship came into focus this week off the country's lawless coast. Businessmen gathered cigarettes, food and cold bottles of orange soda, setting up kiosks for the pirates who come to shore to resupply almost daily. Dahir said she even started a layaway plan for them. "They always take things without paying and we put them into the book of debts," she told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. "Later, when they get the ransom money, they pay us a lot." Residents make sure the pirates are well-stocked in khat, a popular narcotic leaf, and aren't afraid to gouge a bit when it comes to the pirates' deep pockets. "I can buy a packet of cigarettes for about $1 but I will charge the pirate $1.30," said Abdulqadir Omar, an Eyl resident. While pirate villages used to have houses made of corrugated iron sheets, now, there are stately looking homes made of sturdy, white stones. "Regardless of how the money is coming in, legally or illegally, I can say it has started a life in our town," said Shamso Moalim, a 36-year-old mother of five in Haradhere. "Our children are not worrying about food now, and they go to Islamic schools in the morning and play soccer in the afternoon. They are happy." The attackers generally treat their hostages well in anticipation of a big payday, hiring caterers on shore to cook spaghetti, grilled fish and roasted meat that will appeal to Western palates. And when the payday comes, the money sometimes literally falls from the sky. Pirates say the ransom arrives in burlap sacks, sometimes dropped from buzzing helicopters, or in waterproof suitcases loaded onto skiffs in the roiling, shark-infested sea. "The oldest man on the ship always takes the responsibility of collecting the money, because we see it as very risky, and he gets some extra payment for his service later," Aden Yusuf, a pirate in Eyl, told AP over VHF radio. The pirates use money-counting machines — the same technology seen at foreign exchange bureaus worldwide — to ensure the cash is real. All payments are done in cash because Somalia has no functioning banking system. "Getting this equipment is easy for us, we have business connections with people in Dubai, Nairobi, Djibouti and other areas," Yusuf said. "So we send them money and they send us what we want." Despite a beefed-up international presence, the pirates continue to seize ships, moving further out to sea and demanding ever-larger ransoms. The pirates operate mostly from the semiautonomous Puntland region, where local lawmakers have been accused of helping them and taking a cut of the ransoms. For the most part, however, the regional officials say they have no power to stop piracy. Meanwhile, towns that once were eroded by years of poverty and chaos are now bustling with restaurants, Land Cruisers and Internet cafes. Residents also use their gains to buy generators — allowing full days of electricity, once an unimaginable luxury in Somalia. There are no reliable estimates of the number of pirates operating in Somalia, but they number in the thousands. And though the bandits do sometimes get nabbed, piracy is generally considered a sure bet to a better life. NATO and the U.S. Navy say they can't be everywhere, and American officials are urging ships to hire private security. Warships patrolling off Somalia have succeeded in stopping some pirate attacks. But military assaults to wrest back a ship are highly risky and, up to now, uncommon. |
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Modern day piracy...
Why do I see a business boom for Blackwater as well? For every spear there is a shield. |
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Its just Maritime Redistribution of Wealth.......... No different from the soon-to-be US land-based version.
TF-HOA should go in and start taking out some of the key players...... But will turn out like the UAW's Piracy......But it keeps the economy alive, it will cost 1000s of jobs.....shopkeepers, undocumented massage therapists, etc |
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Think about how Pablo did it, in his country.......
Then, think about how the US Congress reacted and how they had objections over "interference" with another country's affairs. Aloha, Mark |
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The only difference in that, and what happens in this country, is we elect the pirates.
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I've got plenty of other stuff to get upset about before I need to worry about third-world pirates on the other side of the globe.
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Someone with the balls (Russia?) needs to take out some of these pirate groups in an overwhelming show of force to send a message to these scum. But it seems like the whole country is lauding them as heros and wants to be like them. Kind of reminds me of the gangsta-worship in American hip-pop culture.
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Quoted:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081119/ap_on_re_af/af_pirate_boomtown If you read below, it seems that these pieces of shit are living the high life now in Somalia, everyone knows about it, and the government that pretends it cares and says if it could, it would arrest these pirates are even turning a blind eye. lol at Somalia and "government" in the same sentence. Somalia has a government in the sense that a couple guys say they are a government. |
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http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081119/ap_on_re_af/af_pirate_boomtown If you read below, it seems that these pieces of shit are living the high life now in Somalia, everyone knows about it, and the government that pretends it cares and says if it could, it would arrest these pirates are even turning a blind eye. lol at Somalia and "government" in the same sentence. Somalia has a government in the sense that a couple guys say they are a government. Yeah, I guess you're right about that. |
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Quoted:We need to send in a force of a few thousand Marines to assault those Pirate havens or something.
Why? The world does not want us to militarily solve their problems. They just want us to send money to "solve" them. |
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What happens when this starts in the US tankers in the Gulf with boats out of Venezuala?
DN |
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What happens when this starts in the US tankers in the Gulf with boats out of Venezuala? DN Yeah, who is to say that it won't? I'm sure when people see all the success that the Somali pirates are having, people who are really poor like in Venezuala may start to see a new "job opportunity" as well. |
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I've got plenty of other stuff to get upset about before I need to worry about third-world pirates on the other side of the globe. Yep. |
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If the Navy declared a war on pirates, they wouldn't be able to handle the enlistment boom. Can you imagine it? "Join the Navy and kill pirates!"
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Quoted:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081119/ap_on_re_af/af_pirate_boomtown If you read below, it seems that these pieces of shit are living the high life now in Somalia, everyone knows about it, and the government that pretends it cares and says if it could, it would arrest these pirates are even turning a blind eye. We need to send in a force of a few thousand Marines to assault those Pirate havens or something. MOGADISHU, Somalia – Somalia's increasingly brazen pirates are building sprawling stone houses, cruising in luxury cars, marrying beautiful women — even hiring caterers to prepare Western-style food for their hostages.
And in an impoverished country where every public institution has crumbled, they have become heroes in the steamy coastal dens they operate from because they are the only real business in town. "The pirates depend on us, and we benefit from them," said Sahra Sheik Dahir, a shop owner in Haradhere, the nearest village to where a hijacked Saudi Arabian supertanker carrying $100 million in crude was anchored Wednesday. These boomtowns are all the more shocking in light of Somalia's violence and poverty: Radical Islamists control most of the country's south, meting out lashings and stonings for accused criminals. There has been no effective central government in nearly 20 years, plunging this arid African country into chaos. Life expectancy is just 46 years; a quarter of children die before they reach 5. But in northern coastal towns like Haradhere, Eyl and Bossaso, the pirate economy is thriving thanks to the money pouring in from pirate ransoms that have reached $30 million this year alone. "There are more shops and business is booming because of the piracy," said Sugule Dahir, who runs a clothing shop in Eyl. "Internet cafes and telephone shops have opened, and people are just happier than before." In Haradhere, residents came out in droves to celebrate as the looming oil ship came into focus this week off the country's lawless coast. Businessmen gathered cigarettes, food and cold bottles of orange soda, setting up kiosks for the pirates who come to shore to resupply almost daily. Dahir said she even started a layaway plan for them. "They always take things without paying and we put them into the book of debts," she told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. "Later, when they get the ransom money, they pay us a lot." Residents make sure the pirates are well-stocked in khat, a popular narcotic leaf, and aren't afraid to gouge a bit when it comes to the pirates' deep pockets. "I can buy a packet of cigarettes for about $1 but I will charge the pirate $1.30," said Abdulqadir Omar, an Eyl resident. While pirate villages used to have houses made of corrugated iron sheets, now, there are stately looking homes made of sturdy, white stones. "Regardless of how the money is coming in, legally or illegally, I can say it has started a life in our town," said Shamso Moalim, a 36-year-old mother of five in Haradhere. "Our children are not worrying about food now, and they go to Islamic schools in the morning and play soccer in the afternoon. They are happy." The attackers generally treat their hostages well in anticipation of a big payday, hiring caterers on shore to cook spaghetti, grilled fish and roasted meat that will appeal to Western palates. And when the payday comes, the money sometimes literally falls from the sky. Pirates say the ransom arrives in burlap sacks, sometimes dropped from buzzing helicopters, or in waterproof suitcases loaded onto skiffs in the roiling, shark-infested sea. "The oldest man on the ship always takes the responsibility of collecting the money, because we see it as very risky, and he gets some extra payment for his service later," Aden Yusuf, a pirate in Eyl, told AP over VHF radio. The pirates use money-counting machines — the same technology seen at foreign exchange bureaus worldwide — to ensure the cash is real. All payments are done in cash because Somalia has no functioning banking system. "Getting this equipment is easy for us, we have business connections with people in Dubai, Nairobi, Djibouti and other areas," Yusuf said. "So we send them money and they send us what we want." Despite a beefed-up international presence, the pirates continue to seize ships, moving further out to sea and demanding ever-larger ransoms. The pirates operate mostly from the semiautonomous Puntland region, where local lawmakers have been accused of helping them and taking a cut of the ransoms. For the most part, however, the regional officials say they have no power to stop piracy. Meanwhile, towns that once were eroded by years of poverty and chaos are now bustling with restaurants, Land Cruisers and Internet cafes. Residents also use their gains to buy generators — allowing full days of electricity, once an unimaginable luxury in Somalia. There are no reliable estimates of the number of pirates operating in Somalia, but they number in the thousands. And though the bandits do sometimes get nabbed, piracy is generally considered a sure bet to a better life. NATO and the U.S. Navy say they can't be everywhere, and American officials are urging ships to hire private security. Warships patrolling off Somalia have succeeded in stopping some pirate attacks. But military assaults to wrest back a ship are highly risky and, up to now, uncommon. That makes me feel all warm and happy inside. It's for the children. Jesus-H-Christ. What is the world coming to? Shit, GM should be talking to them, they have money. |
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Quoted:
What happens when this starts in the US tankers in the Gulf with boats out of Venezuala? DN Not very likely. Chavez may be a socialist scumbag, but he depends on the flow of crude to the US in order to fund his social programs and such. He simply would not allow that sort of thing. |
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I've got plenty of other stuff to get upset about before I need to worry about third-world pirates on the other side of the globe. totally agree. this affects me how??? |
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"I can buy a packet of cigarettes for about $1 but I will charge the pirate $1.30," said Abdulqadir Omar, an Eyl resident.
right on, big spender! very shrewd! |
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Doesn't bother me at all. If the countries that are losing their shipping to these clowns wish to pay ransoms, that's the cost of doing business. I see where India sank one after they threatened a Frigate. That's a start. It's up to the injured parties to decide on how they wish to proceed. Just because we "can" fix the problem doesn't mean we should spend the money propping up folks who don't wish to defend themselves.
Now, if they seize an American flagged merchant vessel, I say we should make them suffer. Goodness knows we have all the tools to do it quickly. |
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It means what it means
Basically it is this. The world doesn't know what to do about it... Everyone's a fucken socialist now and won't do anything about it. Great world we live in. |
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Joe: Hey Bob...what does this shiny red button do???
Bob: Don't press that!!! Joe: ......woops...... |
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I've got plenty of other stuff to get upset about before I need to worry about third-world pirates on the other side of the globe. True enough. After all, absolutely none of the products we use here in the US transit that area. |
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The only difference in that, and what happens in this country, is we elect the pirates. + 1 |
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Piracy will always be a problem. We have small scale pirates prowling the coast of FL going after fishing boats, etc. I used to sell ALOT of 308's to guys with go fast fishing boats to fend off " pirates". Hell ive even seen it out there fishing, small boats that just seem to come out of nowhere with people on board that look like they are up to no good. These guys just took it to the next level. All these ships are floating cows out there, they have no way of defending themselves because of international laws, if they really want to stop piracy they will allow these ships to arm themselves.
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I've got plenty of other stuff to get upset about before I need to worry about third-world pirates on the other side of the globe. True enough. After all, absolutely none of the products we use here in the US transit that area. Sounds a whole lot like some gun owners. "AWB? Ha! I got all the guns I need, I don't need to worry about that sort of thing!" |
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A minigun on every deck would put a stop to this problem overnight.
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I've got plenty of other stuff to get upset about before I need to worry about third-world pirates on the other side of the globe. True enough. After all, absolutely none of the products we use here in the US transit that area. Sounds a whole lot like some gun owners. "AWB? Ha! I got all the guns I need, I don't need to worry about that sort of thing!" Umm...yeah. It's exactly the same thing. Look, you want to get all hot and bothered about it, feel free. Bottom line is that IF it became such an issue that U.S. interests were effected, you'd see the Navy get on those pirates like white on rice. The fact that we haven't taken such action yet is an indication that our interests aren't so effected. But if you want to get all spun up about third-world gansters living high on the hog, knock yourself out. |
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I've got plenty of other stuff to get upset about before I need to worry about third-world pirates on the other side of the globe. True enough. After all, absolutely none of the products we use here in the US transit that area. Sounds a whole lot like some gun owners. "AWB? Ha! I got all the guns I need, I don't need to worry about that sort of thing!" Umm...yeah. It's exactly the same thing. Look, you want to get all hot and bothered about it, feel free. Bottom line is that IF it became such an issue that U.S. interests were effected, you'd see the Navy get on those pirates like white on rice. The fact that we haven't taken such action yet is an indication that our interests aren't so effected. But if you want to get all spun up about third-world gansters living high on the hog, knock yourself out. No, it doesn't REALLY effect me, but it is just alittle irritating that these guys are getting away with this shit. |
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I've got plenty of other stuff to get upset about before I need to worry about third-world pirates on the other side of the globe. True enough. After all, absolutely none of the products we use here in the US transit that area. Sounds a whole lot like some gun owners. "AWB? Ha! I got all the guns I need, I don't need to worry about that sort of thing!" Umm...yeah. It's exactly the same thing. Look, you want to get all hot and bothered about it, feel free. Bottom line is that IF it became such an issue that U.S. interests were effected, you'd see the Navy get on those pirates like white on rice. The fact that we haven't taken such action yet is an indication that our interests aren't so effected. But if you want to get all spun up about third-world gansters living high on the hog, knock yourself out. this |
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The Admiral Nakhimov could shell the coast with its twin 130mm guns.
Someone with the balls (Russia?) needs to take out some of these pirate groups in an overwhelming show of force to send a message to these scum. But it seems like the whole country is lauding them as heros and wants to be like them. Kind of reminds me of the gangsta-worship in American hip-pop culture. Kharn |
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I wanna be a pirate. a "skinny" pirate? Notsomuch. I wanna be a big bald version of Blackbeard! |
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FYI, this is one of the tasks the new LCS was designed for. There is a reason they go as fast as they do.
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Does not really bother me, if they live in Somalia and the govt does not care..
If they lived in the US and the US Govt. did not care, then I would be upset.. The laws of the US or other nations dont extend into Somalia. |
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What happens when this starts in the US tankers in the Gulf with boats out of Venezuala? DN Yeah, who is to say that it won't? I'm sure when people see all the success that the Somali pirates are having, people who are really poor like in Venezuala may start to see a new "job opportunity" as well. A: BHO is gonna save us. Aloha, Mark |
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If the economy here gets really bad, I think I will become a Pirate.
Just redistribution of wealth. |
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As long as the pirates don't attack Americans, we ought to stay out of this. If we act, the world will call it "American aggression", like the usually do. So far, they've attacked Iranians, Saudi's, and Russians. Remember, the world wanted and importent and isolationist America. Give it to them. |
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