On Thu, 20 Nov 2008 06:10:13 -0600, wrote:

On Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:15:37 +0000, Steve wrote:


They're looking for easy targets. If you're a bunch of pirates in a
little speedboat coming up to a tanker the size of an aircraft carrier
and while you're thinking of having to climb up a hundred foot rope
ladder there are guys on deck a hundred feet above you manning a few
mounted armored .50's and raining rounds into your boat while you're
still a mile out, you're gonna turn around real quick.

No one said they were smart pirates. Apparently, they, the pirates, were
the first to open fire on the Tabar.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/INS_Tabar_(F44)

Yes, but that was the big mothership that fired, not the little
speedboats they use to come alongside their prey and use grappling
hooks and rope ladders for boarding. Apparently being on the
mothership gave them an extremenly false sense of security.

Steve

Boater wrote:
...the world's mightiest navy, the US Navy, can't handle the Somali
pirates. It's yet another example of how unprepared for the 21st Century
our military forces are.



The INS's rules of engagement allow the to sink vessels who raise a
weapon in a threatening manner towards a man of war on the high seas.
You would cry, whine and complain if an F/A-18 put a couple of 500
pounders on a "peaceful fishing boat" or a 5-inch gun was permitted to
do some range and elevation practice.

Boater wrote:
....the world's mightiest navy, the US Navy, can't handle the Somali
pirates. It's yet another example of how unprepared for the 21st Century
our military forces are.


The Saudis can handle it if they choose to. There is no need for US
involvement, WAFA. You should know that.