Somalia Pirates grab 21 US Sailors

[ElMar2530]

Thankyou Mr Obama you showed some sack on this one!

Agreed!!

[formakos]

KILL 'EM ALL, LET GOD SORT 'EM OUT!!!!!!! WAY TO GO USN. A GREAT JOB BY A GREAT SERVICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[RWW]

Where does this misinformation come from? I have spent the last 2 hours researching this and can find no reference what so ever to a UN (or any other international) treaty, codification, or regulation prohibiting merchant ships from carrying firearms for protection.
As many of us are aware, several countries (e.g., Mexico) prohibit foreign ships from entering their ports with firearms without permits. As I understand it, some home countries limit the types of arms that may be carried on their flagged ships--- but---- I can find no reference what so ever, prohibiting merchant ships from arming themselves.

As I understand it, Lloyds (the insurace company that underwrites or re-insures the vast majority of international shipping) prohibits crews from arming their ships with conventional firearms, and most (if not all), shipping companies prohibit this as well as a matter of their own policies, but that is it.

Where are these implications to "international law": or U.N. treaties coming from?

perhaps I have missed something---?

Glenn - You are right as far as I can find. However section 3 of UNCLOS "Inncoent Passage in the Territorial Sea" doesn't prohibit armed ships, but armed ships in territorial or internal waters seems to stretch the term "inncoent passage" and likely severaly limits what ports the ships are able to go to.

Not that I agree with it at all.

Great Job USN!

[Glenn W]

I disagree as "Innocent Passage" is clearly defined as to its limitiations---- as far as I can tell, no U.N. complaints have ever been filed regarding an armed merchant ship under a violation of Innocent Passage theory--- you're right, it would be a stretch at best.

[alltackle]

Thank you Navy Seals! It does appear that our President made the right decision. It took some time to get the correct expertise in the right location.

Our guys did not miss...three shots...three dead in the head.

Now it is time to hit the home towns of the pirates and stop this once and for all.

Here is a good place for some anti-personnel bombs in Eyl Somalia:

[Satans_Chariot]

Just read an email from Matt Fischer 1st Engineer on the Alabama.

Must say, what they did on that ship was pretty amazing.
Apparently all the confusion over prisoner exchange involved a lot more than what the media was privy to. They originally took the fast rescue boat, which is open top. When that didnt start, they traded for an enclosed lifeboat as well as their guy. Since they had all the guns, they made the rules and they kept Capt Phillips.

The rest of the email goes into the operational stuff that they did, which is better not spread in a public forum.

[Agitated88]

Ok...I know this isn't the guy, the gun,or the ship, but it did make me smile!!!