Author Topic: Arm the ships! (Read 1580 times)

kix · « **on:** March 05, 2009, 03:10:02 AM »

There are people in this country that want to disarm us so we will be at the mercy of predators,right? Well,I just saw a news broadcast on CBS about another (yes,another) ship being attacked off the African coast by pirates. I see a comparison;unarmed ships and unarmed law-abiding citizens-helpless. Good grief,arm the damn ships! Awhile back on the History Channel there was a story about a cruise ship being attacked off Somalia by pirates in small boats with AK's and RPG's;a 900ft.ship helpless against what amounts to punks. Said the sight of guns on cruise ships might frighten the tourists;I would be more frightened to be at their mercy unless throwing pina choladas at them would suffice. I am not a warrior (and never have been) but give me some training on a Browning .50 and I guarantee small boats full of thugs would not get within a 1000 yds.of my ship. After a few pirates got the crap shot out of them the message might just go out-this is not a good idea.Better yet,two Browning's;now that would be a message! Kix

bilmac · « **Reply #1 on:** March 05, 2009, 03:28:33 AM »

For the life of me I can't understand why this wasn't done after the first hijacking. A .50 on each side and nobody can get close.

swordfish · « **Reply #2 on:** March 05, 2009, 04:21:58 AM »

I remember a day when we used to be able to shoot Skeet off the back of the cruise ships. I would pay big $ to shoot pirates with a .50 cal. off a cruise ship.

woodchukhntr · « **Reply #3 on:** March 05, 2009, 04:34:08 AM »

Quote from: swordfish on March 05, 2009, 04:21:58 AM

I remember a day when we used to be able to shoot Skeet off the back of the cruise ships. I would pay big $ to shoot pirates with a .50 cal. off a cruise ship.

What a great idea!!! A pirate hunt cruise! Do what the Germans and British did during WW1, armed merchant cruisers. Put an obvious target in front of the pirates and when they converge, blast them out of the water. We would be doing them a favor by sending them to Allah via the express route!

The shipping lines could also hire a bunch of ex- special forces, seals, SAS, etc. to be the equivalent of "sky marshals". And they wouldn't have to worry about putting holes in the plane!

SM Outdoors · « **Reply #4 on:** March 05, 2009, 04:41:17 AM »

Quote from: swordfish on March 05, 2009, 04:21:58 AM

I remember a day when we used to be able to shoot Skeet off the back of the cruise ships. I would pay big $ to shoot pirates with a .50 cal. off a cruise ship.

+1 - I am calling my travel agent now....

DalesCarpentry · « **Reply #5 on:** March 05, 2009, 05:40:27 AM »

Quote from: SM Outdoors on March 05, 2009, 04:41:17 AM

Quote from: swordfish on March 05, 2009, 04:21:58 AM
I remember a day when we used to be able to shoot Skeet off the back of the cruise ships. I would pay big $ to shoot pirates with a .50 cal. off a cruise ship.
+1 - I am calling my travel agent now....

+2. With a 50 cal. they would not stand a chance. I say have trained people always posted at those 2 guns. I would feel better as a passenger knowing someone was on watch. Do any of you know what became of that oil tanker that was hijacked a few months back? Dale

rex6666 · « **Reply #6 on:** March 05, 2009, 06:19:35 AM »

HEY" HEY" HEY"

I see a little infringement going on here, do you not remember that MYRONMAN
had this idea maybe 1-2 months ago, he was going to make money doing it
now yall want to pay the cruise lines.

jlwilliams · « **Reply #7 on:** March 05, 2009, 07:15:55 AM »

Wait a minute now. There is a simple reason why the ships aren't armed, and why the merchent seamen aren't going to fight the pirates.

So far, in this most recent page in the history of piracy, the crews have been treated well enough and ransoms have been paid. If the sailors know they will live and go home and get their back pay paid by the insurance companies, why should they risk their lives? The insurance compaines know that they pay out less for ransom than they do for loss of life, so they just pay. They hire people who's job it is to haggle with, then pay off the bad guys.

This isn't like WWII, where the Germans were sinking the ships. That gave the sailors a reason to fight. These guys are way smarter. They have made it adventageous for the merchant seamen to just give in.

It's easy enough for us here in the comfort of our computer chairs to say "Hell yeah!! I'd fight of the pirates on the high seas!!!!" But get real. Two choices, die now to protect the property in the hold, or go home in a month or two. Not die for your freedom or a principal, die for the fortune of your employer who doesn't know your name.

Arming the ships isn't going to happen. The pirates will only be defeated when a nation decides this is too much and sends in soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen whose job is to wipe them out.

gypsyman · « **Reply #8 on:** March 05, 2009, 07:37:52 AM »

What the shipping company's ought to do is hire mercenary's. It would be cheaper than paying off the pirate's or the insurance company's. They wouldn't even have to tell anybody their doing it. This isn't any different than the company policy at your 7/11 or local convienence store, if it's not a mom and pop store. They tell their workers, you can't carry a firearm. Why should they, it's not their overpaid executive butt staring down a pistol barrel. In every instance,that I've ever read about, or heard about,mine included, having a gun was better than not. Real easy when your a thousand miles away in a safe environment, to say, don't fight. Give in. One of these times the pirates won't be so nice,beheading,rape,thrown overboard. I guess when that happens, and only then, will somebody take action. Too bad somebody innocent will probably die before measure's are taken.gypsyman

no guns here · « **Reply #9 on:** March 05, 2009, 07:53:38 AM »

Shoot them, burn them, destroy them. Rip their sphincters out and and strangle them with their intestines. Find their villages or towns and burn them to the ground. Drive their women and children before us to the sea. Teach them the meaning of Prince Vlad... I'm tired of PC crap. Just DESTROY them and everything around them. Make the results of such action so terrible and horrific that the price outweighs any possible gain. For every pirate attack a B-52 unloads 80 500 pounders on a random village... If we quit being civilized and NICE, they will start being civilized and NICE. At least that's my current theory of the day. Actually it'd probably work just to mount a Mk-19 and an M2 on the stern of the ships... make it look like cargo and then destroy anything that comes near. Leave the bodies to feed the fish. No mercy and no quarter... that's what piracy deserves.

But we're too civilized for that. I guess most folks are glad I'm not in charge...

ngh

kix · « **Reply #10 on:** March 05, 2009, 08:26:18 AM »

Dale,if it's the incident I'm thinking of all of the crew was released without harm. But what about next time? Didn't the poor passengers on 9/11 think they were going to be released after some diplomatic wrangling? I say don't take the chance;the next pack of punk/pirates might be Islamic extremists and it might be an American that get beheaded;put simply it could be someone's father,brother,uncle,etc. I say run up the white flag,let them get close and let Ma Duece speak. Everybody remembers the school bully that finally meets his match and changes his tune. Same here. Kix

rex6666 · « **Reply #11 on:** March 05, 2009, 09:14:23 AM »

WHERE IS MYRONMAN
he had this all figured out, and was going to hire others to go with him.
He was going to charge the shipline/ins. co.
to ride shot gun, he was going to make lots of money, he was going to be cheaper
than paying ransom and was going to have lots of fun.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #12 on:** March 05, 2009, 10:46:59 AM »

Q - ship been done .

myronman3 · « **Reply #13 on:** March 05, 2009, 11:20:33 AM »

yeah it is pretty funny....dale and a few others have repeated blasted me for daydreaming about it. and now i see he is all about it. those pirates must have used some kittens as shark bait.

DalesCarpentry · « **Reply #14 on:** March 05, 2009, 11:29:50 AM »

Quote from: myronman3 on March 05, 2009, 11:20:33 AM

yeah it is pretty funny....dale and a few others have repeated blasted me for daydreaming about it. and now i see he is all about it. those pirates must have used some kittens as shark bait.

I did not blast you on it this time and had the perfect chance to do so. Having a couple guns on board a ship is much different that your wild ideas last time. You are a jerk and do not miss a chance to take a poke at me. Some how in your twisted little mind you made this about me. Have a nice day. Dale

dukkillr · « **Reply #15 on:** March 05, 2009, 11:32:45 AM »

Quote from: bilmac on March 05, 2009, 03:28:33 AM

For the life of me I can't understand why this wasn't done after the first hijacking. A .50 on each side and nobody can get close.

I believe it is currently against international law.

mcwoodduck · « **Reply #16 on:** March 05, 2009, 11:53:34 AM »

During WWI the english and americans would arm merchant ships with hidden guns and would allow these ships to lag behind so the U -boats would surface to dispatch the ship with deck gun. When the U-boat would surface the merchant ship would swing out the guns and open up on the U-boat. It made the u-boats have to stay submerged and fire the less than accurate torpedos.
Why not do the same thing to the pirates? Hide a few 50's, a 20mm CWIS and 37mm chain gun from the bradly on an old cruise ship with fresh paint and as they pull up. BIZZZZZZZZZZD goes the CWIS, thunk, thunk, thunk, said the chain gun and Bump Bump bump with the 50. No more pirates. Hey we can get the Frech forgien Leigon to act as a gay criuse. DId I say act?

?

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #17 on:** March 05, 2009, 12:17:04 PM »

why not do like the Germans and send a wolf pack ?

billy_56081 · « **Reply #18 on:** March 05, 2009, 12:38:46 PM »

Quote from: dukkillr on March 05, 2009, 11:32:45 AM

Quote from: bilmac on March 05, 2009, 03:28:33 AM
For the life of me I can't understand why this wasn't done after the first hijacking. A .50 on each side and nobody can get close.

I believe it is currently against international law.

Who Cares what international law is first of all. What they are going to do take you to world court?

Now as for arming tankers, that is not going to happen because of the simple fact that the tankers are venting some very flammable natural gas. They do not allow any kind of spark or Flame producing equipment on board.

mcwoodduck · « **Reply #19 on:** March 05, 2009, 12:42:58 PM »

Duhhh It's also against the law to be a pirate. If they are not going to follow the rules why should we?

woodchukhntr · « **Reply #20 on:** March 05, 2009, 12:46:20 PM »

What did the U.S. do when the Tripoli (more Muslims, there seems to be a pattern here!) pirates kept attacking our ships?

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #21 on:** March 05, 2009, 12:47:01 PM »

because we are better than them , or better at it maybe

mcwoodduck · « **Reply #22 on:** March 05, 2009, 12:54:22 PM »

TJ (Thomas Jefferson), declared war on the barbary pirates (actually all of the muslium) because he was not willing or able to pay the ransoms that the europeans were paying. And sent a squadron to deal with the problems.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #23 on:** March 05, 2009, 01:01:05 PM »

it was recived better in his day !
ask President Bush

45-70.gov · « **Reply #24 on:** March 05, 2009, 01:05:43 PM »

Quote from: mcwoodduck on March 05, 2009, 12:54:22 PM

TJ (Thomas Jefferson), declared war on the barbary pirates (actually all of the muslium) because he was not willing or able to pay the ransoms that the europeans were paying. And sent a squadron to deal with the problems.

no need to declare war if ships are armed

un armed people greate a need for governments to SELL protection

why don't the insurance companies hire the mercenaries or myronman to hunt pirates....
after all they are part of the problem

Oldshooter · « **Reply #25 on:** March 05, 2009, 01:14:35 PM »

Why not use the marines. Crews not trained cannot do much and maybe would get in a bind.
Train the marines specifically for that problem and put them aboard when a ship is going in harms way.
With the weapons they have available it would be a done deal. Additionally, some called in air support from a close carrier would make it a pirate BBQ

I dont think it is against International law to defend yourself yet!

the only hitch is an oil tanker, not sure what the pirates have in their arsenal abut you wouldnt want to be in a fire fight on a freaking unlit torch!

45-70.gov · « **Reply #26 on:** March 05, 2009, 01:26:03 PM »

who do you suggest pay for it?

?

seems like each responsible for his own would work
but that takes power away from the ''collective''

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #27 on:** March 06, 2009, 02:22:55 AM »

sounds like you could sell tickets ! just make it byob ( bring your own bullets ) and make a profit .

gypsyman · « **Reply #28 on:** March 06, 2009, 03:07:15 AM »

If memory serve's me right, people like the late Aristotle Onasis owned these shipping lines. I believe they have a few bucks to their name. And paying mercanary's would be cheaper than the 10 million or so the pirate's get. And probably cheaper than the insurance premium that the insurance company's are likely charging, as I'm sure that will go up considerably as more of these occur. And, I'd also take the bet, after the ''hired hands'' took care of this matter a couple times, word would get around the pirate community, they'd take up a different line of work. gypsyman

myronman3 · « **Reply #29 on:** March 06, 2009, 03:31:54 AM »

shark bait....