Once is coincidence, twice is happenstance. Three times, Mr. Bond, is enemy action. So now we’re at “happenstance” level in the Somali-pirates-attacking-North-Korean-freighters game. Seems an odd choice. If I’m looking for a rich haul of fenceable …

Preach, brother. If it weren’t for ridiculous rules of engagement, we would be spitting Tomahawks, TLAMS and SLAMs from the Gulf, at high-value targets in Afghanistan and Iraq (and Syria and Iran) instead of having to put grunts right on top of the enemy.

As you said, there surely is no water-borne threat of significance while any U.S. warship is in the same time zone.

And yeah, USN (Ret)

Now personally, I think that Ticonderoga Cruisers, and Perry class Firgates are more appropriate for Pirate busting since they’ve got helicopter gunships…

I love Arliegh Burke Class DDGs for Force Protection and Bombardment, but they lack that air power I love.

Jones Zemkophill on October 31, 2007 at 8:34 PM

The “Flight I” versions have a landing pad but no hangers. The “Flight II” versions have both landing pad and hanger facilities for Seahawks.

Arleigh Burke Class Destroyer

its a better deal for the pirates than the main gun which shoots bullets (projectiles) that weigh 57 pounds each.

stowed thousands of those things in the 5″-54 magazine during viet nam.

C

I love Arliegh Burke Class DDGs for Force Protection and Bombardment, but they lack that air power I love.

:-)

Major difference between boots on the ground, and ships out at sea…

Fact is that there is NO threat from Pirate types… none at all…

There is NO Naval threat from any Islamic power, or country as long as we are at sea, and not tied up in port.

Crap… deploy a couple of seal teams to the area and take back some of those ships… its fully OK to do so under International Laws…

and oh…

USN (Ret.)

Romeo13 on October 31, 2007 at 12:53 PM

Actually, this type of interdiction and boarding mission is far more suitable for the U.S. Coast Guard than the Navy.

CP on October 31, 2007 at 2:37 PM

I wish we could board the NORK ship and see what she’s carrying.

I wonder if the North Korean crew will head back to the homeland after they’ve been both attacked by pirates and aided by Americans. I’m betting the Dear Leader wouldn’t look kindly on either.

MadisonConservative on October 31, 2007 at 12:41 PM

Only when people like bill Clinton are to busy sending armor to burn out American citizens and won’t give the armor to our troops. Just ask Ethiopia how you handle the jihads in Somalia.

Let’s see old worn out speed boat with small arms vs. a tin can with much bigger guns and longer range. Sucks to be a pirate these days .

MadisonConservative on October 31, 2007 at 12:41 PM

USN (Ret.)

Think of it as a good training opportunity for gunnery exercises. How many live targets to they get to shoot at these days?

I wonder if the sailors were led by the ship’s cook?

(language warning)

MadisonConservative on October 31, 2007 at 12:41 PM

Major difference between boots on the ground, and ships out at sea…

Fact is that there is NO threat from Pirate types… none at all…

There is NO Naval threat from any Islamic power, or country as long as we are at sea, and not tied up in port.

Crap… deploy a couple of seal teams to the area and take back some of those ships… its fully OK to do so under International Laws…

and oh…

USN (Ret.)

Another area of concern with this is all the activity in the oil shipping lanes in the Malaysia area the the Tiger rebels.

Plus there is also similar activity on the west coast of Africa on a smaller scale right now.