Patterico's Pontifications

3/17/2010

Somali Pirate Attack Thwarted by Dutch

Filed under: International — DRJ @ 7:37 pm



[Guest post by DRJ]

Somali pirates have mistakenly attacked a Dutch warship. The AP report and the Dutch captain make the encounter sound almost comical:

“These Somali pirates picked the wrong ship to hijack.

Troops aboard the Dutch warship HNLMS Tromp fired warning shots Wednesday off the coast of East Africa as suspected Somali pirates in two small skiffs raced toward their warship, the EU Naval Force said.

After the pirates realized they had made what spokesman Cmdr. John Harbour called a “rather silly mistake,” they turned around and fled. EU Naval Force personnel tracked down the two skiffs and a third suspected mothership, finding ammunition and rocket-propelled grenades on board, said Harbour, a spokesman for the EU Naval Force.”

However, these details aren’t so funny:

“The two skiffs were destroyed and the pirates were set free on the mothership after it had been cleared of weapons.”

It’s bad enough that the pirates were set free, presumably to plunder again, but why were they set free with the means to return to piracy — their mothership?

— DRJ

PS — After I wrote this, I noticed Dave in Texas had a similar idea. Must be a Texas thing.

14 Responses to “Somali Pirate Attack Thwarted by Dutch”

  1. It’s bad enough that the pirates were set free, presumably to plunder again, but why were they set free with the means to return to piracy — their mothership?

    The reason is the lawyers run the operation now. Every European nation fears capturing them because military folks will be forced to sit around an wait to testify, give depositions etc. The strongest reason though, is the pirates would likely be released and remain in the capturing country if they are not convicted. Kenya has taken a few of them and under Universal Law it is OK for a third country to try them. But it’s still expensive to detain, try and imprison them.

    The good old days of stringing them up on the yardarm are long gone. These poor folks with AK-47s and RPGs might just be innocent fishermen with self protection. And the grappling hooks anchors for use in the 12,000 foot deep waters. I almost feel sorry for them.

    The Navy Seals got it right.

    Corky Boyd (a311f8)

  2. …why were they set free with the means to return to piracy — their mothership?

    Because the pirates are members of a certified and protected victim class?

    RB (e9381f)

  3. Corky,

    I can see not wanting to deal with the pirates themselves. It’s a slightly different version of the same story I’d rather avoid: Mirandizing, civilian trials, habeas, etc. But why not confiscate their mothership and drop the people off at the Somali dock?

    DRJ (daa62a)

  4. If they take them in custody, they (by the RofE that NATO is using) have to be taken to a NATO port for trial.
    They could have possibly finessed the rules by making the crews take to life-boats/rafts as their ship/boats were scuttled. Then, by age-old maritime rules, they could be returned to the nearest port as survivors of a calamity at sea.
    They need to write up some Rules of Engagement that reflect the reality of what is occurring on the High Seas off the Eastern Coast of Africa.
    Perhaps when Geert becomes P.M.

    AD - RtR/OS! (bdaa22)

  5. “These poor folks with AK-47s and RPGs might just be innocent fishermen with self protection.”

    Corky – Mere religious students and sea shepherds, like the ones we captured in Afghanistan and Pakistan who were sold to us for ransoms. Just ask the Gitmo bar.

    daleyrocks (718861)

  6. Thanks, AD.

    DRJ (daa62a)

  7. Umm – surely fuel used in the mother-ship’s engines can be used as a weapon … so they leave the crew in the mother-ship with no weapons, right ?

    Ever tried to swim towing even a small boat ? (grin)

    Alasdair (205079)

  8. since they are all muslims in good standing, simply drop them into the ocean and let allah do as he will….

    who are we to question their religion?

    redc1c4 (fb8750)

  9. It is a small part of the suicide of the West. A larger part is illustrated by Greece. In the 70s, a lot of people I knew were storing up food and ammunition. They were 40 years too soon.

    Mike K (2cf494)

  10. Put the pirates back on the mother-ship, and scuttle it. Current, and future problems resolved.

    As it is, I wonder if the next crew to be attacked at sea can sue the Dutch government for releasing those pirates. Prove they weren’t the same ones that attacked our ship.

    By releasing them back into the wild, I believe the Dutch now share responsibility for any further acts of piracy.

    NavyspyII (df615d)

  11. The reason is the lawyers run the operation now. Every European nation fears capturing them because military folks will be forced to sit around an wait to testify, give depositions etc. The strongest reason though, is the pirates would likely be released and remain in the capturing country if they are not convicted.

    Create a special court to deal with piracy, and locate it aboard some suitable vessel. Reduce the time and transportation costs involved, and release the unconvinced back to their home country. And the defense lawyers can either live aboard ship like everyone else or make their own arrangements.

    LarryD (feb78b)

  12. If you’re going to send a ship out to deal with actual pirates, you are supposed to be willing to kill them.

    I am sorry that some people live in such squalor that piracy seems like the best way to survive, but it’s still piracy. Pirates should be killed at sea after a trial at sea.

    Dustin (b54cdc)

  13. “Bridge, We have pirates attacking a merchant vessel on the Port Bow.”
    “Aye. We confirm pirates in the act. Violation of Rule….., sentance will be carried out. All hands Battle Stations. Commence Fire when in range. Continue until threat eliminated.”

    Works for me!

    AD - RtR/OS! (7a1f69)

  14. Take, burn, sink or destroy.

    Tully (4dce1a)


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