Alright, enough.

[aj_law]

Somebody liquify these guys already.

Fucking pirates are getting way too much pub.  They watch the PoC trilogy 46 times then go out in a drunken stupor and try to be all Cap'n Sparrow to every tanker that they see.

Seriously though, pirates?  How the fudge do they actually hijack these huge tankers?  They pull in front of 'em and one guy stands at the bow with his hand raised?  Do they take the Looney Tunes approach with a huge net between two smaller ships?  Threats of sinking?  Wat?

I'd really like to know the logistics behind how they've accomplished this so many times and why people that travel this area aren't just using a rocket launcher and blowing these fucks out of the water.

[jonzr]

I guess the sailors aren't soldiers and the vessels aren't equipped for defense.  The pirates have automatic weapons and rocket-launchers and threaten to sink the ships if they won't surrender.  Supposedly, the targets can't outrun the pirates, so they're fucked.

Why didn't the US Navy ships blow the pirates out of the water after the captain swam away?  Was he too close?

[Big Virgil]

I guess the sailors aren't soldiers and the vessels aren't equipped for defense.  The pirates have automatic weapons and rocket-launchers and threaten to sink the ships if they won't surrender.  Supposedly, the targets can't outrun the pirates, so they're fucked.

Why didn't the US Navy ships blow the pirates out of the water after the captain swam away?  Was he too close?

One of the captors was shooting in the water around him.  They probably needed to take out all 3 of them and not just the one.  I'm guessing too dangerous.

Here is an idea.  STOP SENDING AID TO WHEREEVERTHEFUCK Africa.  Or, send 30% of the aid by air.  Problem solved.

Next issue?

[leighclay]

Here is an idea.  STOP SENDING AID TO WHEREEVERTHEFUCK Africa.  Or, send 30% of the aid by air.  Problem solved.

Next issue?

Uummmm....the ships aren't necessarily carrying aid to Africa.  Or anywhere else.  Some are oil tankers, at least one had military tanks headed for the Ukraine.
It's that they're sailing around Africa, and are thus in pirate-infested waters.

So....problem not solved.

[Big Virgil]

Yeah - I know, but the last half dozen or so I have heard about were sending aid to Africa. 

Time to buy a bad-ass helicopter for your ship.  Launch that bad boy when they are in sight and drown them before they can do anything.  As much as those tankers cost, and the short amount of time they pay for themselves( something like 8 trips across the ocean) a heavily armored helicopter with pilot would be a drop in the bucket.