US Marines capture ship hijacked by pirates off Somalia

[alp227]

Source: BBC News

US Marines have boarded and seized a vessel hijacked by pirates off the coast of Somalia, navy officials say.

A group of 24 marines swooped on the German-owned M/V Magellan Star and took control of the ship from nine pirates who had captured it on Wednesday.

There were no casualties during the pre-dawn raid, the US Fifth Fleet said

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-11250785

[Posteritatis]

1. Excellent. (nt)

[Cleita]

2. Does any one think that this is how our

military should be used, to take care of bad guys instead of invading third world countries for their resources like oil?

[SlipperySlope]

3. The USMC was basically *founded* to fight pirates

Authorized in 1794, fought in 1801 Barbary War

That's what "the shores of Tripoli" is all about...

[Cleita]

11. Yes, and the Brits had their marines on Navy ships also

to keep the high seas safe from pirates before we had ours.

[groundloop]

4. Good news. now let's see this on the news.

MSM is to busy talking about Democratic demise to cover real news.

[denbot]

5. Bravo Zulu to the Corps.

To subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme of skill.
Sun Tzu, Art of War

[47of74]

6. U.S. Marines free ship from pirates

Source: Los Angeles Times

Reporting from San Diego — Marines stormed a ship held by pirates in the Gulf of Aden before dawn Thursday in the first U.S. action of its kind, freeing the crew and detaining a heavily armed gang of Somalis, the Navy announced.

The pirates had threatened to open fire on the Americans, but after the Marines boarded the German-owned freighter, most of them dropped their AK-47 assault rifles. The others hid in spaces throughout the ship.

"They had been showing a bravado," Marine Capt. Alexander Martin said. "But when we got there, you could see the change in their eyes. They decided they'd rather live than die."

With the help of an interpreter, the Marines on the amphibious transport ship Dubuque, part of an international anti-piracy task force, had communicated for several hours with the pirates, who demanded a ransom.

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-marines-somali-pirates-20100910,0,6563975.story

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I'd like to offer my own personal thumbs up to the Marines and the crew of the Dubuque.

[KT2000]

7. Good going Marines!

Read where they were specially trained for this sort of thing. Maybe this will slow down the pirates.

[JDPriestly]

8. Good news. Who would ever have believed that we would have pirates in this age?

This takes us back to the Revolutionary War.

I gather that the pirates have not heard about GPS and satellite tracking. They actually think that piracy will be permitted in this day and age. They must be very desperate.

[boppers]

10. Dude, global warming.

http://www.venganza.org/

We *need* pirates.

[Cleita]

12. That's because our Navy and the British Navy among

others, who swept pirates of the face of the earth in the past, have taken their eye off the ball, so the high seas are fair game for criminals again.

[hack89]

14. Pirates are simply water going thieves and robbers

they rob ships because that is the only wealth in that region to be stolen.

[proteus_lives]

9. Back to their original function.

Good job Marines!

:patriot:

[Uncle Joe]

13. Semper Fi, Leathernecks and well done.

Thanks for the thread, alp.:thumbsup: