Piracy!

[Mister Andersen]

Somali piracy orignates from highly stable civic societyof Puntland in the north, not the chaos of the warring south.

Live Piracy map 2008

[Gentry]

I wondered if someone would bring this up, or if I'd be able to write Spymaster scenarios about it without warning the audience. 

For those who haven't heard, Somali pirates are the new rockstars of the criminal world.  Go read up.  You can't make this stuff up.

[VisualStatic]

Yeah, like the capture of an Saudi oil tanker....

[Agent 333]

I think the best part of the article is where it's talking about how well treated the hostages are. It's kind of humorous in a twisted way.

[Gundark]

I think the best part of the article is where it's talking about how well treated the hostages are. It's kind of humorous in a twisted way.

I found this funny too. I mean they have catered meals for the hostages... How crazy is that!

Yeah I fhought this would make a good spycraft adventure too.

[OverNinja]

I think the best part of the article is where it's talking about how well treated the hostages are. It's kind of humorous in a twisted way.

It a good policy.
Ship crews are less likely to resist or try anything stupid when they know they're not going to be treated badly.

[OverNinja]

We're going to see a disaster with the Saudi super tanker.

Islamic fighters vow to rescue hijacked Saudi tanker (CNN).
Islamic Fighters Threaten Pirates (SkyNews).

This will end badly.
They may have manpower, equipment and will. But I seriously doubt that they have the skill.

[Bananapants]

I think this is an awesome story arc in Spymaster just waiting to happen.

Naval battles, hostage situations, chases, infiltration... got it all! You could even try to get a mole into the pirate organizations!

[Gentry]

We're going to see a disaster with the Saudi super tanker.

By the same token, reports now hold (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,457226,00.html) that an al-Qaeda ally group wants to get even tighter with the pirates.  Will it get ugly?  Maybe.  But probably not in the way we think.

[Krensky]

This was second hand, but apparently a spokesman from one of the groups that keeps track of this stuff made a comment that one of the ways shipping companies could help abate this would be to stop flagging their ships in places without real navies. To stop using flags of convenience, essentially.

[MilitiaJim]

The bigger problem isn't flags of convenience, the warships in the area know the drill.  It's stupid laws in the countries of the warships.  The Brits have been told not to capture any pirates because, instead of being hanged as common enemies of man, they could claim asylum.

Between the Russians, the Chinese, and the Indians someone is going to go old school on these guys.  (I would have thought the Ruskies, but the Chinese and the Indians are training up their commandos as well.)

Shoot On Sight, Shoot First, Shoot To Kill, Keep Shooting
Chinese Commandos Train To Kill Pirates
A Russian Solution To The Somali Pirates

[Forcegypsy]

I'm reminded of an excellent series by David Weber. Honor Harrington. Taking down any crew of pirates isn't really going to stop anything one way or another. Their successes are are lucrative enough that they are worth the inherent risk. I wonder if in a generation or two the successful pirates will be the Bushes and Kennedy's of their respective countries of origin.

I imagine the really successful outfits operate like gentlemen bank-robbers. "No good sir, this has nothing to do with you. Just sit tight, co-operate and enjoy this tasty beverage and your ransom will be along shortly. Who'd ransom you? Why probably nobody who could really afford it, but the multinational corporation you work for has a great deal of interest in the oil you happen to be shepherding across my neck of the woods. We'll release you with the oil as a goodwill gesture. No, no, thanks aren't necessary. This is a dastardly business and needs must, but there's no need to be a dick about it. A cigarette? Don't mind if I do old chap, don't mind if I do."

Pirates! There's gonna be a movie.

[Agent 333]

Pirates! There's gonna be a movie.

Will it star Bruce Willis and Billy Bob Thorton?

[OverNinja]

China sends fleet after an attack on Chinese vessel.

We now have two fleets willing to blast some pirates: China and India 

[Crafty_Alex]

The solution for the piracy issue is easy.

Ninjas.

All we need is Japan to get involved, and everything will be hunky-dorey.