US Navy vs The Pirates - its real

[alsiladka]

Source

The Pirates

The US Navy

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - Two U.S. Navy warships exchanged gunfire with suspected pirates Saturday off the coast of Somalia, and one suspect was killed and five others were wounded, the navy said.

Seven other suspects were taken into custody after the early-morning shootout, said Lt. Cmdr. Charlie Brown, spokesman for the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet.

No sailors were wounded in the battle, which occurred at about 5:40 a.m. local time, approximately 25 nautical miles off the Somali coast in international waters.

The battle started after the USS Cape St. George and USS Gonzalez, which were patrolling as part of a Dutch-led task force, spotted a 30-foot fishing boat towing smaller skiffs and prepared to board and inspect the vessels.

(AP) In this photo provided by the U.S. Navy, a Tomahawk Land Attack Missile (TLAM) is launched from the...

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The suspected pirates were holding what appeared to be rocket-propelled grenade launchers, the navy said. When the suspects began shooting, naval gunners returned fire with mounted machine guns, killing one man and igniting a fire on the vessel.

Three suspects were seriously wounded and being treated on one of the Navy ships, Brown told The Associated Press. A Dutch Navy medical team was en route.

The suspects' nationalities were unknown.

The Navy boarding teams confiscated an RPG launcher and automatic weapons, the statement said.

The Cape St. George, a guided-missile cruiser, and Gonzalez, a guided-missile destroyer, were conducting maritime security operations in the area. They are based in Norfolk, Va.

The International Maritime Organization has warned ships to stay away from the Somali coast because of pirate attacks, which surged to 35 last year from two in 2004.

On March 15, the U.N. Security Council encouraged naval forces operating off Somalia to take action against suspected piracy. Pirate attacks against aid ships have hindered U.N. efforts to provide relief to the victims of a severe drought in the area.

The pirate raids are part of the anarchy wracking Somalia, which has had no effective government since 1991, when warlords ousted a dictatorship and then turned on each other.

[Lazy8]

Navy ripped off the Seminole's signature play with that Tomahawk pass. Purely for show, it seems, since the Pirates didn't even bother to show up with a full team (automatic game forfeit). Such obviously sloppy conduct on team and officials' part makes the entire sport look bad, even for an exhibition game.

[prathapml]

So whats funny about this?

(note that you've posted this in funny farm)

[Lazy8]

Probably nothing, although the Navy spokesman's name in the article gave me the brief impression of satire. Okay to move this to 'General'?

[alsiladka]

So whats funny about this?

Well you can certainly argue about the funny part of this , but it did give me a funny feeling!!!

The US Navy attacking so called Pirates in the new world .

I guess it would be ok if you feel it would be better fitted in the General Discs. Forum

[prathapml]

Moving to news forum!

[mark]

The US Navy attacking so called Pirates in the new world .

According to the U.S. Navy, it was returning fire.

What's humorous about this? Only if you think of it as you riding a moped and playing a game of chicken with a tank. I can only guess that at least one of the guys in the skiff, had absolutely no idea as to what they were facing. The RPG might have put a hole in the side of the navy ship but I don't think they knew how much steel is there and must have been totaly clueless as to the firepower on board. All things considered, the pirates were lucky. Only one died and the wounded got medical attention. I wonder about the role reversal with the victims of their previous piracies?

DL