Petraeus: Shipping Industry Should Consider Armed Guards

[babylonsister]

Petraeus: Shipping Industry Should Consider Armed Guards

LARA JAKES | April 24, 2009 10:31 PM EST | AP


WASHINGTON — The global shipping industry should consider placing armed guards on its boats to ward off pirates who have become increasingly violent, the U.S. military commander who oversees the African coastline said Friday.

Gen. David Petraeus, who came to the Capitol to talk about a wide variety of issues, told a House committee Friday that just trying to outrun or block pirates from boarding cargo ships isn't enough to deter sea bandits off the Somali coast who are becoming more aggressive. The Pentagon is starting to study how to better protect merchant shipping, but hasn't yet come up with a formal plan.

The shipping industry has resisted arming their boats, which would deny them port in some nations.

In response to questions from a House Appropriations subcommittee, Petraeus said defensive preparations short of armed guards "can work. You can have water hoses and others that can make it more difficult."

But in a wry tone, he added: "It's tough to be on the end of a water hose if the other guy is on the end of an RPG. So you've got to think your way through that calculation as well."

An RPG is a rocket-propelled grenade launcher.

more...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/24/petraeus-shipping-industr_n_191322.html

[aquart]

1. And they can hire Blackwater! Or Xe. They can hire Xe.

Why don't we just give them patents for privateering and be done with it?

[HereSince1628]

10. Exactly,

This was predictable.

I am wondering how the Congress will deal with their authority on Letters of Mark. Are they going to figure out a way to slough off this duty like they did with Declarations of War?

[Democracyinkind]

2. Yeah. Petraeus..when it comes to "thinking your way through" I'm not sure you're the one I'd listen2

[AllentownJake]

3. I have no problem with mounting a 50 caliber machine gun on all US cargo ships

and the shipping companies hiring an ex-milatary guy to operate it :shrug:

[babylonsister]

5. Me neither. There's no reason why these cargo ships shouldn't

be able to defend themselves. Might act as a deterrent, too.

[Fumesucker]

6. The shipping companies themselves aren't all that eager to do it..

Armed vessels are not welcome or tolerated in every port.

[babylonsister]

7. Seems like something's gotta give. They may not be eager,

but I'll bet they're not eager to pay ransoms, be kidnapped, or generally feel threatened everytime they go into certain parts of the world.

[Fumesucker]

8. They already are making that calculation..

I suspect they know more about the shipping business and the upside and downside of arming their ships than do we.

[TreasonousBastard]

9. It's still highly impractical to arm ships...

since they often don't know where they're headed for next-- many of them may only see that part of the Indian Ocean once a year or so. Besides, modern ships are huge and the buggers could still find ways to sneak aboard, or threaten the ships with small missiles. At any rate, an arms race on merchant ships can't end well.

Satellite and aerial surveillance for the "mother ships" along shipping lanes might end up being one of the better ideas. Or might end up being too expensive and less practical.

Ultimately, stability in Somalia is the answer, if and when that ever happens.

[ixion]

4. Yes, and guns... big guns... and missles... and they should be painted haze gray

and be given to the military.

:sarcasm: