Modern Piracy Comment ...
a most stupid comment, may I add!
I was watching a History Channel documentary on modern day piracy. They were recounting examples of pirates boarding and looting ships and either killing the entire crew, or kidnapping the captain and first mate and killing the rest of the crew. The reporter was asking a shipping industry official "why don't you arm the crew" The official replied "Other than being illegal in international waters, having firearms on board the ship is not only irresponsible, but would only escalate the situation and increase the potential for violence" So let me get this straight. The pirates board the ship, take whatever they want, and execute the entire crew. How on earth could the situation possibly escalate from there? It would seem to me that an armed crew would have a 100% chance of a more positive outcome no matter how it went down. The pirates target these people because they know they're unarmed.
Comforting to know that we have to share the same planet with people(?) like this, isn't it?
[:o)]
I was watching a History Channel documentary on modern day piracy. They were recounting examples of pirates boarding and looting ships and either killing the entire crew, or kidnapping the captain and first mate and killing the rest of the crew. The reporter was asking a shipping industry official "why don't you arm the crew" The official replied "Other than being illegal in international waters, having firearms on board the ship is not only irresponsible, but would only escalate the situation and increase the potential for violence" So let me get this straight. The pirates board the ship, take whatever they want, and execute the entire crew. How on earth could the situation possibly escalate from there? It would seem to me that an armed crew would have a 100% chance of a more positive outcome no matter how it went down. The pirates target these people because they know they're unarmed.
Comforting to know that we have to share the same planet with people(?) like this, isn't it?
[:o)]
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Many idiots that take that position on victims being unarmed are totally unable to tell the difference between offensive violence and defensive violence.
To such fools, violence is just violence. For example a rape in progress is violence. If the woman being raped is able to kill her attacker that, to the liberals, is just more "horrible" violence.
In fact, it was Betty Freiden, or some other leader of the feministic movement, that made the comment that a woman being rapedhas is not justified in taking the life of her attacker.
Such thinking is naive, foolish, ignorant, self-destructive, and on and on and on.0 -
Did you ever laugh out loud at something that was on it's face, so inconceivably grim that you felt slightly guilty for laughing?
I just did that.
"...but would only escalate the situation and increase the potential for violence."
Since when did Sarah Brady become a shipping industry spokesperson?0 -
quote:Originally posted by Flying Clay Disk
The problem, as I understand it, is weapons are prohibited aboard commercial ships under maritime law. To carry weapons makes them a man-o-war, or military vessel, which could be viewed as a military action on the part of the flag of that vessel.
Not an expert on maritime law, but I think I read this somewhere.
I've heard tht, too. But a sensible person would think that various treaties could be enacted to allow commercial vessels to protect themselves. I know for a fact the the Liberian Navy can't escort them all[:D]0 -
I'm a retired U.S. Merchant Marine Ship's Officer (Engineer). FCD has it right, EXCEPT: Captain can have a limited number of Firearms. I have been on ships where the crew had Skeet shooting with the ONLY Shotgun, shooting off the stern of the vessel while at sea. The Captain usually also has a handgun. Captain or First mate were the only Officer(s) with access. I have been on only one vessel where I knew of other firearms onboard, and they were still locked up for the whole voyage, in the Captain's Quarters.
Cannot speak to ships under different flags.
Some Cruise vessels have limited shooting sports while underway, but I have no personal experience of this.0 -
Both Betty Freiden and the shipping industry spokesperson are dumber than a bag of door knobs. 0 -
When you look at just who/what serves as the crew of many foreign flagged merchant vessels, giving those crews access to guns could well turn them into pirates! 0 -
UR right- asinine comment. Of course, "making things worse" might include the vessel being sunk- that is important to the owners. It is NOT a violation of international law to have DEFENSIVE arms aboard a vessel. Do not confuse this with ARMING a vessel (think mounting a 5 inch deck gun, or .50 Brownings on a swivel mount). Question is what do the laws of the country the vessel is FLAGGED UNDER permit? Pump shotguns with 22 inch barrels are a handy item to have- buckshot for up-close-and-personal, slugs for a bit further out- and they will punch thru the hull of a light boat. They are also far more acceptable to "local authorites" than a tricked out A-4. Not uncommon for a merchant marine vessel to have an arms locker with a few scatterguns and a handgun or two- skipper has the keys to the locker. 0
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