The French Navy hunted down a pirate mother ship and took 11 pirates prisoner. Maybe it is time to reopen the infamous Île du Diable (Devil’s Island), which would make Gitmo look like a Caribbean resort. Viva la France!

The only thing I'd urge caution on outright sinking the mother ships is the possibility of having seized crews on board.

Well, one idea I've heard being batted around is bringing back the Q-ship. Pirates roar up in their speedboats, on a container ship. 'Container' sides drop down to show a broadside of vulcan cannons while attack choppers lift off of a concealed flight deck. And the ship's security compliment gets ready to pick up 'visitors'.

I read the problem with bombing the pirates' towns or ships is that they have a few hundred hostages mixed in there somewhere. There is also fear that if angered, they will start killing hostages. In any case, the merchant ship should hire well-armed security forces. It is foolish to sail the high seas unless well armed.

Americans are NOT the only ones repelling the pirates. India, Iran, most EU countries, Russia, and China have sent warships to the Gulf of Aden. I think that even Japan may break long-standing tradition (as did China) by sending warships to the region.

Some of these countries, including India (INDIA!) have succeeded in sinking pirate vessels.

I personally favor a multipronged strategy to deal with the piracy and it's root source.

Issue Letters of Marque and Reprisal, deploying an aircraft carrier to the Gulf of Aden as an added deterrent, targeted airstrikes against Al-Shabaab (Affiliate of Al-Qaeda who I think may be working with the pirates) bases, and providing incentives for Ethiopian peacekeepers to return.

How can you criticize Obama? Until this weekend, no president has done anything to counter these pirate attacks. You should be adoring Obama for his tough military stance. ARRRRRRRRRR

Carpet bomb these cities all night, every night until the problems stop. If the "pirates" relocate. Move right with them. The average citizen will quickly tire despite the money coming in.

No, not the American military. The American military could handle the job with their eyes closed.
The problem is, their hands are bound by the big O and our Congress.

Unarmed merchant ships should hire mercenaries, Blackwater, or whatever. These pirates are inept, but are the only ones with guns. Time to even the playing field.

As usual the man is miles ahead of everyone else...

From Politico;

http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20090415/pl_politico/21245

Why are we not using a convoy system to protect the merchant ships? One or two patrol vessels supported by reconnaissance aircraft should be able to handle any threat from these pirates. We are not talking about a sophisticated group of robbers; they only have light weapons and a few RPG grenade launchers (effective up to 200-500 meters depending on the warhead). This is nothing a patrol vessel with 20-mm or 30-mm chain guns could not easily handle. Each convoy has an exclusionary zone around it that any unauthorized vessel entered is first warned and then sunk. This is not a difficult problem to solve if you have the political will to do what is necessary. This type of operation is more suited for a Coast Guard cutter and not a more sophisticated navel destroyer. Anyone else notice that the two American merchant vessels attacked were carrying humanitarian supplies for Somalia.

Deploy some BUFFs and resurrect Linebacker/Arclight bombing campaign on two of the villages that dispatch these pirates. Moonscape a couple of square miles or so would go a long way to deter the rest of their ilk.

I remember when Reagan sent FB-111s from England to Libya to bomb Qaddafi's home after the German Disco bombing was traced back to Libya. His infant son was killed.

When I heard the news on the radio I jumped up and pumped my fists in the air. "Finally, a President with kahonies!"

Qaddafi got his wake-up call, and he got out of the terrorism business pronto.

Time to send some more bombs to Africa. The only thing these people understand is strength. As long as think they're stronger than we are, they will continue.

Level some Somali pirate bases, sink as many pirate ships as you can: they'll get the message.

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How far off the shore can pirates effectively work?

News keeps stating these boats are launched from a "Mother Ship." Can't be that hard to find. For crying out loud, find that ship and blow it out of the water.

and worry about the pirates in Washington DC!