'PIRATES'

Hmmm...

I wonder how well these "Somalian pirates" can swim, and for how long?

It would be fairly easy for all merchant ships to have at least one person trained to use a .50 caliber rifle, with a scope. It has an effective range of about one mile. http://www.barrettrifles.com/rifle_82.aspx

As a small ‘pirate’ boat or skiff approaches the larger vessel, one should be able to tell if they are fishing, or on a pleasure trip, or, if they look like they are up to no good.

An effective, loud, speaker, or flare signal can order the intruders away from the ship. If they fail to do that, and keep coming, a shot or two from the .50 caliber, aimed at just below the water line, should cause that boat to take on water.

I guarantee you that one shot from a .50 caliber into the motor of the pirate conveyance, would disable it. Followed by another shot into the floor, to cause a gaping hole.

It would be interesting to see four or five 'pirates' trying to bail water out of their boat. If the pirates do not believe in life preservers, all the better.

Hijacking, no matter where it is, or how they do it, is not acceptable. If the pirates die, or become shark food, while trying to swim back to shore, too bad. They made a bad choice.

When there are enough bad choices, the pirates will find something else to do, like move to Nigeria, and start sending emails.

These pirates are nothing more than kidnappers and terrorists looking for easy money. All nations need to consider better "get tough" policies and procedures - to discourage the pirates.