Potato Guns to the rescue
Courtesy of the SWJ twitter feed thing, here is a link to a story about a compressed air cannon meant to protect merchantmen from the restless youth of the coast of the area that used to be Somalia.
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/245629
This thing can launch clusters of golf balls at 450 mph. It is cool in a boys toys sort of way. It is interesting in that the world may be inching toward letting the merchantmen defend themselves, eventually maybe with lethal force.
It is also interesting in that it is reminiscent of the Holman Projector, which the British also invented.
"Extended Unit Self Defense",
as used by the Royal Navy person, is probably something of a misnomer in US SROE terms (emphasis added):
Quote:
Enclosure A
.....
5. Definitions
a. Inherent Right of Self-Defense. A commander has the authority and obligation to use all necessary means available and to take all appropriate actions to defend that commander's unit and other US forces in the vicinity from a hostile act or demonstration of hostile intent. Neither these rules, nor the supplemental measures activated to augment these rules, limit this inherent right and obligation. At all times, the requirements of necessity and proportionality, as amplified in these SROE, will form the basis for the judgment of the on-scene commander (OSC) or individual as to what constitutes an appropriate response to a particular hostile act or demonstration of hostile intent.
b. National Self-Defense. Defense of the United States, US forces, and, in certain circumstances, US nationals and their property, and/or US commercial assets. National self-defense may be exercised in two ways: first, it may be exercised by designated authority extending protection against a hostile act or demonstrated hostile intent to US nationals and their property, and/or designated US commercial assets [in this case, US forces will respond to a hostile act or demonstrated hostile intent in the same manner they would if the threat were directed against US forces]; second, it may be exercised by designated authority declaring a foreign force or terrorist(s) hostile [in this case, individual US units do not need to observe a hostile act or determine hostile intent before engaging that force or terrorist(s)].
c. Collective Self-Defense. The act of defending designated non-US forces, and/or designated foreign nationals and their property from a hostile act or demonstrated hostile intent. Unlike national self-defense, the authority to extend US protection to designated non-US forces, foreign nationals and their property may not be exercised below the NCA level. Similar to unit self-defense and the extension of US forces protection to US nationals and their property and/or commercial assets, the exercise of collective self-defense must be based on an observed hostile act or demonstrated hostile intent.
d. Unit Self-Defense. The act of defending a particular US force element, including individual personnel thereof, and other US forces in the vicinity, against a hostile act or demonstrated hostile intent.
So, technically (since the attacked ship was "German-owned, Panamanian-flagged crude carrier Artemis Glory"), the SROE category is "Collective Self-Defense". That is very similar to unit self-defense and the extension of protection to US nationals and their property and/or commercial assets.
The bottom line (and answer to the question asked by the blogger re: "Extended Unit Self-Defense?") is that it's really "Collective Self-Defense"; and it requires POTUS or SecDef approval of the extension (which could be general extending to all US warships; or particular granted only in this case).
Regards
Mike
Somali pirate: 'We're not murderers... we just attack ships'
An unusual storyline and probably a first here:
Quote:
Jay Bahadur, the author of Deadly Waters: Inside the Hidden World of Somalia's Pirates, meets Abdullahi Abshir – a man who claims to have hijacked more than 25 ships in the Gulf of Aden.
Link to article:http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011...-somali-piracy
The book is due to be released May 28th 2011.
A publishers summary:
Quote:
What are the lives of modern day pirates like outside of the attack skiffs? How do they spend their money? What clothes do they wear and what is their drug of choice? Deadly Waters takes us to the heart of Somalia, where Jay Bahadur, the intrepid 25-year-old author has ventured where most journalists fear to tread. As the 'go to' journalist for all major media, and with unparalleled access to all the major players, from government officials to local residents - and of course the pirates themselves - Bahadur sets out to discover who is behind the masked menaces who appear on the news. Exploring the politics and history of the self-governing region of Puntland, Bahadur looks at the challenges facing this troubled mini-state as piracy rises - and examines how the UN and other bodies are attempting to deal with the scourge of every sea-faring nation. Evocative and incisive, Deadly Waters is a highly original analysis of the international pirate crisis.
Yachting in the Indian Ocean
Quote:
Despite the growing plague of Somali piracy, scores of sailors have taken yachts into the dangerous waters off the Horn of Africa this year, and at least three have been attacked. The BBC's Daniel Nasaw in Washington talks to sailors who have faced the voyage and those offering ways of protecting them.
Link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-13057869
confiscated ransom money in somalia
You got me to wondering about that and just googled the subject line.
To say the least a bit depressing and by no means the first time ransom money was confiscated and disappeared :rolleyes:
Somali Pirates and the ISI!?
The following was posted on the Information Dissemination blog today. (http://www.informationdissemination.net/)
Quote:
People have long asked where Somali pirates are getting all of their good intelligence from. They seem to know where the easy to hit ships will be, by name and all. There is ample evidence that Somali pirates are not working with Iran and they also do not appear to work in coordination with any Al Qaeda affiliated groups. One of the biggest questions that has popped up as a result of several different events over the last several months is how much influence and apparent connectivity ISI Chief Ahmed Shuja Pasha has with Somali pirate leaders. My sense is the relationship between Somali pirates and the ISI is the next big pirate story on the verge of busting into the media.
Lord in heaven, what's next?
Somali Pirates and the ISI!?
Carl,
I know the world is full of surprises, but this suspected linkage is one and simply lacks credibility.
In an earlier post I referred to the open source and commercial sources for shipping information. I suspect that certain "middle men" are supplying the information for interception and Somalis are well known for their trading skills in the region - not piracy.
I recall the Somalis had no love for the Pakistanis during the early intervention; the killing of Pakistani soldiers pre-dated the 'Blackhawk Down' incident.
Where is the pay-off for ISI in such a trade?