Ship operators should instead explore non-lethal solutions, said Jeff Pierce, Washington-based executive director of Maritime Police International (MPI). MPI is a global security organization whose membership includes former U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Navy and law-enforcement officers.Right, Jeff. And there's no financial incentive for you to say that, is there?
Arming civilian maritime crews “is a very bad idea unless there is enough firepower to repel the pirates effectively and repeatedly…not something that merchant crews are capable of doing in most instances,” Pierce said.
“Many insurance companies either forbid weapons or dramatically increase rates for ships with weapons on board,” Pierce said. The insurers “have historically told crews to surrender peacefully and to let the insurance personnel handle the situation. ... Arming crews has always been a concern within the industry due to the potential for mutiny.” [More]
First of all, we saw your absurd conclusion put to the lie yesterday, with the tale of the Somali "vigilantes" I mentioned here.
Secondly, why don't you tell the "Eleven...killed and 21 reported missing and presumed dead" in 2008 about the benefits of telling "crews to surrender peacefully"?
If you don't trust their crews, or value your cushy contracts more than the worthless lives of these replaceable nobodies, shipping companies need to high better help and treat them better. And you're worried about mutiny? Yeah, leave the command staff outnumbered and unarmed--that'll certainly reduce the chances.
Funny, Jeff--once you get a lucrative gig, your hirelings are magically trustworthy enough to "provide armed convoy escort protection." Aren't you worried they might mutiny?
Oh, built I forget. You're all "Only Ones," aren't you, Jeff? Just all-around more trustworthy than the rest of us who don't have powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men...?
Y'know what? If I need an escort, there's always the Yellow Pages. At least I'll know what I'm getting, and if I get screwed using one of those services it won't be as morally reprehensible as what you're pulling.
[Sorry--no tip credit--I lost that email]
2 comments:
There's no end to the idiocy one can find from those unwilling to
face reality, e.g. from one Fred Fry at the USNI blog, who avers that "less lethal defense measures" might be enough:
begin quote:
One suggestion that I have made before was to use ‘Pepperball’ paintballs:
The PepperBall® system is unique in the industry as the first non-lethal weapon to combine multiple effects to accomplish its objective safely and without permanent injuries or death. Since late 1999 PepperBall has been deployed in thousands of situations around the globe, successfully filling a gap in the use of force continuum where no other tools are available.
... ...
One reason that this looks like an effective defense is that the PepperBalls can be ‘delivered’ through a fully automatic paintball gun.
end quote
Fred Fry ought to put his money where his mouth is and sail those waters and engage the pirates with a paint gun.
He's more than willing to let someone else put his inane theory to a real world test, so let's see him take that risk before irresponsibly influencing opinions to have someone else take them for him.
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