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Africa Horn
The EU wants to go pirate hunting but needs a "coordination unit first?"
2008-09-16
read and smile

The EU does not have a joint military command, so the "co-ordination unit" is needed to gather ships together from several member states. Eventually there will be real ships sent. Hopefully.
Posted by:3dc

#9  First a committee must be formed, then bylaws, then lunch, then an agenda, then dinner, then willing fair maidens, then a hearty breakfast. Then form a subcommittee to slap a study on it. Lather, rinse, repeat.
Posted by: Alaska Paul in Tok, AK   2008-09-16 22:42  

#8  an "attractive" mothership, say a faux tourist three-maste with 50's front and back. As long as nobody survives an encounter, *wink wink*, the cover would be secure, at least until the NYT got wind of it
Posted by: Frank G   2008-09-16 21:12  

#7  Old destroyer? Heck, Blackwater would get themselves a decent sized mother ship and a bunch of zodiac boats. Plenty of arms and ammo, come back to the mother ship when ready, and go pirate hunting. The mother ship could be a nice 'Q' ship in addition.
Posted by: Steve White   2008-09-16 21:05  

#6  The US constitution still allows Congress to issue letters of marque and reprisal. And set up prize courts.
So Blackwater gets themselves an old destroyer and makes sure to capture the pirates after they've taken a ship. That way, Blackwater gets a share.
Or anybody who can front the money, actually.
Posted by: Richard Aubrey   2008-09-16 18:58  

#5  Subcontract it to the French. There's no RN left any way.
Posted by: Nimble Spemble   2008-09-16 17:56  

#4  Always remember that process, committee meetings, reports and analysis, and more committee meetings are immensely more important than actually doing anything.
Posted by: Anonymoose   2008-09-16 17:35  

#3  In fact I'd like to see someone throw a dart at a map and then task whichever country it lands on to go forth and wipe 'em out. Might be a challenge for LIchtenstein or the Papal States but I think they'd still manage.
Posted by: rjschwarz   2008-09-16 17:20  

#2  Pretty much any European power could deal with this pirates if they had the will to do so.
Posted by: rjschwarz   2008-09-16 17:19  

#1  NATO anyone? It might be able to handle a few pirates, but not much more.
Posted by: Richard of Oregon   2008-09-16 16:26  

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