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| Africa Horn |
| NATO rules out naval blockade on Somalia - for now |
| 2008-11-25 |
| NATO is not considering any naval blockade as a way to combat piracy off Somalia, the alliance's secretary general said on Monday, after maritime groups urged international action."Blocking ports is not contemplated by NATO," Jaap de Hoop Scheffer told reporters, adding that such action has not been endorsed by the UN Security Council. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #6 "given that non-US assets tend to have more restrictive Rules of (non)Engagement." Which is why I believe that private security is going to get a boost. Blackwater could have a gold mine here but they need some serious backup. If they resist a boarding and get in a pinch, they are also going to need to call in private reinforcement that can get there in a hurry else they are going to risk getting the entire crew of the ship killed. But thankfully people are sheep and if there are a handful of Blackwater types fighting back, about half the crew would probably pick up a weapon and join in while the other half cowers below. |
| Posted by: crosspatch 2008-11-25 17:57 |
| #5 Considering how many world states are sending modern naval combatants and other to the region, these should be more than a match for any Pir-i-i-t-e flotilla > THE REAL/GREATEST PROB IS GETTING THESE SAME TO COORDINATE AND WORK TOGETHER WIDOUT SHOOTING AT EACH OTHER. E.g. IIRC RUSSO-JAPANESE WAR > PRE-TSUSHIMA TSARIST RUSSIAN NAVAL FLEET VERSUS DUTCH? FISHING BOATS [Arms = Nets + Fish], WID THE TSAR'S FLEET BARELY ESCAPING AND BEING FORCED TO RETURN HOME. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2008-11-25 17:32 |
| #4 They're not sacking Rome yet, just cutting off the Suez Canal. But with the bankers absconding with all of the empire's money there is nothing left to finance a war with pirates. |
| Posted by: Abu Uluque 2008-11-25 11:54 |
| #3 ...adding that such action has not been endorsed by the UN Security Council. Why does the image come to mind of the last [sort of] Roman Emperor ensconced in Ravenna playing court intrigues and issuing unenforceable decrees while the Vandals are sacking Rome. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2008-11-25 11:30 |
| #2 Reasonable thought, crosspatch. But as long as no US NATO assets were redeployed I don't think it would matter, given that non-US assets tend to have more restrictive Rules of (non)Engagement. |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2008-11-25 08:34 |
| #1 Maybe someone wants us to move critical naval resources into that area so that other areas go without "coverage". This might be a matter of priorities. |
| Posted by: crosspatch 2008-11-25 02:25 |