David Davis
Am I paranoid, or is “piracy” by a load of towelhead scumbags with pop-guns and lilos, being allowed for some reason? It does seem rather odd that in the 21st century (I still piss myself at the very idea of one!) huge metal ships bursting at the seams with crewmen (I assume they are men?) get held up, presumably in the full sight of toher ships, hijacked and emptied of people by a couple of thug-muggers on a rubber ring, with what amounts to an airgun.
Are these buggers friendly with fake charities? Are their Khalashnikovs paid for by “Chrisdaia Nit”, for example, or “people not profit”? Or even Gordon Brown? I do not know. I think we ought to be told.
Has nobody heard of the British East India Company? Of course, it was really a fascist monopolistic “public-private-prtnership”, fully in bed with the State in most aspects of its operation, but it did manage to mostly protect its ships and employees from attack, most of the time. I wonder what the employers are doing about this modern matter, and what their insurers say?
I note that The LandedUnderclass wondered about this same problem a little while ago.
As far as I know, and I have Googled and can’t find a good reference, international maritime law doesn’t allow for armed merchant ships in peacetime. The idea is that the various navies of the nations under which the merchant ships are flagged provide the protection.
They are obviously failing in this, and the parallel with the police failing to protect the public on land (in the UK) is striking – we are still not allowed to defend ourselves despite the police failing to protect us. Similarly, the merchant ships are not allowed to defend themselves despite the states’ navies failing to protect them.
I could well be wrong in this, as I can’t find a good reference – so if anyone cares to correct me (or even find that good reference!) I would be grateful
As someone with an ambition to one day sail the Pacific, I’ve often wonered if pirates would be a problem, and what one would do to stay safe when at sea.
I think the pirates you’re thinking of David mainly concentrate on commercial shipping though.
@Steven Northwood. – I think the pirates you’re thinking of David mainly concentrate on commercial shipping though.
It might mostly be commercial shipping but I wouldn’t bet my life on it.
@Angry Exile;
Food for thought. Look well, if I’m ever rich enough to sail the Pacific perhaps I could get myself an ex-Navy frigate, refurbished for my comfort but fully-equipped with minigun sentinels and Sea Dart missle defence system. Take the fight to them, know what I mean?
Master and Commander indeed. 🙂
I am farming away to beat Hell today here in Squawbunion County in southern MN, but anyway here is a cheery little account to put all the piracy bellyaching into a more historical (and LESS hysterical!) perspective…:
http://bodwyn.wordpress.com/2007/08/17/the-nuisance/
[…] Libertarian Alliance and The Landed Underclass have been wondering, as have I, about this recent upsurge in piracy, or […]