Great Easter news for all Americans. Captain Richard Phillips has been rescued. There was a brief firefight and now there are 3 dead pirates and 1 captured Somali pirates. Captain Phillips is now on board the destroyer Bainbridge and headed home. Fabulous news!
92 Thoughts to “Captain Richard Phillips Freed! 3 Dead Pirates!”
Comments are closed.
Not even a handful of the “faithful followers” turned out. They got googled out and couldn’t show up in force.
Captain Hook is a pirate also. The raunchiest of all the pirates, the guardian of Neverland.
ShellyB, you might be on to something. Greg thinks that 4 is slamming the BOS. HuH? If that’s slamming. He also approved of the threats issued by one of the pirates, a military pirate no less. Tick tock Tick tock….must be a crocodile.
Sorry Greggie, you just weren’t able to get the numbers this time. Where were those shiny red circles?
I think shiny red circles would have hurt their case. No one wants to be reminded of those days. But it just amazes me that Wally is suddenly a target for Greg’s internet hate mob.
Where was Stirrup with “point of order, point of order” when the females in the chambers started clapped at the denial to have Ms. Gotthardt’s appointment. The chairman should have reminded the audience that no clapping is allowed.
Well. I must say that Corey has a point. Katherine went overboard with that one comment. But what does it say about our county that someone like Robert Duecaster deserves to be on a Board, but someone that would point out that he and others have encouraged and spread intolerance in this county is thereby disqualified? We are just sending so many strange signals out there. Good thing almost no one is paying attention.
Off topic.
I just want to let those of you that live in the WestGate/Sudley area.
There will be a Neighborhood Improvement Circle in May on Thursdays.
Here’s the initial brief details.
Westgate Neighborhood Improvement Circle, Thursdays, May 7, 14, 21 and 28 from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. at Hope Lutheran on Sudley Manor Drive.
Let me just say this about KG not getting the nomination on the Prince William County Convention and Visitors Bureau. Are you surprised? This woman has been bashing PWC for quite a while now, what good would she do on this board? Would her constantly calling BOCS members Nazis, along with her never ending name calling, or proclaiming that PWC is the capital of racism do anything to want someone to visit PWC? Other than her over the top rhetoric what qualifications does she even have for this nomination?
Also, back to the real pirates, the ones that kidnap innocent people and hold them for ransom. ShellyB, you said:
“Whoa, that’s pretty sad that some folks would try to use a great event that should make all Americans proud as a way to further their singularly obsessive agendas. If this rescue doesn’t allow you to stop sniping and be proud of America, I don’t know what would. Really disappointing, people.”
I’m very proud that we brought this guy home safe and I must say that I’m proud that Obama gave the green light for this, kudos. However, never forget that there is over one Captain Richard Phillips EVERY SINGLE DAY in Phoenix alone! That is just one city, Ill be even prouder of America and this administration when a U.S. city isn’t the kidnapping capital of the WORLD! Now that is ‘sad’ ShellyB. When are the people that are being kidnapped every single day in a city on our own soil going to be saved?
Hello, I didn’t know what to expect honestly. When Duecaster was the question, people said that something taken out of context on a blog should not be more important than the process of county government and the courtesy of allow fellow Board Members to nominate who they want to. I assumed that must hold water since Duecaster’s blog comments were so frightening and often sounded like calls to violence. Now I don’t know what to think. These Board members really are strange, like Corey said.
Back to the real pirates – just today they’ve taken 2 more ships hostage. One flying a Greek flag and I forget what country the other one is. The Somalian pirates really are out of control in that area.
Funny thing about Phoenix, the kidnapping capital of the world, it is in Arizona. Janet Napolitano, Arizona’s governor, allowed one of her cities to become the kidnapping capital of the world by not address the problem in a serious manner. She had a horrible record of securing her own boarder leading to such a title to be placed on her city and what happened… Obama named her be the head of DHS and she is now responsible for protecting the entire countries boarders.
This woman couldn’t even protect the citizens of her own state, now she is going to protect all of us? Scary!
Shoot! Forgot to mention that Ms. Napolitano even went as far to say in late February of THIS YEAR that violence has not spilled from Mexico over to the U.S.! Really, no joke, this woman actually said that as 370 people were kidnapped from just one city in her state the year before.
Amazing, can someone please tell me why this out-of-touch with reality woman is the head of the DHS? I feel for the people of Arizona for having this woman represent them but now I feel for all of us.
It’s always worthwhile to challenge the official propaganda. The following article gives a different perspective on the genesis of piracy off the Somali coast.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/johann-hari/you-are-being-lied-to-abo_b_155147.html
6 of our supervisors are consistent with their principles. I have no problem with that. Predictably, 2 are very partisan and vote according to who their friends are, from all surface appearances. Interestingly enough, it is apparently worse to have citizen criticism directed the supervisors than it is for a citizen to call minorities vermin and Frank Principi an idiot. One such person who received an appointment had this to say about the owner of this blog (and the rest of us also):
Sorry. I see true hypocrisy when both individuals aren’t held to the same standard. John and Corey, again.
I doubt if there are more kidnappings in Phoenix than there are in many places in the world. Is it a good situation, no. However. the FBI and the local authorities there should have the matter under control. To me, that is a local matter.
When an American ship is overtaken, I see that as a threat to our sovereignty, very akin to an act of war.
Gainesville, at the end of the day I heard 4 ships had been seized. Did you hear anything about that? That is astounding! Why are the countries of the world not banning together and forming a group navy to blow those little bastards out of the water?
Would that be May and Nohe?
Moon, I believe that there are already efforts from a few countries to patrol the waters around the east cost of Africa. However, your talking about tens of millions of square miles of open sea (about the same size of the entire U.S.). It’s an impossible task for any navy to protect these ships in that vast amount of open sea.
A less costly way to deal with the problem would be to use blockade tactics. They know where these mother ships come from, block them from leaving the Somali coast, if they do, sink them. Also, these other countries need to stop paying ransoms, it only encourages more kidnappings.
Yes, I heard about the other ships being captured. The sad thing is that these other governments will pay the ransom these terrorists ask for.
Moon, Moon, Moon… you said “I doubt if there are more kidnappings in Phoenix than there are in many places in the world.”. “many” Moon? You obviously haven’t taken the 5 seconds it takes to look it up.
However, you are somewhat right, there is only one city on planet Earth that has had more kidnappings (Mexico City). You also said “the FBI and the local authorities there should have the matter under control. To me, that is a local matter.” Yeah… how has that worked out so far? If you still don’t believe it then please look it up, a little research on the subject would be a real eye opener.
This is why it really scares me that Obama picked Janet Napolitano for the DHS. She was naive, or stupid, enough to say that Mexican Drug violence hasn’t spilled over into the U.S. when Phoenix was (outside of Mexico City) the kidnapping capital of the world.
From what I heard on the radio merchant ships aren’t allowed to be armed. It’s sort of like gun control on the open ocean. It only promotes lawless acts from those who already have weapons. Time to even the score and add a few heavy guns where needed.
Took all of 10 seconds to find this news article from a Phoenix news paper: http://www.kpho.com/news/17419986/detail.html?rss=pho&psp=news
Just one expert from the article about the atrocities happening in Janet Napolitano’s city, the one in which she claims hasn’t seen any spill over from Mexican drug violence.
“We’ve had teenagers who were sexually abused,” Burgett said. “We’ve had toes broken with bricks, so they’re smashing their toes … Murders, sexual abuse. We have had some of the males, actually adults, being sodomized. Torture — they’re electrocuting them; they’re hanging them on the walls; they’re not feeding them.”
Again, saying or just believing that it doesn’t exist doesn’t make it go away…
Mackie #64,
I still have no clue why you are still in this country. With views like yours you would be much more at peace in some third world government where you can openly preach the ills of the West on one hand, and hold out the other for handouts. Name any country that has helped less fortunate countries the world over more than the USA. One, just one, that’s all I want to hear from you.
The pirates attempted to take another American ship today, but fortunately the crew went to the engine room and barricaded themselves in there, and did some maneuvers that the pirates could not keep up with.
Gainesville, I think I saw that this morning. Is that the one where the bullets actually pierced the ship and the guy radioed out?
Hello, I certainly don’t think my military plan was better than anyone elses. Just posing questions here. Blockades sound fine with me. Whatever it takes.
As I told you before, Hello, if you would like to do a guest article on what is going on in Phoenix, please, submit it to me. I will gladly post an objective article for you as a guest contributor. Yes, you are right, I have not researched it. Am I now required to do certain jobs here based on customer complaint? Will I get a raise if I do? Seriously, I will again post my email address. Please email me if you want to guest write…that goes to everyone here. Let me know. You can use your Anti sobriquet even.
[email protected]
you wish, no. wrong guess. and no to that other request also.
Hello, I am not saying there isn’t a problem in Phoenix. I feel certain there is. I am sure there is one in Tucson and other border cities also. I just don’t have a bone to pick with Janet Napolitano. If the people of Arizona want to call in the national guard, fine by me. They are better able to access their own problems than I am sitting here in a suburb of Washington, DC.
I love Phoenix, I enjoy going there. I especially like South Mountain. I love many things close to Phoenix. But probably the closest I have been to the violence going on there is the airport Days Inn. (best kept secret in town, very low cost and nice amnenities)
In Europe, kidnapping is also a way of life. I don’t like that it goes on. I honestly don’t know why you are acting this way towards me about Phoenix. Let’s dig a little deeper and explore the real motive here. Maybe I will accept a Moon, Moon, Moon (that superior way we adults chide small, errant children) a lot better once I understand what you are really getting at……
Yes MH – I believe you are right – I haven’t heard all the detail but the ship sustained damage unfortunately – although the good part is the pirates didn’t succeed. The crew was smart enough to perform some evasive maneuvers and somehow outran the pirates. Buy the time the USS Bainbridge arrived in the area (with the captain of the other ship still onboard) the pirates had managed to get away unfortunately.
It is going to take a lot of work to stop the pirates. One method may be to deploy unmanned aerial reconaisance vehicles in the area. They’ve been highly successful in Iraq, and are capable of actually bombing a target. I am familiar with this because the system I work on relays their video in real time to troops on the ground and ships at sea, and I’ve seen them in action in Iraq and even witnessed them taking out some Iraqi insurgents.
It is probably going to take a coordinated effort by many countries to stop the pirates. It is a huge area and they are small targets within that area.
Merchant ships aren’t armed. The only thing they can really do is try to shoot water at the pirates. It is not much of a weapon against the heavily armed pirates obviously. Probably merchant ships are going to have to start arming themselves better. Otherwise they sort of are sitting ducks for the pirates.
I am with you Moon-Howler, those predator drones can shoot a car traveling down a dirt path in Iraq. Lets up them up over the ocean in international waters and shoot a couple of pirate boats out of the water. That should deter them just a bit, not knowing where the next missle is coming from.
Napolitano is there because she is a political tool, a beauraucrat who is willing to do anything to advance her sponsors’ agenda. She is not there because Obama wants to address illegal immigration in some way that betters America, but because he badly wants to massage the issue continually for political purposes.
He wants to see inflow of illegal immigrants mitigate but wants not to offend the Latino voting bloc which is all-important to him. He would like to see ten or twenty million new citizens to increase Democratic turnout in elections.
The latest news on the attack today on the Liberty Sun, which is a US flagged ship, was that the pirates fired rocket propelled grenades at it. It did sustain damage, and is being escorted back to the port. It is very hard for merchant vessels to defend themselves against pirates armed with things like rocket propelled grenades!
What are the chances of forming a multi-national naval escort for merchant ships – at least in the short term? Too many merchant ships to cover?
Hello, if you do as M-h suggests and write an article, be sure to mention where the Mexican outlaws are getting their guns – and how our quest for drugs fuels the violence.
Gainesville, keep the news coming in on this. Apparently it got rather scary for the people on the Liberty Sun.
Lucky Duck, I really like the drone idea. I like it alot! That would be a good deterrent. Ka BOOM…bye bye pirates.
Yep – the drones work great in Iraq – I’ve watched the live video of them taking out targets and it is fascinating. It would be perfect for this use too – taking out the pirates in the ocean. They can cover a lot of area and go for very long time without refueling. I would not be surprised if someone in the military isn’t thinking seriously about deploying them there, although they do need a base someplace in that part of Africa to fly out of. That could potentially be a problem, I suppose.
What company makes those drones? They are the strangest looking things. Do they escape radar? Surely pirates wouldn’t use radar, would they?
My employer Raytheon makes the Predator drone. It has seen heavy use in Iraq. Doubt the pirates have radar on their ships – maybe sonar, but that wouldn’t do any good against the drones. Very few drones have been shot down in Iraq, and they have been very successful both at providing intelligence to units on the ground as well as actually taking out targets. Units on the ground with portable satellite receive systems can get their video from the drones live via the system I work on. The video shows the lat/long coordinates of where the drone is. The drones can stay over a single location for a very long time, watching buildings and spotting when occupants go in and out, etc. They can stay airborne for many hours too.
They would definitely be useful against the pirates. The only problem I forsee is having an air base somewhere in Africa to launch them from.
The Israeli’s really pioneered the drones, they had them in the 70’s and sent a few to the US for us to study them.
Censored, you said “Hello, if you do as M-h suggests and write an article, be sure to mention where the Mexican outlaws are getting their guns – and how our quest for drugs fuels the violence.”
The administration has said that 90% percent of the guns come from the U.S. but that statement is simply not true at all. What they found is that 90% of traceable guns come from the U.S. which is only about 17% of the guns they have found. The other 83% come from other countries. Funny how they put their own spin of the numbers to influence their desire for more gun control.
Hello, where could I read that data? I’ve heard from an ICE agent that most are coming from the US.
Censored, I heard that also from someone I consider fairly reliable.
Gainesville, thanks for the info on the drone. Very interesting. One question, if it stays in one position, does it hover, or circle, or exactly what? What ammo does it fire?
Hello, the offer is still open.
Censored… it’s pretty easy to look up if you were interested:
In 2007-2008, according to ATF Special Agent William Newell, Mexico submitted 11,000 guns to the ATF for tracing. Close to 6,000 were successfully traced — and of those, 90 percent — 5,114 to be exact, according to testimony in Congress by William Hoover — were found to have come from the U.S.
But in those same two years, according to the Mexican government, 29,000 guns were recovered at crime scenes.
You have to wonder why the Mexican government didn’t hand over more guns to the ATF? Could it be because most of the guns were provided by corrupt Mexican army officials, could it be because they came from their southern boarder or their pourse ports? Who knows, the fact is that 29,000 guns were taken and only 6,000 were successfully traced to the U.S.. However, people hear 90% of guns come from the U.S. and actually believe it. Why doens’t anyone ever look into things like this? Then when someone does people don’t believe you.
Correction… out of 29,000 guns seized from 2007-2008 only 11,000 were turned over to the U.S. and out of those 6,000 were successfully traced and of the 6,000 traced 5,114 were found to come from the U.S..
So 5,114 out of a total of 29,000 guns were proven to come from the U.S. the Obama and the administration say “over 90% of the guns come directly from the U.S.”. Why such distortion of the facts? Where is the ‘transparency’ in this case Censored? Why don’t they ever clarify the true numbers? Could it be that they are using this lie to push gun control? Who knows… but someone needs to answer for this.
Breakdown…
– Mexico only turned over 38% of the guns they seized.
– Only 46% of guns turned over by Mexico were proven to be from the U.S..
– As a whole only 17% of the total guns seized by Mexico have been proven to come from the U.S..
Can anyone please tell me why Obama and the administration continue to state that over 90% of all of the guns come directly from the U.S.?