Africa News
US warship heads to UN vessel hijacked off Somali coast
Feb 26, 2007, 10:15 GMT
Nairobi - A US warship was heading to the northern Somali coast on Monday after a UN-chartered cargo vessel was hijacked by pirates, a UN spokeswoman said.
Pirates hijacked the MV Rozen on Sunday morning, which was carrying six Sri Lankan and six Kenyan crew members travelling back to the Kenyan port of Mombasa after delivering food aid.
'The World Food Programme has been in touch with the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa. We heard reports there may be a warship heading there,' said Penny Ferguson, a spokeswoman for the UN food agency. The United States has a base in nearby Djibouti.
The vessel was commissioned by the UN to deliver 1,800 metric tons of food aid to two northern Somali ports. Ferguson said the ship was docked on Monday at the port of Bargal, off the coast of Somalia's semi-autonomous Puntland region.
'Our primary concern is the safety of the crew members,' Ferguson said.
The Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) cracked down on piracy during its six-month rule, stabilizing a coast notorious for hijackings and known as one of the most dangerous seas in the world.
Piracy off Somalia's coast was before then common, with armed rag-tag bandits often seizing foreign-owned ships and demanding ransom for the crew.
The newly-powerful transitional government is struggling to assert its authority over the land, with insecurity in the capital on the rise.
Somalia has been without strong central government for more than 15 years, allowing lawlessness to thrive.
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-AgenturCOMMENT
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Older Talkback
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Dave, you're bang on in my estimation. The popular media is ineffably drawn to reporting the 'bad' that happens in the world. The US, bearing such an enormous presence, cannot breathe without somebody being adversely impacted ... and guess how quickly that gets reported.
The net effect is that each time the US acts, somebody's hurt (different each time) is broadcast, leaving the erroneous impression that *everything* the US does is 'bad'. This is logically perverse. Add to this the comparative failure to consistently report the 'good' done by the US (governmentally and non-governmentally) we have the popular perceptions we do today.
I have an adage that personally helps me here:
'Most of the time, most people, are mostly wrong, about most things.'
I remember several other hijackings of vessels in that area and not to far from there.The region has a history of vessel hijack for ransom(1800's).American response then,too.Some people never learn before the trouble starts.
I remember several other hijackings of vessels in that area and not too far from there.The region has a history of vessel hijack for ransom(1800's).American response then,too.Some people never learn before the trouble starts.
All you left out is the US Navy's time of arrival, so the islamofascist waterborne vermin (what?, you thought they were cool pirates like Johny Dep?) can make it home to their grass Jihad Pad to watch it on TV. We should be flying 3,000 sorties a day against these Charles Manson wannabes-anytime,anywhere we can find them, Ever since the slave Trade shut-down they've been looking for work. A Fighter Squadron (or armed drone) could have been on the scene in minutes instead of days. Why this 'cheap' on letting our fine Air Force get some action? What did we buy all those cruise missles for? Have we become like dumb 'Red Coats'? Our check-pants generals seem more interested in getting a good pension and tee-off time and rushing to work for the Saudis then wiping-out this psychotic menace. All we ask is 3,000 a day, soon, we could start seeing some significant progress and maybe get 5 or 10 years of peace out of the deal. Program the target codes and Let's Roll!.
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DaveFeb 26th, 2007 - 16:42:23
It's a funny thing. Everyone blames the U.S. for all the trouble in the world, but when the pirates, terrorists and whatever strike guess who the world turns to? Everyone agrees on preventing a Taliban takeover in Afghanistan, but most NATO countries make the bare minimum contribution or so hamstring their assets that they are next to useless. Guess who takes up the slack? Nations with high standards of living crow about their superiority to the U.S. while American money, resources and lives are used to defend them since they are unwilling to defend themselves. This isolated incident is a preview of what the world has to expect. Once the American navy and armed forces are gone, who will defend the world from barbarism?
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