The rebel leaders can say what they want but the truth is the people of this country are in desperate need. They watch there own people suffer for the glory of a fight they will never win. The lack of education is very clear. Instead of building up there country they like many other african countries destroy from within. They do not even have the basics. Allah will not agree with the behavior of a thieves. Can any of them really read the Quran? That is a real question not trying to be funny. The rebels only see money lining there pockets this is why they are showing support. Just remember this america is a real super power whether anyone likes it or not. History has shown they will use any weapon in there arsonel to defeat the dumb, stupid and crazy people. They have a President now who is smart, strong and he is not afraid of the lawless minded people who roam this earth.

The Gate Keeper

The rebel leaders can say what they want but the truth is the people of this country are in desperate need. They watch there own people suffer for the glory of a fight they will never win. The lack of education is very clear. Instead of building up there country they like many other african countries destroy from within. They do not even have the basics. Allah will not agree with the behavior of a thieves. Can any of them really read the Quran.

When Pirate ships are seen to be approaching other ships, they should be blown to kingdom come. Damned satanic idiots going on their demonic ways.

It is really annoying to say the least that these Somalis are wreaking their disorder on the rest of the world! Why don't you super pwers with all your arsenals torpedoe their little vessela surely you can spot them aerially or otherwise?

Secondly these people spend their money in neighbouring countries like Kenya where despite the depression housing is very expensive because of these guys who are buying and constructing property with the ill gotten loot. Catch them there again you have the intelligentsia work with the African governments along the Indian ocean. Deal a blow to these goons that they will never forget in a long time! God Bless all peace lovinh people of the world. We pray for the Captain.

Pirates must be blown off their heads.Greedy and uncivilised people,holding on emergency food supplies whilst the innocent children and woman suffer.

Tendai Sean joe

Whilst i am against these PIRATES why doesnt someone find out the root of the problem that is making them to do it and sort it out once and for all- someone was telling me that these guys were once fishermen and their industry has been lost - if thisis the case why not try to revive it for them

If their livelihoods have been affected shouldn't they sit in their country and agree on some order to stabilise their government machinery like we re all doing in our respective countries along the indian Ocean? They are just criminals! Have always been! Even the Somalis in our countries hardly ever engage in honest jobs they always have to find work that has criminal elements in it. We are all along the Indian Ocean recently a ship was caught outside our shores with a lot of fish being poached isn't this fish from Indian Ocean? Come on! They must commit to restore order in their country for starters! The world does not owe them!

First of all, it is not the world's job to find jobs for these people.

Second, the reason they continue to do this is greed, plain and simple. They made a living fishing, then got pissed off at what they saw as other people poaching "their waters" so they started taking fishing boats.

Then they realized they could make more money as criminals taking ships than as fishermen.

Screw them. They have made their decision and lost their chance to live legitimate lives. If they want to continue piratical acts then they will be dealt with accordingly soo enough. By people with bigger guns than them.

Now i know there pirates have a death wish, North Korea of all countries to try and mess with. North Korea could consider testing their nuclear weapons on Somalia.

WHAT A BUNCH OF MO FO FREAKS! Pirates are disgusting, gross freaks. they all ought to be shot, as should anyone, ANYONE (government included) supporting them. FREAKS.

In light of the outcome of the capture of the U.S. ship captain, namely, the successful recovery made by the U.S. Navy, I am curious what the author has to say in response. In this case, the very thing which he hailed as useless: a military response, was indeed the ultimate solution to the problem. I agree that the problem is an economic and political one, but that does preclude the usefulness of a military solution when one is needed.

Dear Somali Pirates,

You've picked on the wrong nation this time you lawless ignorant scum.

Not only did the crew resist, but the US Navy put you away. We either need convoys, or to get agressive and start bombing your ports, and the mansions of your "warlords."

I am amused that the parents of the dead pirates whined that we killed their teenagers.. hmm what kind of parents are you that allow your children to carry automatic weapons and threaten innocent people in International Waters? You killed your children by being horrible parents.

And I have news for you, many more are going to die. Just because we have elected a president with African roots, do not be deceived... we are Americans and we are not afraid to fight!

The world laughs at you.

Do we Americans have to have such a big head? What're you trying to say? That since it finally effected us we're going to do something about it? Why not BEFORE it effects us. Americans are so selfish. Ugh I'm disgusted at us. I agree that we need to do something about it, but it would've been way easier if we would have fixed it BEFORE it got this bad. OPEN YOUR EYES!!! MmFwScL ~Herb

Too bad the smug author of this story was not on the life boat with the pirates.

It's amazing how people can be gullible! This is a totally fabricated golden opportunity for NATO members to openly deploy themselves along the east coast without causing much of a stir. Talk about a diversion!

ALSO, I find it quite revealing that this ALLAFRICA story is so blatantly one-sided. I bet the author is not based in Africa. DO NOT BE FOOLED.

Absolutely right, my man! There is so much to want off the coast of Somalia. NATO will do anything to find a reason to send lots of their ships there. The riches, the wealth, so much NATO envies can be found off the East coast of Africa near Somalia!

Mugabe says the same thing, that the US/UK and other nations are just licking their lips looking for a reason to invade Zim! So many valuables just ripe for the taking!

Yes, Western nations would really like to invade Somalia and Zimbabwe to steal the great wealth that they contain! Those Rhodie bastards! (sarcasm)

Second that. The verdant, fertile lands of Somalia coupled with all of the mineral riches make Somalia capable of being the next economic powerhouse in Eastern Africa.

NATO wants a piece of that action. They've been waiting years for an excuse to get in there. I mean, who doesn't want to get involved in a lawless state. Plus, so many healthy, vibrant people there to dominate!

We have figured you out NATO!

America doesn't want anything from your garbage dump countries. Somalia doesn't even have any oil and we have more fertile valleys than you do. If fact we can feed the world. What we want is for you to stop with your terrorism on innocent people off your coast. Don't make us invade you.

Didn't catch the sarcasm there I guess, huh?

Pirates are by definition criminals, and are recognized as such by every seafaring nation on planet earth. To claim they are “marines” protecting their resources is patently absurd; they are part of a large and very organized crime and terror syndicate. Their primary targets are container ships which are simply transiting that part of the ocean; this in no way harms or removes anything from the waters in question. There is a term known to all who sail, it is called “freedom of navigation”, wherein all seafaring nations agree that they may freely pass through another countries exclusive economic zone (generally 200 miles from the coast), as long as that is all they do. This most recent case shows how asinine and without any foundation the statements of Jama’ Si’ad and his terrorist friends are. They boarded a container ship 350 miles from the coast. That is in international waters. The ship that was not only not taking resources, but by design, could not take any. What did the terrorists try to steal? Food aid for another African country. How did they do it? With high caliber, fully automatic weapons against unarmed civilians. No one should have any sympathy what so ever for those that were killed, for it was well deserved. That they would start ranting about revenge shows yet another terrorist ploy. In actuality, they have been very lucky so far, but that luck is running out faster than a river after heavy rains. Why they would even continue their felonious acts shows how much money is involved … and you can bet that most of it goes in to the pockets of the “big men” who stay ashore, letting their peons do the dirty work, all the while spouting propaganda about who they are and why they do it. Ahmed Bile, Somali MP, is probably one of those making millions from this. The terrorists were shot while violating international law on the high seas and threatening to kill an innocent civilian; this has nothing to do with anyone being better than anyone else. It has to do with Law, and being Civilized, two concepts that no longer seem to apply to Somalia.

There is an argument that other nations are stealing Somali resources and the Somalians have the right to defend their country and their resources. - There may be a truth to that fact, however does it really apply here? Who are these pirates? What do they with the ransom money they collect? Do they distribute it among Somalies in general or invest it in Somali public projects for the welfare of their country? No, of course not! - these multi-million ransoms-dollars are used to buy villas and other properties that support the lavish life styles of these pirates - both within Somalia and other countries like Kenya. And that makes them bandits - the pirates - the pirates 'as the word is understood by the world' and the sea faring people have the right to deal with them as harshly as it takes to not only put them out of operation, but to hunt them down to bring them to Justice, for all the crimes they have committed against our sea men.

As an African American, I can't agree with the actions of the pirates. It's one thing to protexct what's yours and patrol your coastol waters to prevent illegal dumping , or the improper fishing off your shores. But it's something else entirely to rob folk of their goods and hold them for ransom. That's being nothing but a common thug. If you wanna be a thug, that's fine but don't hide behind righteous words like protecting your environment from outsiders or calling yourselves the marines of Somalia. Again, you're thugs. You want change, economic change to come to Somalia then work with us and the rest of the world. Continuing to steal and kill won't get you anything for the long run and that's what you want to be concerned with. Another thing, I feel that NO American is better than any Somalian. However, if you try to hurt me or mine then I have the right to defend myself against you just as you have the right to defend yourself against me. That's truth, isn't it?

Ho does being an African American have ANYTHING to do with any of this.

Would skin color somehow make you empathize with the criminals or something?

I am not attacking your viewpoint but I just don't see how being black is relevant at all.

Perhaps you should concentrate on being an AMERICAN before anything else, and not color your views with color.

I'm pretty much a peacenik but this pirate thing is ludicrous. Blow em out of the water.

The murder of that Somali patrol was criminal!

Somalis have a legitimate right to secure their African coastline and exact compensating from the racist and thieving europeans others, who rob fish from the mouths of Africans and who dump their toxic garbage in African waters.

In no other waters is european toxic garbage been dump but in African waters. Somalis should continue to patrol their coastline and exact compensation; since the european-dominated UN refuses to enforce international law against racist europeans who are robbing African fish and dumping european garbage on Africans.

They have NO RIGHT whatsoever to sieze ships and hold them hostage. They weren't even in Somalia they were in international waters. They aren't defending your country they are just commom criminals. They got just what they deserved - a bullet in the head. Remember next time not to mess with the USA

Any Pirate that takes an American boat should now have ample warning that we AMERICANS DONT PLAY GAMES with silly little boats. We will not bow down to your request of money. We will Kill you! We have the right to defend our people and our ships.

the devil is a liar...!Those pirates are the toxic garbage in those African waters..!Racist hell...The reason for us Westerners are in these waters is because they are carring food aid to the starving Somalian citizens. The pirates are the ones that are stealing from their own people and making them parish..!So..whats good for fish is also good for the toxic garbage....!!

Seriously? It was wrong to forcibly free the hostage taken at gunpoint by pirates? The pirates should not be shot because they are Somali citizens whose lives are just as important as Americans? Ridiculous. Those pirates forfeited their lives when they took that man hostage.

Nations have every right to defend their own citizens in international waters from armed thugs. If anything a multinational force should police these waters and serve these criminals some justice.

This post was deleted because it contravenes AllAfrica's commenting guidelines.

may be you yankees fogot abot Somalia so soon. ask Ronald Reagan if you can why he hurriedly and regrettably withdraw from Somalia some few years ago when American dead bodies were dragged in the Somali Capital. Beware.

Your grasp of history is very impressive.

Exccept you missed the president's name by two presidents.

I don't think anyone in the US military is concerned about any pissant militants in Somalia. Aren't you all busy trying not to starve? Probably, since your pirates are hijacking the ships full of food aid FOR YOUR COUNTRY.

You are the ones who should beware, lest you mosquitos actually begin to annoy the big dogs.

Please, keep civil, everyone.

You have to have a government to be a citizen. Wasn't Somalia's government abolished in 1991?

All this outrage is just another attempt (one of literally thousands) to play both sides of the fence. The pirates are "illegal bandits with no ties to Somalia except in the minds of racist westerners" when they are raping and pillaging, and "citizens in good standing with the Somali government" when they're getting shot by people who refuse to be raped and pillaged. They are "brigands not associated with the Islamic church in any way" while they are alive, and "brave, heroic martyrs whose death must be avenged by all who call themselves Muslim" after they are dead.

Just like how Somalia has an internationally recognized government and rule of law based out of Mogadishu whenever they're begging the WHO for handouts, but no government whatsoever when their army is caught making war upon neighboring countries.

The three that died yeturday were lucky. They felt no pain because they were shot and not hung like pirates should be. Did that teach them a lesson? NO! they went right out and illegaly boarded another ship last night. Now they have declared war on the USA and France. Intelligence is not their strong point. they act like criminals, then they must be punished like criminals. But aain they are lucky. The USA has elected a level headed president that is much more tolerant than the last one was. The acts of wars against the USA from Iraq cost that leader his life and its people much hardship that will take many more years to recover from. Ley us hope the leaders of the pirates show some spark of intelligence and ask for help from the nations around the world instead of taking the coarse of piracy that will only end in their demise and servere hardship for their people.

I just have to get something off my chest. This whole thing has made me a happier American. I don't see Americans taking Somali or anyone from different countries hostage. We don't hold them hostage and then ask for a ransom for their release. That is just a dumb idea that these pirates have and what the Somali people think that these pirates are citizens and we just killed some of there citizens. Well one thing is that if you mess with citizens of America then your going to have to mess with America!

The pirates and Somalia really need to examine the lessons of Afghanistan before targeting the United States. The Taliban had a pretty good deal. It ran a nation, dominated its residents, and had full access to a national treasury. Today the Taliban live in caves and murder fellow Muslims. It was all because they harbored a group that attacked the United States on September 11.

A Somalia that protects pirates, pirates who attack the United States, may have a very short future! Somalia's friends could get it in a lot of trouble. Watch for the unmanned drones...

So, does this mean that the poultry companies who hired the Somali for their citizenship has brought not only the tb, std, and other disease now has brought over terrorists?

I have three words Mr. Si'ad. Bring it on.

It sounds like he wants to play with the big boys now, but I don't think he realizes what exactly is going to happen to his little pirate enterprise once he manages to piss off the world's powers enough to force them to actually do something about it.

NO ONE is going to defend these people. They have no moral or ethical ground to stand on whatsoever. They are thieves, kidnappers and murderers, and all they are doing is poking the sleeping bear right now with their rhetoric and continued assaults on ships that are merely transiting international waters.

So by all means Mr. Pirate, keep it up. I look forward to conducting an amphibious invasion into your pathetic little ports. Let's see how big you talk from the end of my M4 while my fellow Marines annihilate and destroy all of your ill-gotten mansions and cars.

PLEASE PLEASE continue on your path. It should be fun. See you soon.

"I heard that an American captain has been kidnapped by the Somali pirates over the recent days and lately released forcibly by many war ships led by America and French forces. They took their citizen and killed our citizens. May be that there are some Somalis who see that the step is right but I say that it is not right but wrong totally, because their people are not better than ours," Mr. Ahmed Said.

Does anybody know what the hell he is even saying? He sounds like your typical dumb ass Somali pirate. Hopefully he will join his other pirate buddies soon in a watery grave.

Maybe it will be for the best if the Americans just sink all sea vessels taking part in piracy operations. This includes the smaller craft used for boarding vessels and the larger ships that are functioning as operating bases.

If this does not reduce the number of acts of piracy then rockets, bombs, missiles and artillery can destroy the port facilities, offices and homes of the pirates.

As Somalia has yet to develop a stable form of governance or law, we may need an imperialist colony from the UK, France or the US to force a government upon the land. It is clear that Somalia is a blight upon the continent.

Terrorists of the waters, thats what the pirates are. What a shock to them when the ships they were attacking have started fighting back. Blast the terrorists out of the water i say.

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Agreed that the only long term solution is on the ground, not out to sea. Part of the solution has to be control of rapacious "factory" fishing ships and of dumping. That said, I'd have to agree with the author. Identifiable "mother ships" should be sunk. I'd go as far as to say that there should be a defined "corridor" in international waters, say ten miles wide. Ships that haven't identified themselves have an hour to transit. (change width and time to suit the situation). Respond to a radio challenge with something believable (navy personnel in the area are going to become pretty tough to convince) and you get a once-over by the nearest military vessel. No response, or no good one, more than the allowed time limit and shipping vessels potentially in your area, you get warned to abandon ship, and the vessel is sunk. The international community has the remote imaging resources and the weapons systems to make this work. I'm not suggesting that this is a long term solution. It's not - but it might make the "mother ship" system impracticable for piracy.

No can do, because all the problems of Somalia are self-inflicted. The Somalis themselves used modern technology to overfish their waters and dump their sewage into the sea, and make up stories that westerners did it... then when the more liberal westerners ask them for the names and registration numbers of the ships that violated their waters, the Somalis just stare at them in shock for a few seconds, then go completely wild, screaming that it is racist to look for proof of the stories they weave!

No, there is no way to redress imaginary crimes. Any attempt to do so will only result in more imaginary crimes being invented, until the west has destroyed itself trying to appease the imaginations of the Somali people.

SOmeone send the somali pirates the Flag with The SKULL AND CROSS BONES and AHOY PIRATES!!!!

Forgive me if I am stating the obvious, but it seems that with all of the pirate attacks, merchants are ignoring not only wartime practices but natural systems for thwarting predators. To protect merchant ships during wartime, conveys were formed; to keep herds safe from predators, they cluster together and move as a group. It is when ships or animals stray from the group or herd that they are the most vulnerable to predators.

While besting the pirates is a daunting task given the vast area that must be patrolled, it seems that the merchant's best chance is if designated shipping channels are created. The shipping channels would be designated areas that would be the primary (or only) patrol areas for NATO to defend. The channels would be far enough from the coast to make it difficult for pirates to safely flee to land-based harbors and to minimize the impact on fishing fleets, while remaining close enough to the coast to conserve fuel. The channels would be wide enough to safely accommodate shipping traffic, yet no wider. This would reduce the area that would need to be patrolled, maximizing the impact of NATO patrols. If narrow enough and far enough from shore, the channels could also be off-limits to fishing, ensuring that the channels would only be used by merchants and NATO ships - any other ship would be suspect. If feasible, ships could also travel in actual convoys. While merchant ships would not be mandated to use the designated shipping channels, NATO patrols would be limited to those channels, so the best chance for protection would be to stick to designated channels. While the drawback to designated channels would be that the pirates would better be able to predict where merchant ships could be found, by creating channels, protection could be concentrated in an area where that protection would be the most effective.