Danish Aid Workers Rescued by US Military in Somalia

Manic Moran

Since it hasn't been mentioned here...

http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/25/world/africa/somalia-aid-workers/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

US probably undertook the job because one was a US citizen, but the Danes were fine with it.

Jessica Buchanan, 32, and Poul Thisted, 60, had been held since October 25, when they were abducted in Galkayo, central Somalia, after they visited humanitarian projects, said the Danish Refugee Council, the agency for which they worked.

Old-fashioned stuff that the US has always been good at. Parachute at night from high altitude, attack without warning, kill the bad guys, rescue hostages unharmed, leave.

Apparently the kidnappers had turned down a $1m ransom, God knows what they actually wanted.

I'm a little disappointed by the governments, though. Yes, aid workers go at their own risk, but all things considered, you would have thought that the governments wouldn't be waiting months to go in and get their own people back.

NTM

enfant terrible

Manic Moran wrote: »

US probably undertook the job because one was a US citizen, but the Danes were fine with it.

Obama more than likely did it for some good publicity around his state of the union address.

But for whatever reason they did it, its a good result.

biko

Well done for getting them out.
The Somalis have tonnes of people hostage.

Remember www.savethechandlers.com ?
They got out safely

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=My6dCwUJCr4

ejmaztec

There should be a joint international effort to annihilate those feckin pirates. In the good old days they'd have been strung up from the yard-arm or walked off the plank. Nowadays, they're just given a choice of beverages and cakes, before being sent home with goody bags.

biko

As background and for levelling the debate.
Somali pirates claim they protect their coast from illegal fishing and ships dumping toxic waste in Somali waters.
The ransom they get for prisoners goes towards cleaning up the coast.
Since Somalia has no government local lords have taken this upon themselves to sort this out.

Chuck Stone

In fairness to the US they do seem to put great effort into extricating their citizens and military people from those types of hostage situations.

I remember watching a documentary about a US pilot being rescued after being shot down behind enemy lines in Vietnam. I think the US lost like 5 or 6 men getting him out which sounds like a bad deal but must be good for the morale of hostages or potential hostages.

ejmaztec

biko wrote: »

As background and for levelling the debate.
Somali pirates claim they protect their coast from illegal fishing and ships dumping toxic waste in Somali waters.
The ransom they get for prisoners goes towards cleaning up the coast.
Since Somalia has no government local lords have taken this upon themselves to sort this out.

Some of the Somali "eco-warriors" allegedly chopped off a Vietnamese captain's arm because the ship-owners wouldn't play ball.

http://www.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne%2BNews/Asia/Story/A1Story20120122-323373.html

Cookie_Monster

Chuck Stone wrote:

I remember watching a documentary about a US pilot being rescued after being shot down behind enemy lines in Vietnam. I think the US lost like 5 or 6 men getting him out which sounds like a bad deal but must be good for the morale of hostages or potential hostages.

are you sure it wasn't this
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bat*21
you were watching

Show Time

Why anyone with a half a brain would go near that hell hole is beyond me. Fair dues to the yanks i hope they racked up a major body count.

tallus

9 pirates killed.

Well done Seals.

Cookie_Monster

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

are you sure it wasn't this
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bat*21
you were watching

Or Little Dieter Needs to Fly.

Nevertheless, that area is lawless.

saveourseafarers has an updated piracy map, worth a look now and then.

ejmaztec

tallus wrote: »

9 pirates killed.

Well done Seals.

Had it taken place here or in the UK, the Americans would have been arrested for murder, and the pirates' families would have been awarded millions in compensation.

Chuck Stone

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

are you sure it wasn't this
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bat*21
you were watching

No it was a documentary based on these real life events.

pickarooney

ejmaztec wrote: »

There should be a joint international effort to annihilate those feckin pirates. In the good old days they'd have been strung up from the yard-arm or walked off the plank. Nowadays, they're just given a choice of beverages and cakes, before being sent home with goody bags.

We should pass some kind of Stamp Out Piracy Act.

Doc Ruby

biko wrote: »

The ransom they get for prisoners goes towards cleaning up the coast.
Since Somalia has no government local lords have taken this upon themselves to sort this out.

What?

Abdiwali Nor, a resident in Hobyo, elaborated as to how he thinks the pirates spend their money. He indicated that most of pirates’ money goes to neighboring countries, such as Kenya and Ethiopia, where they can purchase large quantities of drugs and alcohol.

The pirates are always chewing khat and drinking alcohol, said Ali. Speaking about the possibility that ransom money was being invested outside Somalia, Ali laughed, saying, the pirates do not have the knowledge to create businesses. All they think about is their drugs and their pals.

The reality is a bit less PC I'm afraid, what you have is a bunch of opportunists on a get rich quick scheme.

the_syco

http://www.military.com/news/article/after-tense-months-new-intel-prompted-sof-hostage-rescue.html?comp=1198882887570&rank=1

TV cameras even captured Obama congratulating Defense Secretary Leon Panetta as he shook hands in the House chamber Tuesday night, telling him "You did a great job today." Another top Pentagon spokesman, Navy Capt. John Kirby, said that at that moment, Obama and Panetta had learned the hostages were safe, though the special operators had not yet "buttoned up" the raid.

The White House said Obama was congratulating Panetta and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey after learning about "the success of the mission" at 6:43 that evening.

Nice!

Patrick2010

ejmaztec wrote: »

Some of the Somali "eco-warriors" allegedly chopped off a Vietnamese captain's arm because the ship-owners wouldn't play ball.

http://www.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne%2BNews/Asia/Story/A1Story20120122-323373.html

They're probably running low on equipment and cleaning material to clean up the coast and are getting desperate. Thats the only reason the pirates need money apparently.

Happyman42

It's quite amazing to read a thread where Irish people (given our history) cheerlead a nation who habitually refuse to respect the sovereignty of the world's nations (typically the impoverished ones). Of course it would never dawn on the brutish Americans that there is a root cause for the behaviour of the Somalians and perish the thought that they would do something selfless in world diplomacy to properly address issues. The American 'interest' is always served first. That is the behaviour of despots imo. That does not imply that I condone the behaviour of the Somali pirates.

token101

biko wrote: »

As background and for levelling the debate.
Somali pirates claim they protect their coast from illegal fishing and ships dumping toxic waste in Somali waters.
The ransom they get for prisoners goes towards cleaning up the coast.
Since Somalia has no government local lords have taken this upon themselves to sort this out.

So they're like Greenpeace Africa then?

Surely if there's people dumping toxic waste they wouldn't also be fishing there? They're scum. Pure and simple. Fair play to the Americans. Pity they only got nine.

token101

Happyman42 wrote: »

It's quite amazing to read a thread where Irish people (given our history) cheerlead a nation who habitually refuse to respect the sovereignty of the world's nations (typically the impoverished ones). Of course it would never dawn on the brutish Americans that there is a root cause for the behaviour of the Somalians and perish the thought that they would do something selfless in world diplomacy to properly address issues. The American 'interest' is always served first. That is the behaviour of despots imo. That does not imply that I condone the behaviour of the Somali pirates.

Somalia isn't a sovereign nation. It's a failed state with about 2 or 3 different breakaway regions. They haven't had a government in around 20 years. They kidapped two innocent people and would have killed them. What were the Americans supposed to do? Apply for an extradition warrant? :rolleyes:

pickarooney

token101 wrote: »

Somalia isn't a sovereign nation. It's a failed state with about 2 or 3 different breakaway regions. They haven't had a government in around 20 years. They kidapped two innocent people and would have killed them. What were the Americans supposed to do? Apply for an extradition warrant? :rolleyes:

That sounds a lot like Belgium.

Happyman42

token101 wrote: »

What were the Americans supposed to do? Apply for an extradition warrant? :rolleyes:

What is the average Somalian father or mother supposed to do? Do you always side with the one with the biggest gun? Try putting yourself in their shoes for a wee while and understand their worldview.

ejmaztec

Patrick2010 wrote: »

They're probably running low on equipment and cleaning material to clean up the coast and are getting desperate. Thats the only reason the pirates need money apparently.

"The following video gives details of the ransom monies required, but first a word from our sponsors, Flash cleaning products"

ejmaztec

pickarooney wrote: »

We should pass some kind of Stamp Out Piracy Act.

Noonan is working on the viability of introducing a "Pirate Charge", and is trying to get round the small problem of Somalia not being part of Ireland.

It wasn't me!

Happyman42 wrote: »

What is the average Somalian father or mother supposed to do? Do you always side with the one with the biggest gun? Try putting yourself in their shoes for a wee while and understand their worldview.

It's not the average Somali mother or father kidnapping folk and ransoming them. To suggest so is horseshít. Pirates get killed, innocent hostages get rescued. Solid day at the office as far as I can see.

suicide_circus

"COUNTER TERRORISTS WIN"

Happyman42

It wasn't me! wrote: »

It's not the average Somali mother or father kidnapping folk and ransoming them. To suggest so is horseshít. Pirates get killed, innocent hostages get rescued. Solid day at the office as far as I can see.

How far would you go to ensure your children are fed and have a future? You haven't walked in their shoes for a second, have you?

suicide_circus

Happyman42 wrote: »

How far would you go to ensure your children are fed and have a future? You haven't walked in their shoes for a second, have you?

So what do you suggest? Pay the ransom and perpetuate this carry on? or leave the hostages to languish in captivity and eventually have their throats slit?

It wasn't me!

Happyman42 wrote: »

How far would you go to ensure your children are fed and have a future? You haven't walked in their shoes for a second, have you?

Don't care. I come from a wealthy background in western Europe. It's not going to happen. What if it were someone from west Dublin kidnapping folk and holding them to ransom for their lives? If AGS raided and killed those people, we wouldn't bat any more of an eyelash. We don't need to walk in anyone's shoes to define what's acceptable behaviour. And as I've said, you're still being extremely disingenuous in suggesting that this is the behaviour of the average somali, that this is typical. The vast, vast, vast majority are not doing so. Piracy is a local industry peopled by the same people who'd be involved in criminality wherever they were. Nothing to do with feeding or clothing their children, which is a total straw man.

ejmaztec

Happyman42 wrote: »

How far would you go to ensure your children are fed and have a future? You haven't walked in their shoes for a second, have you?

If they wanted their kids to have a future, they wouldn't be spending any ransom monies on drugs and booze.

Happyman42

suicide_circus wrote: »

So what do you suggest? Pay the ransom and perpetuate this carry on? or leave the hostages to languish in captivity and eventually have their throats slit?

If it was a strategic interest they would have a massive naval fleet in the area in a heart beat. Create a deterrent and then spend some of their otherwise ill spent cash in bringing real democracy to these people. Goodness knows they bang on enough about bringing democracy to regions which have oil, (funnily enough)

ballsymchugh

any reason to post some south park!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2gfhmI5oBs

Lirange

Happyman42 wrote: »

How far would you go to ensure your children are fed and have a future? You haven't walked in their shoes for a second, have you?

Have you? Do you speak for them? Have you spoken to them?

How do you know the pirates are doing this to feed their kids? And assuming they even have children in what ways are they putting the money towards their future? Have they started a uni fund? Purchased tracts of land for them to herd livestock?

There's reports, albeit unverified, that run counter to those notions. How do we really know? Many from the region say the majority of dosh is used for drugs, booze, women, weapons, and other hedonistic fun warlord activities. Can you show us any verified reports where hard on his luck Johnny of Mogadishu had to turn to piracy to support his ickle podlings and buy grain to put supper on the table?

The behaviour is thuggish. Therefore they are thugs. Despite living in an impoverished chaotic wasteland most Somalians are not turning to piracy to support their livelihoods.

lastlaugh

I don't see why they don't put soldiers on the ships that travel past the Somalian coast or at least have some of the crew trained up on how to use Rocket launchers and heavy Machine guns or something.

These 'Pirates' deserve to be blown away.

Happyman42

Lirange wrote: »

Have you? Do you speak for them? Have you spoken to them?

How do you know the pirates are doing this to feed their kids? And assuming they even have children in what ways are they putting the money towards their future? Have they started a uni fund? Purchased tracts of land for them to herd livestock?

You really need to get out (in the world) more. :rolleyes: And sell that American Little House On The Pairie dream while you are it!

Lirange

Happyman42 wrote: »

You really need to get out (in the world) more. :rolleyes: And sell that American Little House On The Pairie dream while you are it!

You made assumptions. You cannot support them. You're called on it and this is your response?

Happyman42

Lirange wrote: »

You made assumptions. You cannot support them. You're called on it and this is your response?

'Have they started a uni fund?'

:rolleyes::D

token101

Happyman42 wrote: »

What is the average Somalian father or mother supposed to do? Do you always side with the one with the biggest gun? Try putting yourself in their shoes for a wee while and understand their worldview.

Join the Army/Police/Navy/African Union and make their own small effort to try and clean up their s***hole country by killing and capturing as many terrorists and pirates as humanly possible. Tell their kids that these guys are nothing but scum who need to be eradicated by any means necessary and half the reason that nobody will ever consider Somalia for any kind of commercial investment which might make their country even viable. There's a hell of a lot more money in drugs in Ireland than there is in most jobs, would you recommend your kids do that?

I'll side with the people who aren't kidnapping for ransom. I see their point, they're poor and starving. That doesn't make it okay to capture and kill. They're gangs of thugs, nothing more.

ejmaztec

Some people are so anti-American, they just won't have it that whoever suffers the wrath of the American armed forces isn't a harmless victim.

Sure, the Americans walk over some people unnecessarily, but in the case of the Somali pirates, they deserve to be walked over, and worse.

Happyman42

Try turning off your Call Of Duty slayfests and see cause and effect in the real world. These people (originally coastal fisherman) had their very existence destroyed by the rape and plunder of their livelihoods by 'foreign' lawbreakers.

Show Time

Happyman42 wrote: »

How far would you go to ensure your children are fed and have a future? You haven't walked in their shoes for a second, have you?

What if it was a member of your family being held as a hostage? Would you be so willing to walk in their shoes? The Somalia pirates are scum nothing more and well done to SEAL team 9 for putting them down.

token101

Happyman42 wrote: »

Try turning off your Call Of Duty slayfests and see cause and effect in the real world. These people (originally coastal fisherman) had their very existence destroyed by the rape and plunder of their livelihoods by 'foreign' lawbreakers.

Ah, you had me!! For a while I thought you were serious, clever troll reeling us in like that Back under the bridge for yourself now though

Nwm2

biko wrote: »

The ransom they get for prisoners goes towards cleaning up the coast.

Assuming this is not a joke, it's probably the most naive thing I've ever read on the Internet.

Freddie59

ejmaztec wrote: »

There should be a joint international effort to annihilate those feckin pirates.

But you know what would happen then......."look at those warmongering Yanks", etc, etc.:rolleyes:

Freddie59

Happyman42 wrote: »

Try turning off your Call Of Duty slayfests and see cause and effect in the real world. These people (originally coastal fisherman) had their very existence destroyed by the rape and plunder of their livelihoods by 'foreign' lawbreakers.

So it's grand for them to turn into pirates? Hasn't the same happened in Ireland - except it was caused by banks? Should everyone who lost their job start kidnapping people?

ScumLord

These pirates where created by the west, it suits some nations agenda to have these bad guys out there, western companies took advantage of that area and created a monster. The west could easily roll in and solve this problem but I don't think it suits there agenda, it's much better to paint them as "the bad guys" and use them to scare the sheepeople that watch CNN.

ejmaztec wrote: »

Some of the Somali "eco-warriors" allegedly chopped off a Vietnamese captain's arm because the ship-owners wouldn't play ball.

Their not eco warriors or in any way noble they're desperate and ignorant people.

Freddie59

ScumLord wrote: »

they're desperate and ignorant people.

They are scumbag thugs and criminals. End of.

ScumLord

Freddie59 wrote: »

They are scumbag thugs and criminals. End of.

There how they need to be to survive in that place, if you where born there you'd be just the same as them.

biko

http://www.lolblog.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/somalia.jpg

Happyman42

Freddie59 wrote: »

They are scumbag thugs and criminals. End of.

'Sure isn't the most of Africa'. :rolleyes:

Morlar

Caught this on the news the other day. Well done to the US Military