They ain't Jack Sparrow's boys.....

[Buzz]

The hostage managed to make a break for it and jump into the water. The pirates soon went into the water and recaptured him, bringing him back to the lifeboat. Granted, it all happened too fast for a boat to get to him for a conventional rescue, but if light weaponry - snipers or automatic rifles - were constantly trained on the target, one would think they could have opened fire the instant the hostage was clear of the pirates, even if only for a few seconds. Quite likely that is exactly what Richard Philips was hoping would happen, much like a hostage held by a single gunman suddenly ducking to the ground to allow police shooters a quick, clear shot at the perp.

Now, the situation escalates to an even stronger bargaining position for the pirates as more of them converge on the scene with a larger group of hostages taken in prior attacks. More Navy vessles are under way as well, but what can they accomplish that a single destroyer - already a massively overwhelming disparity in force - could not?

It says a lot when a motley crew of ragtag bums in beat-up little boats feel powerful and confident enough to head out and confront a fleet of floating Naval weaponry instead of crapping their pants and fleeing in the other direction. I still hold out some hope though, that they will find a way to save the hostage(s) and round up and/or destroy every last one of the scumbags.

[Fred Douglass]

.......a) when they can't/won't board the pirates' (life)boat, b) when they have to talk to the freakin' FBI about what to do and c) when they can't devise a method whereby the "new" pirate vessels converging on the scene can't be given a "Stand Off" warning----enforced by the proverbial shot across the bows.

This reminds me of that scurrilous Johnson administration do-nothing reaction and cover-up of the attacks on the USS Liberty and the USS Pueblo. 'Bout time they recommissioned some ipe-like thugs for weapons officers-----even CO's! I think of one guy who fills the bill.....oooops wait, the only uny-form seems a little tight.......

Start the pre-fire check on that Bofors 40mm and make me a rum-and-coke, STAT!!!!

If something happens and the American skipper is harmed, successfully taken ashore or even killed, the President is not going to look too cool. Biden called it.

Chow,