I would guess that it's also pretty difficult to shoot any sort of weapon while trying to remain afloat. Not a bad idea.

Those were my thoughts as well...however you do it...put them in the water. I had thought a SEAL team could accomplish that and cause mass confusion at the same time not allowing the scums to use any weapons. I just wrote an email to a close friend who is retired SEAL. We'll see what he has to offer...

I'm just thinking that the "negotiations" would be more expeditious with the pirates treading water.

Hmm, then what is there for the hostage negotiators to do?

How bout a big magnifying glass hovering over their heads from a helecopter - kind of like I may have done with ants as a little kid. Either that or lets just give them the money and get the captain back........10 minutes later.....kaboom!

asking 2 million for the Captain...
meanwhile the French rescued some folks of a Yacht taken a few weeks ago..
sadly ..one hostage died during the mission...

Rika

My guess is no seal team in the region last night. Tonight a seal team reaches into their bag of tricks and "immobilizes" that pirate crew.

We should never negotiate! Send in some SEALS to solve the problem. When I was in the Marine Corps, we did several exercises where we took the Captain of nval ships. This was before 9-11, and I am sure it would be more difficult now. I hope every one of the pirates is killes to send a definitive message, David

I would give them $10M in North Korean fake currency, with "This is Fake" written in UV ink.

Mystery solved on how they got the captain back in the lifeboat...

...the pirate leader had been in direct contact with the lifeboat via a satellite phone but lost contact after Phillips' captors threw the phone—and a two-way radio dropped to them by the U.S. Navy—into the ocean, fearing the Americans were somehow using the equipment to give instructions to the captain. They acted after Phillips' failed effort to escape.

Around midnight local time, Phillips jumped off the lifeboat and began swimming, according to Defense Department officials speaking on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to talk about the sensitive, unfolding operations.

One of the pirates then fired an automatic weapon, the officials said, although it was not clear if the shots were fired at Phillips or into the air, and he returned to the lifeboat.

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D97FNAS80&show_article=1

Why all this talk of seals... I say we send in friggin sharks with friggin lasers on their heads!

Give the hostage takers false hope and stall for time while tactical units get ready to storm the place. That's what it usually comes down to.

i would give anything to listen to the tape of a psychiatrist trying to negotiate with a pirate.

How do you reason with "yarrrrr"?:cool:

And while the captain was in the water, and the pirates were on the boat with no hostage, the Navy was doing - what? Watching with great interest?

Edit: ok, I see the article says the Bainbridge is staying several hundred yards away from the lifeboat, to stay out of the pirates range of fire. Somehow this is not making sense.

I heard the captain went in the water at midnight local time and the Navy ship may have been up to a mile away. When the pirates started firing machine guns he got back in the lifeboat.


KT

psychiatrist, "were you an only child?"

pirate "aaaarg".

psychiatrist, "tell me about your mother".

pirate, "aaaarg".

psychiatrist, "i can't help but feel you take hostages out of a desire to be close to someone."

pirate, "aaaarg".

psychiatrist, "do you need a hug?"

pirate, "aaaaarg?".

psychiatrist, "here, let me hug you."

pirate shoots psychiatrist.

psychiatrist "ow, wtf?"

pirate "aaaarg".

I guess, when I read that the US Navy has the lifeboat "surrounded" with a destroyer, a frigate, helicopters, an Orion surveillance plane, drones, and possibly some other ship (reports vary) and FBI teams have been flown to the scene, I sort of visualize a situation where, if the captain managed to dive overboard and separate himself from the lifeboat by swimming even a short distance, the Navy could take advantage of the break. I didn't realize the Navy was sitting a mile away exercising their patience.

Now I haven't seen the news tonight so please bear this in mind.

We have the Captain of a U.S. flagged ship in a lifeboat with the terrorists, we have American Naval vessels reasonably close, we have highly trained servicemen available, they HAVE been watching every muscle reflex on this lifeboat, laser sights, and rangefinders, the will, the knowledge, and the ability.........who's making the decisions?

My bet is the Commander in Chief......or maybe some other highly qualified politician

Karl
88 Targa

I'm afraid (for the Captain) that you just nailed it...:(