Tag: somali pirates

Good News / Bad News on Dutch anti-piracy efforts.

The good news is that the Dutch rescued some pirate victims:

Dutch forces free pirate captives

Dutch commandos have freed 20 people who had been captured by Somali pirates after the raiders attacked a Greek-managed tanker, Nato says.

The captives, Yemeni fishermen, were freed as the Dutch forces captured seven pirates in the Gulf of Aden.

The bad news is that the Dutch military is apparently saddled with some fairly onerous restrictions on how to deal with hostis humanis generis-type situations.

The pirates were set free, the Associated Press news agency reports, because under Dutch law they could not be held at sea under the circumstances in which they were captured.

Not to be bloodthirsty or anything, but there’s a fairly obvious answer to that.

Moe Lane

PS: Hush, ye lurkers. You wanted “I got this,” right? Well, that attitude is part of what you get when you get that.

Crossposted to RedState.

A public service announcement for any pirates reading this.

Should you ever find yourself surrounded by the United States Navy, holding an American hostage, and (supposedly) out of ammunition, follow these three simple steps:

  1. Carefully put down your now-useless weapons.
  2. Carefully place your hands on your heads and kneel.
  3. Yell out, as loudly as you can, “DON’T SHOOT!  WE SURRENDER! DON’T SHOOT!”

That might keep you from getting shot by the United States Navy.  I say “might” – like Ed Morrissey, I’m a firm believer in the need to make it clear that it’s inadvisable to take Americans prisoner in the first place – but, believe me: it’s better odds than the alternative.

Because actions have consequences.

Crossposted to RedState.