" Hard National Security Choices" as set out at Lawfare Blog

I'm attending the same conference covered (and participated in) by some real legal experts in matters of trying to balance national security needs with individual privacy and other concerns. These are being recaptured by Benjamin Wittes at Lawfare: Hard National Security Choices and I’m from the NSA, and We Don’t Get Out Much.


Not a field in which I have had much experience, but as I sit there listening, it is easy to see what a challenge it is working through these issues as, in many case, events and technology have sped far beyond the legal systems efforts to try and assemble itself to deal with the new issues.

For example, with the law of armed conflict driven, for the most part, by nation states and uniformed armies in the field, how do you derive rules for a war that is not being fought by national armies nor by uniformed forces nor even by nationals in the state in which battles are being fought?

More has this goes on tomorrow.

Piracy Worldwide - A Growing Business

From IMB Piracy Map 2011 to date (click to enlarge)

Reported as Worldwide piracy attacks at record high:

PIRACY hit an all-time high in the first three months of 2011, with 142 attacks worldwide, driven mainly by raids off the lawless Somali coast, a maritime watchdog said.

A total of 97 attacks were recorded off Somalia in the first quarter, up from 35 in the same period last year, the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) said in a report today.

Worldwide, marauding sea bandits' hijacked 18 vessels and took 344 crew members as hostage, and kidnapped six seafarers from their boats. A further 45 vessels were boarded, and 45 more reported being fired upon.

"Figures for piracy and armed robbery at sea in the past three months are higher than we've ever recorded in the first quarter of any past year," said Pottengal Mukundan, director of the IMB's Piracy Reporting Centre, which has monitored incidents worldwide since 1991.

Mukundan said in the first three months of the year, pirates killed seven crew and wounded 34.
***
At the last count, on 31 March, IMB figures showed that Somali pirates were holding captive 596 crew members on 28 ships.

Current NATO warning for the Somali piracy threat:

Jin Chun Tsai 68 (NATO photo)

The current assessment is that there are at least one active dhow PAG in the Arabian Sea. In addition, the fishing vessel JIH CHUN TSAI 68 is still missing and may be active in this area. This is a minimum figure and there remains the possibility that other dhows have got underway from Pirate anchorages and are now also in the area. No other recent activity of note.

Although a low level of activity and recent disruptions of counter piracy forces in the southern Somali Basin, at least one whaler PAG is assessed to be active, possibly along the Kenyan/ Tanzanian coast towards the Mozambique Channel.

Recent reports of piracy in the Gulf of Aden area are showing a slight increase of activity. A mother ship dhow is possibly operating in this area.

In Bab al Mandeb strait area it is not unusual that fishermen carry guns and that they do attempt to fish close to the wake of larger vessels possibly causing confusion.

Gaming Anti-Submarine Warfare

There's a theory that the more brains that look at a problem, the more likely that improvements in attacking the problem will follow.
Our friends at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) have come up with a variation on that theory - a hands on variation.

Anti-submarine warfare is going to undergo some sort of evolution are introduced into the fleet. But there is a problem - how to best use these new tools to fight submarines?

DARPA is trying to tap into the collective brain power of a lot of very smart gamers by - well, by gaming the problem of using  ACTUVs (Anti-Submarine Warfare Continuous Trail Unmanned Vessels)

If you go here (DARPA ACTUV) you will find a free game download the playing of which game may allow you to help DARPA:

The DARPA ACTUV program is developing a fundamentally new tool for the Navy’s ASW toolkit. Before we can develop the autonomous software that will run on ACTUV’s computers, we need to understand what approaches and methods are the most effective. We have made arrangements for ACTUV to be integrated into the Sonalysts Combat Simulations Dangerous WatersTM game, and we’re offering this new ACTUV Tactics Simulator here for free public download and this is where you can play an import role!

You are invited to put yourself into the virtual driver’s seat of one of several ACTUV configurations and show the world how you can use its capabilities to follow a submarine. Of course you won’t be the only ship at sea so you’ll have to safely navigate among the commercial traffic, and the target sub has some tricks up his sleeve so watch out! Rack up points as you complete the mission objectives, and see how you stack up against the competition on our leaderboard page. You can also share your experiences and insights from playing the simulator with others at SUBSIM ACTUV forum.

It's based on the Sonalysts "Dangerous Waters" platform.


So, for you war gaming crew out there, here's your chance to apply that brain tissue to something different. And help out your Navy, too.

Oh, by the way. ASW ain't for sissies. Hurry, the games have begun and you are already behind.

Somali Pirates: Danish Navy Ship Fights Pirates, Rescues 18 Hostages

Dhow Freed by HDMS Esbern Snare (Danish Navy Photo)

Reported as Danish warship frees 18 hostages after skirmish with pirates off Somalia coast:

According to a statement released by the Danish Navy, the warship stopped and boarded a suspected pirate mother-ship on April 2. The warship's helicopter and special maritime action team were also deployed.

"Despite warning shots, the pirates opened fire on the [ special] team, following which the team, returned fire," the statement said.

HDMS Esbern Snare

Three pirates were wounded in the fight and later treated by doctors from the Esbern Snare and the Dutch warship Tromp, the statement added. No Danish soldiers were hurt.

In all, 15 suspected pirates were captured and are currently being detained on board the Esbern Snare. Their case has been transferred to Denmark's Public Prosecutor for Serious International Crime.

HNLMS Tromp (F803)

The Danish Navy said a cache of items "related to piracy" were found on board the vessel. This includes "14 grenade launchers, 9 machine guns (AK-47s), 2 large boxes of ammunition for machine guns, 5 hand grenades, 6 ladders and 3 pirate attack boats (skiffs) with powerful outboard motors."

The mother-ship was originally an Iranian fishing vessel, and the 18 rescued hostages have turned out to be its crew. They returned to their ship on Saturday, after requesting to be allowed to sail home.

Danish report here.

Apparently the pirates are being referred for possible prosecution.

Marines!

I wish I had known about this quote when we were interviewing Bing West last Sunday - from a report by Bill Ardolino at Long War Journal with this quote from Bing West Aggressive Marine tactics thin enemy ranks, alter Taliban tactics - Threat Matrix:

Since September, the Third Platoon has shot somewhere between 125 and 208 Taliban--as many as one enemy killed per patrol. That rate may not seem high, but the cumulative effect has been crushing. Marine tactics, like Ohio State football, have the subtle inevitability of a steamroller. "We got a radio intercept yesterday," Lt. Garcia said. "Some Talib leaders in Pakistan were chewing out the local fighters for quitting. The locals yelled back, 'Marines run toward our bullets.'"

Yep, it's in their DNA.

Read the whole thing. In fact, add The Long War Journal to your daily reads if it isn't there already.

Somali Pirate: Finns Take Out Pirate Dhow (in an environmentally friendly way)

Former Pirate Dhow

Reported by EUNAVFOR here:

On the afternoon of 9 April, the EU NAVFOR Finnish warship FNS POHJANMAA destroyed a dhow-typed vessel used by a suspected Pirate Action Group (PAG) to prevent it being used in any future attacks. FNS POHJANMAA disrupted the suspected PAG on Wednesday 6 April (link) and took the dhow in-tow pending further investigation. 18 suspected pirates were detained during this action.

FNS Pohjanmaa keeps fire watch

Before destroying the Dhow, some of the material considered relevant as evidence in a possible future prosecution was transferred to FNS POHJANMAA. Any material considered to be possibly dangerous to the environment was also removed. This material will be handed over for recycling at the earliest opportunity.

The 18 suspected pirates are currently detained onboard FNS POHJANMAA. Legal negotiations regarding a possible prosecution are currently on-going.

Somali Pirates: USS Mason Intercepts Pirate Mother-ship in Arabian Sea

USS Mason Intercepts Pirate Mother-ship in Arabian Sea:

Guided missile destroyer USS Mason (DDG 87), flagship of the Singapore-led Combined Task Force (CTF) 151, freed a dhow from suspected pirates in the Arabian Sea, April 10.

The FV Nasri was initially sighted on April 9, by an Australian Maritime Patrol Aircraft. USS Mason, being the nearest warship, was tasked immediately to close and investigate.

Mason and its embarked helicopter located the Nasri early on the morning, April 10. The helicopter’s crew saw 16 personnel, a motored skiff, a ladder and several oil barrels on board. The personnel on the dhow complied with verbal warnings to stop, and assemble on the deck where they could be clearly seen.

The boarding team from Mason searched the dhow and found weapons and other common piracy paraphernalia, such as ladders and excessive fuel drums. They identified 11 of the men as suspected pirates, and five as members of the dhow’s crew.

Pirates are known to use the crew of captured vessels as hostages and also to operate their vessels as mother-ships from which to launch further attacks.

The Nasri was returned to its crew and departed the area.

Sunday Ship History: "USS Sea Cloud & Racial Integration in the U.S. Coast Guard"

Interesting historical piece about an early experiement in racial integration in a wartime vessel at Racial Integration for Naval Efficiency by Cdr. Carlton Skinner, USCGR(ret):

The proposal had to be and was based solely on military and naval effectiveness. This was because, first, that was the origin of the idea; second, because I was sure that it was the only legitimate basis for considering a plan for racial integration of the armed forces during wartime. Everyone forgets to a greater or lesser extent the progress that has been made socially in this country in the area of race relations in the years since World War II. The big civil rights programs started with President Truman. I did not consciously think of the program as a "civil rights" program. It was to me a program for increased military effectiveness. It will be remembered that President Franklin Roosevelt, basically a liberal on social issues, said during the war that Dr. New Deal has been replaced by Dr. Win The War.

To bring about the use of Negroes in seagoing units in their best skills required a change in the rule of the Coast Guard and Navy that Negroes would not be accepted for or assigned to general ratings. It could be said that they had to be emancipated from the officer's servant status. But, it was equally clear to me that this could not be done merely by changing the rule. The rule was encrusted with tradition. It was based on long experience that, in general, Negroes joining the Coast Guard or Navy did not have mechanical or other skills. This was probably because of: 1) the previous educational opportunities, 2) the generally rural southern society from which Negro enlistees came, and the experience of the Army with all Negro units in World War I. These all-Negro units were labor battalions, used in the most tedious and laborious work and with white officers, most of whom had and exhibited racial prejudice.

Lt Skinner and some of the Sea Cloud crew

I concluded that there had to be a demonstration that Negroes could serve in general ratings effectively. I quickly rejected the idea of an all-Negro unit. First, it was a violation of the proven method of training sailors of putting them on board ship and improving on their boot camp basic skills at sea. Sailors learn from other sailors. The Chief Boatswain's Mate with 25 years of service, two thirds of them at sea, is the best instructor. He can be tough, but the sailor learns from this toughness how to maneuver a small boat alongside, how to paint, how to clean, how to steer, etc. For Negroes to be well qualified, they had to go to sea and go to sea with qualified enlisted men as petty officers and fellow seamen. This meant the ship had to be an integrated ship--black and white at all levels, officers, petty officers and seamen.

And an article about a veteran of that crew, who retired as a Master Chief Boatswains Mate:

BMCM Hammond, USCG(ret)

As captain, Skinner treated all races the same, whether it was for recognition or disobedience. He gave blacks authority over whites as petty officers and chiefs if they proved qualified. . “Mr. Skinner was a very nice man, and a very fair man,” said Hammond. “We were given an opportunity to strike any rate we wanted to,” he added

The experiment lasted little less than a year’s time, and soon the Sea Cloud was en route to a yard and her days as an active ship were numbered. But the mission proved successful, and the role of minorities in the Coast Guard would forever be changed. Skinner had made his point.

The irony of the vessel’s role in racial desegregation for the United States Coast Guard was that the ship was built in Nazi Germany, a society whose very values contradicted the value of racial integration. And for the cost of a cheeseburger, the Sea Cloud was more than worth the investment.

 U. S. Coast Guard history here.


Read it all and think about how far we have traveled.

Oh, and Lt Skinner? He went on to become the first civilian governor of Guam as set out here.

Fearless Navy Bloggers Take to the Air: Episode 66 Donald Rumsfeld Bing West 04/10 on Midrats Blog Talk Radio

Sunday afternoon, 5pm Eastern U.S. - join us as we chat with some very experienced guests in Episode 66 Donald Rumsfeld Bing West 04/10 by Midrats | Blog Talk Radio:

For anyone interested in history, politics, or national security - there are two books that should be on your short list for 2011. Both authors will be on Midrats this Sunday.

Bing West

Donald Rumsfeld

Join Sal from "CDR Salamander" and EagleOne from "EagleSpeak" with their guests; former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld to discuss his book Known & Unknown: A Memoir for the first half hour, and then author Bing West to discuss his latest book, The Wrong War: Grit, Strategy, and the Way Out of Afghanistan.

UPDATE: BlogTalkRadio has eliminated the "download" feature for all of its shows, including Midrats. If you want to download our shows, they are on iTunes. Log onto iTunes (which, if you don't have it already, is a free download), go to the iTunes store and search for "Midrats" - a screen will appear with a short list. Click on "See All" and all 66 shows will appear. Click on the "Free" tag to the right and the show you've chosen will be downloaded into your iTunes library. You can play it there or drag the show to your desktop or into your mp3 player (or whatever) for listening later. Of course, you can always listen to it in iTunes.

You can also subscribe to the show on iTunes and future shows will be automatically downloaded to your podcast library for you.

Easy.

Maritime Counter Piracy Conference

 Coming to the UAE in Dubai a Maritime Counter Piracy Conference (18-19 April 2011) titled: "Global Challenge, Regional Responses: Forging a Common Approach to Maritime Piracy."

Features a raft of anti-piracy papers including one ("Defensive vs. Offensive Technologies and Public/Private Operations in Maritime Piracy") by Claude Berube, who teaches at the U. S. Naval Academy, a couple by Martin N. Murphy ("Future Scenarios and Future Threats: What Happens if Piracy is not Controlled, and How Might Manifestations Change?" and "Countering Piracy: The Potential of Onshore Development" with Joseph Saba) and one by the U. S. Naval War College's James Kraska ("Looking for Law in all the Wrong Places: Maritime Piracy as a Domestic Legal Problem"). All of which will keep me reading for some time, since I am unable to attend this event in person, as much as I wish I could.

The guest list is full of smart people and I look forward to reading their thoughts on this troublesome international war against pirates.

Somali Pirates: Ship Taken Off Oman

MV Susan K

Reported NATO Shipping Centre: SOMALIA PIRACY UPDATE 8 APRIL 2011

April 08, 2011
Latitude 18 25N Longitude 057 27E
Alert 151 /2011
---UPDATE to Alert 150---
At 0234 GMT a merchant vessel was under attack by pirates.
***Vessel has been hijacked***
_______________________________________
April 08, 2011
Latitude 18 25N Longitude 057 27E
---WARNING WARNING WARNING---
Alert Number 150 / 2011
At 0234 UTC / 08 APR 11 / a merchant vessel is currently under attack.

NATO map shows hijacking in black, number 151 (under the red arrow I have added):

Early reports indicate the vessel is a cargo ship named MV Susan K, German owned. From EUNAVFOR:

In the early morning of 8 April, the General Cargo ship MV SUSAN K was pirated approximately 200 nautical miles North-East of Salalah, Oman; a location only 35 nautical miles from the Omani coastline.
The vessel was attacked and boarded by at least 10 pirates although exact details of the attack are not known at this time.
The Antigua & Barbuda flagged and German owned vessel was on its way to Port Sudan (Sudan) from Mumbai (India) when it was attacked. The MV SUSAN K has a crew of 10 (4 Ukraine and 6 Filipino). There is no further information about the crew at present.

More from SomaliaReport which reports the crew originally went to a citadel.

Apparently, that wasn't enough.

Ship photo by Jochen Wegenerfrom Shipspotting.com and used in accord with the terms of that site.

Somali Pirates: If you take out the pirate "mother ships" you end up with less piracy? A NATO/EU Lesson Learned

From NATO Shipping Centre Daily Somali Piracy Overview:

Burning Pirate Boats - Anti-Piracy Technique of Proven Effectiveness

There were no new piracy attacks in the past 24 hours. The assessment of the number of dhow PAGs operating central Arabian Sea has been reduced from 3 to 2 following the disruption by POHJANMA today. This is a minimum figure and there remains the possibility that other dhows have got underway from Pirate anchorages and are now also in the area. No other recent activity of note. Low levels of pirate activity could continue in the GOA and the southern Somali Basin, particularly towards the coastal areas of the Kenyan/Tanzanian border.

About the FNS Pohjanma here.

Wow, a lesson learned.

I hope.

Somali Pirates: Minelayer from Finland Breaks Up Pirate Party

Finnish Defense Forces press release (in Finnish) here.

Reported as Finnish Naval Vessel Intercepts Pirates in Arabian Sea:

FNS Pohjanmaa

The Finnish minelayer Pohjanmaa intervened in suspected pirate operations in the Arabian Sea early on Wednesday morning. The pirate vessel tried to feel the scene, but the Pohjanmaa prevented its escape by firing warning shots.

The Pohjanmaa intercepted the suspected pirates about 500 kilometres south east of Oman.

An inspection brigade from the Pohjanmaa discovered materials related to maritime piracy on board the suspect vessel. Interrogation of the 18-man crew is underway.

More at Minelayer Pohjanmaa arrests suspected pirates in Atalanta operation off Oman coast:

Reports so far indicate that the seizure of the vessel took place early on Wednesday morning, some 500 kilometres south-east from Salalah in Oman.
The suspected pirates were aboard a vessel that was towing two smaller boats behind it.
***The minelayer remains on station, attempting to determine the nature of the crew-members.

BZ, Finland!

Are you (and the pirates) beginning to see a more aggressive trend in anti-pirate operations?

Somali Pirates: Ukranian Flying Boats to Join Anti-Piracy Force

Ukranian BE-12 (wheels down)

Reported at Bruxelles2 (translation by Google Translate):

Ukraine has announced its intention to send a brigade of a Be-12 aircraft of Saki for maritime surveillance operation in the naval anti-piracy operation EU (Atalanta) beginning in 2012. Military experts from the EU and the Ukrainian navy have discussed preparations for the operation. These include the provision of aircraft equipment (communications, liaison with the headquarters) and logistical support crews. A Ukrainian officer was seconded from November to the General Staff of the Atalanta. The President had signed in February Yanukovic the mission order. Ukrainian participation was announced on several occasions for almost 2 years. And it may seem close to a concrete solution.

Be-12 Waterborne

Be-12's are old Soviet maritime patrol aircraft (NATO name "Mail").

More here:

Ukraine intends to send an amphibious aircraft Be-12 from the Saki marine air brigade of the Armed Forces' Air Force to take part in the European Union naval operation to fight sea piracy, Atalanta, from 2012, reads a statement made by the Defence Ministry press service.

In course of a meeting of the EU and the Ukrainian Naval Air Force military experts in Sevastopol they discussed preparation of the Be-12 aircraft and its crew for participation in this operation.

In particular, they discussed the issues of equipping the plane with state-of-the-art navigation and communication means, and also all-out logistic support to the Ukrainian marine aircraft pilots.

Foreign military experts also got a possibility to learn about technical and combat capabilities of Be-12 aircraft in service at the Saki marine air brigade.

Somali Pirates: Spanish warship destroys pirate boat, captures suspected pirates

EUNAVFOR reports Warship Disrupts Suspected Pirate Whaler:

On the afternoon of 3 April 2011, the EU NAVFOR Spanish warship ESPS INFANTA ELENA, identified and boarded a suspected pirate whaler 89 Nautical miles South-East of Mombasa.

The warship had received a short notice tasking to locate a suspected Pirate Action Group (PAG) that had attacked a merchant vessel earlier the same day.

On arriving in the area, the INFANTA ELENA found a whaler-type boat, which together with 2 attack skiffs, was suspected of being responsible for the earlier attack. There were two suspected pirates onboard together with significant numbers of fuel barrels, as well as other suspected pirate-related paraphernalia, all of which were seized. The suspected pirates were detained by the warship and the whaler was destroyed. There was no sign of the attack skiffs which are thought to still be at large.

As there was insufficient evidence to secure a prosecution, the suspected pirates will be returned to Somalia as soon as operations allow.

Buen trabajo, España!

Somali Pirates: Dutch Marines and Navy Take Out Two Pirates, Capture 16

In a rescue effort involving an Iranian fishing boat, Dutch marines kill 2 pirates off Somali coast, capture 16 more:

Dutch Marines

Dutch marines killed two pirates and captured 16 others during an operation to free a hijacked Iranian fishing boat off the coast of Somalia, the Defense Ministry said Monday.

The deadly firefight marked the first time Dutch forces have killed suspected pirates while patrolling the Gulf of Aden as part of an international anti-piracy flotilla.

HNLMS Tromp (F803)

Marines from the frigate HMS Tromp opened fire on the pirates on the hijacked Iranian boat Sunday after they shot at two Dutch inflatable speedboats sent to investigate the fishing vessel, the ministry said.

Ten suspected pirates were captured as they tried to flee in a high-speed skiff and six more were detained on the fishing boat. The bodies of two suspected pirates killed in the firefight also were recovered on the vessel.

Press release (and photos) from Netherlands Ministry of Defense, here (Google translation with my corrections):

Dutch Marines approach dhow (NL MOD Photo)

Surrender of pirates  (in bow of dhow with hands on heads) (NL MOD Photo)

Dutch Marines overpower attempted escape effort by pirates (NL MOD photo)

Yesterday morning while approaching a suspect fishing boat two RHIB from HMS Tromp were fired upon. Marines on the RHIB's (Rigid-hulled inflatable boat) and others in the Tromp answered the fire. In a second approach 10 Somalis left the fishing boat with a fast skiff with the purpose of avoiding capture. After the Marines fired warning shots, the escape attempt stopped and the Somalis were captured. Some among them had injuries.

Cleaning the sea of pirates

After it appeared that the remaining Somalis on board the hijacked fishing boat (called a dhow) wanted to surrender, a boarding team from the Tromp boarded the suspect vessel.

In addition to the 16-member crew, there were two dead Somalis and 6 living Somalis. The two dead were likely killed by the gunfire. These six suspects, together with the other 10 are now being held. Evidence of piracy was found on board the hijacked dhow.

While searching the liberated dhow, Hr. Ms. Tromp was approached by a previously pirated merchant ship apparently seeking to free the dhow. With a number of shots from the Tromp across the bow of the merchant this effort by the pirates failed. The hijacked merchant vessel turned back toward the berth where she came from.

Well done.

UPDATE: Judging by the firepower evident on the Dutch side, the pirates who fired the shots at the RHIBS might have been a trifle over confident.

Revised title of post to reflect reality.

UPDATE2: Dead Pirates Buried at Sea:

The bodies of the two Somali pirates who were probably killed in a firefight with marines from the HNLMS Tromp have been buried at sea. The frigate’s captain took the decision after in consultation with the defence ministry in The Hague.

A spokesperson for the defence ministry said that the decision was motivated by a number of factors, including the high temperatures in the region and the possibility to return the bodies to next of kin. The bodies of the two Somalis were examined before being buried at sea.

Perfect.

Libya: The beginning of NATO boot prints?

One of my concerns over the Libya mess has been with the rebels and their logistics support - see Libya: How are the rebel logistics?

An unconfirmed report of a partial solution to rebel logistics - British boots on the ground in Libya strike:

The United Kingdom will send a Royal Navy taskforce of 600 marines and at least six ships to Libya this week as part of a humanitarian mission to provide medical and food aid to rebel-held towns, the London-based Times reported on Sunday, without disclosing where it got the information.

HMS Liverpool

The marines, who are due to fly out to Gibraltar later this week, will be used to protect ports where supplies will be unloaded, the newspaper reported in its paper edition. The ships in the taskforce, which are due to leave in the next two days, will include the landing platform Albion, the type-42 destroyer Liverpool and four support ships, the Times said.

HMS Albion in New York

What this tells us is that the rebels will be receiving supplies and that at least one NATO country will have forces in the field, albeit for reportedly limited purposes.

If Gaddafi has a lick of sense, he'll leave the Brits alone. However, given our experience with him so far . . .

Somali Pirates: UAE Special Forces Take Ship Back, Rescue Crew

Previous posts on the pirate attack here. Ship involved is MV Arrilah- I:

MV Arrilah-I

Special Forces rescue UAE ship from pirates :

UAE Special Forces stormed a hijacked Dubai-bound ship yesterday, rescuing the crew and arresting all the pirates who had seized it.

Special counter-terrorism units, with support from the Air Force and Air Defence, as well as the US Fifth Fleet, stormed the MV Arrilah-I, a bulk carrier en route from Australia to Jebel Ali, the Armed Forces General Headquarters said in a statement.

The ship was hijacked in the Arabian Sea, east of Oman, early on Friday.

The military said the vessel was now headed towards Emirati shores, guarded by UAE Special Forces. The pirates will be handed over to the Ministry of Interior once they arrive in Dubai.

The Armed Forces said the rescue showed the UAE's commitment to acting "firmly" in the face of piracy, adding that the country would "not succumb to such threats".

The 37,000-tonne ship is owned by the Abu Dhabi National Tanker Company and the National Gas Shipping Company, two subsidiaries of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc).

"We have been assured that all crew members are safe and in good health," the companies said in a statement on WAM, the state news agency, before the announcement that the rescue had been completed.

Well done, UAE! And the Fifth Fleet, too.

EAT THE RICH!

EAT THE RICH!, says the left. And then what are you going to eat tomorrow?



I think Aesop had a tale along these lines:

A COTTAGER and his wife had a Hen that laid a golden egg every day. They supposed that the Hen must contain a great lump of gold in its inside, and in order to get the gold they killed it. Having done so, they found to their surprise that the Hen differed in no respect from their other hens. The foolish pair, thus hoping to become rich all at once, deprived themselves of the gain of which they were assured day by day.

Somali Pirates: On the Prowl

Reported at NATO Shipping Centre SOMALIA PIRACY UPDATE 01 APRIL 2011:

April 01, 2011
Latitude 19 17N Longitude: 065 45E
Alert Number 146 / 2011
---WARNING WARNING WARNING---
At 0528 UTC / 01 APRIL 11 / a merchant vessel is currently under attack by 2 skiffs.
[2 skiffs, 3 POB each, small arms fired]

Yellow arrow points to reported attack position.

MV Arrilah-I

UPDATE: Possible info on ship involved from here:

An Abu Dhabi-owned ship has come under attack from pirates in the Arabian Sea while sailing from Australia to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, state news agency WAM said Saturday.

The bulk carrier MV Arrilah-I, was attacked in the early hours of Friday, WAM said quoting a statement by the Abu Dhabi government-owned operator.

"We have been assured that all crew members are safe and in good health. Company management is monitoring the situation closely in coordination with relevant government authorities," it said, without specifying clearly that the vessel had been hijacked.

The statement also did not specify where the ship was in the Arabian Sea when the attack happened.

M.V. Arrilah-I is a "37,000 metric tonne deadweight, Handy Size Bulk Carrier", according to the statement . . .