The Virginian-Pilot
©
The Lewis and Clark is no stranger to African pirates.
Earlier this year, the ship played host to about a dozen men captured by a Navy-led, anti-piracy task force. The suspected pirates were eventually returned to Somalia.
Wednesday, the Norfolk-based dry cargo and ammunition storage ship had a different kind of encounter off the Somali coast.
According to the U.S. Navy Central Command in Bahrain, the ship was pursued by two suspected pirate skiffs for more than an hour.
From about two nautical miles away, the skiffs fired small arms at the supply ship, which has a crew of about 11 sailors and 124 civilians.
The skiffs got within a nautical mile of the supply ship, which sped up and used a special acoustic device to warn the boats to stop.
The Lewis and Clark has an "embarked security team," according to a Central Command news release. The Navy would not disclose what kind of weapons such teams use.
Capt. Steve Kelley, commander of Task Force 53, which the supply ship is assigned to, said the crew's actions "were exactly what the U.S. Navy has been recommending to prevent piracy attacks for both commercial and military vessels. Merchant mariners can and should use Lewis and Clark's actions as an unequivocal example of how to prevent a successful attack from occurring."
More than 30,000 vessels transit the Gulf of Aden annually. The Navy reports that there have been 97 attempted hijackings of merchant vessels in the Gulf of Aden so far this year; 27 were successful.
Kate Wiltrout, (757) 446-2629, kate.wiltrout@pilotonline.com
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Re: Keithb - Beyond help; FletcherPrat - lots to learn
Sorry Kbb, can't waste any more time w/you. It's like expecting a statue to come to life. Do you werk for the DNC or ACORN by chance?
FletcherP: As usual, no substance or backup to any of your arguments. Heart flutters, gut feelings & leg tingles don't cut it.
And yes, proudly & firmly at the center of the political spectrum I am. How could it be otherwise?
At one end are Extreme Left (I believe you fall into that) who feel Fed Gov's purpose is to provide all for citizens EXCEPT meddle w/sexual behaviour. At the opposite end are the extreme Right who don't believe gov't serves any useful purpose aka Anarchists.
So logic has it that folks who believe limited Gov. is necessary & desirable long as it's kept within bounds set forth by the Constitution, can therefore only occupy the Center. (Now I know you'll want to claim that space is reserved for "Moderates" but there is no moderation when it comes to believing in the Constitution: one either does or don't.)
The Keith and Dennis show!
LOL!
dennisp
Intellectual honesty?
You still have not answered the question. You skirt around it but do not have the intellectual honesty to answer it.
What did Bush do about national security prior to 9-11?
keith (cont'd)
I will point out tho', despite the porous borders and hundreds of thousands if not millions of illegals that have wandered in, we had no additional (successful) terror attacks in our country on Bush's watch. Be it luck or something else, I'm not sure, but a fact's a fact. (OK, I'll say it: we haven't had any yet on BHO's either so I'll give him a pat for that.)
Now, tell me why being invaded by illegals doesn't mean squat to Liberals?
Keith . . .
I'm not following your 2nd para re: Clinton. Are you asking why do I not hammer him or defend him?
Make yourself clear & I'll attempt to answer your question.
As for "What did Bush do for national security prior to 9-11?" Obviously not enough. Did he secure the borders? Hell no! Not even after the Twin Towers & 8 years! Seems like the biggest security check was put on our own citizens! How many ways can I put that - I'm agreeing w/ you that he failed!
He also screwed up big time in not doing anything to keep out the illegals; the root of many of our problems. (HE DID NOTHING!)
I will give kudos to Bush when warranted, as I will to BHO IF he does anything to earn it. Bush did try to raise the flag regarding the subprime mess that the Dems bore most responsibility for, but was cut off both by them as the Majority Party in Congress & by their media
accomplices. (That's also why I miss no chance to slam them, too.) cont'd
dennisp
You whine about "intellectual honesty" but it's merely something you theorize rather than practice.
More than once you have attempted to criticize me for bringing up Bush but you don't nearly bring up the same idea as often when someone brings up Clinton in the same manner.
Now, please practice your "intellectual honesty" and tell us what Bush did about national security prior to 9-11 but try to leave out the regurgitations of your extreme right wing Limbaugh disciple views.
keithb
You long ago showed you have no original ideas - just regurgitating what George Soros & Keith Olberman tells ya.
Now it's clear you don't read very well either.
Please, defend just one of Obama's Socialistic actions, using something concrete like the Constitution, instead of whining "but what about Bush" or we'll be convinced you do subscribe to the theory that two wrongs make a right.
Dennis, Your premise might bring you comfort . . .
. . . but they betray your bizarre assertion that you are some how middle of the road. The quote below is a comic, though not necessarily funny. It has very little to do with what everyday people think or believe. You know it. I know it. Any sober reader will know it. You can not expect to be taken seriously.
You Leftists think gov- ernment should run every aspect of our lives except whatever you choose to do in your bedroom; the extreme Right is anarchy. C'mon, we all know it's difficult for extreme Leftists to consider other views & practice any degree of intellectual honesty, but try it sometime, you might surprise yourselves.
dennisp
You extreme right Limbaugh disciples speak right up for Bush when the truth about him comes out.
Now be honest enough to tell us what Bush did about national security prior to 9-11.
FletcherPratt
"You do realize Bush was considerably Left of his fellow R/wing extremists on immigration?"
I sure do - I try to point that out whenever I'm listing his major faults. Oh & thanks for (probably inadvertantly) admitting Obama's failure to secure our borders & treat illegal immigration as the crime that it is is a Leftist contrivance. (Just goes to show how low Bush could stoop at times.)
Now, would you try to be intellectually honest just this once & explain to us WHY it is the domain of the Left? I mean, even the Democrats suffer when an illegal takes his job for lower wages (& even you noticed Obama's Cabinet is full of those who hire these illegals.)
Is there no longer a waiting list of "legal" applicants to emigrate? Sure there is - it's just you Leftists won't be able to shake 'em down for their votes like ya plan to do the illegals; that's it pure & simple.