February 06, 2009

Good News: Somali Pirates Release Hijacked Ukrainian Military Arms Shipment
Bad News: Somali Pirates Make off with $3.2 Million Ransom

I think the worst part of this story, though, has to be that as the pirates rode off into the sunset, two Navy ships stood idly by doing nothing:

As U.S. Navy ships looked on, Somali pirates sped away Thursday with $3.2 million in ransom after releasing a Ukrainian freighter laden with tanks and other heavy weapons, ending a four-month standoff that focused world attention on piracy off Somalia’s lawless coast.

The Navy said it couldn’t seize the pirates for fear of endangering 147 seamen still being held hostage on other hijacked ships.

The Navy inspected the ship before the pirates sped off to make sure they weren't taking any of the weapons back to Somalia where they could by used by the Shabaab terrorists now running most of it.

Because that $3.2 million couldn't be used to buy weapons or anything like that.

By Rusty Shackleford, Ph.D. at 11:47 AM | |