Topic: French helicopters fire at Somali pirates -witnesses 2

FULLMETALJACKET · April 17th, 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by MontyB

I don't know I am torn on this one, its great they did what they did but I am disappointed they didn't blow the ship out of the water along with its pirates as well.

agreed!!

MontyB · April 17th, 2008

French capture pirates

Yacht's crew released before commandos seize attackers off Somalia coast
By Angela Doland, The Associated Press
Article Last Updated: 04/11/2008 09:03:48 PM PDT

PARIS - French troops captured six pirates after they released 30 hostages Friday who were aboard a tourist yacht off Somalia's coast, French officials said. French Gen. Jean-Louis Georgelin said no public money was used to pay a ransom. But he hinted heavily that the boat's owners did hand over money, and that some was recovered when the pirates were caught. French troops had recovered "interesting bags," he said.
French shipping company CMA-CGM, which owns the operator of the 288-foot Le Ponant, hailed the end of the standoff but released no details about the operation.
The six captured pirates were being held on a French Navy vessel, the president's office said. They "gave themselves up without too much difficulty" and will be handed over to French judicial authorities, Georgelin said.
The pirates seemed to be Somali fishermen, and there were about a dozen altogether, he added. It was not immediately clear what had happened to the others.
France sent an elite commando force to the East African region after pirates seized the boat, Le Ponant, in the Gulf of Aden on April 4. It carried no passengers but 30 crew members, 22 of them French.
Earlier Friday, French President Nicolas Sarkozy issued a statement thanking the French army and other agencies "that allowed a quick end" to the hostage-taking.
The hostages, including six Filipino crew members, were taken to a French military base in Djibouti and will be flown to Paris in "two to three days," according to Philippine Foreign Undersecretary Esteban Conejos.
"They are in good physical condition. ... All of them are safe and sound," he said.

the_13th_redneck · April 17th, 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by 03USMC

If they did fire on the pirates. Good for the French.

I'd be careful believing anything that comes out of the mouths of the local Somalie's. They aren't known for their candor.

What do you mean? Somalis are honest.
Back in '92 when the UN guys asked a Somali who killed all the people lying on the side of the road, the Somali guy said, "Aidid, Aidid..."

Marinerhodes · April 17th, 2008

LOL

Have to say this is somewhat amusing. If this had been the US involved and the exact same events had happened this story would have been spun an entirely different way. Have to love the media.

On another note I am very glad the hostages are OK and the bags of crap got what they had coming.

Insomniac · April 28th, 2008

It'll kill me to say it... but...

the french did good.

the_13th_redneck · April 30th, 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Insomniac

It'll kill me to say it... but...

the french did good.

Hey I managed.
Our remarks will come back to haunt us one day. hehe.

KJ · April 30th, 2008

The French have done good on several occations.
When they do real good it tends to not reach the media.

In this case.
UCLAT did good.

the_13th_redneck · May 1st, 2008

I guess the French are better at keeping their mouths shut than most of us.
The problem with American media is that they think nationalism is for idiots. So they'll report stuff that they know will hurt their own country and its troops.

major liability · May 5th, 2008

The American media thinks nationalism is for idiots? Then explain the countless flags you see waving on every news program and blatant sugarcoating to make us look like liberators rather than the imperialistic invaders of a sovereign nation that we really are.

On-topic: What the hell were they thinking, releasing all the hostages with the French RIGHT THERE? You're supposed to save a few hostages and release them blindfolded once you are certain you're in a safe location the authorities don't know about.

the_13th_redneck · May 6th, 2008

ML, those flags are for their "idiot audiences" but it's not a value that they share. A LOT of stuff they say pretty much attack their own country or its own troops so they stick a flag on their program to say "hey, look, we ARE patriotic." It's just a disguise.
Basically they might spend a good fifteen minutes sh*tting over what the troops are doing in Iraq then end the section with waving American flags.
Stuff just gives me migraines.

April 17th, 2008	Post 12
MontyB Tribunus Laticlavius	French capture pirates Yacht's crew released before commandos seize attackers off Somalia coast By Angela Doland, The Associated Press Article Last Updated: 04/11/2008 09:03:48 PM PDT PARIS - French troops captured six pirates after they released 30 hostages Friday who were aboard a tourist yacht off Somalia's coast, French officials said. French Gen. Jean-Louis Georgelin said no public money was used to pay a ransom. But he hinted heavily that the boat's owners did hand over money, and that some was recovered when the pirates were caught. French troops had recovered "interesting bags," he said. French shipping company CMA-CGM, which owns the operator of the 288-foot Le Ponant, hailed the end of the standoff but released no details about the operation. The six captured pirates were being held on a French Navy vessel, the president's office said. They "gave themselves up without too much difficulty" and will be handed over to French judicial authorities, Georgelin said. The pirates seemed to be Somali fishermen, and there were about a dozen altogether, he added. It was not immediately clear what had happened to the others. France sent an elite commando force to the East African region after pirates seized the boat, Le Ponant, in the Gulf of Aden on April 4. It carried no passengers but 30 crew members, 22 of them French. Earlier Friday, French President Nicolas Sarkozy issued a statement thanking the French army and other agencies "that allowed a quick end" to the hostage-taking. The hostages, including six Filipino crew members, were taken to a French military base in Djibouti and will be flown to Paris in "two to three days," according to Philippine Foreign Undersecretary Esteban Conejos. "They are in good physical condition. ... All of them are safe and sound," he said. __________________ If horses would have hands and could paint with their hands and create works of art like the humans, then horses would form and paint the gods with the shape of horses and they would build sculptures according to their own bodies. - Xenophanes

April 28th, 2008	Post 15
Insomniac Centurion Gear	It'll kill me to say it... but... the french did good. __________________ An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile - hoping it will eat him last. Sir Winston Churchill

April 30th, 2008	Post 17
KJ Centurion	The French have done good on several occations. When they do real good it tends to not reach the media. In this case. UCLAT did good. __________________ "We are the pilgrims, Master We shall go always a little further, it may be beyond the last blue mountain barred with snow, Across that angry or glimmering sea..."

May 5th, 2008	Post 19
major liability Tribuni Angusticlavii Gear	The American media thinks nationalism is for idiots? Then explain the countless flags you see waving on every news program and blatant sugarcoating to make us look like liberators rather than the imperialistic invaders of a sovereign nation that we really are. On-topic: What the hell were they thinking, releasing all the hostages with the French RIGHT THERE? You're supposed to save a few hostages and release them blindfolded once you are certain you're in a safe location the authorities don't know about. __________________ "It will be found an unjust and unwise jealousy to deprive a man of his natural liberty upon the supposition he may abuse it." - George Washington

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May 1st, 2008	Post 18
the_13th_redneck Fridgeraider (Instructor) Gear	I guess the French are better at keeping their mouths shut than most of us. The problem with American media is that they think nationalism is for idiots. So they'll report stuff that they know will hurt their own country and its troops.

May 6th, 2008	Post 20
the_13th_redneck Fridgeraider (Instructor) Gear	ML, those flags are for their "idiot audiences" but it's not a value that they share. A LOT of stuff they say pretty much attack their own country or its own troops so they stick a flag on their program to say "hey, look, we ARE patriotic." It's just a disguise. Basically they might spend a good fifteen minutes sh*tting over what the troops are doing in Iraq then end the section with waving American flags. Stuff just gives me migraines.