UK Prime Minister David Cameron has announced that ships flying the U.K. flag sailing the seas around Somalia have His Majesty’s Government’s permission to install machine gun-toting private security forces. “The fact that a bunch of pirates in Somalia are managing to hold to ransom the rest of the world and our trading system is a complete insult and the rest of the world needs to come together with much more vigour,” Cameron said (via mirror.co.uk). “Vigour” as in shoot-to-kill. “We have to make choices,” the PM pronounced. Irony alert! “Evidence from other countries with more relaxed regulations over armed guards was that their ships did not get targeted.” What’s good for shipping at sea is not good for the populace on land. Obviously.

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16 COMMENTS

    • No, they aren’t really showing any spine in the classical sense of the term. What they are doing is allowing some high value targets and the high value owners of those targets to hire a very select group of operators to cover their assets. As far as the run of the mill Brit is concerned, their assets simply aren’t worthy of coverage.

      • +1 Plainly puts how they see collateral damage, riots and looting on the priority scale, doesn’t it ?

  2. The brits won’t allow their citizens to protect themselves from lowlife looters, but they want to kill some poor ole pirates who are just trying to feed their family. This is just plain mean, they should let those poor souls rob them blind just like the rioting looters have been doing to their citizens. I’m pretty sure the brits will sink their own ships if they’re allowed to play with guns, because we all know that these fools can’t shoot for SH!T!!!!

  3. Hey Robert,

    As my last few comments have “disappeared” shall I assume that you no longer care about the ‘truth’ of guns or cars?

    (or is it merely kozak?)

    • Is that a trick question? The policy here is the same as the one over at TTAC (was): no flaming the website, the writers or fellow commentators. Aside from the obvious (e.g. racist rants), anything else is good to go.

      • Perhaps just one of those tech things. It’s just when three posts in a row disappear I start gettin’ suspicious and all that.

        You know I’ve never flamed my compadre in 911 hatred, or either of his websites…

  4. So uh, who are these shipping security companies and where do I sign up? ;p

    Few years back that was my dad’s master plan. Create the greatest safari hunt. Cargo ship with expensive brand marked shipping containers. Sell tickets and BYOG or rent a gun, release from liability of course. Then go trolling around waiting for pirates to attack…

  5. That was the lamest endeavor on any episode of Sons of Guns. The nutless rocket launcher they built for whatever security company was going to use them against pirates. I don’t blame red Jacket for making money but apparently pride held sway to something else.

    As for the pirates I’m still amazed that considering the cutting edge firepower available to any country running big ships they don’t employ more of it. The U.S., South Korea and Malaysia have sent a clear message of “we shoot back”. The high seas are like any other predatory playground, those that fight back stand the better chance in the present and the future. Maybe Britain should reestablish the Bombay Marine.

  6. So private citizens have the right to protect to protect themselves from a legitimate threat at sea but not on land? sounds like flawed logic. Any ship flying the u.k. Flag is under the legal jurisdiction of that country and what,difference is there in someome having a machine gun on there house and one on there boat? sounds like there is a flaw in the prime ministers basic primciples

    • sounds like there is a flaw in the prime ministers basic principles

      You’re assuming that he has principles.

  7. Whatever. It may be hypocrisy, but it’s still a good move. Historically satisifying, too.

    Ruuule, Britannia! Britannia rules the waves! Britons never never never shall be-e slaves.

  8. It’s about time somebody starts doing this. I’d love to see some country bring back the Q ships.

  9. I wonder if the uk will give contracts to buccaneers to capture pirates, wouldnt that be something

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