On Saturday, an Italian cruise liner was attacked by Somali pirates. The would-be hijackers, however, were repelled by the ship's private armed security detail, which hails from Israel.
Well, today blogger Don Surber noted how the BBC is leaving out the nationality of the security crew by inaccurately attributing the "crew" of the Melody with fending off the attack. Far from being an insignificant detail, an executive with the cruise line that hired the crew praised them as the best in the private security business, reported the Associated Press. From Surber's blog:
The BBC account credited the “crew” of the Italian cruise ship, Melody, without mentioning it was really an Israeli security force that fended off a pirate attack near the coast of Somalia.
And you thought the BBC was only anti-British.
This was a pretty big deal. A private ship did not need military assistance on thwarting a pirate raid. The ship had 1,000 passengers and a crew of 500, plus and undisclosed number of security guards.
AP reported: “Domenico Pellegrino, head of the Italian cruise line, said Msc Cruises hired the Israelis because they were the best trained security agents, the ANSA news agency reported.”
The BBC report did not mention the nationality of the security team.
I wonder why?
I sent an e-mail.
The BBC report is here.
I posted the AP version (and my comments) here earlier.
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
The silence in this report
Sun, 04/26/2009 - 16:57 ET by bigtimerThe silence in this report and others are just feed for the UN.
Let alone quite a few in this country.
Beyond pathetic.
Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart
→ Yes, bt
Sun, 04/26/2009 - 17:01 ET by Cool ArrowI was somewhat dismayed to learn the pirates were repelled rather than left for shark food.
These may have been Israeli Cub Scouts.
It's hard to talk when you're teabagging - Anderson Cooper
Those racist Israelis
Sun, 04/26/2009 - 17:26 ET by eaglewingz08Those racist Israelis attacking those poor African voluntary coast guard crews of Somalia.
→ Racist Israelis
Sun, 04/26/2009 - 17:33 ET by Cool ArrowYeah, they won't even trot out the A-Team for a bunch of Somali Pirates.
It's hard to talk when you're teabagging - Anderson Cooper
Cool Arrow,
Mon, 04/27/2009 - 02:09 ET by Michael30How insensitive of you.
First off, they are not "Pirates" they are Desperate Underprileged Migratory Maritime International Entrepreneurs (DUMMIEs).
Second, the sound of gunfire will only scare off the fish that sharks normally eat, forcing sharks to feast on a human-only diet. Think of the environment will you.
Your gung-ho ways will only make an army of bloodthirsty sharks with a craving for human flesh... It's like making terrorists angry; before we fought back, they were such noble people.
Do you not see that you are only making the problem worse?
Heh heh heh, sorry man, I couldn't resist.
Mike
→ I'm so ashamed
Mon, 04/27/2009 - 02:54 ET by Cool ArrowYou're right. What the hockey sticks was I thinking.
You bring to mind an axiom I employ often when trying to explain the stupidity of widespread welfare to Liberals:
Any liberal will tell you Mr Ranger is right because if you do feed the bears, they quit acting like bears and assume a life of begging. Cut off their daily feeding, and they start acting like it's their right to have your pic-a-nic basket.
Then you throw in Pavlov, B.F. Skinner, and Darwin, and suddenly the Libs get all huffy because "People aren't animals!"
But alas, people can be conditioned to act like animals.
So I'm hoping the sharks will accept my apology.
It's hard to talk when you're teabagging - Anderson Cooper
CA, I'm kinda hoping they can't see your apology...
Mon, 04/27/2009 - 03:10 ET by Michael30The thought of computer-literate man-hungry sharks kinda makes the whole Somali Pirate thing a non-issue when it comes to dangerous situations.
Guess watching "Jaws" as a kid didn't do me too many favors in life.
Mike
P.S. I gotta say, that Anderson Cooper thing still makes me chuckle. We've all said some questionable things in our lives, but damn...
→ Anderson Cooper
Mon, 04/27/2009 - 04:16 ET by Cool ArrowHim being such a great reporter and all, I'm going to have to take his word for it.
It's hard to talk when you're teabagging - Anderson Cooper
Sorry to all who read this...
Mon, 04/27/2009 - 04:48 ET by Michael30Well, just so long as his word is all you're taking in that equation...
Ugh, I'm sorry, I'm not proud of that response, but God help me, I couldn't resist that either.
Something must be wrong with my beer tonight. I usually try to be more eloquent than that, I really do...
Mike
Do we know
Sun, 04/26/2009 - 17:52 ET by 10ksnookerHow many pirates were converted tp shark food? Seems like agood use for them.
You know it's bad when the
Sun, 04/26/2009 - 18:05 ET by motherbeltYou know it's bad when the AP report says they were "Israeli security guards" and the BBC edits out the word "Israeli."
The only benefit of the doubt that could be given is if they were trying to imply that the guards were British, thus keeping the honor to themselves.
They might say "Wow, that sucks!" But at least they'll say "Wow!" -Duff Goldman, the Ace of Cakes
Re Surber
Sun, 04/26/2009 - 18:20 ET by slickwillie2001While you are at Surber's blog, be sure to read the story of Lila Rose.
This pirate problem really needs to go away
Sun, 04/26/2009 - 19:20 ET by jefflebowskiThanks goodness the Israelis still have some cojones. The word should go out that any boat without fishing nets that comes within 1000 meters of any commercial boat will be blown out of the water. Maybe give them a shot across the bow and then turn them into food for sea kittens (PETA parlance for fish).
Angry White Dude
www.angrywhitedude.com
All boats need to have a
Sun, 04/26/2009 - 19:45 ET by ThisnThatAll boats need to have a sign painted on them: "Protected by Armed Israli Security Guards" as a deterent.
Sadly, the way Obama is going, our Military vessels will also have to have the same sign painted on them as well.
___________________________________
The challenge is to follow a consistent plan despite inconsistent prices - Sarah Palin, State of the State of Alaska speech
→ Better yet
Sun, 04/26/2009 - 19:47 ET by Cool Arrow"Protected by UN Law of the Sea Treaty"
WOW!!! I think I just made a major connection.
We haven't signed on yet, have we?
It's hard to talk when you're teabagging - Anderson Cooper
My dad and I were
Sun, 04/26/2009 - 19:53 ET by ricklailMy dad and I were talking on Friday night about the use of Marines on US shipss. He stated that the shipping companies should use a company like Blackwater (Now Xe) to provide security. Neither one of us ever thought about using Isrealis. Man what a great idea. I wonder if they are ex Mosad.
Semper suprene nitens
IF the Marines were used to
Sun, 04/26/2009 - 21:31 ET by ThisnThatIF the Marines were used to protect a ship, the UN would accuse them of being racist terrorists. And that would be the only time that Obama actually approved the use of the term "terrorist".
Only Murtha would protest -- he would want to simply call the Marines murderers. And convict them on the spot.
___________________________________
The challenge is to follow a consistent plan despite inconsistent prices - Sarah Palin, State of the State of Alaska speech
ricklail, There are only 2 US flagged ships, in the USA.
Sun, 04/26/2009 - 21:41 ET by upcountrywaterBoth of then ply the waters off Hawaii, and are cruse ships.
Why? well check out the Jones Act.
Two parts of the Jones Act
are of particular historical importance. The first heavily promoted
American built, owned, and staffed ships. This was accomplished by
restricting shipping and passenger trade within the United States to
American owned or American flagged ships, and stipulated that 75% of a
ship's crew must consist of American citizens. In addition, the use of
foreign parts and labor in ship construction and repair was also
heavily restricted.
As if that will be competive with the worlds shipping giants..
Reagan VS 0bama
All the gushing the
Sun, 04/26/2009 - 23:01 ET by RR GOPAll the gushing the Communists do over the plethora of Hollywood Holocaust films over the years, one would think they'd be more supportive of Jews/Israelis. I guess the Holocaust thing is liked by them because it destroyed right wing Socialism as a viable alternative to Bolshevism and Maoism.
Also, they don't like the idea of little black African Muslim dudes getting pushed around by the corporate leeches.
One of the 34% who thinks George W. Bush was a great President. One of the 61% who wants to bring back the stock and pillory (yep...approval for Congress now at 39%...do you believe that!?).
No David Copperfield?
Mon, 04/27/2009 - 10:30 ET by Willis_Leon_JohnsonA flash, a bang, a puff of smoke...
POOF!!!
ALL GONE...
Where oh where would they reappear you ask?
Shark poop on the bottom of the sea.....
Well, it works for me.
http://gjresult.com