You'd better be armed on the high seas

BBC - Two Germans kidnapped by pirates off the coast of Somalia and held captive for five weeks have been released. The couple, named only as 63-year-old Jurgen K and his companion, 51-year-old Sabine M, were sailing through the Gulf of Aden when they were seized. A ransom worth $1m (600,000 euros; £500,000) was reportedly paid to secure their release. [snip]

The couple - who were beaten and given very little to eat during their ordeal - appeared dishevelled and upset during the news conference and were unable to comment. During the kidnap the couple's yacht - en route to the Thai coast - was ransacked. Pirate attacks against fishing boats, cargo ships and yachts off Somalia's coast have surged over recent months. Foreigners, who can be exchanged for large ransoms, are frequent targets.
A month or two ago, I remember reading about a British couple who were attacked by pirates. I think they managed to escape but their dog was stabbed or injured, I remember reading at the bottom of the article that they were now considering getting a shotgun. My thoughts were, you mean you didn't have one when you set off, good heavens! Learn from their mistake folks, if you're going out onto the high seas, get guns and lots of ammo and learn to use em'.

You may think that where you're going is all sunny and safe, you might believe in gun control and that violence solves nothing. Unfortunately for you, the nasties out there believe in neither. Guns and violence gives em' money, lots of it. The oceans are a big ol' place and the only peace you can maintain is through superior firepower. So if you're not prepared to arm yourself, shoot and even kill when you're under attack, then don't go there. Image thanks to Flickr.

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