reply to post by ANNED
Who cares how much comes their way. Those pirates will be facing either Russian or US Special Forces. They might aswell just shoot themselves right
now.
This ship will be stormed by either Russian or US special forces. While it would be a great global image if both these countries did a joint
operation, judging by their current relations I doubt it. Also a joint operation would need both sides to be able to cooperate well with each other,
and I'm not personaly aware of SEALs and Russian Naval Spetsnaz working together much.
The reasons why I think the ship will be stormed and not blown out of the water:
#1. Its a Ukrainian ship. Unless Ukraine gives US or Russia permission to sink one of its already few vesels, it won't happen. Russia certainly will
not do this, because then Ukraine will most certainly blow such an action out of proportion about evil Russians not caring for Ukrainian lives -
Ukrainians are on board. Someone mentioned that there are some Russians are on board, so neither would the US attempt blowing the ship up for the same
reasons.
#2. 33 tanks + ammo is expensive cargo. I personally believe this to be an undercover arms deal, and the people behind this will pull all strings
possible in order to not loose their merchandise. Weather I'm right or wrong about the arms deal, the owners of the cargo would pull all strings at
thier disposal in order to not see their tanks become aquariums for Somali marine life.
#3. The show. A successful spec. operation such as this one is a heck of a prize. A chance for US or Russia's Spec. Ops. to show what they've got.
#4. Politics. If the US saves the ship's crew and the cargo, they could finally act like they've actually done something for Ukraine besides back
them verbaly over the years or declare Ukraine many things which it isn't...a country with economy at world market level for example. If Russia
pulled this one off it would be a heck of a slap in the face of Ukraine for the kind of politics they've been running towards Russia, as well as a
chance for Russia to say "see, we're nice to you" kind of thing.
That's my opinion, without going in depth into this matter.
To RussianSoldier:
Ukrainian naval vessels would not find it easy to haul all the way to Somalia...I don't even think they're capable of this atm. Ukraine does not
have a special forces unit capable of carrying out such an opperation successfully to say the least. Ukraine is currently in a poltical crisis, and
the politicians over here couldn't possibly pull their heads out their backsides for just brief period of time to get this issue solved, instead of
bickering over who gets to fly on what planes (refering to recent issue with the president and the Ukrainian PM). In other words you hit it right on
the mark - this country is in too much of a mess to handle such matters itself.