Feral Jundi

Monday, August 16, 2010

Maritime Security: Attack On Tanker In Strait Of Hormuz Shows Why Armed Security On Ships Is Essential

Filed under: Al Qaeda,Maritime Security — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , — Matt @ 1:13 AM

The lesson learned from the terrorist attack on the USS Cole – the bombing in Yemen’s Aden port in 2000 killed 17 sailors on the U.S. Navy destroyer – applied equally to supertankers, cargo vessels or cruise ships, he said: allowing small vessels alongside carries significant risks.

 Murray said companies were for various reasons reluctant to consider employing armed personnel, apparently believing security should be left to navies.

 “We believe that national navies should be reinforced by a protective presence on privately-owned ships for the same reason that banks and other firms that deal with money and money transfer use armed protective personnel who can react immediately during an event and before the local police can intervene,” he said.  

*****

     I don’t know how many other ways I can communicate the urgency here.  Today’s navies cannot be everywhere at once.  They were not able to stop this attack on a Japanese Tanker in the Strait of Hormuz (SoH), and it was pure luck that these booger eaters were not successful.  Look at the photo below?

     Let’s discuss what is at stake here. If 40 percent of the world’s oil transits through the SoH , then why are we not doing everything that is necessary to insure the SoH is not endangered by an attack on shipping like this again? If these guys destroy, or even capture a boat and purposely sink it in the SoH, that would have immense repercussions on the global economy.  A global economy already on edge and in trouble with recession. Because an attack in the SoH, would be an attack that would drive up oil prices and thus drive fuel prices through the roof.

     Now going back to the most effective strategy, and for that matter the most cost effective strategy to deal with this.  A real push by private and public leadership needs to be focused on getting the shipping industry up to speed on protecting itself.  Every boat going through the SoH should be required to have armed security that can adequately defend itself from not just one attack, but from a ‘swarming‘ attack.  Because knowing how Al Qaeda and company operate, they will more than likely attempt this type of attack again in the future and modify the attack for a better chance of success. They are learning and they will apply those lessons.

     As for the cost effectiveness? That comes from standing down Navies and limiting them to a quick reaction capacity for ships that are in trouble, as well as having them continue anti-piracy operations. Keep them on the offense. But in terms of trying to protect all ships everywhere via escort is an impossibility, and far too costly.(although I would still recommend escorting through choke points if possible, much like with the SoH)  Have the shipping industry protect it’s own assets, much like banks or jewelry stores hire security to protect their assets. A super tanker is a costly thing, with an equally valuable payload, yet companies try to go cheap when protecting these two things?  That dynamic needs to change, and having the Navies of the world allow that change to happen takes telling the shipping industry that they need to absorb this cost and take their fair share of the load in this endeavor. Besides, how does a destroyer or aircraft carrier meet the demands of the ‘many and small‘ with today’s enemies? We are talking about guys in small boats, armed with AK’s or explosive cargo?

     The other angle that I keep thinking about is the concept of Qursaans or Jihadist Privateers.  Al Shabab obviously has contacts with some of the best pirates in the world operating off the coast of Somalia.  To tap into this industry and use it for other means would not be a stretch.  A Somali pirate captain, who was the best in his industry, could take down one of these commercial ships in the SoH and then hand it, along with the hostages over to Al Qaeda.  That’s probably if Al Qaeda offered a significant bounty for such a thing. The point being is that Al Qaeda could potentially take control of a ship and either ram it into another ship, sink it in place by blowing it and it’s hostages up, or using it as a weapon against a port (one that deals in oil). The imagination is the only limit.

     Time is also not on our side.  Jihadists know that economic problems throughout the west makes this the most opportune time to attack.  That is why I declare that this is of utmost importance for armed security to be a top priority for today’s shipping, and especially those that are running through the SoH. There should be no more debate about it, no more conflicting expert analysis, no more talk about cost, or legal debates about the right of self defense on the high seas. Because at the end of the day, all of that will be shadowed by the massive economic destruction caused by such an attack or attacks.  How long will ‘wishing’ and ‘hoping’ away reality last?-Matt

Tanker Damage Caused by Attack, Inquiry Finds

Act Now on Terror Threat to Key Oil Routes, Say Experts

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In this photo released by the Emirates News Agency (WAM), damage is seen on the side of the M. Star supertanker as it arrived at Fujairah port in the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday, July 28, 2010. (AP Photo/Emirates News Agency)

*****

Tanker Damage Caused by Attack, Inquiry Finds

By ROBERT F. WORTH

August 6, 2010

WASHINGTON — Investigators in the United Arab Emirates said Friday that a terrorist attack caused the mysterious damage a Japanese oil tanker suffered last week as it passed through the Strait of Hormuz, raising fears of future attacks in the narrow channel that serves as a passageway for shipping crude oil from the Middle East to the rest of the world.

The damage to the tanker — which an Emirati official said was caused by “homemade explosives” aboard a dinghy — was not considered serious, and there was little immediate impact on oil markets on Friday.

But the news instantly fanned worries about shipping security. If confirmed, the attack would be the first of its kind in the volatile strait, which has long been a focal point for tensions with Iran, just across the water from the Arabian Peninsula.

About 17 million barrels of oil a day pass through the strait, close to 40 percent of the oil shipped by tankers worldwide.

The account of the attack came in a report published Friday by the state-run Emirates news agency WAM, from an Emirati coast guard official.

Earlier this week, the Abdullah Azzam Brigades, a militant group with ties to Al Qaeda, claimed it had carried out a suicide attack against the tanker, the M. Star.

American officials on Friday would not confirm that the episode was a terror attack, but one intelligence official said that the damage to the tanker — a large square dent on the hull’s port side — was “from an external explosion.” The official said it remained unclear whether the group taking credit for bombing the tanker was indeed involved.

Lt. John Fage, a spokesman for the Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, said that a team of Navy divers had recently traveled to Fujairah to assess the ship’s damage.

The Japanese government was conducting its own investigation. Japan’s transportation minister, Seiji Maehara, said at a news conference in Tokyo that the government had obtained samples taken from the damaged portion of the tanker and would “conduct analyses for all possible causes, without prejudice.”

The ship, loaded with two million barrels of oil, was heading toward Japan on July 28 when a sudden force shattered windows, ripped off deck railings and blew off a lifeboat, in addition to punching the dent into its black-and-red hull. One crew member was slightly hurt.

(more…)

Monday, August 9, 2010

Iraq: Al Qaeda In Iraq Offers Cash To Lure Back Sahwa Fighters

Filed under: Al Qaeda,Iraq — Tags: , , , , , , , — Matt @ 1:45 AM

    Nowadays, the government pays the salaries of its estimated 650,000-strong police and army on time, including the estimated 20,000 Sahwa fighters who have been assimilated into the security forces.

    But the remaining fighters on the government payroll go without their checks, in some cases for as long as three months. The government cites lack of funds or bureaucratic snags for the delays.

    Another Sahwa complaint is that the government detained scores of its leaders on terrorism charges last year. Although most detainees were released — often because of U.S. pressure — the arrests were seen as a humiliation. 

*****

     You know, I don’t blame these guys for being pissed off.  These were the saviors of the surge, the Sons of Iraq, the Anbar Awakening!  But then we go and allow Iraq to screw it all up and treat these guys like dirt.  Yet again, the market of force dictates.  If you don’t pay your people as much or more than your competitor in pay or benefits, or treat them poorly, then you will lose that contractor/soldier to your competitor who understands these very simple business principles.

     Now there is always the idea that Sahwa guys are using this as a means of leverage. Nothing like a so called ‘statement’ from AQ that they are trying to lure people away with better salary, to put a little fire under Iraq’s ass about paying these guys.  But I tend to go with the option that it is true, and that AQ is recognizing a deficiency within the Iraqi government and trying to exploit it. (go figure)

     There is another reason why we should pay attention to this.  I don’t care what anyone says. If AQ is even able to get a hundred guys back on their team, that is 100 booger eaters we will have to deal with as the war transitions into this new phase.  That means more mortar and rocket attacks, more IED’s, more assassinations, and everything else you can think of that AQ loves to do at their parties.

     The other thing to remember is all of these Sahwa fighters know exactly what the Iraqi military is capable of now. There has been plenty of time for them to observe and feel this stuff out as guards.  They also wouldn’t have the US to worry about because of this congressionally mandated troop presence in Iraq of 50,000 folks.  All AQ has to do is put the word out and pay the Sahwa tribes a decent wage, and tell them how cool they are with a couple of ‘hey buddy, we will be your friends.. wink, wink’.

     Not only that, but these Sahwa fighters are also dealing with the Plomo O Plata Effect as well.  AQ has certainly been assassinating these guys, and providing plenty of plomo or ‘lead’ for the tribes to think about. Pffft. –Matt

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Al-Qaida in Iraq offers cash to lure former allies

By HAMZA HENDAWI

August 7th, 2010

BAGHDAD — Al-Qaida in Iraq has begun offering cash to lure back former Sunni allies angry over the government’s failure to give them jobs and pay their salaries on time, according to Sunni tribesmen and Iraqi officials.

The recruitment drive adds to worries that the terror network is attempting a comeback after the deaths of its two top leaders in April and is taking advantage of a summer of uncertainty. The political stalemate in Baghdad is entering its sixth month after inconclusive elections, just as the U.S. military is rapidly drawing down its forces.

Al-Qaida’s strategy is to provoke the Shiite majority into launching revenge attacks — a development that could re-ignite open warfare, split the Iraqi security forces along sectarian lines and cement al-Qaida’s leadership role among Sunnis.

But if the extremists are unable to win back their former Sunni allies, it would be difficult for them to rebound as a significant threat — though al-Qaida could continue to be a deadly nuisance for years to come.

Al-Qaida’s overtures in recent weeks are notable because its militants have killed hundreds of former allies over the past two years, setting off blood vendettas between the Sunni extremist group and others in the Iraqi Sunni community. Many former insurgents also disliked al-Qaida’s imposition of a strict interpretation of Islam in areas under its control.

But tribesmen said the need for cash to feed their families is pushing some lower-ranking former al-Qaida in Iraq members to rejoin the terror group — and that al-Qaida’s presence is growing in Anbar province west of the capital.

“The government must help us counter the resurrection of al-Qaida in Anbar,” warned Mahmoud Shaker, an influential tribesman from the province’s Habbaniyah district.

(more…)

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Kidnap And Ransom: French Tourists May Be Billed If High-risk Trips Go Wrong

Filed under: Al Qaeda,France,Kidnap And Ransom — Tags: , , , , , , , , — Matt @ 12:40 AM

     This is curious, and it also kind of ties in with my Ross Perot’s Rescue of EDS Employees In Iran post.  If you could afford it, would you pay for the services of the government to rescue a loved one, or would you seek out the services of private industry to rescue a loved one?  Because if countries like France put the cost of rescue on the individual that is taken hostage, then you would think it would be alright for that individual to choose either a private option that is cheaper or better than a state sponsored option for rescue.

     Now of course there is always the K and R industry and their approach to getting hostages released.  But for the impossible cases, where folks are political pawns or the hostage takers have no intention of negotiating, what do you do? Or how about cases where governments refuse to do a rescue because it is politically sensitive? There are lots of cases where the standard hostage negotiation tactic just does not work in the international realm, and sometimes the only chance of survival for that hostage, is rescue. One that could be potentially violent, or one that could be sneaky and non-violent.  Either way, what are the options other than letting those folks just die?

     A great example of this, is the execution of a French hostage recently by Al Qaeda.  What if the family and friends of this hostage wanted to contract the services of lets say Xe or some similar company for the rescue of their loved one? Or even contract the services of another country’s army for a rescue? All because they either did not want to pay France for a rescue operation, or they thought that Xe or another country would be a better option–both for price and for execution?  It is an interesting thought to ponder, and especially if France wants to go down this path of forcing it’s citizens to pay for rescues. –Matt

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French tourists may be billed if high-risk trips go wrong

Lizzy Davies

 5 July 2010

French tourists who run into trouble after taking unnecessary risks overseas could have to pay for their rescue and repatriation under legislation debated today by MPs in Paris.

The proposed law, put forward by a government tired of having to foot the bill, would enable the state to demand reimbursement for “all or part of the costs … of foreign rescue operations” if it deems that travellers had ventured knowingly and without “legitimate motive” into risky territory.

According to the foreign ministry, the bill is an attempt to encourage a “culture of responsibility” among French travellers at a time of frequent kidnappings, hijackings and civil instability across the world. The ministry hopes that the prospect of being saddled with paying costs such as emergency air fares home will make people think twice about venturing into territory classified as dangerous. There is no question of ransoms being included in the cost, unsurprisingly, as France insists it never pays them.

(more…)

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Al Qaeda: The Next Afghanistan–Somalia, Yemen, Or Both?

Filed under: Afghanistan,Africa,Al Qaeda,Somalia,Yemen — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , — Matt @ 1:52 AM

     It is important to take a step back sometimes, and get a feel for the world wide situation with this enemy we are fighting.  Afghanistan or Pakistan is not the only game in town, and what I wanted to do below is put up some current significant events that highlight how global this war is.

     A couple of things that came to mind while reading this stuff.  Imagine if both Yemen and Somalia fell to these Al Qaeda backed groups, and these countries became sanctuaries for AQ?  You would have two Islamic extremist states who would control both sides of the Gulf of Aden and turn that sucker into a gauntlet for piracy or whatever.  But I would even go as far as to say that the piracy we are now familiar with, would instead transition into something else.  We would see these pirates turn into ‘jihadist privateers’, and extremists would certainly profit from these ventures.

     The reason I say this is that both countries would be under the control of these extremists, and therefore any activity that happens in those countries under their watch, would be done with their blessing. Either directly or indirectly, they would profit from this piracy. Of course their form of the letter of marque would probably be the fatwa, but either way, I speculate that these extremists will not stop the activity.  They will be in a better position to control it and profit from this activity.

     Worse yet, obtaining ships and hostages is exactly the kind of jihadist ‘ammo’ that these guys would like. But the really big money maker for jihad, will be the transportation of drugs, guns, and people.  If Yemen and Somalia are both unstable or are under control of these extremists, this kind of money making activities will increase, and further help to fund Al Qaeda’s war against the west. They would have operating bases to train at, and they could also do business with drug cartels for transport or even storage–all for a price. Jihad requires funding, and having control of these countries would be key. Strategically speaking, it is a great move for Al Qaeda to focus on taking Yemen and Somalia.

     So what does all of this mean for our industry or for the current war effort?  Good question.  I think for our industry, we will expect to see an increased demand for armed security contractors on ships. Navies will soon reduce their costly patrols or escorts, and continue to advise the shipping industry to take on the costs of securing their own vessels.  We will still see anti-piracy operations out there, but I just don’t see it being enough to cover the kind of area we are talking about. Cost and operational scope comes to mind, and the world’s navies need private industry.  Private industry still needs the power and capabilities of those navies to come to their rescue if at a point of being overwhelmed, but still, the ocean is just too massive for the world’s navies to be every where and all at once.

     We will also see more African and Middle Eastern training opportunities for companies.  The ACOTA program is just one example, and training the various African nations who are most impacted by islamic extremists will be a big focus.  DynCorp is already training Ugandan troops before they ship out to Somalia.

     As for direct involvement, who knows?  Somalia is one of those places that absolutely needs security and stability, and it takes some serious muscle to do that.  I do not think the AU is the best force for the job, because the UN has no intention of using that army to do what it needs to do–and that is go on the offense.  Instead the AU is just sitting there and dying, while Al Shabab and others are attacking them daily. What a waste of manpower and equipment.

     I also think that it is interesting that Saudi Arabia has depended upon the company Vinnell Arabia for training up the SANG all these years, and that if Yemen turns into an ‘Afghanistan’ in the region, Saudi forces will have their hands full with dealing with terrorists pouring over the borders.  Some of that high dollar training they have been getting from Vinnell will be quite handy.

     For places like Somalia though, I say either send in a professional state sponsored army, or contract with a private military company, and give them the mission to clear and hold Somalia.(bring in contractors and the like for the build portion) And if a company like Executive Outcomes can be as successful as they were in places like Sierra Leon or Anglola, with the limited man power and resources they had, then I see no reason why a company today could not produce the same results if they followed the EO model.

     A company like Xe could put together a force that would absolutely be capable and willing to do a job like this. And now that the US government has made it clear that it fully supports and embraces the capabilities of companies like Xe for work in war zones, then I just don’t see how they are not good enough for stopping the Al Shabab in Somalia, or for battling extremists in Yemen?

     Or we can watch as those countries fall to extremists, and the neighbors to these countries pay the price.  Worse yet, terrorists from these sanctuaries span out even further into the west to conduct martyrdom missions and kill innocent people. –Matt

Is Yemen the Next Afghanistan?

New al-Qaida threat: Somali group claims blasts

Who is al-Shabab? Somali terror army extends reach

Nigerian sect leader praises al Qaeda, warns US

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Is Yemen the Next Afghanistan?

By ROBERT F. WORTH

July 6, 2010

Just before dawn on Dec. 24, an American cruise missile soared high over the southern coast of the Arabian peninsula, arced down toward the dark mountains above the Rafadh Valley in Yemen’s Shabwa province and found its mark, crashing into a small stone house on a hillside where five young men were sleeping. Half a mile away, a 27-year-old Yemeni tribesman named Ali Muhammad Ahmed was awakened by the sound. Stumbling out of bed, he quickly dressed, slung his AK-47 over his shoulder and climbed down a footpath to the valley that shelters his village, two hours from the nearest paved road. He already sensed what had happened. A week earlier, an American airstrike killed dozens of people in a neighboring province as part of an expanded campaign against Al Qaeda militants. (Although the U.S. military has acknowledged playing a role in the airstrikes, it has never publicly confirmed that it fired the missiles.)

(more…)

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Funny Stuff: The Osombie Bin Laden Target By OPSGEAR

Filed under: Al Qaeda,Funny Stuff,Weapons Stuff — Tags: , , , , , — Matt @ 6:23 PM

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