Britannia Radio

Mullen: The US army has begun practicing traveling out of Iraq and into Afghanistan November 19, 2008, 1:06 AM (GMT+02:00) Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said in an interview to AP that the exit routes practiced through Turkey and Jordan would determine “what the challenges might be.” Both governments support the effort. DEBKAfile’s military sources report that the US army chief’s statement Nov. 19 marks the beginning of the American withdrawal from Iraq.  More...

Indian navy sinks pirate “mother ship” in Gulf of Aden November 19, 2008, 12:42 PM (GMT+02:00) Late Tuesday, Nov. 18, after a Thai boat and Iranian cargo vessel were hijacked, the Indian navy’s Tabar stealth frigate fought back and destroyed a pirate ship in the Gulf of Aden. It was described by the Indian navy as a mother vessel loaded with food, diesel and water, with two speed boats in tow. On the deck, were rocket-propelled grenade launchers and guns. The attack took place 285 nautical miles southwest off Salalah, Oman.DEBKAfile’s counter-terror sources report that this area is well off the Somali pirates’ beaten track.  More...

Norwegian shippers to divert tankers from Suez Canal, another ship seized

DEBKAfile Special Report

November 19, 2008, 10:56 AM (GMT+02:00)

Saudi supertanker launched only eight months ago is biggest vessel pirates have seized

As Somali pirates seized a Thai fishing boat Tuesday, Nov. 18, their third in three days, the Norwegian Odfjell SE announced its 90 tanker fleet would henceforth sail around Africa rather than the Suez Canal after the Saudi Sirius Star supertanker was hijacked out at sea Saturday.

The multinational naval force patrolling the Somali coast did not intervene. Saud al Faisal, foreign minister of the world’s biggest oil producer, offered to join an international initiative against piracy in the Red Sea area, but did not elaborate. 
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