Pirates vs Ninjas

In the historical terms, a battle of pirates and ninjas would probably be more evenly matched than it is today. Flintlock muskets and cannon were more effective than shuriken and smoke bombs, indicating that the pirates would have an advantage in ranged warfare, but katana are deadlier than cutlasses, and martial arts skills gave the ninjas an edge up close. Ninjas were experts at stealth and deception; pirates were generally bigger and more straightforward. Ninjas have the edge in flying and stabbing, pirates excel at sailing and hacking. These are all legitimate, accurate hypotheses that unfortunately solve nothing. The debate usually ends up with both parties resigning themselves to the belief that the ninja would win if he had the element of surprise or in close-quarters combat, while the pirate would win a straight-up fight to the death, especially if he had plenty of space to work in.

Today’s pirates and ninjas are a different story. The Somalian pirates involved in the Alabama incident ranged in age from 17 to 19 years old (most sources report that the average age of a Somali pirate is only 22). A common social ritual among young men in Somalia is the chewing of khat, a narcotic producing euphoria followed by conversation about solving your problems followed by depression about those problems. In reality the juvenile delinquent Maersk Alabama pirates were most likely, self appointed badass gangbanger, tweaker terrorists with GPS equipped zodiacs, a few rockets and AK-47s. The ninjas in this case were straight out of a Tom Clancy novel. Highly trained, specially equipped, SEALS who were still taking target practice at milk bottles floated in the ocean right up until they positioned themselves, undercover of darkness and hours before they were needed, to kill…not deter, wound or capture, but to kill the terrorists.

In a voyage across the Aegean, Julius Caesar was kidnapped and held for ransom by pirates. He maintained good cheer and even encouraged his captors to ask for more ransom. After the ransom was paid, he raised a fleet, hunted down and put the pirates to death.

Beware pirates…the Ninjas are awake and in the employ of the emperor. Even if you manage to negotiate and retrieve a ransom…it won’t end well for you.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/04142009/news/worldnews/sea_fiends_were_all_young_bucs_164378.htm