Scroll for updates…Obama dodges a bullet…

It’s another Gird Your Loins moment for the Obama administration.

Somali pirates have now hijacked a U.S.-flagged ship with 20 American crew members on board – the first in “recent memory” according to military officials. The vessel is one of the DoD’s top shipping contractors. The vessel was taking humanitarian aid to Mombasa.

What will BO do?

So far, the White House response has been weak. Brian Faughnan says Obama needs to take a page from the Russian playbook.

Ed Morrissey wonders what DHS secretary Janet Napolitano will rename the problem? “A stowaway problem? On-demand course correction?”

Bucktown Dusty jibes that DHS has simply renamed pirates “Aquatic Parrot Trainers.”

Problem solved!

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TigerHawk: This is a test.

ThreatsWatch looks at jurisdictional issues.

Background:

March 2009 – Boston Globe’s pictorial essay on the pirates of Somalia.

November 2008: Christian Science Monitor Q&A: Who are the Somali pirates?

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Update: Fox News and AP reporting that Pentagon says US crewmen may have regained control of ship…

Update: Press conference w/shipping company official in Norfolk. The crew is safe. Spokesman will NOT confirm that control has been regained.

*One pirate reportedly in custody. Three others jumped ship or were thrown overboard.

*Crewmen were not armed.

*Captain Shane Murphy is second in command of the ship. Details here.

12:30pm Eastern. It appears that Barack Obama has dodged a bullet — thanks to the quick-acting American crewmen of the Maersk Alabama.

Tom McGovern tweets: “The Maersk Alabama crew probably saw Gibbs briefing and figured they’d never get home waiting for WH.”

1:50pm Eastern. Not over yet? Captain reportedly still being held.