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Nov. 18, 2009 The rainy season appears to be over so those dastardly Somali pirates, no longer having to worry about getting wet or whatever was keeping them home, appear to have gone back into action and have renewed their worrisome attacks on maritime commerce off the Coast of Somalia and points East, North, West and South. Certain of their ilk just recently collected a ransom of $1.5 million to free a Turkish ship, then other members of their gangster brotherhood promptly went out and hijacked 36 sailors on a Spanish tuna hauler. Three even managed to get shot by a British naval vessel. A Singapore container ship with 21 crew members was hijacked near the Seychelles. On October 19, a Chinese bulk cargo vessel, the De Xin Hai, with 25 crew members was hijacked and is being held for ransom. So the Somali pirates are still not only holding at least seven vessels along with more than approximately 130 vulnerable crewmen and millions of dollars in valuable cargo plus several valuable ships, but they are also actively attacking ongoing shipping seeking more booty to add to their ill gotten gains despite public claims about how good a job the large naval flotilla patrolling the area is doing and how the uncoordinated navies are protecting maritime commerce and now unmanned drones are going to be used to get those sneaky pirates. With the numbers on the pirate attacks of thirty five in 2007, one hundred eleven in 2008 and at least one hundred seventy eight in 2009 telling a different story, it would appear time to rethink the strategy that David Axelrod, the Presidential Advisor on C Span said was not thought out during the campaign, keeping in mind the rescue of Captain Richard Phillips of the Masersk Alabama may not be the last American vessel to sail into harms way as matters stand. On Thursday, October 22, six pirates attacked, two boarded a Panamanian flagged ship MV Ali Khaliq while an Italian cargo ship, MV Jolly Rosso, evades an attack. Then on October 27, two British citizens on a yacht were kidnapped. The facts keep saying these are still dangerous criminals likely to do something more. Even the capture of five bandits by a French naval vessel has not slowed the wave of attacks. There are governments urging an attack to terminate the problem. The difficulty is that the certainly successful forces would end up on a baby sitting mission in hostile territory. The fact the many naval vessels supposedly patrolling the area have not been able to coordinate their efforts only goes to underscore the lack of leadership specifically by the Obama team. Here is a chance to coordinate effective police action with several foreign governments that is being overlooked. You do have to ask if something is done what sort of government would be established. A dictatorship of the proletariat would probably not be acceptable to this side and it is unclear exactly what other participant's governments would be interested in. A permanent occupying force? I doubt it. Some one has to do more clear thinking and come up with a real world solution to a thorny problem. Perhaps more cooperation on trouble spots elsewhere like Al Qaida hot spots and the like would be welcome. If Hillary is waiting for a government, I wish her good luck. There is none and it is in the pirate's interest and that of their allies to give her lip service to the powers that be and then go on their merry way and allow the hijacking of another booty loaded civilian merchant craft. Being a pirate is a lucrative business in those parts comparable to the lawless American West, with ample rewards and lackluster alternatives. It would seem to be the only line of work they appear interested in. I also do not think they are afraid of mechanical drones either as they have not proved to be much of a stop light thus far. It would appear an unmanned plane is just another shipping hazard for them. Drones go, "Buzz." So what? Like flies, they can be ignored or even mocked. Thus, it should be obvious the criminal hostage taking continues and is not going away and this Administration is just going through the motions distracted by other problems elsewhere as the bombings in Pakistan and Afghanistan make clear. On the other hand, effectively deterring piracy would hinder criminal activity and Al Qaida support in Somalia and show that America and other powers can curb anti-social activity once they get a mind to do so.
The three million dollar ransom just paid to rescue a handful of Spanish sailors only tends to reemphasize the points made above and show that the Obama Administration, with its hands full in Afghanistan and Iraq, does not currently have much to offer on piracy. This country has warships sailing aimlessly in the Indian Ocean without a clear mission and is waiting for a lost Presidency to find its bearings. Lots of luck fellas.
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