Pirate Watcher

Egyptian fishermen kills 2 pirates in escape

2009-08-14T05:05:00.001-07:00

Pirate victims fought back and were able to escape. Egyptian fishermen who'd been nabbed by the pirates four months ago used machetes and tools to attack their captors, killing two of them. And, turning the tables, the Egyptians apparently have a few of the pirates hostage. See how the Somali pirates like that.

I bet there's someone from Hollywood calling up the Egyptians getting the rights to their story. I wonder if they'll try to get Van Damme to play an Egyptian fisherman...

More of the details from the AP.

Interview with a pirate

2009-07-28T13:52:00.000-07:00

Wired's Scott Carney had a chance to catch up with a Somali pirate. Same old line in there about Somali boat warriors are "protectors" not "pirates" since they're chasing off foreign vessels.

Nice nugget in there about how pirates release news of a capture to the media to exert pressure on the shipping company to negotiate a ransom.
Another nice insight: it costs about $30k to outfit a pirate team and boat for a mission, but they only are successful once every 3 - 4 tries.

Also included, a video from pirates aboard a ship. I guess that would be pirated video.

Read the piece.

Pirates receive $1.8m ransom - nice work if you can get it

2009-07-21T07:44:00.000-07:00

The German-owned MV Victoria, an Antigua and Barbuda-flagged cargo vessel, was released after pirates got $1.8m. Nice haul for the pirates.

Reuters has a list of ships still held. Irony award goes to the pirate capture of the ship called "Buccaneer" on April 11.

Read more from Reuters.

Pirate attacks venturing farther afield

2009-07-13T10:58:00.000-07:00

Here's to the power of infographics, thanks to UNOSAT. Graphics showing trends in pirate attacks highlight a number of takeaways but give scant attention to one of the most interesting trends:

Pirate attacks are increasingly happening farther from the Somali coast. Some 40% of the most recent pirate attacks have happened 300+ miles from the Somali coast.

A few other items of interest:

Pirate attack success rates this year (23%) is lower than last year (40%). Give a hand to the heightened security measures
Overall pirate attack rates, however, have increased significantly (UNOSAT says 650% from this time last year, but that doesn't make sense)

Read the report.

Claims of pirates smuggling al-Qaeda into Somalia are fishy

2009-07-08T09:18:00.000-07:00

Somali pirates are smuggling al-Qaeda operatives into Somalia to aid the Islamic fundamentalist group al-Shabab, according to an announcement by that nation's first deputy prime minister, Professor Adan Ibrahim.

Although an al-Qaeda-pirate connection would be worrisome, this claim sounds pretty fishy. A few reasons:

al-Shabab controls much of Somalia and is pushing to topple the government. That gives the government a really good incentive to wave its hands and claim that al-Qaeda is flooding the country. That information would certainly get the West's attention, and perhaps its money/help to keep the government in power
an Islamic government ruthlessly shut down piracy in Somalia when it was last in power in Somalia. No reason to think that Shabab would necessarily be different
bringing al-Qaeda into Somalia would be bad for the pirate business because al-Qaeda would attract the West's attention and firepower

I don't doubt that Somalia is an attractive place for al-Qaeda to set up shop, and al-Shabab provides them with an entree. But I'd bet the pirates aren't so eager to see that happen.

Thus my earlier posts that the pirates, in fact, could be natural allies in resisting Islamic fundamentalism and al-Qaeda in Somalia. Not that this would be the most savory alliance in the world, but the enemy of my enemy is my friend. At least, for now.

K'Naan speaks out on piracy

2009-06-30T07:05:00.001-07:00

Rapper K'Naan speaks out on piracy in his homeland in Somalia. Lots of opinion and very thin on evidence, but K'Naan is well spoken on this subject.

Piracy - just a way to make a living

2009-06-30T06:43:00.000-07:00

A new book looking into the economics of piracy (or, as the NYT tortuously called it, "aaargh-onomics" - do they have editors there still?) has been getting some attention.

Called The Invisible Hook: The Hidden Economics of Piracy, the book by Peter Leeson examines the supply and demand side of pieces of eight. The book focuses on the pre-AK47 days of piracy, primarily the mid-1600s to mid-1700s when the pirates life was a good one.

Unfortunately, there isn't in the way of insight in Mr. Leeson's book. A few highlights:

Most pirates were young men. Wow! Some deep insights from Mr. Leeson here. In other news, pirates enjoyed the occasional drink of rum
A pirate could make 100 pounds a month (about $24k in today's money), which was about 4x the amount merchant seamen made
Pirates elected their leaders. I suppose the NYT would call that an "aaaarg-ocracy"
Pirates took PR seriously so would occasionally torture resisters and have them walk the plank so that the word got out that the pirates would brook no opposition

Pirates blamed for halting broadband in Africa. What next?

2009-06-25T07:32:00.001-07:00

The pirates in Somalia can't seem to catch a break these days. First of all the world starts sending some serious naval hardware into the region to stop their piratical shenanigans. Then al-Shebab starts stoking the flames of civil war with attacks on Mogadishu (remember, al Shebab is an extremist Muslim faction that suppressed the pirates when it was in power a few years ago).

Now, the pirates are being blamed for slowing down the delivery of broadband internet to Africa. According to a report in the FT, the managers of Seacomm - a $600m project to connect Africa to the global broadband network - reported they had to suspend their efforts for fear of pirate attacks.

If you read the details, the delay was a wise bit of caution. Those ships are massive - they carry about 4,000 miles of fiberoptic cable - and slow, a prime target.

But come on. Aren't we going a little far here. What else can you blame on the pirates? Here are a few ideas:

Sorry I was late to work because I had to fortify my car in case of pirate attack
I don't have my homework because the Somali pirates took it
The US economic stimulus plan is delayed because Somali pirates claim to have several shovel-ready projects we need to vet
Oh, yeah, I'd love to go to the prom with you but Somali pirates are holding my parents hostage so I should probably stick around for the ransom negotiations
Oh, honey, I didn't forget our wedding anniversary; it's just that Somali pirates grabbed me on the way to the jewelry store and there wasn't time to pick anything up before my daring escape
I think the tooth fairy is being held by the Somali pirates. They probably want all her tooth money for ransom. I'm sure she'll make it tonight though.

Great infographics on Somali pirates

2009-06-23T13:14:00.000-07:00

Wired as come up with a great set of graphics to explain the pirate situation around Somalia. The graphics are a little hard to manipulate at first, but it's worth the effort.

The graphics cover:

A map outlining the number of pirate attacks off Somalia and around Gulf of Aden since 2003. Also includes this fact: low level pirate can make $10k on a successful pirate attack, or about 17 times the annual per capita income in Somalia
An overview of attacks. Good fact: in 2008, only 0.2% of ships sailing in Somali waters were successfully hijacked
A look at the negotations. Highest payout? $3.2m for MV Faina
The last one is about a resolution. Good fact on this one: a $3m kidnapping and ransom insurance policy costs about $30k. Maybe the pirates are working for the insurance companies????

See the full infographic series.

Pirates, meet the Robo-chopper

2009-06-23T12:50:00.000-07:00

Austria's Schiebel Group is rolling out its "Camcopter S-100" as an anti-pirate early warning device. About 10 ft. long and weighing 200 lbs., the mini-chopper has a camera on board as well as GPS sensors.

The software is pretty nifty, allowing you to practice a mission in a 3d environment through an aviation style instrument panel. It can fly up to 120 knots and stay aloft for up to 6 hours.

You can see some videos of this bird in action.

All in all, a fancy way to fight pirates (though it was developed for military and civilian observation purposes). Or, of course, you can keep your eyes peeled on deck, have an evasion plan, and pull up a ladder. A little cheaper, but not as much fun.

Interpol involvement bolsters prosecution of pirates

2009-06-19T02:09:00.000-07:00

With the monsoon season limiting the number of pirate attacks off Somalia, the fight against piracy has entered a new phase.

Interpol, the international police organization, is starting to collect finger prints of suspected pirates, photographs, even DNA samples in an effort to collect hard evidence for pirate prosecutions.

Whenever I think of Interpol I think of the Pink Panther, but the systematic gathering of evidence is necessary if you're going to really prosecute these guys. Whether it's much of a deterrent in a country where the rule of law is nugatory is another matter.

Somali pirates interviewed on camera

2009-06-15T14:07:00.001-07:00

A nice piece from Al Jazeera's Mohammed Adow reports from Garowe, Somalia, who interviews pirates face to face. The pirates don't seem to be too worried about being caught on film.

One of them bolsters the Robin Hood image of Somali pirates by claiming that 20% of a ransom take goes to the poor and those who provide services to the pirates. He also says that ransoms are based on the nationality of the crews, rather than the ship itself. US and Europeans get more than Asians.

Qaeda moving into Yemen and Somalia - pirate escalation

2009-06-12T11:05:00.000-07:00

A disturbing piece today in the NYT about al Qaeda operatives moving into Yemen and Somalia - Some in Qaeda leaving Pakistan for Somalia and Yemen.

Take a quick look at a map. If this shift is part of a deliberate plan, Qaeda may be working on a pincer movement focusing on the Gulf of Aden, the primary shipping transit point for much of the world's fuel.

Somali pirates should be worried about this move too. Qaeda muscling into their territory could mean increased international attention and pressure that could put a big dent in their pirating efforts. A much bigger concern: Somali pirates might just take the "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" route and figure out some way to work with the Qaeda operative.

We know that al Qaeda operatives have something that the Somali pirates want: money. And the pirates have some know-how about tracking and attacking vessels that I'm betting al Qaeda would be happy to pay for.

"Surgical aid strike" to Puntland to stop pirates

2009-06-08T13:53:00.001-07:00

I caught up with Roger Middleton the other day for some insights into the Somali pirate issue. An African studies major currently at the Chatham House think tank, he had some very interesting insights into how to resolve the pirate problem.

Puntland – the province in northern Somalia that is the greatest source of pirates in the region – has a functioning local government. Now, Puntland isn’t exactly a model for stability but it’s in better shape than the national government that has trouble controlling its own capital in Mogadishu.

Roger’s perspective is that working with the local Puntland government directly to train and arm a local police force has a much higher chance of success than throwing money at the government in Mogadishu.

“It does have a reasonable degree of control over its territory,” Roger said. “Prospects of improving things in Puntland are more rosy.”

But this “surgical aid strike” option has its own risks, as Roger readily admitted:

The main government might not take too kindly to foreign aid and training going directly to a province. They might make a stink that foreigners were meddling in their internal affairs.
Association with foreign powers is political suicide in Somalia. History has shown that Somalis don’t take kindly to perceived foreign intervention.
Half measures can be as dangerous as doing nothing at all. Establishing and arming a police force isn’t enough; they need to be adequately trained. As we saw in Mogadishu, a poorly trained police force abused its status and ultimately seriously undermined the government

Arms race with Somalia pirates

2009-06-03T08:37:00.000-07:00

According to Reuters, shipping companies are considering adding armed guards to their ships to fight off pirates.

Big mistake. As I mentioned in an earlier post - Arming crews not a good idea - adding armed guards to ships is just asking for trouble. One item I hadn't thought of is that security firms with dubious records are approaching shippers sensing a business opportunity. Some of these firms have been kicked out of Iraq and Afghanistan for their trigger-happy ways.

Danish group Shipcraft said putting armed guards on its vessels travelling through the Gulf of Aden was a deterrent and also a means of protecting its crews despite the risks involved.

"They (pirates) do not like to be there when the guards are there," said Shipcraft's chief executive Per Nykjaer Jensen to Reuters.

While maritime organizations have urged shippers not to start arming their ships and encouraging greater use of international navies to patrol the waters, the sheer scale has made that an unworkable solution.

Ending piracy in Somalia requires a holistic and realistic approach using lessons learned from counterinsurgency successes in Iraq and political will.

Somali pirate attacks successful only 15% of time

2009-06-01T13:54:00.000-07:00

Somali pirates are #1. Anyone in the t-shirt trade might want to print those up. According to the IMB Piracy Reporting Center, the Gulf of Aden or the Indian Ocean accounted for nearly 60 percent of worldwide piracy in the first quarter of 2009. There were 61 attacks off the Somali Coast from in the first quarter of this year.

But only nine of the attacked ships were actually hijacked, a 15% success rate for Somalia's pirates.

Nigeria and Peru were the location of the next highest number of attacks: seven each - though the region of Southeast Asia boasts the second highest number of pirate attacks after Africa.

The fireworks are increasing too. Guns were used in 59 attacks in the first quarter of 2009, compared with 13 in 2008 and 10 in 2007.

Some good graphics from the Journal of Commerce.

Missing Somali pirate treasure

2009-06-01T12:01:00.000-07:00

That's what the current spate of pirate stories needs: a mystery surrounding missing pirate treasure.

Apparently no one can find the $30,000 the pirates who captured the Maersk Alabama stole from the ship. The crew members and the SEALs involved in the high-profile rescue are being questioned.

Investigators are apparently on the look-out for a faded parchment with dotted lines, a skull and crossbones motif, and a big "X".

They're financial pirates, eh! Or eh?

2009-05-27T09:51:00.001-07:00

The Canadian Defense (or Defence, if you're part of the Commonwealth) Minister Peter MacKay recently called the Somali pirates "financial terrorists." He then said: "piracy is not unlike acts of terrorism that we see in other parts of the world, whether it be kidnappings, whether it be issues related to fanaticism and extremism in places like Afghanistan."

Since when has Canada thrown caution and thoughtful engagement to the wind, and transformed into the "Bush of the Great White North"?

McKay was apparently pointing to the terrorism pretext to justify Canada's decision to move away from its policy of "catch and release", ie. releasing pirates they've captured because they can't (or don't want to be bothered with) prosecuting them.

What a cheap and stupid invocation of "terrorism". If you have a political agenda to push, the temptation just seems too great for politicians to dress it up like a terrorism issue. In this case, "financial terrorism" doesn't walk like a duck or talk like a duck.

1. The pirates aren't terrorists. They're just poor villagers who are taking advantage of one of the few economic opportunities available to them. Despite some very tenuous ties to local political groups, these pirates have no political agenda - a sine qua non for terrorism.

2. Don't make this something that it's not. The main dangers today are in Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, and N. Korea. Somali piracy is a problem, but transforming it into another front on the war on terror is just a stupid dissipation of resources and energy.

Some good insights from the National Post on this too.

Pirates demand ransom greater than Tuvalu's GDP

2009-05-27T08:55:00.000-07:00

Somali pirates are holding 12 sailors from the Pacific island nation of Tuvalu and are demanding US$15m to release them. Talk about picking on the weak guy. Tuvalu has almost no economy to speak of, relying predominantly on foreign aid and some local fishing. The ransom demand is actually more than the country's est. US$12.2m GDP (based on latest est. in 2002).

That's right. Tuvalu. It's a tiny island nation (the fourth smallest in the world) whose claim to fame is that for some reason neither the French nor Americans chose it as a site to test nuclear weapons. It's also the fourth smallest country in the world.

Maybe the pirates can just exchange the hostages for the country of Tuvalu and move there - two problems solved in one fell swoop.

Obama at US Navy commencement: new world on water too

2009-05-22T12:12:00.001-07:00

In President Obama's commencement speech today at the Naval Academy (where, among other things, he shook the hand of Sen. John McCain's son, a graduate of the academy this year), he focused on the unorthodox missions that the Navy needs to face these days.

So much print has focused on the buzz words of a new era - asymmetric war, counterinsurgency, etc. - in the arena of land warfare. The Navy, with its enormous aircraft carriers and submarines, seem far behind when viewed from that prism.

The pirate problems in Somalia have been a great wake-up call to the Navy that they are going to need to adapt as much as their land-bound military cousins have. In some ways, the situation in Somalia is an ideal way for the US Navy to cut its teeth in fighting an unorthodox foe who, while dangerous, doesn't represent the kind of challenge al Qaeda does.

The Barbary Wars had a similar role for America back in the early 1800s as well. The U.S. saw that war as an opportunity to train its navy for the war everyone knew was going to happen against Great Britain.

Let's hope the U.S. Navy is looking at Somalia as an opportunity and not just a fight.

The Smiling Pirate arraigned in NY today

2009-05-20T03:28:00.000-07:00

We'll see whether Abduwali Abdukhadir Muse, the teenage Somali who was the sole survivor of the foiled hijacking of the Maersk Alabama last month, will be smiling when he's arraigned today in New York.

He could get life imprisonment if convicted. The question is, will a life behind bars in the US beat life in battered Somalia?

End of the pirate world as we know it ...

2009-05-19T14:02:00.000-07:00

Malaysian authorities think that can stamp out piracy for good in the Malacca Straits, the poster child for pirate infested waters before the Somali pirates burst onto the scene.

Abdul Rahim Hussein, undersecretary of maritime security policy, said cooperation between the neighboring states of Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore is now 'at a new peak'.

It's hard to argue with success. There have been no incidents in the strait this year, a big drop from 2004 when there were 38 (recorded) pirate attacks. The Malacca Straits is a critical pipeline for global commerce, carrying a quarter of the world's traded goods.

Unfortunately, there aren't many lessons for dealing with the Somali pirates. East African states cannot muster either the resources or the will to fight the pirates in the way the Southeast Asian nations around the Malacca Straits can. Solutions in Somalia need to take into account the realities on the ground.

New ship simulator - good for pirate preparation

2009-05-19T10:21:00.000-07:00

A new API for Google Earth called "Ships" was just released. It allows you to take the helm on various types of ships - barge, container ship, cruise liner - and then take them anywhere. I've been playing with it a little, and it really is pretty cool for what it is.

Someone at the IMO (International Maritime Organization) take note: this would be a great tool to use for pirate simulations to help train sea captains. Need to create a few pirate boats and scenarios, then get underway.

Try it out. Very impressive, and free.

Video: US arrests suspected pirates

2009-05-15T12:17:00.000-07:00

Coming to a navy recruiting booth near you.

President Arrr!bama

2009-05-15T12:04:00.001-07:00

(Pete Souza/The White House)
Ah, looks like Obama is finally taking the pirate situation seriously. What's missing is an audio overlay of Cartman, aka Fatbeard, singing "Somalian Pirates We!"

From White House photos slideshow in Time.

Iran sending 2 warships to combat pirates

2009-05-15T03:56:00.001-07:00

Could this be a sign that Iran wants to engage with the international community?

Iran's ambassor to the U.N., Mohammad Khazaei, sent a letter he sent to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday stipulating Iran's new commitment of sending two warships to the Somali coast, according to a report cited in the Jerusalem Post.

Iran's ships will leave within the next two days for a five-month assignment. They'll be joining a flotilla of vessels from the U.S., Denmark, Italy, Russia, China and other countries. That must make the most polyglot force ever assembled.

Iran may be trying to show the world that it can be "civic minded" and helpful. It'll be interesting to see how the ships operate and if they come into contact with any US ships in the area.

Kenya is go-to place for prosecuting pirates

2009-05-13T11:56:00.000-07:00

Kenya is taking the lead in prosecuting pirates - or becoming a dumping ground for navies who don't know what to do with the pirates they've captured.

Spain recently joined the ranks by handing over 13 suspected pirates to Kenyan authorities. The French handed over 11 Somalis accused of piracy last month. Germany handed over nine more the month before that. Since November 2008, at least 64 suspected Somali pirates have been charged in Kenya after being handed over by European and U.S. naval forces in line with an agreement.

Ten others serving a seven-year sentence at the Shimo La Tewa prison have appealed against the sentence.

Kenya's the most logical choice, though the French and Americans have tried their hands at prosecuting pirates. Kenya borders Somalia, so it's a convenient place for ships thousands of miles from home waters to take pirates for prosecution. Some question whether Kenya's legal system can support the pressure to prosecute suspected pirates fairly while Human Rights Watch has questioned Kenya's treatment of pirates (their assurances have apparently satisfied the Brits and the French).

In addition, Kenyan law requires witnesses to be present in person at the trial so ships’ captains, leaders of boarding parties and pilots to be available for the trials. That will require cooperation from the shipping industry, which will be a significant burden.

However imperfect this option may be, however, Kenya's legal system is light years ahead of what its neighbors can provide.

For more details on legal options for prosecuting pirates, check out Pirates and How to Deal with Them by Chatham House's Roger Middleton.

Somalia pirates - global crime syndicate?

2009-05-12T11:21:00.001-07:00

Move over Nigeria; here come the Somali pirates.

The recent coverage that Somali pirates have moles in London's insurance and shipbroking industries has created waves. Part of the reason is that many observers look on the pirates as rank amateurs incapable of this sophistication (throw in a dollop of racism to boot).

For the basis of an international crime ring, Somali is pretty well placed actually. With a significant Somali diaspora living in various places around the globe, the pirates are in a position to gather some useful intelligence on the shipping that runs past their coast.

The latest wrinkle in the pirate story comes thanks to a European military intelligence report leaked to Spain's Cadena SER radio station yesterday.

The report indicated that the hijacking of at least three vessels, including the Karagöl, the Greek cargo ship Titan and Spanish tuna trawler Felipe Ruano, followed tipoffs from the London-based network of informers. The informers are quaintly called "consultants" in the report.

I wonder if they ship powerpoint decks filled with gantt charts, waterfall charts, pie charts topped with succinct messages in bullet point? Powerpoint pirates unite!

Islam in Somalia: pirating bad, but suicide bombings?

2009-05-11T03:30:00.001-07:00

Interesting piece from NYT about how forces of Islam in Somalia are turning communities against pirates. The piece doesn't address a question on the evils that Islam decides to focus on: are local Islamic clerics saying pirating is bad but suicide bombings and executions are OK?

Pirate chronicles>

Pirates kill 1, wound another - India doesn't negotiate

2009-05-10T03:20:00.000-07:00

India is playing tough with the pirates.

According to the Mumbai-based Directorate of Shipping, Somali pirates have killed one Indian and injured another when no ransom was paid for a captured ship. Details are still vague but apparently Mr. Sudhir Suman was shot and killed, then dumped in the ocean on Apr. 26. His ship, the MT Sea Princess II, is now safely in port in Port Aden, Yemen.

You can't accuse India of coddling pirates. An Indian frigate sunk a Thai trawler that had been captured by pirates back on Nov. 19, 2008 - killing a Thai sailor in the process. Their navy also captured 23 pirates on Dec. 13 that year.

The message to pirates: don't mess with India. They're not going to negotiate, and they will attack.

Real solutions to the pirate problem in Somalia

2009-05-08T12:52:00.000-07:00

Every day ink, kilobytes, brain power, and resources are wasted on dealing with pirates is time that should be spent figuring out the really big problems we have today – namely, Afghanistan, Pakistan,

Iran

The real solution is to create a stable environment under the rule of law within Somalia’s fractious borders, but since that isn’t going to happen any time soon we need to look at more realistic options.

So, in the name of finding a way that allows us to move beyond our semi-fetishistic infatuation with piracy, here are a few solutions that ideally should work in concert but even individually implemented can point towards progress:

Engagement – co-opt the pirates

We can’t look for parallels in past wars and pirate stories, as entertaining and inspiring as the story of the Barbary Wars are. President Jefferson’s attacks on pirate states were successful because he could attack a functioning state and defeat it.

That’s not going to happen here in Somalia. The parallels we need to pay attention to are those involving counterinsurgency efforts like we’ve seen in Iraq. That variation of "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" has worked pretty well, and it's a good model to study here. These pirates are essentially businessmen (granted, they’re armed with AK-47s and rocket launchers rather than powerpoints and blackberries) who don’t have many options to make a decent living. But they are armed, trained, and upset with the current state of affairs – ie. a nascent force for order if we’d engage them and turn them into one.

Western nations have already agreed to pony up $200m to help Somalia. In the past 18 months, companies have paid about $100m to pirates so there's more money available to help than there is money that the pirates are raking in. Use some of that aid money to pay pirates, train them, and make them a coast guard. If this is done well, this new coast guard force could be a useful building block for Somalia’s basket case of a security department and a bulwark against Islamic extremists in the area.

Force – maintain a credible naval force in local waters

Old habits die hard so keep a credible military presence in the region. The key word is “credible” here. It’s too expensive and unrealistic to maintain a sizable force in the area in the long term. The naval force in the region is already hitting back at pirates, with arrests of pirates recently showing marked improvement. Nations can share duties, create convoys, escort ships through a “cordon sanitaire” where they can better protect boats.

Whatever we do, allied forces cannot put “boots on the ground” for anything more than a surgical strike.

Putting soldiers on the ground in Somalia will be:

Expensive – imagine all the logistics that would need to be in place

Hard to maintain – see above

Unlikely to succeed in the chaos that is that tortured region (All commanders in the area please read “Black Hawk Down”). Even if allied forces manage to squash the pirates, it will be temporary. Does anyone really believe that in a place as desperate as Somalia, other pirates won't take their place the moment they get the chance?

Likely turn everyone there against us – pirates will soon become freedom fighters and a cause to rally around for a country that doesn’t have much else going for it.

There’s a great anecdote I heard that may well be apocryphal but illustrates a point. Pirated copies of “Black Hawk Down” made the rounds of Mogadishu shortly after coming out (Somalis are proficient at all forms of pirating, it turns out). Viewers cheered wildly at all the moments in the movie when the Americans were beaten back, those moments that the producers had intended to cause heart-rending anguish to western viewers. As crazy as this country is, many of the people will understandably coalesce to defend their homes from foreign invaders.

Heart and minds – investigate and prosecute illegal fishing and dumping

The pirates have a lot of local backing because they are not only a source of income for communities but also they are defenders of local waters to many. Foreign trawlers, primarily from Arabia, Europe and Asia, have illegally fished in local waters and literally stealing away the livelihoods of local fishermen (prized yellow fin tuna used to be there in abundance). In 2005, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation reported that an estimated 700 foreign-owned fishing vessels had illegally fished in Somali waters.

On top of that, the FAO also had strong suspicions that boats had dumped toxic waste in local waters. Somali rapper K’naan has claimed that 300 Somalis have died as a result.

You’ve got to take claims from a Somali rapper with a hefty grain of salt, but he represents something critical: a perception among Somalis of the complete disregard for their waters by foreign countries. It’s a surprise that there aren’t more Somali pirates rather than that there are any at all.

The solution: Show the Somalis the world is serious about protecting its livelihood. Investigate illegal fishing and toxic dumping in local waters. Presumably there isn’t much of that happening now given the oceans off east Africa are crawling with warships and pirates. But with so much circumstantial evidence, it shouldn’t be hard to arrest a few people and prosecute them.

In addition to that, send modern fishing boats, reintroduce fish into local waters, provide coast guard support to strictly enforce local fishing laws until Somalia can do that itself. Fishing isn’t as lucrative as piracy, but it’s not as dangerous either and since many of the pirates are former fishermen, there’s good reason to expect a lot of them return to their trade.

Deterrent - don't make piracy easy

Don’t make it so easy for pirates to attack. Although there are plenty of evasive maneuvers once ships come under attack, making a ship less “attackable” helps, things like barbed wire on the gunwales, installing alarms, having frequent patrols. A lot of pirate attacks happen in port so check the ship before sailing, and be vigilant in port. Helping ships follow these best practices makes attacking ships less profitable.

And don't arm ships' crews. It's just not a good idea.

Force isn’t the only deterrent. There’s also the law, and Roger Middleton from London’s Chatham House has argued for a legal framework to successfully crackdown on piracy. International law provides navies with sufficient rights and powers to combat piracy. But prosecuting people for piracy is trickier.

Arming crews not a good idea

2009-05-06T02:35:00.000-07:00

On the heels of Captain Phillips' recommendation to Congress to consider comes another call to consider arming ships' crews.

Philip Shapiro, head of Maritime Corp, asked Congress yesterday to amend the current law and allow ship owners to arm their vessels.

It's certainly tempting. The pirates tend to be pretty low tech, and armed ships would be a deterrent. And the US military is pushing the idea because they realize protecting shipping is too large a burden for them.

But arming vessels is a bad idea:

Arming ships would certainly ratchet up the game and greatly increase the likelihood of lethal violence. Imagine running gunfights on board a ship. That works for a Steven Segal movie plot line, but not so good in real life.

Arming crews would lead to a mini arms race, as pirates looked to bring ever more sophisticated weaponry into play. Think it would be hard to find advanced weapons in the chaos of Mogadishu?

Ship owners themselves are largely wary of the potential liabilities that would result in the increase in deaths and injuries from gun battles.

Some ships carry explosive cargo such as chemicals or gas. A gunfight could touch off a massive explosion.

Ships would have to comply with the laws of the countries where they'd dock. Unless all those laws are amended in addition to the US laws, ship owners are opening themselves up to serious legal headaches. What laws do exist generally limit weapons to just shotguns, not such an effective deterrent against AK-47s, grenade launchers, and long-range assault rifles.

Great pirate video and slideshow

2009-05-04T13:32:00.000-07:00

A great 50-pic slideshow below that with an array of images related to the pirate attacks in Somalia recently - helicopters hovering over boats, arrested and distraught pirates, soldiers in fatigues and masks. Best I've seen so far.

Sky news also has some dramatic footage of the French capturing Somali pirates (notice how they put the pirates in red life preservers first before shoving them onto the French attack boat).

Sea bandits captured on film. (scroll to the bottom to see the photos).

Pirates on the offensive

2009-05-03T04:02:00.000-07:00

The pirates are mad as hell and they're not going to take it any more.

After a relative lull in pirate activity charactized by a spate of pirate arrests, the pirates are at it again. Check out their activity in the last 3 days:

- Pirates nab a Pakistani ship carrying goods for Somali traders (about 60 miles from the Somali coast)

- Pirates captured a Greek ship with a Ukranian crew carrying soya beans

- They also seized a Maltese ship with a Ukranian crew (it's a bad week to be a Ukranian crew member, apparently)

On the plus side:
- a French frigate captured 11 suspected pirates who mistook them for a merchant ship. Those probably weren't the smartest pirates afloat. The French have actually decided to detain them for now, rather than release them as a Portuguese warship had done earlier this week.

- Seychelles coast guard arrested 3 suspected pirates. Interestingly, they'd been held and interrogated by the French previously. So much for catch and release.

- And 23 Philippino crewmen returned home after almost 5 months in captivity. Ransom: $2.5 million. Good haul for the pirates and further inducement for them to do it all over again.

Pirate resurgence - wolf packs?

2009-05-02T05:40:00.000-07:00

A Turkish ship came under fire from pirates an incredible 1,150 miles from the coast of east Africa. That represents a significant expansion of the zone of attack and an increase in the sophistication of pirate attacks.

To launch an attack so far from a home base, pirates not only need boats that are more seaworthy but also a more sophisticated supply system. Attacks boats can't make it that far out without food, water, and fuel so mother ships that supply them are moving farther out as well.

We should take a look at how the Germans managed their U-boat attacks during WWI and WWII. Wolf packs trawled the Atlantic supplied by "milk cows", massive u-boats that provided fuel to U-boats and allowed them to stay out at sea for much longer.

We may be seeing this kind of evolution off Somalia. And if we are, this will make the situation much more complicated for both shippers and the various navies that are plying the waters off east Africa.

From the crow's nest: pirate updates

2009-05-01T04:43:00.000-07:00

The French grab 3 pirates from a "mother ship".

US Navy hands over the 3 pirates that were killed to Somali authorities.

Maersk Alabama Capt. Phillips cautiously recommends to Congress the arming of ship crews against pirates.

How to prevent and evade pirate attacks

2009-04-30T14:46:00.000-07:00

Recommended pirate prevention and evasion techniques based on accumulated sources (primarily International Maritime Organization, State University of New York's Maritime College)

Attack Prevention

Have a plan and practice it

Don’t talk about the ship’s route or cargo while in port. Loose lips sink ships, ya know

Early detection is best deterrent – use low-light binoculars, yacht radar to spot small craft, night vision devices, barbed wire on the railings

Ships should travel with lights off

Secure all doors

Hire private security (preferably Israeli, if we’re to judge from the successful efforts of Israeli security agents in repelling a recent pirate attack on an Italian cruise ship) or consider having someone one board with small arms training

Have a constant and roving security watch on deck in pirate areas, post security officer on fantail. Change security details at irregular times

Avoid bottlenecks in shipping lanes

Search the ship before leaving port to confirm no pirates are already on board

Install a ShipLoc tracking device (satellite tracking system). Also allows crew to activate alarm to alert owners and authorities

Have electric fence along gunwales (non lethal, 9000 volt jolt that also activates alarm, siren, and floodlights when touched)

Attack Evasion

Turn on all ship’s lights when attackers approach to let them know they’re not sneaking up on anyone.

Blast of a Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD). Primarily used by warships, it’s a directed acoustic device. The resulting sound can cause eardrums to pop and bleed, that stuns the criminals.

Hose ‘em down, with water pressure at about 80 pounds/square inch

Steer like crazy to create heavy bow waves and stern wash

Increase speed, head into sea and swell

Call for help when pirates attack (on the radio – this doesn’t mean shout out on deck for help); provide information about number of boats, pirates, point of approach, etc; warn other ships in the area

Sound the alarm

(Although the technique has gotten a lot of press recently, throwing deck chairs at pirates is not a recommended pirate evasion technique)

Got $250k? Invest in pirate gang

2009-04-30T14:18:00.000-07:00

Really great piece in NPR On Planet Money discussing the finances of Somali pirates. Turns out pirates need about $250k in seed money to get going - guns, boat, food.

Here's how the ransom payout works: About 20 percent goes to pay off officials who look the other way. About 50 percent is for expenses and payroll. The leader of an attack makes $10,000 to $20,000 (the average Somali family lives on $500 a year). The initial investor — who put in $250,000 of seed capital — gets 30 percent, sometimes up to $500,000.

In this economic climate, the investment looks like a pretty good finance opportunity. Pirate Ventures anyone?

Behind the business plans of pirates

NPR also did an interview with Dr. Peter Pham (who provided the insight on finances above) on the Profitability of Piracy

Ron Paul - guns for everyone to fight pirates

2009-04-30T03:51:00.000-07:00

Not sure how I missed this, but here's a video address by our lead libertarian, Ron Paul. Guns don't kill people; pirates do. Except that they don't. And introducing a lot of firepower on board ships is going to make this pirate scourge even more ugly.

Pirates get to tell their side

2009-04-30T03:24:00.000-07:00

A great piece today from McClatchy tells the tale of 5 jailed Somali pirates. The pirates reinforce the notion that foreign ships overfishing their waters (illegally). The pirates apparently started off as a type of coast guard to protect local fishermen from predatory Asian and European trawlers. Some former coast guardsmen, without many options either, are providing assistance and training.

The Somali government didn't help things at all - the notorious dysfunction made them unable to police their waters but even delineate territorial zones.

Fascinating piece: At former British prison, Somali pirates tell their side.

Hey, what about those pirates over there?

2009-04-29T03:51:00.001-07:00

With all the world's attention trained on pirate activity in Somalia and the Gulf of Aden, it's a great time to be a pirate somewhere else.

Last week, there were a couple of pirate attacks in that other pirate haven: southeast Asia. (See my post on Top 10 most dangerous places for pirate attacks - 4 southeast Asian locations in the list). The attacks are a little less sophisticated. In one case, five pirates armed with long knives only boarded a container ship, attacked the ship's master and stole the ship's cash before making a getaway.

While attacks in northeast Africa swamp the number of pirate incidents elsewhere, pirates in the rest of the world must be glad that their comrades in Somalia are taking all the heat.

pirates

More pirates captured - evening up the score

2009-04-29T03:42:00.000-07:00

The Russians are coming! A Russian anti-sub ship captured a suspected pirate boat with 29 on board. How can you tell they're pirates? The Russians also found a cache of automatic rifles, pistols, and ammo. Of course, this is Somalia. Any boat would be wise to carry a little firepower.

For anyone keeping score, the pirates are still way ahead: 25 vessels captured and 260 hostages for this year. The rest of the world: 3 vessels seized and 50 (suspected) pirates captured in the last week.

pirates

Locals fight back

2009-04-28T09:28:00.000-07:00

A few reports today about local communities taking the lead in fighting back against Somali pirates. While NATO warships scurry about the Gulf of Aden and Somali coast, local Somalians - vigilantes - recently took matters into their own hands and arrested 12 pirates. eRabita had the story.

And the Seychelles is getting into the act. The government there arrested nine suspected pirates - thanks to a helping hand from a local Spanish navy ship - who are believed to have tried to board an Italian cruise ship recently. HuffPo has a short overview.

Of course, if you want to get into the West's good books, you nab anyone in the area and call them a "pirate". Then site back and watch international adulation and aid flow in.

Pirates giving "pirates" a bad name

2009-04-27T09:23:00.000-07:00

Funny piece in the WSJ detailing how some who romanticize pirates are worried that the current spate of pirate attacks off Somalia and in Gulf of Aden are hurting their image.

Some better names suggested: sea-thugs, boat-muggers, kelp-festooned kidnappers.

In reality, for all the notions that pirates ran ships like democracies and had strict codes of honor - parley, anyone? - they were also brutal killers who were known to torture and sell captives into slavery. Just like people romanticized cold-hearted killers like Bonnie and Clyde or Jesse James, they find something romantic about men who thumb their nose at the system.

You'll see something like that happening in Somalia right now where local communities look to their pirates as heroes. Perhaps there are people in Somalia saying the Jack Sparrows of the world are actually giving "pirates" a bad name.

WSJ: Real Pirates have taken the "Ho Ho" out of "Yo Ho Ho" for Cap'n Slappy

Pirate solution - hire Israelis

2009-04-27T08:53:00.000-07:00

Israeli security guards drove off pirates in a speedboat this weekend. The pirates sprayed the bridge of an Italian cruise liner - who takes cruises off the Somali coast these days, anyway? - but Israeli security guards shot back.

According to the Guardian, this is the first exchange of gunfire between pirates and a passenger vessel.

Top 10 most dangerous places for pirate attacks

2009-04-24T12:31:00.000-07:00

1. Gulf of Aden

2. Somalia

3. Dar Es Salaam (Tanzania)

4. Nigeria (Lagos and Bonny Rivers)

5. Malaysia

6. Vung Tau (Vietnam)

7. Malacca Straits (between Indonesia and Singapore)

8. Colombia

9. South China Sea

10. Tema Roads (Ghana)

List based on International Maritime Bureau reporting center live piracy map showing incidents for 2009 to date.

pirates

Smashing Somali pirate network could play into al-Qaeda's hands

2009-04-24T11:41:00.001-07:00

Bottom line: attacker beware. Driving out the pirates in Somalia could play into al Qaeda's hands.

Had a good conversation with Bronwyn Bruton, the international affairs fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. I wanted to follow up with her letter to the NYT I commented on a few days ago.

The highlights:

The pirates are essentially businessmen who have a good thing going. They don't want al-Qaeda around since their involvement would invite serious American retaliation. In fact, when pirates have been captured, they've been very clear that they aren't terrorists but are just pirates.

Al-Shabab, an indigenous jihadist group with their eyes on government power, needs clan support to stay in power. So the clan in this case acts as a kind of check on al-Shabab. The clans, in turn, get a nice cut of the pirate ransoms that are doled out as part of the cost of doing business. It's a delicate balance - removing the pirate network removes a key source of income for clan leaders. Clan leaders would then be much more vulnerable to al-Shabab, which gets a lot of money from the Middle East.

There are elements within al-Shebab who would welcome al-Qaeda with open arms. And links - albeit tenuous ones - already exist between the organizations. Upsetting the pirate network strengthens al-Shabab, which in turn opens the door to al-Qaeda in Somalia.

There's some real concern that Somali emigres are coming back to the Somalia and being trained as terrorists. FBI testified to Congress about this concern, which seemed to be born out when it was discovered that one of the suicide bombers who was part of the 5-bomber attack in the Northern part of Somalia was an American citizen. Anything that further destabilizes the country creates a petri dish within which terrorism can flourish, grow, and eventually be exported.

Complex connections exist between pirates and the al-Shabab. Though there've been rumors of cross-training and gun running between the organizations, the pirates and al-Shabab have generally been separate.

The pieces of a very ugly puzzle are there, but they have been put in place yet. Though the pirates certainly need to be contained, smashing them completely could create a much worse situation.

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Pirate roundup

2009-04-24T07:23:00.000-07:00

Countries have pledged $213m to combat pirates and boost security in pirates. And boost stability. Er, that's a long term plan, right? More than $200 pledged to beat Somali pirates, CNN.

Kenya taking lead in prosecuting pirates. Maybe we need to extradite Mr. Muse to Nairobi. The West turns to Kenya as piracy criminal court, NYT.

Taking advantage of the instability around the piracy situation, "Terrorist" Sheik Hassan Dahir Aweys has arrived in the Mog as opposition leader to revive anti-government Islamic forces. File this one under "ominous developments". Leading opposition figure returns to Somalia, Christian Science Monitor.

pirates

African American Rear Admiral in charge of counter-piracy efforts

2009-04-24T02:48:00.000-07:00

Nice piece on Rear Admiral Michelle Howard, an African-American who was put in charge of counter-piracy efforts for the US Navy three days before the US cargo ship Maersk Alabama was captured. After the dramatic rescue, Rear Admiral Howard says the mission for the US is still to deter and disrupt piracy off Somalia. Task force commander was busy first week, Navy Times.

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Karon: support for the pirates in Somalia

2009-04-23T13:39:00.000-07:00

Had a brief exchange with Tony Karon today about his piece on WNYC. He mentioned that one thing he left out of his interview was the fact that the Somali rapper K'naan, who has been featured on Morning Edition previously, recently told a Canadian newspaper that the pirates had been "provoked" by toxic dumping, fishing etc, and that they "had no choice" -- he also said that while no one had been killed by the pirates, some 300 Somalis had died from the effects of toxic waste.

His point is that whether or not these figures are right, it reflects that there is a basis for the widespread wellspring of sympathy for the pirates among Somalis.

Perception is reality.

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Dubai denies pirate money laundering

2009-04-23T12:48:00.001-07:00

As Deepthroat would say, "Follow the money."

Dubai's police chief denies that the Gulf state's banks don't launder Somali pirate ransom money. This in response to a piece from Britain's The Independent saying that investigators have found a trail leading to laundering operations in Dubai and other Gulf states.

This is a good one to follow. Not as sexy as SEAL teams taking out bad guys, but an avenue with the potential of doing a lot more damage to the pirates.

pirates

Unintended consequences

2009-04-23T07:36:00.000-07:00

Daily Pundit has an interesting take - Somali pirate Muse says it's a fulfillment of his dream to come to America (even in handcuffs). Pundit says we might see more pirate attacks on US ships just as an excuse to be shipped to America.

Unintended consequence is more likely to be pirates targeting the US for revenge. But let's see if there's a wave of boat people claiming to be pirates swarming US ships. It would be like that movie "The Mouse that Roared" - a small nation seeking conflict with the US to wrangle benefits from the Americans.

We should be so lucky if events worked out that way ...

Tony K - prosecuting pirate in US not a good idea

2009-04-23T06:47:00.000-07:00

Tony Karon of Time magazine was on NPR today talking about the pirate situation in Somalia.

He made a couple of interesting points (if I can remember them properly through the morning haze):

Prosecuting the young pirate Abdiwali Abdiqadir Muse in the US (he was brought to New York two days ago) could create an incentive for focusing Somali anger on the US and lead to countermeasures against the US specifically. Islamic elements with ties to al Qaeda are ready to help on that front. This kind of trial will make Muse a hero back home.

The pirates have local support not only because they spend their money liberally but also because foreign vessels have been illegally fishing in Somali waters - literally stealing their livelihood. In addition, a UN report apparently claimed that ships have been dumping toxic waste in Somali waters, which has led to a spate of poisonings in Somalia.

It's a reprise of his piece for Time: Why New York is No Place to Try Somali Pirates.

Tony has a good blog too: Rootless Cosmopolitan, focusing primarily on Israel and Palestine.

pirates

U.S. gearing up to go after pirates

2009-04-22T08:14:00.000-07:00

The U.S. is looking at the successful rescue of Capt. Phillips as a template for how to deal with Somali pirates - commando raids to save hijacked ships and punitive expeditions.

Europe's response: no, thanks. "We don't want bloodbaths."

U.S. is more likely to get a friendlier response from France and India. They both attack the pirates. In India's case, they blew up the boat with both the pirates and the hostages.

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Op Ed in NYT - get America to lead

2009-04-21T06:36:00.000-07:00

An Op-Ed in the NYT today calls for President Obama to take the lead in combating the Somali pirates.

Among the 7 recommendations:
- Give ships the authority to attack pirate vessels rather than just chase them off
- Blockading ports that support piracy
- Enforce the exclusion of foreign fishing boats in Somali waters (one of the reasons that the pirates have enjoyed local support)
- Provide financial aid to Somalia and Kenya, among other states in the region.

This would probably work if it could be done. But it's a lot to ask and wholly unrealistic given the other issues the Obama administration faces. The pirates are primarily a nuisance that need to contained - small fry on the world stage.

The authors are Robert Charles Beckman, a director of the Center for International Law at the National University of Singapore, and Tommy Koh, ambassador-at-large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Singapore. As a tiny city state dependent on water-bound trade, Singapore has a vested interest in seeing a resolution to the pirate troubles. The nearby Strait of Malacca, a vital shipping channel, has plenty of its own pirate problems.

Op Ed: Pirates and the Law

Opinion: contain pirates, don't eliminate them

2009-04-20T02:32:00.000-07:00

Interesting piece a few days ago from Bronwyn Bruton from the Council on Foreign Relations - Disrupting Pirates' Networks. She argues that while the pirates of Somalia aren't great, they may be better than the alternative. She compares them to the mafia by saying the pirates need a stable and predictable environment in which to make money. With that incentive, they do maintain some order and have a vested interest in keeping out elements like Al Qaeda, who would challenge their authority and invite more international attention.

It's an interesting take on the law of unintended consequences where Bruton says that piracy is a better alternative to maritime terrorism. That's true, though she provides scant evidence that the pirates of Somalia are actually combating Al Qaeda or a real counterweight. Bruton introduces a much more interesting hypothesis - that Al Qaeda might ally with the pirates - but doesn't provide any more insight beyond stating that point.

In the same way we should consider turning the pirates against each other, we should look at a possible corollary to Bruton's idea - turn the pirates against Al Qaeda.

Presidents who killed pirates - try Jefferson

2009-04-14T14:13:00.000-07:00

There's a link making rounds showing how many pirates each president has killed. Obama has 3, and no one else has any.

To be fair, the "scale" doesn't go further back than McKinley. But anyone familiar with Barbary Wars knows that you can notch up dozens of pirate deaths to Thomas Jefferson. Most of those Barbary seamen who fought for Tripoli were pirates. Between attacks by Commodore Edward Preble and Lt.Stephen Decatur, as well as ship-on-ship attacks such as the victory of the USS Enterprise over the Tripoli on Aug. 1, 1804, you can credit Jefferson with more than 100 kills.

Lessons from Somali pirate standoff

2009-04-14T04:03:00.000-07:00

The SF Chronicle has a piece today talking about lessons from the Somali pirate stand-off that ended when Navy SEAL snipers took out three of the bad guys - Rescues from pirates teachable moment for U.S.

It's the same story we've heard for a while for land forces but transferred now to the sea - we're dealing with asymmetrical forces, ie. our large fleet navy v. small bands on boats. And another one we've heard a lot: the 1 million square miles of ocean is just too large to effectively patrol.

But the piece is a little short on actual solutions.

We've come a long way from state sponsored piracy on the high seas that characterized the Barbary Wars (1801 - 1805). In that case, America could attack and negotiate with a head of government.

A few options being mooted about in letters to the editor at NY Times:
- arm the crews. I don't think many captains are going to like this one
- move ships in protected convoys, like we did during WWI and WWII against German U-boats
- provide Marines or special forces for high risk ships. How are you going to be able to do that? Seems like a nice business opportunity for some enterprising gun-for-hire firm.

One I haven't heard but would probably be the most effective given the nature of the enemy: back one gang to fight another. Certainly distasteful, but if we can turn the pirates against each other, you have a chance of being successful without creating a vast naval watch system we can't support.

Piracy - check your listings!

2009-04-13T15:00:00.000-07:00

If the surge in news coverage isn't enough to satisfy your appetite for things piratical, Spike TV just greenlit a new reality series, Pirate Hunters.

Cameras will be mounted on two navy ships in the Gulf of Aden area off Somalia. Where's the sniper-cam? If we can watch smart bombs hit their target, this should be a real crowd pleaser.

Pirate map

2009-04-13T08:23:00.000-07:00

Great map from the IMB Pirate Reporting center. Its shows attacks and attempted attacks in 2008. See all the points off the east coast of Africa. Southeast Asia also looks like a good place NOT to take a little sailing trip.

Daring raid on pirates 200 years ago

2009-04-13T07:20:00.000-07:00

The dramatic ending to the Somali pirate crisis today is a good example of the kind of low-scale, daring attack that is the key to successfully combating pirates. Navy SEALs shot and killed three Somali pirates today and rescued hostage, Capt. Richard Phillips.

If you're looking for parallels or perhaps some lessons, you don't have to look very far. A little farther north, pirate states flourished along what was then called Barbary. Corsairs cruised the Mediterranean attacking merchants and holding prisoners for ransom. Plus ca change...

There's a good blogpost on the Barbary Wars blog that gives the details of Lt. Stephen Decatur's daring raid to blow up the USS Philadelphia, a 44-gun frigate that had run aground outside Tripoli and been captured in 1804.

Daring raid frees American captain; 3 pirates killed

2009-04-13T07:01:00.000-07:00

President Obama authorized an attack to rescue American hostage, Captain Richard Phillips. Navy SEAL snipers killed three of the pirates before swarming the craft and rescuing an unharmed Phillips.

Add that to the list of dramatic American assaults on pirates. These kind of low scale attacks, though risky, have proven themselves in the past. See my post about the raid Lt. Stephen Decatur led to destroy the USS Philadelphia, captured during the Barbary War, 1801 - 1805.

The name of the boat the SEALs were on when they attacked yesterday? The Bainbridge, named after the captain of the USS Philadelphia.

My blog about pirates

2007-03-30T11:57:00.000-07:00

My first post. This blog is going to be the destination for "all things piratical". Sounds intriguing. See also my other blog Barbary Wars about the Barbary Wars, 1801 - 1805.