Large-scale military action against pirate vessels and their bases of operations
Smaller-scale measures such as increased patrols and deterrence
Cargo and merchant ships should take it upon themselves to provide their own security
Other (specify)
Supposedly there is an old Muslin saying "and God made Somalia and laughed". Despite the recent arguments concerning poor fishermen etc there is no doubt the pirates are simply criminals out for money. The responsibility to patrol the coast is that of the Somali government, the failure to have an effective government is the Somali responsibility not the rest of the world's. The response should be direct and harsh as the French have been doing all along and perhaps the Americans are now. Fair warning should be given but those who live around the financiers of the pirates should understand that if they can't be arrested they will be bombed.
An exclusion zone could be proclaimed in the area giving any UN government the right to stop and search vessels for arms. It should be remembered that at present action is only taken if the pirates are actively attacking someone. An agreed resolution should be made as to which laws would be applied to people armed as pirates and those actively committing piracy. A court perhaps under the International court and and prison system could be set up in Kenya to deal with them paid for by UN members. This would help clear up the legal limbo the pirates operate under. The wealthier countries could also assist the adjoining countries to set up patrols with light vessels to counter the pirates.
Much of the problem here is lack of legal standing which could be solved at the UN. The other is the lack of capability of surrounding states which could patrol much cheaper than the use of heavy naval vessels. It would help to set a coordinating and tracking system similar to what the British used in ww2 which could coordinate convoys if so desired. Fairly light aircraft similar to that used for fisheries patrol could be used for patrolling. If desired it could also enforce Somali fishery controls.
Best is self defense. But one can take this role upto to some extent. So it has to be a judicious combination of good intelligence supported by Rapid Action Force support. Since this is in International waters all countries could rotate the role of Rapid Action Deployment. Good examples of effective combat against these pirates in the recent past are India, Malaysia and the US.
Better and workable suggestions should come from the crew of those vessles who were subjected to this menace.
Well the work of the CTF-151 should be expanded to include more ships and navies, and increased cooperation with Russia & China. It should be permanent and the scope of the patrols should be widened.
The fight MUST be taken to land but should only be limited to small-scale surgical missile strikes on land-based pirate hubs (no foreign troops should enter Somalia).
Until the Somali people & tribes band together and form a coherent functioning government this is going to be a long fight but the international navies must be persistent and above all aggressive, we know the pirates are.
Thanks,
Nebula82.
Hello,Originally Posted by anthonydg
I think your assessment does not stand up to closer scrutiny.
Shipping is a "time=money" issue so everybody is looking for the shortest and fastest route between two ports. Since there can be only one shortest and fastest route between two ports, the majority of the shipping will be moving along the same sea lanes.
Incidentally, this is why the pirates have no trouble finding ships: they already know where they are going to be.
Since the volumes of traffic are high and most of it is sailing the same course anyway, setting up convoys should be a snap. When you consider modern communications, navigation aids, the speed of modern cargo ships, network theory, etc., the proposition looks even simpler.
Consider also that the World Food Program is using convoys with NATO escorts to get corn ships past the pirates and into Somalia successfully and that pretty much sums up the argument.
Please don't tell me the United States and its Allies are not capable of doing something that the UN has pulled off!
Friendly disagreement kind of Regards,
William
Last edited by Swift Sword; 14 Apr 09, at 15:36.
Pharoh was pimp but now he is dead. What are you going to do today?
Let the Navy hunt them down and kill them.
Arm the ships and thier crew. No prisoners allowed. Bounty paid for heads.
Problem solved.
ALL MERCHANT SHIPS SAIL UNDER THE FLAG OF SOME "REAL" COUNTRY. SAID COUNTRY SHOULD PROVIDE ARMED GUARDS FOR SHIPS THAT SAIL UNDER ITS COLORS.
While longer term efforts are made on land to have a government that can keep security in Somalia, I like the stop gap idea of a convoy system.
If ships are coming down the Red Sea, escorted conveys through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden can be together. After the Horn of Africa, these conveys can be spit according to the directions, say some going East, and some going South.
A similar arrangement can be made for ships going up the Gulf of Aden into the Red Sea.
By whatever overwhelming means, make the act of piracy/terrorism a very unattractive option. Expedite their quest for 72 virgins.
Hi Everyone!
THe BEST response in my view is a combination of all three choices given.
Chuck Anderson
Like I posted in a previous thread all actions against piracy is covered by the constitution. The US needs to step up to the plate and make it so costly for pirates in terms of lives and materials that they will no longer see that crime as a viable income.
What does your constitution do in the gulf of Aden?
Send warships, ok, but constitution?
The US Constitution adresses only two crimes, Counterfeiting and Piracy.
One option Start arming all mechants and completely destory all ports within the Somali coastal waters. No place to dock nor unload ergo no safe haven and all you have is a parking lot.
Fortitude.....The strength to persist...The courage to endure.
Somalia should be divided amongst the world powers for colonization. That'll clear the problem right up.
"Only Nixon can go to China." -- Old Vulcan proverb.
There's nothing to take there. No major power would want to. Somalia is not a country, it's a place no one wants.Somalia should be divided amongst the world powers for colonization. That'll clear the problem right up.
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