Tuesday, October 07, 2008

Somali Pirates

There is currently a standoff between Somali pirates holding a cargo ship and the US Navy and soon the Russian Navy.

There are some, Somali and others, who defend the motives and interests of the pirates. On a radio discussion of this current crisis, On Point: Pirates and Power at Sea, there are many Somalis who called complaining and excusing the motives of the Somali thugs. Hussean Fiin of Ceegaag.com, a Somali-American forum, defends piracy by quoting an American terrorist.
The world neglected Somalia for eighteen long years, Injustice, killings, Raping, diseases, Hunger, is what is known about Somalia, The civilized world allow this thing to go on in Somalia so I will say about what is happening(pirates) ‘Chickens Coming Home to Roost’ Malcolm X.
Somalia has not an easy time of it for some decades. The breakdown of state order has meant an undefended coastline. Illegal dumping of toxic waste and illegal fishing have flourished. Somali is also a land of desperate poverty. At first Somali fishermen were merely defending their fish stocks. Later on better financed operations pirated ships further from shore for more than fish.

That Somali is a hell hole is the nobody's fault but themselves. About 15 years there was a major international effort to save Somali from anarchy and civil war. It collapsed after the Somalis demonstrated they would rather have anarchy than order, their own tyranny than another's freedom. If Somali is hell it is because it is filled with Somalis not just other people.

Defensively shipping companies need to revive the practice of convoys. Even if this would lead to more shipping delays and port congestion. Major naval powers need to degrade offensive Somali maritime capacity by destroying ports and coastal communities. Ultimately land needs to be taken for foreign bases to deal with the pirates. A generation or so ago there was foriegn military bases in the Horn of Africa. This stoppped the locals from being too stupid. Aden is needed again.

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