Solutions for the Pirate Problem

[Kevin_Kennedy]

The latest Foreign Policy web-only exclusive, written by neoconservative J. Peter Pham, is an analysis of the Somali piracy problem, something Pham has been assessing for some time. The subtitle of the article "Why the U.S. Navy Can’t Win this Fight" is appealing in its prescience.

But what the author really means to say is that the U.S. Navy can only win the fight with the help of other navies, UN and US-led nation-building in Somalia (both in Puntland and presumably Somaliland which have functioning self-government, as well as in the southern Ethiopian-occupied Somalia, which does not).

Solutions for the Pirate Problem by Karen Kwiatkowski

 

[editec]

I found this interesting

Perhaps one of the companies formerly known as Blackwater will see new opportunities in private commerce protection. Of course, they’d need plenty of subsidies and guaranteed long-term contracts. No need to advocate decentralized market-based solutions just yet – let’s wait for more state-sanctioned war, more justification for American hostility and use of force around the world, more generalized fear here at home. Then, perhaps Xe or a subsidiary will jump in the game, complete with congressional blessings and taxpayer cash.

Yup...that the game the Republican wing of the Insider Party played during the Iraq war.

Have government pay private contractors to do what governments traditionally did. But pay THEIR CRONNIE CORPORATE CHUMS far more than a task would cost if the goverment did it, and neglect to mention that fact to the public who assumes (because they've been propagandized to believe it, even though it can be shown to be a big lie) that private contractors do the work cheaper than the goverment.


I also find this a particularly compelling statement, too

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[FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Whether the drug war, the poverty war, the war on terror, or the war on piracy – for our government, it’s always first things first. [/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif]Establish the moral high ground of the state, centralize decision-making, bureaucratize and internationalize the legitimate policy discussion, drum fear and uncertainty into the hearts of markets and populations, demonize the "enemy" and smear as co-conspirators any individual actors offering non-state solutions, and make the erstwhile victims as helpless as possible. [/FONT]

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Yup...that's how it's done. Instill fear, create an enemy, stampeade public opinion though a continuous stream of lhalf truths, outright lies and specious analysis.

And next we come to the privatization solution. Now this is important because the long range plan is to completely make goverments powerless.

So what the following is appeals to us because it sounds like we won't be paying for what happens, but it sreal purpose is to make goverments irrelevant.

Those of paying attention might remember that I suggested that privatizing the Somalia pirate problem was on the agenda about a month ago when the Somalia issue first came up on this board. At any rate read on..

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[FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif]We could lighten up on sovereign–greed oriented regulation on shipping companies and freighter captains, and let the real producers of wealth decide how to proceed. [/FONT]

The following actually does make sense...[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif][/FONT]
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[FONT=Times New Roman, Times, serif]We could take a look at where some of this ransom money is being laundered, and with no additional bureaucracy, easily shut down some of our white-collar friends. [/FONT]

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Instead, Washington is alive with possibility – tut-tutting excitedly about international or sub-regional coast guards, invasion of Somalia for its own good, academic study of the pirate tactics of 17-year-old boys, and the barbarous behavior of others.

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Uhm...what would you expect them to do, exatly/

NOT try to understand why Somalians have become pirates?

Well, I can probably get on board with the complaint that they'll waste money studying this problem, because PORK is a big part of which academics get money to study the obvious, but I can't exactly complain about the fact that academic studies have to be done in some cases.

 

[Ravi]

I have a hard time seeing how "they" will make us at home afraid of Somali pirates.

Anyone here quaking yet?

 

[dilloduck]

I have a hard time seeing how "they" will make us at home afraid of Somali pirates.

Anyone here quaking yet?

No but I installed a cannon on my pick-up. Bring em on.

 

[Gunny]

I have a hard time seeing how "they" will make us at home afraid of Somali pirates.

Anyone here quaking yet?

Of course not. How about you take an unarmed freighter through the Gulf of Aden? Think your perspective might change a bit from sitting thousands of miles away not caring about and marginalizing what happens because it's not happening to you?

I know I've seen at least one leftwingnut on here deflecting straight to Bush for doing nothing about them. How is that bad on Bush but it's okay for Obama?

The fact is, if we do not take action one way or the other, it's just a matter of time before the pirates end up with a US ship and a US crew demanding ransom and then it's too late.

 

[Terry]

how about rigging the outside of these ships with some sort of electrical charge...or something...maybe something that will sting, numb something...so when they go to climb up a ship...they won't be able to. *shrug*

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

how about rigging the outside of these ships with some sort of electrical charge...or something...maybe something that will sting, numb something...so when they go to climb up a ship...they won't be able to. *shrug*

Simply allowing the crew to be armed would make for an excellent deterrent and provide the necessary defense should a pirate crew decide to try and hijack any American ships.

 

[dilloduck]

how about rigging the outside of these ships with some sort of electrical charge...or something...maybe something that will sting, numb something...so when they go to climb up a ship...they won't be able to. *shrug*

that's pirate cruelty

 

[Gunny]

how about rigging the outside of these ships with some sort of electrical charge...or something...maybe something that will sting, numb something...so when they go to climb up a ship...they won't be able to. *shrug*

Too costly and complicated. The last attempt was made by pirates using RPGs and AK-47s.

One of these:

M136 AT4

will sink a raggedy little boat and its crew.

 

[catzmeow]

Perhaps one of the companies formerly known as Blackwater will see new opportunities in private commerce protection. Of course, they’d need plenty of subsidies and guaranteed long-term contracts. No need to advocate decentralized market-based solutions just yet – let’s wait for more state-sanctioned war, more justification for American hostility and use of force around the world, more generalized fear here at home. Then, perhaps Xe or a subsidiary will jump in the game, complete with congressional blessings and taxpayer cash.

I see no reason why our government should subsidize the corporate expenses of the shipping lines. Or, even why this would be necessary. Most U.S. companies have security staff in place, and handle their own security arrangements. The shipping lines are no different, and should be held to the same standard.

The U.S. navy should not be providing the backbone of global efforts in this area. it's time for other countries to do their part, and for the shipping companies to take responsibility for their own ships.

 

[Terry]

how about rigging the outside of these ships with some sort of electrical charge...or something...maybe something that will sting, numb something...so when they go to climb up a ship...they won't be able to. *shrug*

Too costly and complicated. The last attempt was made by pirates using RPGs and AK-47s.

One of these:

M136 AT4

will sink a raggedy little boat and its crew.

I see, my husband suggested for every hostage they take, we should drop a bomb on their village! of course he was just being emotional and not serious.

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

Perhaps one of the companies formerly known as Blackwater will see new opportunities in private commerce protection. Of course, they’d need plenty of subsidies and guaranteed long-term contracts. No need to advocate decentralized market-based solutions just yet – let’s wait for more state-sanctioned war, more justification for American hostility and use of force around the world, more generalized fear here at home. Then, perhaps Xe or a subsidiary will jump in the game, complete with congressional blessings and taxpayer cash.

I see no reason why our government should subsidize the corporate expenses of the shipping lines. Or, even why this would be necessary. Most U.S. companies have security staff in place, and handle their own security arrangements. The shipping lines are no different, and should be held to the same standard.

The U.S. navy should not be providing the backbone of global efforts in this area. it's time for other countries to do their part, and for the shipping companies to take responsibility for their own ships.

That was a sarcastic paragraph. The author is merely trying to point out that even if there was to be some kind of private defense company the government would undoubtedly involve itself.

 

[catzmeow]

That was a sarcastic paragraph. The author is merely trying to point out that even if there was to be some kind of private defense company the government would undoubtedly involve itself.

That's where an informed populace comes in to say to our government: "Stop subsidizing corporations."

 

[Munin]

My solution would be this:

We should make 1 traderoute through the sea that surrounds somalia and use all the international navy forces (that are made availeble for this) to escort ships through that traderoute (preferably with a convoy, so it is cheaper). all ships that deny the use of this traderoute should be fined by the international community (for taking irresponsible risks) and should pay a fine for the protection that their irresponsible action will lead to by not taking the international traderoute.

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

That was a sarcastic paragraph. The author is merely trying to point out that even if there was to be some kind of private defense company the government would undoubtedly involve itself.

That's where an informed populace comes in to say to our government: "Stop subsidizing corporations."

Which sounds good, but recent history shows that the government simply will not listen if it doesn't want to.

The history I refer to is the recent bailouts under the 110th Congress where our representatives were told by a vast majority of their constituents that they did not want this to pass, but our representatives simply decided to do so regardless.

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

My solution would be this:

We should make 1 traderoute through the sea that surrounds somalia and use all the international navy forces (that are made availeble for this) to escort ships through that traderoute (preferably with a convoy, so it is cheaper). all ships that deny the use of this traderoute should be fined by the international community (for taking irresponsible risks) and should pay a fine for the protection that their irresponsible action will lead to by not taking the international traderoute.

Why not simply allow these ships to arm themselves and defend against pirate attacks? Your suggestion would cost much more money, and punish people for no other reason than deciding that they were willing to take a risk. It's nonsensical.

 

[cbi0090]

My solution would be this:

We should make 1 traderoute through the sea that surrounds somalia and use all the international navy forces (that are made availeble for this) to escort ships through that traderoute (preferably with a convoy, so it is cheaper). all ships that deny the use of this traderoute should be fined by the international community (for taking irresponsible risks) and should pay a fine for the protection that their irresponsible action will lead to by not taking the international traderoute.

Why not simply allow these ships to arm themselves and defend against pirate attacks? Your suggestion would cost much more money, and punish people for no other reason than deciding that they were willing to take a risk. It's nonsensical.

One problem is that these ships are not reinforced to take on RPG's. They are generally single hulled ships that are capable of taking quite a beating by natural forces because they are actually designed to be flexible. They are not hardened to take rocket fire.

One way to protect them would be to operate in tight convoys protected by fast destroyers, provided by a government or a private company, with a clear mandate to sink anything approaching them, on sight.

 

[Munin]

My solution would be this:

We should make 1 traderoute through the sea that surrounds somalia and use all the international navy forces (that are made availeble for this) to escort ships through that traderoute (preferably with a convoy, so it is cheaper). all ships that deny the use of this traderoute should be fined by the international community (for taking irresponsible risks) and should pay a fine for the protection that their irresponsible action will lead to by not taking the international traderoute.

Why not simply allow these ships to arm themselves and defend against pirate attacks? Your suggestion would cost much more money, and punish people for no other reason than deciding that they were willing to take a risk. It's nonsensical.

Trading ships aren't made to engage pirates and are not allowed to do so (international shipping laws), giving these civilian ships arms would mean that civilians would be directly engaging pirates (which would cost many civilian lives, because civilians aren't trained for that kind of stuff but the Navy for example is already trained for this).


The only solution would be that all nations who have ships going through those waters would sent ships that could escort each convoy through those waters (which is already partly happening). My suggestion wouldn't cost more money, because you can use existing navy ships to secure civilian vessels. If the civilian ships would have to buy security then they would never be able to pay for as much security that a naval vessel (a destroyer for example) can give them.

This should be treated like the British treated German sub attacks in WWII: escort civilian ships.

 

[Munin]

My other solution is to trap pirates:

Let the military use civilian ships to lure pirates into a trap, using freighters as deathtraps for pirates. Since pirates are so eager to attack US ships, only one freighter under a US flag filled with US special forces should do the trick.

Why hasn't this happened yet?

Submarines could also be used to track pirate motherships/... to find the harbors from which they operate (so they can be bombed).

 

[dilloduck]

how about rigging the outside of these ships with some sort of electrical charge...or something...maybe something that will sting, numb something...so when they go to climb up a ship...they won't be able to. *shrug*

Too costly and complicated. The last attempt was made by pirates using RPGs and AK-47s.

One of these:

M136 AT4

will sink a raggedy little boat and its crew.

I see, my husband suggested for every hostage they take, we should drop a bomb on their village! of course he was just being emotional and not serious.

You are married to an EMO ??