In recent news, Captain Richard Phillips was released by Somali pirates. These pirates apparently did not want to die immediately. They were under the gun from the USS Bainbridge, and had Captain Phillips been killed, their lives would have been forfeit.
The American Merchant Marine has a long history of dealing with some pretty severe circumstances, from blockade running to avoiding U Boats during WWII. During WWII the US Merchant Marine had casualty rates second only to the Marine Corps.
The following link gives piracy reports worldwide: http://www.icc-ccs.org/index.php?option=com_fabrik&view=table&tableid=26&calculations=0&Itemid=82
Somalia is a very poor country. We all know that. We have seen Blackhawk Down and the news during the late 90’s. This is one of the things that make piracy an attractive career. Have machete, will travel. Most of the times Somali pirates are just take ship’s cash or valuables. Recent trends indicate however, that piracy groups are starting to work with Islamist militant groups in the region. We have to remember that the particular part of East Africa is in constant turmoil, and poverty, and thus is extremely susceptible to radical influence. It will come as little surprise when someone is attacked by Somalian Jihadis.
Now, congratulations to the crew of the Maersk Alabama. They were courageous in defending the vessel, and deserve to be lauded for their labors. Hopefully Captain Richards will see some paid vacation or financial reward for his hardship.
This story goes to an important point, the benefits of flag. The issue here is that the US Merchant Marine is under the American Flag. That flag carries with it the protection of the United States Navy. So, Somali pirates who might be reading my blog, don’t fuck with the US Merchant Marine. You were unsuccessful at taking a middle aged man from New England hostage. You might want to think of a new line of work.
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