Quote:
Originally Posted by Willravel
Avast, ye scurvy naves, perhaps this be less of a military issue and more the result of an economic and humanitarian disaster. We've made our dead-man's chest with this one and now we're surprised to be lying in it? Come, matey, the solution to Somalian piracy is to actually deal with Somalia. She was once a fine state, but she's no longer sea-worthy. It may be time to place the black spot and admit she's a failed state. Thar be solutions to this, though, and none of them be counter-swashbuckling.
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I think I liked it better when you were pretending to be a ninja and didn't say anything at all.
That's really the issue here. Somalia, for all intents and purposes, is completely lawless. There is neither central nor regional government. Warlords rule by might. Somalia's been a failed state for two generations - I don't think that there are many that will argue otherwise. Mogadishu is THE most dangerous place on earth, bar none.
I disagree, though, that there are solutions. The solutions for the piracy are simple - make it less attractive to the would-be pirates. They've been operating with impunity for the last few years with big payouts and little chance of reprisals. The insurance companies have been paying the ransoms when they have to - and as they are obligated to. The threat of death or prison will be taken seriously by these folks, I think. They will rattle sabers a bit then fade away as they figure out that a small open boat is NOT the place to be when facing an armed helicopter, drone or destroyer. I don't disagree with the tactics here - it is proven, after all, in the Caribbean, South China Sea and off the coast of Europe.
But so long as there are no opportunities and only death to face, piracy will continue to lure many Somalians who have no other good choices. And THAT is what needs fixing on shore.