Private Sector Versus Pirates?

Should low intensity threats warrant an expensive high intensity response?   Perhaps the private sector can offer flexible and less expensive solutions than nation-states.

Last week, Doublethink magazine interviewed John-Clark Levin the author of Private Anti-Piracy Navies: How Warships for Hire are Changing Maritime Security.  Levin argues that small scale privately run outfits can offer better security at a lower price than national navies.

Piracy, especially in the Indian Ocean, has escaped the front page, but remains a threat to shipping and leisure cruising.  Other reports indicate that threats in other parts of the world have outstripped the danger lurking in the waters off of Somalia.  While 851 suffered attack off the coast of that quasi-country this year, nearly a thousand have been fired upon off of West Africa.

Like any other criminals, pirates take advantage of opportunity.  The worldwide global downturn left many nation-states cash strapped.  International flotillas from the West made the Indian Ocean more perilous for pirates, so they simply follow the advice of Wee Willie Keeler.  "Hit it where they ain't." 

"They ain't" in West Africa and other vulnerable areas, such as the Indonesian archipelago.

The Somali pirates themselves have become more sophisticated in choosing prey.  In the past several months, their attack to boarding ration has increased significantly.

Levin argues that western warships come with huge operational pricetags.  Warships cost hundreds of millions of dollars, using up tons of fuel, patrol sea lanes.  National taxpayers waste too much money on the maritime equivalent of an M1 Abrams patrolling a bad neighborhood.

In contrast, Levin says that a private firm could patrol the same areas and respond more flexibly and effectively for $35,000 or so per day. 

One obstacle to using private firms to police the oceans is international law.  Although this remains murky on the issue, American law is clear.  Congress has constitutional authority to issue "letters of marque and reprisal" under Article I Section 8 Clause 11.  Foreign Policy recently advocated their use against China in cyberspace.  Private anti-piracy forces would harken back to the more traditional sense of the term. 

Another option for Western forces would be to establish a more flexible command with low tech weaponry.  For the cost of deploying a handful of frigates, the Navy could build World War II type PT boats, such as the one commanded by John F. Kennedy in the Pacific.  Armed with several .50 calibre machine guns and torpedoes, they would be less expensive to run, but more numerous and deadly to pirates.  The World War II tactic of hiding small warships inside of dummy freighters to lure attacks would also be effective here.  

Stopping piracy requires executing a simple equation.  Make the cost of "doing business" higher than the rewards of success.  Along the way, American strategists need to also find solutions that are cost-effective, yet still accomplish the mission and keep professional soldiers as safe as possible. 

Pirates Take on Capitalism and Lose While Democrats Admit That Cap and Trade Is Really a Substantial New Tax

Pirates attempted to attack an Italian cruise liner named Melody and came away singing some sour notes.

Far be it for BBC or other news networks to report this, but the attack was thwarted by an Israeli security team hired to protect the liner and passengers. It shows that what is actually a low grade threat perpetrated by low rent thugs can be handled in a sophisticated and effective manner by trained private sector professionals.

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Meanwhile even Democrats from states with manufacturing and mining interests continue to criticize the Obama Administration's continued push towards cap and trade regulations. They could not get it past Congress, so they had the EPA declare that climate change was a threat to the nation so the executive branch could enact it anyway.

Congress must step up to prevent the administration from rendering them powerless on an issue that will damage the economy and destroy jobs. Especially as global warming advocates have been disappearing fairly quickly as of late.

Representative John Dingell, Democrat from Michigan, fired away at Obama's enviromunists by saying "Nobody in this country realizes that cap and trade is a tax - and it's a great big one."

Where will our congressmen and women stand on this? We know that Capito and Byrd have stood up for their West Virginia constituents on this issue. How about the rest of them?

Why the Negative Reaction to Killing the Pirates?

You knew it was coming. First story I read this morning on the AP wires talked about reaction from some around the world about how American actions will usher in a new round of violence from the pirates.

It's typical. The pusillanimous reaction from some is sickening. Some have emphasized in the past week that shipping companies prefer to pay the ransoms since they only make a small dent in their profits. Maybe other countries. Not the United States. We do not deal with terrorists, whether they are ideological, religious, or simply gangsters.

The Somali pirates do not pose a danger to the civilized world if we and other countries respond with force. Messing with some countries earns the pirates millions of dollars. Messing with the United States earns them death. Now they know that even Barack Obama will not bow to their foolishness. Our government does not pay ransoms, whether to kidnappers in our own country or terrorists abroad.

Since these are for profit terrorists, they will turn to the path of least resistance. For decades, shipping and cruise line companies have turned to using the flags of small nations with laws that grant great latitude. They did not need the protection of the United States. Piracy, we can be sure, is not going to go away. Ships registered with Panama and Liberia are now under threat. Ships with flags of nations such as the United States and India will be safer since both nations retaliated with decisive force. We should start seeing an increase of ships registered under the US flag. Decisive action protects our interests in the long run. Weakness invites more aggression.

As far as Somalia is concerned, going into that country again should be done in conjunction with other nations. In fact, regional African powers ought to take the lead with the United States providing logistical support. Taking the lead on the ground is risky in any circumstance. Building up a structure in Africa so that they can handle their own problems is a better move than trying to provide for them. Logistics and air support are powerful and appropriate ways to help any Somalia mission.

I would not be shocked to hear of air strikes in Somalia soon. We have taught them a lesson on Easter Sunday. Now we need to make sure that lesson was well learned.

Messing with the United States earns you death.

Proud to be an American

200 years ago Islamic Pirates attacked ships off the world’s coast lines. They captured crews and ships and held them for ransom. It was then and seems to be now the policy of most of the world’s nations to pay the ransom and move on. Let’s face it, it is cheaper than confronting them, but it does nothing to stop the problem.

When the Islamic Pirates tried the same thing with a newly formed nation of the world, they found something different. At first the new nation tried to negotiate. In 1786 Thomas Jefferson and John Adams tried to negotiate with a representative of the terrorist. They were told, “It was written in their Koran, that all nations which had not acknowledged the Prophet were sinners, whom it was the right and duty of the faithful to plunder and enslave; and that every muslim who was slain in this warfare was sure to go to paradise” by Sidi Haji Abdul Rahman Adja.

This didn’t set well with the new nation and they responded in a way that the Islamic Pirates didn’t figure. The young nation sent its Navy to take on the pirates. On August 1^st, 1801 the frigate USS Enterprise engaged and defeated an Islamic Pirate ship in the Mediterranean that had been attacking US shipping. It was the first time that a nation had stood up to the Islamic terrorist. For the next few years the US Navy patrolled the Mediterranean defeating the terrorist on the high seas and US Marines attacked on shore. The battle of Tripoli, Libya is remembered in the Marine Hymn as one if the first overseas battle of the US Marines and it was against the Islamic Terrorist.

Fast forward almost 200 years and Palestinian Terrorist capture the Italian cruise liner Achille Lauro On October 7, 1985. They single out a defiant American in a wheel chair, Leon Klinghoffer, shoot him and throw him overboard. Islamic terrorist are extremely brave. After local authorities negotiated with the terrorist they were allowed to fly to Tunisia as had happened many times in the past with terrorist. This time it was a little different as couple US Navy F-14 Tomcats showed up and forced the plain to land in Italy. Again we don’t react like the rest of the world.

September 11, 2001 America was attacked by terrorist, but once again Americans reacted differently. On Flight 93 with knowledge of what was going on Americans took the initiative and attacked their highjackers. Unfortunately they lost their lives, but they stopped further deaths in Washington. The terrorist never expected Americans to fight back, but they should have.

Off the coast of Somalia, like 200 years before, Islamic Pirates attacked a US cargo ship. They expect the crew to acquiesce like other nations, but true to form the American crew fought back. The captain Richard Phillips allowed himself to be taken hostage to protect his crew and the ship was retaken by its crew. The captain now a hostage escapes only to be recaptured, but the second time he escapes the US Navy, like 200 years before is ready. With Captain Phillips in the water the Navy finished the negotiations for his release with hot lead. Not a result the Islamic Pirates expected.

Problem is, they should have expected it and the rest world should expect it. For more than 230 years we have been reacting the same way, starting with our revolution when a bunch of farmers took on the most powerful military in the world to overthrow tyranny. We believe in freedom and whether we are in the military or not we will defend our freedom. We don’t wait for help to arrive we take the initiative.

I have always been proud to be an American, but today I stand a little taller, walk a little prouder and see the colors of the flag a little brighter. I am not the rest of the world. I am an American.

Somali Pirates, Q-Ships and Convoys

As early as 1783 Islamic Pirates were attacking US Merchantmen off the coast of Africa capturing them and demanding ransom. In 1786 Thomas Jefferson and John Adams tried to negotiate with a representative of the terrorist. They were told, “It was written in their Koran, that all nations which had not acknowledged the Prophet were sinners, whom it was the right and duty of the faithful to plunder and enslave; and that every muslim who was slain in this warfare was sure to go to paradise” by Sidi Haji Abdul Rahman Adja.

On August 1^st, 1801 the frigate USS Enterprise engaged and defeated an Islamic Pirate ship in the Mediterranean that had been attacking US shipping. It was the first time that a nation had stood up to the Islamic terrorist. Europe then as now just paid ransom and practiced a process of appeasement with terrorist. For the next few years the US Navy patrolled the Mediterranean defeating the terrorist on the high seas and US Marines attacked on shore. The battle of Tripoli, Libya is remembered in the Marine Hymn and was the first time America took on the Islamic Terrorist and won over 200 years ago.

Today the Islamic Pirates are at it again off the coast of Africa. They captured another US Merchantmen, the “Maersk Alabama,” but unlike the other Merchantmen of the world, the US crew fought back. After 200 years the Islamic Pirates have forgotten how Americans react, but the US Navy must respond as it did 200 years ago.

The world has changed, but the one thing the terrorist understand hasn’t and that is a show of force. We learn from our history, or at least we should. Two things that have worked in the past will work here. The first is to form convoys as was done in World War I and II. This is where merchant ships form a fleet and are escorted through hostile waters by armed naval vessels. This has worked in the past and will work here. The Somali Pirates would be fools to take on actual warships.

Since the Islamic Pirates are not likely to attack an escorted convoy, they will look for easier prey, those lone ships that wander into their hunting ground. This is where the Q-Ships come in. Q-Ships were used to lure German U-boats to the surface in both World War I and II. The Q-Ships look like normal merchant vessels, but in reality caring no cargo. They are crewed by navy personal, carried hidden heavy weapons, and the cargo holds are filled with empty oil drums to keep them afloat should they be damaged in battle. When the U-boats would surface to attack the unarmed merchantmen, the Q-Ship reveals its armament and attacks. Today a modern Q-ship would be the perfect weapon to take on the Muslim Pirates and destroy them, leaving enough survivors to warn other pirates that all merchantmen are not what they appear. On second thought leave no survivors, let them all come out to engage the Q-Ships.