US Navy Captures Pirates of Somalia Coast

In November I wrote of the growing problem of piracy off the coast of Somalia. So far 23 vessels have been captured by pirates, their crew ransomed and the funds possibly financing Al-Qeada. The situation had become so bad the UN famine relief effort had to discontinue food shipments by sea and revert to much more costly and inefficient overland routes.

The current emergency is complicated by some 14 years of fighting between warlords and chronic insecurity in much of the Horn of Africa country.

Continued conflict and piracy on the coast have prevented delivery of humanitarian food shipments to Somali ports while rival militia controlling roads and checkpoints demand payment for safe passage.

Finally, as is often the case, the US has come to deal with the problem. Last time I checked the US was not the only nation with a navy, but someone has to be the grown up so we have sent ships to secure the shipping lanes near the Horn of Africa.

U.S. Navy vessels pursued a suspected pirate ship in the Indian Ocean off Somalia's coast and fired warning shots to capture its crew on Saturday, U.S. Navy Forces Central Command said.

The guided missile destroyer Winston S. Churchill and other U.S. naval forces located the vessel after receiving a report of an attempted act of piracy, but it failed to respond to orders to stop.

"Churchill began aggressive maneuvering in an attempt to stop the vessel. The vessel continued on its course and speed. (Then) Churchill fired warning shots," said a Navy statement.

"(Later) Churchill fired additional warning shots, and at that time the crew of the suspect pirate vessel established communications by radio and indicated that they would begin sending personnel to the Churchill via their small boat in tow."

The crewmembers were seized and U.S. Navy sailors who boarded the vessel discovered small-arms weapons on board, the statement said. It did not say how many suspects were held.

I wonder if this will be made an example of American Imperialism by the likes of William Blum, author of Osama's most recent book review "Rogue State: A Guide to the World's Only Superpower". R. Blum who's book inspires many of the tinfoil hat crowd teaching on American collage campus' has experienced a windfall in the wake of Osama's endorsement of his work.

"I was not turned off by such an endorsement," he informed a New York radio station. "I'm not repulsed, and I'm not going to pretend I am." He patiently reiterated the thesis of his foreign-policy critique - that American interventions abroad create enemies.

So according to Blum this intervention will only increase the enemies of the US. Makes me wonder how many friends we would win if we just let the people of East Africa starve because of the pirates.

Basil's