My 2 pieces of eight

I wonder what it is with the world today when we are afraid to fight intimidation head on. I think it starts in childhood, or even the womb. Kids that bully, bully their entire lives. Thugs stay thugs their entire lives. Maybe I am too JJ Rouseau about this, but if left unchecked, extreme natural-born behaviours become proclivities for vice and errant behaviour.

I hate saying "I told you so," expecially to the loud mouth whining and crying liberal tree hugging pedantics (note I did not say "neo-liberal", because liberals and conservatives alike are 'just' that, and not neo) who have a weak stomach for confrontation and sacrifice, but SOMALIA was, has been, is and WILL CONTINUE to be a problem unless we systematically and thoroughly root out piracy in the anarchy that is that Gulf of Aden coastal state.

Cause and effect, butterfly effect, whatever you want to call it. We failed to deal with the anarchist warlords in Somalia some 15-17 years ago (already that long ago?) when they were a thorn in the side of humanitarian aid, and instead were an abetment for burgeoning terrorists like the elusively reclusive OBL. That petulant child was not dealt with back then and now is no longer a young offender, but rather a REAL repeat, dangerous offender ( I mean both the metaphor of lawless Somalia AND OBL).

"Yes, but US OIL interests in the region caused the hegemony that sparked a class struggle on the international stage". OK, Che, lighten up and get edumacated. True, oil is enabling the terrorists, but only in giving them an asset to target and plunder for ill gotten gains and financial support for their arms supply. These tankers are held for ransom, and when businesses/K and R insurance policies pay up, it ENCOURAGES further piracy. Blaming the oil industry for Somalia's problematic piracy is like blaming the porn industry for a bank robber taking a pretty blonde hostage.

Moreover, piracy has been around for several mellenia, before Chirst was even a carpenter. In this case, the Maersk Alabama, blaming oil for ransoming a HUMANITARIAN ship is absolutely ASS-IN-INE [sic]. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you, this act of piracy was just, well, for once, I don't have a word for it.

What the ignorant masses fail to see is that history repeats itself - it's déjà vu. What the ignorant masses fail to see is that history repeats itself - it's déjà vu. Rewind to the Barbary Wars at the beginning of the 19th century. We see back then that Americans and merchants around the world were subjected to the terrors of high seas piracy, and these pirates terrorised with impunity - back then, the pirates' playground with North Africa. In response, the US sent MARINES into Tripoli. In the Halls of Montezuma To the Shores of Tripoli. Hmm...sound familiar? Stunning, the masses' collective lapse of memory...

The US Navy's response was both calculated and measured, but more importantly, appropriate. It was carried out with extreme prejudice, the way it should be. So with another 4 ships taken in as many days since the rescue of Captain Phillips, what do we do next? The old saying fighting fire with fire holds true. Like a rampant fire, you carefully inject an explosion that sucks up the existing oxygen, starving the fire and putting out the flames.

Arm the merchant vessels? A bit risky. That turns everything into Dodge City. Am I fan of hiring private security contracts, like Blackwater (A PERFECT place to put them after all their meddling in Iraq)? I think this is a great idea. But really, there are 2 existing options that work well, albeit underutilized. 2 words: blockade, convoy.

Blockade the waters off Somalia. We hear all about the problem being on land, only cutting off the tail of the snake, blah blah. Cut the hand of a thief and he cannot steal. Sure he still has a brain, but he'll think again lest he lose the other hand. Keelhaul the pirate ships, scuttle them. Station a blockade on the edge of Somali waters, or wherever the pirates are known to travel to and fro. The problem in this strategy is the tactical advantage the pirates would have in making and end run AROUND the blockade. Still, if the pirates are limited in movement, it will shut down their operations. If they have to go to Madagascar to launch pirate ships, then the HQs won't be far behind. Take way the line into Somalia, the pirates will move. OK, it may not solve the problem, but it makes it incredibly difficult to get around.

The convoy. To me the best solution. Sure coordinating the vessels is difficult, but if the UN/NATO navies run convoys several times a week/day, the pirates would be crazy to attack. It's not like they have submarines - yet. Even then, the sonar/anti-sub warfare equipment abaord these destroyers is such that detection would make sub attack next to impossible. There area already several battle groups in the area, running convoys makes sense. Yes, it becomes a global effort, but we are talking a major supply artery to the world - the shipping lane through the Gulf of Aden merits protection from these bullies. ESPECIALLY the humanitarian vessels.

A parting shot across the bow to all you conspiracy theorists espousing "No blood for oil": If you don't think that oil is important, the next time you get in your car, put your cardboard coffee cup (coffee brought to you on a freighter using diesel fuel) into your plastic cup holder, turn your plastic air conditioner/heater knob to HIGH, and/or your rubber windshield wipers to get the rain off of your windshield so that you can see beyond your plastic dashboard (not forgetting to turn the plastic knob ON for your defogger), put your car into gear using the plastic gear stick handle, push the rubber slip on your gas pedal so your rubber tires can turn on the asphalt road and contemplate your puny existence in this cosmos during your smog filled commute to work because you are too lazy to take the 5 hour bus ride in traffic.