It's about damn time.

[JimC]

The other thing I wonder is why "somebody" doesn't just go and clear out those Somali pirates in their nests. Attack helicopters at dawn...

... because their 'nest' is actually a small city or several; complete with women, children and an attendant service industry providing everything from food, education, health care and clothing to boats, weapons and ammunition.

This is not a handful of latter-day Long John Silvers but an entire, disenfranchised community fighting to survive in a forgotten corner of a failed state the only way it can. If anyone deserves 'dawn raids' and 'clearing out', it is the 'government' and 'rebel islamist' troops that have kept Somalia in a state of political, territorial and religious warfare for decades! Oh, and the western arms dealers that have grown fat on their misery.

A properly policed rule of law, based upon egalitarian principles, in Somalia is what is required - not more killing. Sadly though, the country has fuck-all in the way of oil, so international intervention is unlikely.

(And yes, I am simplifying the situation - but not as much as some.)

But neither does the world's merchant marine deserve pirate attack...

If it is too tricky attacking their lair, then arm the merchant shipping. No mistakes to be made about "honest fishermen" when they start closing in and waving AK47s. The right armament mix should blow them away quite nicely...

[Trolldor]

Dangle a Tavern Wench over Somali Ports and see who runs out screaming "A-har har har!"

[Clinton Huxley]

Maybe we could make Tony Blair "Pirate Envoy" as the Middle East doesn't seem to be keeping him busy.

[Rum]

Maybe we could make Tony Blair "Pirate Envoy" as the Middle East doesn't seem to be keeping him busy.

Or Jonny Depp?

[JimC]

Send in the gunboats!

[floppit]

Piracy is a growing business

Somalia is a unique problem as there is no effective central government and no navy to protect its territorial waters.

The country has also been at war for almost two decades.

As a result, many young Somali men are uneducated and have no concept of the rule of law. Piracy has now become a way of making a living.

Many foreign vessels fish in Somali waters ilegally, so militia groups have taken it upon themselves to tax those who do.

Pirate fisherman provide cheap fish for home markets and Somali pirates support their towns and villages.

That raises a key question: is helping your own people good or bad?

An organisation called 'Taskforce 150' has been in operation since 2003 to try and improve maritime security. It involves naval forces from America, Britain, Pakistan and many more.

Without help from other countries, it is very difficult to imagine whether Somalia will have sufficient resources and infrastructure to deal with piracy itself.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/docum ... rog2.shtml

I can't even find it in myself to hate the pirates, maybe because if I had their choices I don't know whether I'd be one of them.