The Beeb Beeb Ceeb on stopping Somali piracy

[unixronin]

“International efforts to thwart Somali piracy would appear to be floundering. Perhaps words from the 19th Century could offer a solution [...]”

A pretty good historical retrospective comparing the Somali piracy problem with the Barbary pirates and the suppression of the slave trade.

With Somali piracy still threatening shipping, it sounds as if modern navies need a few Captain Robert Denmans, or the like-minded American, Commodore Stephen Decatur.

...And I can’t find it in myself to argue with that.

Comments

[jilara.livejournal.com]

I've been muttering about how "Sometimes, gunboat diplomacy is a Good Thing."

For a Bondian sort of solution, I keep wondering if it's feasible to make a bait transport ship, sort of a drone ship, operated by remote. Sail it into the area, and when it's boarded, make it look like the crew are barricaded in, so you get all the pirates on board, trying to take over and break into the bridge or whereever. Then you push a button and ... BOOM. Problem solved.

[unixronin.livejournal.com]

I think the cost in terms of ships expended per pirate killed would be prohibitive. One ship per gang of four to eight pirates is a pretty lousy ratio.

[rbos.livejournal.com]

Gas. Doors go down, Sarin goes out.

[unixronin.livejournal.com]

I think the political consequences of having robotic ships loaded with nerve gas sailing around on remote control off the Horn of Africa would be just a little more than even Bush would have wanted to get anywhere near.