The Return of the Buccaneer

Among the problems that foreign policy experts thought — or hoped — had been locked away in the drawers of centuries passed was the irritant of piracy. Yes, buccaneers, many imagined, had been relegated to history books and Disney theme parks. Perhaps the silver screen if things truly got unruly.

Last September, though, alongside the capture of a Turkish vessel carrying 33 Russian T-72 tanks off the coast of Somalia, a great deal of media attention flourished to the piracy pandemic around the horn of Africa.

In 2008, more than 160 ships were assaulted in the Gulf of Aden, 43 of them being held for ransom. The commandeering brought over $100 million dollars into the failed Somali state, most often in the form of crisp U.S. $100 bills, dropped by helicopter onto the decks of pirated vessels.

Following the burst of international attention, patrolling of the crucial trade route was substantially increased. In January, representatives from 24 nations met at the U.N. to discuss the problem. Now, an international armada from 16 countries and comprised of some 20 war ships patrols the strategic straits between Yemen and Somalia.

But the pirates, not surprisingly, have adapted. Over the past weekend they captured five ships in 48 hours. This time, the attacks took place much farther south, off the coast of Kenya, where patrolling by international warships isn't nearly as tight. One of the ships, a German freighter, was captured 400 miles off the coast.

For the African pirates, who work out of small, outboard-motored vessels that look better fit for a placid Third World lake than the open sea, such a capture is a considerable achievement; and one that will likely fetch a hefty reward.

In Somalia, which has lacked a government since 1991, pirating has become a major profession. Last year it was reported that in the costal town of Hobyo, a pirate hotbed and former fishing town, all but four of the local 80 boats were being used for pirating.

Another problem baffling the anti-pirate brigade centers on prosecution. Many of those detained have been simply released back to Somali shores. Few nations, naturally, are interested in expensive prosecutions and detainment for the fugitives. The Netherlands is one of the two nations that have brought alleged pirates home to face trial, the first time the kingdom has seen such proceedings since the 17th century.

It should be noted that 25 percent of the world's oil passes through the crucial waterway in question, and the capture of a single tanker last year briefly moved the market by $3 per barrel.

The problem, however, has a good chance of becoming much larger. The threat of global warming, we should expect, will have a substantial destabilizing effect on countries of the Third World. Food shortages, difficulties procuring water, increased damages and loss of life from natural disasters, and human migration as people attempt to adapt to changing patterns of agriculture and global commerce will likely lead to a more hostile globe.

The root of the problem in Somalia ties to its absolute lawlessness, but severely weakened central governments could have just as much trouble curbing piracy. The west coast of Africa, northern Africa, and the Strait of Malacca are each situated as a crucial link in the chain of global commerce.

We need to recognize that this is a problem that can't be solved with last century's tactics. Three-hundred-foot warships are an obtuse and failing solution for what may turn into a much larger phenomenon in coming years. Strengthening and building local governance, more than extraditions and trials thousands of miles away, are our best bet against a centuries-old phenomenon.

Brian Till, one of the nation's youngest syndicated columnists, is a research fellow for the New America Foundation, a think tank in Washington. He can be contacted at till@newamerica.net. To find out more about the author and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

COPYRIGHT 2009 CREATORS SYNDICATE, INC.