The age of pirates returns with heists

ntil recently, many of us thought that pirates were a relic of the past, something that crossed our mind for only a brief section in American history (i.e.- the Barbary Wars) or when we see a blockbuster film starring Johnny Depp. Off the coast of Somalia, though, they are a living reality. The recent high-profile capture of the Maersk Alabama by Somali pirates, the subsequent raking of the ship by its crew, and the heroic rescues of its captain have shined a spotlight on a region that is typically considered a lawless stretch of land and sea.But how did this problem start? As one might suspect, its roots lie in the lack of state structure in Somalia. The collapse of the country’s government in the 1990s meant that there was no real way its citizens could rely upon a coast guard to enforce the sovereignty of its territorial waters. What began as groups of vigilante fishermen trying to protect their livelihood morphed into the dangerous pirate threat that faces international shipping today.What can be done to combat this? Some have suggested that finding a diplomatic way to arm merchant marine vessels may help serve as a deterrent. Others have said that helping the Somali state regain order is the best route to long-term growth. A military option, however, may not be viable, at least for the United States by itself. While several countries have armed vessels in the vicinity, they are few in number, and other countries lack the ability to enact force in order to increase this naval presence. If the U.S. Navy, with its considerable size, were to increase its presence in the region, it would not only be an expensive campaign, but may not be a totally effective option either.It’s also doubtful whether the American public would be supportive of another ground operation of any significant size within Somalia after the events of the 1990s. Even if such measures were focused solely on closing ports of operation for pirate groups, this would still not solve the core problem causing the threat.Though attacking pirate activities alone may not solve the issue, multilateral efforts to rectify the problem instead of just treating the symptom seem doubtful. Political capital for such movements is probably limited, and may mean that, for the time being, the international community will continue to face a grave danger along one of the most important routes of maritime trade in the world.