The price of getting noticed

Well, a small sail/cruise ship has been attacked by modern pirates and the news lines are running hot – OK, so what about the other (ave) 400 ships that get attacked every year – Oh yes, that’s right, now I remember, these are only cargo ships manned by hard working but seldom over educated seaman, so nobody gives a dam.
For a start, what were the idiots doing there without some form of protection in the first place? This is one of the pirate hot spots; nobody in their right mind would sail into it, especially in such an enticing prize, without an escort or advanced training. Perhaps the answer to this will soon be made clear …

As with other conflicts, the good guys will lose the battle against piracy and the reason is very simple.
In Jim’s post he mentions: -

References 1. National Strategy on Maritime Security, Home Land Security, Sept 20, 2005 2. IAGS Energy Security: Maritime Terrorism, January 24, 2005 3. ICT International Institute for Counter-Terrorism, Al-Qaedas Maritime threat April 15, 2007

We don’t need any more talks/studies/think tanks/academic meddling/political correctness. What we do need is for all the above to be chucked into the garbage bin and somebody to stand up and say.
“This is wrong, these people are killers and are destroying lives, our life style and security – we will hunt them down and destroy them”. Then carry out the plan.
With modern equipment these people can be tracked, bases and organizations can be located, it is within our power to wipe them off the face of the earth – but we won’t be able to be squeamish about how it’s done and I wouldn’t expect any prisoners to be taken.
All actions must be swift brutal and have a definite conclusion, find, track, destroy, there is no other choice if you want this insidious trade terminated.

Naturally this isn’t going to happen because the ultra correct minority will block any such actions in the name of human rights, OK, let them get captured by pirates and see how much value the bad guys place on your ‘rights’. A further problem is that some governments, whilst, perhaps’ not actively supporting the pirate trade, turn a blind eye to situation, with perhaps, some religious and/or monetary considerations given.
Nobody was listening 35 years ago, nobody is listening now. Like most of today’s global conflicts they have been caused by the reluctance of the majority in elected government positions to have the guts to do what has to be done and unless some minor voices can get heard, this isn’t going to change.

I spent 25 years mixed up in preventing this and other forms of crime at sea – the joke is that, because of the weakness of global governments and the pandering of said governments to ‘political correctness’, I and my crew often had to step outside of the law to do it; this sure is one mixed up world. Let’s be clear on one vital point – although some piracy is simply carried out by gangs of thugs, these days the majority are attached to fanatical groups and monies from piracy goes into the funding of terrorist activities.

So, who is to blame – well, you are – every adult man and woman on this planet that reads this and other articles on the subject and doesn’t do anything, even if that is only lifting the phone or writing to your government representative, is guilty of negligence by omission. This is how this terrible industry has been allowed to flourish for so long, they know that Mr and Ms Citizen don’t give a dam and won’t make waves. So enjoy your self-centered little lives while you can, evil is out there and just waiting for the right moment; I know because I have seen it and nine of my friends that are no longer here to enjoy their lives, paid the ultimate price in trying to stop it.