It's not a question of a government not caring. It's a question of a government not controlling. It's anarchy out there. This high seas crime wave is a pirate free for all. There is no one to stop piracy.
What happened is this time last year there were between 100-150 pirates on the entire Somalia coast. Now there are closer to 1500. And, according to my sources, I'm told the waiting list is very long. The list of job applicants is long. Everyone wants to get into the act. Its Somalia's fastest growing industry.
Piracy is now a thriving business in the region?
Oh sure. Everyone along the coast is making money. There is a cottage industry that is built up around piracy. These little fishing villages -- these once destitute fishing villages -- are now layers of wealthy pirates. They buy more wives, more laptops and computer games for the kids. They buy SUVs and have new homes built. So this is the best game in town.
A lot of these attacks are resolved with payment of ransom. Isn't this encouraging more piracy?
Of course it is. Absolutely. You pay ransom, you encourage more hostage-taking. I hear so many calls for the Navy or the Marines to go in, like they did with the Barbary pirates, with guns blazing. But not even the military believes that is possible. When you have 300 men and women, right now, staring down barrel of loaded guns, there is nothing you can do about it. When pirates attack a ship, if the military can get there in time before they board the ship, they can prevent the attack. But once pirates are aboard the ship there is nothing even the most powerful naval forces in the world can do about it.
How do the pirates usually get OFF the ship without being apprehended, provided there has been some response to the attack?
Often the pirates, as part of the ransom deal, get safe passage back to shore. This was the case of the ransom paid for the release of the Svitzer Korsakov held for 47 days.
So, what can be done? If there is no government to care what happens or about public perception, is it simply every man for himself?
Every man for himself is certainly what the case is now. My thought is if Barack Obama wants to talk to our adversaries, maybe he will send someone to talk to the Islamic Court Union that once ruled Somalia. When they did rule Somalia, there wasn't any piracy. As soon as the Americans and Ethiopians kicked out the ICU, piracy came back with a vengeance.