We’ve all heard about the latest success of the Somali pirates — capturing a Saudi-owned supertanker. Big score, if the ransom is paid. Or even if it isn’t. Personally I don’t understand why ships sailing through areas of known pirate activity don’t carry armed guards or have armed escorts or something, but that’s another post.
Take a look at the map of piracy around the world just this year. I’d been thinking it was all in Mideast waters, fomented by all the wars and political unrest, but obviously I was mistaken. This map is live on the web site of the ICC — the International Chamber of Commerce. You can zoom in on the pips and read the details of each report.
Pirates alive and well all over the world. Still. Who knew? Yo ho ho, baby. Pass the rum and cancel that cruise I had scheduled.
Do you remember not long ago where there were pirates taking shots at that cruise ship? This is interesting…. I’ll have to check on that live map- you always seem to know where all the cool stuff is!
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Yep, and the very first pip I zoomed in on was a yacht! I’ve never been particularly attracted to the idea of a cruise, and this did nothing to change my mind!
Back in the 70’s, when the mob was knocking over semi trucks, the truckers did not ask for help from the authorities. They took up arms themselves and turned the tables on the gangsters. It won’t be long before these shipping companies hire on mercenaries to protect their investments. In fact, I know a couple of Marines who could use the cash.
In other news, I noticed on your map that there have been no attacks on the east coast of the United States. Could it be because Thomas Jefferson set a precedent 200 years ago: “Pirates are not welcome in our water”?
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“Hello, Blackwater? You got a couple of guys who’d like to trade the desert for a cruise or two? … ”
And good point about our coast. Pirates would be crazy to try to operate out there where the Navy and Coast Guard are already busy looking for drug runners and illegal immigrant wannabes.
Sea pirates, in this day and age? But I have a feeling that governments will take this opportunity to get rid of them once and for all. Some have already done this.
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Governments may rise up and stamp out the current crop of Somali pirates, but I think as long as war and poverty exist in the world, we’ll have pirates somewhere.