The United Nations called on Sunday for international action against "a plague of piracy" off the coast of Somalia that is threatening to cut aid to one million people.Aye, lads! The UN's on it! The sealanes be safe now!
The U.N. World Food Programme (WFP) said the movement of aid supplies to the Horn of African country was under severe threat. In the latest attack on Saturday, a United NationÂ’s world food programme -contracted cargo ship narrowly escaped from hijacking 100 km south of the Somali capital Mogadishu in the port town of Merka, a source said. The pirates attacked the Jordanian-registered MV Victoria about 111 kilometres (68.97 miles) from Merka. It was on its way to the port of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania after delivering 4,000 tonnes of food aid to Merka.
The World Food Program cargo ship survived hijacking by pirates as soldiers hired to guard the Merka coast prevented the pirates from taking the ship. When the coastguards successfully rescued the ship from falling into the control of the pirates, there was an exchange of gunfire that lasted nearly an hour. One guard was killed during the gun battle in the Somali Indian Ocean, while it is unclear if there were any casualties on the pirates' side. The ship returned to Merka after the guards repulsed the attackers, WFP said.
| I suggest a small American naval task force. Perhaps the new littoral ships, perhaps a frigate or two. Whatever we could reasonably spare. With simple rules of engagement: sink the pirate ships on sight and hang the pirates on the yardarms after appropriate, brief tribunals. If we did that ... how long before the world would protest? |