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As the modern day global community and world
trade operations have become so dependent on
commercial shipping in order to keep ‘the
industrial machine’ running: Countless criminals
have seized the opportunity to exploit,
terrorize, hijack and even extort merchant
vessels on the high seas now more so than ever:
The bottom line? Desperate people who have
resorted to desperate measures, in order to
survive in impoverished nations, which are
wracked by poverty, famine, inflation,
depression, lawlessness and exasperating third
world standards of living… on all fronts. It
boils down to a simple way for them to acquire
money, sustenance and a deviant way of simply
surviving.
One might not take much notice in regards to the
entire enigma… but… it is estimated that 90% of
world trade and commerce if dependent on
international shipping!
That is a staggering figure when one considers
the scope, size and magnitude of today’s global
economy: Which as we know operates under the
dynamics and auspices of international
interdependency. No industry and trade? No
economy, profit or commerce… period! The
detrimental sociological, economic and financial
impact could reach into the billions eventually
as a direct result of global maritime piracy. As
global recession increases, coupled with
internal conflict in many third world countries:
Droves of ‘fed up and desperate’ individuals
have resorted to a life of piracy on the high
seas.
From
the Straits of Malacca to The Gulf of Aden:
Modern day ‘pirates’ are on the prowl and are
proliferating at an alarming rate. They are
brazen and in many ways foolishly arrogant,
coupled with being a bit (over)confident. The
financial impact and havoc which they wreak on
the global economy is and will continue to
worsen in the near future, as they continue to
expand their operations and execute
demonstrative assaults on merchant and
commercial maritime vessels around the world.
This clogs up open shipping lanes of course.
From the diplomatic side, society and rulers are
faced with another serious global
challenge/issue which has deep underlying side
effects that do not fare well for modern day
economics and global trade or commerce. This
concern of course carries over into the
industrial and corporate realm as well. Some of
the paramount issues that are inherent to this
enigmatic curse are the loss of human life,
serious personal injury of crew members,
insurance claims concerns, theft of high dollar
vessels and ships, money lost from delivery
delays, loss of business and commerce as a
direct result in eventual lack of confidence in
customers to utilize certain shipping lines,
fear and intimidation: The list can go on and
on.
With so much emphasis and the definitive fact
that global industry, trade, commerce and
economy depends solely on safe, secure and open
shipping lanes: Not one country on the face of
this planet can ill afford to allow the problem
of modern day piracy on the high seas to get any
worse that it is at this present point in time.
The need to eradicate and eliminate the
problem(s) will eventually be the only course of
action that will prove feasible on the economic,
political, corporate, diplomatic and foreign
affairs front(s).
As we speak scores of international naval
vessels from some 16 countries are patrolling
the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Somalia alone:
In order to deter the proliferation of piracy in
that region alone. The price tag that goes along
with that act of providing some sort of security
is staggering in itself.
A
taxed global economy is footing the bill to keep
the vessels in the region for security purposes.
Thus: Another burden on the global economy. Once
and if the perpetrators are actually
apprehended: The price tag goes up in regards to
the monies that are spent to keep them in
custody and actually try them in courts of law.
Steps have been taken to alleviate that cost as
well through agreements with regional
governments and authorities to some degree(s).
International naval and military forces face the
complex task of monitoring the region through
maritime surveillance and monitoring. This task
is carried out by a network of air, sea, space
and electronic assets and measures… to name a
few.
Intelligence gathering is the key and an
essential necessity in any military and law
enforcement campaign as well. Intelligence
gathering in respect to piracy, and terrorism,
is difficult in that the ability to provide
reliable information on piracy groups is
difficult to acquire. That aspect of monitoring
suspects and groups is easier said than done.
Once an A1 intelligence network is established
and the flow of good information is maintained:
The task of combating a criminal/terrorists
element(s) becomes a much easier task.
The
job and efforts of those involved becomes much
easier in performing the task(s) as well:
Whether they be law enforcement officials and/or
military units. It takes a painstaking amount of
work in establishing a dependable, legitimate
and reliable network alone of good informants
and more. That cost a lot of money to maintain
and provide as well. The costs keep mounting up
as one can easily see.
As the economic and political impact of
international piracy on the high seas broadens:
The economic, cultural and sociological impact
will worsen. International shipping is a huge
business and is pretty much the catalyst of
global commerce, trade and industry. If it does
not run smoothly… if you will… imagine the
impact that would or will have on the global
economy in the immediate future.
Allowing thugs and insolent individuals to
continue their heinous assaults on commercial
shipping and merchant vessels will only make
things worse. Piracy in recent years has also
reared its ugly head towards global cruise lines
as well. The list goes on and on! The hijacking
of the 'Maersk Alabama' incident, which
transpired back in April of this year between
the US Navy and Somali pirates: Provides a
staunch reminder of the danger and threat to
human life on both sides of the fence, which
comes to play in this manner of incident. US
Navy SEAL snipers were eventually employed to
end the five day standoff.
The
hostage situation was ended by the use of deadly
force in order to preserve the life of the
vessels skipper... Captain Richard Phillips.
Ongoing events have proven that this course of
action has not deterred the pirates activities
in the region whatsoever.
The business of piracy is broad and very
complex. There is a lot more to its global
outreach than just thugs shooting at unarmed
vessels and taking the crew hostage for ransom
money. With that: Viable solutions, coupled with
a hard line approach to maritime piracy/pirates
needs to be employed: As is the case in dealing
with terrorist groups.
The
funds which can be utilized in a concerted
global effort to eradicated piracy on the high
seas will go along way in saving the global
economy huge amounts of money in losses as a
direct result of piracy itself. You cannot
reason with insane and unreasonable people who
have a desperate, fanatical and insane agenda
which hinges on killing innocent people,
terrorizing them, robbing them, blackmailing
them, holding them for ransom, overthrowing them
and more… in a plethora of skewed, delusional,
psychotic, criminal thinking and anger.
Scenarios can and do pan out in a myriad of
ways, as the criminal mind(s) seek creative and
effectual ways to skirt or even counter law
enforcement officials and military intervention.
Piracy is not the only realm in which this fact
is applicable. Many merchant vessels are stolen
globally by pirates and used for smuggling
weapons, drug trafficking, terrorist activity,
black market, illegal human organ trafficking
and more. A dangerous scenario to consider:
Imagine if a stolen merchant vessel was
outfitted with a launch gantry in the cargo
hold, with an easily acquired black market SCUD
missile, which could be armed and/or outfitted
with a nuclear, chemical or biological warhead:
Then placed off the coast of the United States
in
range of a major metropolitan area and/or city…
by a terrorist group! Not a scenario that anyone
would want to come to fruition in any form or
fashion… period! As our Naval forces and those
of the international community continue to stay
on patrol in the hot spots of the world: The
task that they face is a daunting one that
covers hundreds of thousands of square miles.
Technology, weaponry and man power are key:
Coupled with a need to approach the entire
problem from a harsher angle with more decisive
action and tactics against international
maritime pirates. Political correctness is not
the manner with which any nation should employ
in dealing with these blatant criminals who can
and do threaten our very way of life, freedom,
economic prosperity, global stability and
security.
If
definitive action and a more rigid policy is not
employed, put in place or adhered to, the
pirates will only laugh in the faces of the
world’s mightiest naval forces and governments
and continue on their merry ways! That crime is
costing the global economy an awful lot of money
and sowing the seeds of fear within the merchant
marine community… to name a few. Maritime piracy
could eventually become the impetus for another
9/11, both for The United States and our allies.
The members of The G8 and The European Union,
along with the rest of the nations of the global
community, can ill afford to have that occur:
Especially now with the global economy in the
tattered state that it is in at this point in
time.
Source: TOAustralia | 
