Sign in Subscribe
Pirates

A Pirate Threat Off the Somali Coast: A Chance for US Navy Intervention

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

The US Navy, with more than half the major warships in the world, has been seemingly ineffective in combating piracy off the Somali coast. The recent attack on the US-registered ship Maersk Alabama may turn the tide, as the US Navy considers taking over the job of fighting pirates. However, the biggest hurdle is the outdated international law on piracy, which requires a warship to send a boarding party before opening fire. The US, not having ratified the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, may bypass this rule and take action against the pirates.

Key Takeaways:

  • The US Navy has more than half the major warships in the world, but has been ineffective in combating piracy off the Somali coast.
  • The recent attack on the US-registered ship Maersk Alabama may prompt the US Navy to take over the job of fighting pirates.
  • The US has not ratified the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, which requires a warship to send a boarding party before opening fire.
  • This loophole allows the US Navy to potentially take action against pirates without adhering to international law.
  • The new US strategy may involve declaring an exclusion zone off the Somali coast, where suspect vessels will be sunk without warning.
  • This approach may result in the death of some pirates, but also potentially innocent Somali fishermen who enter the zone by accident or in desperation.
  • The US has a responsibility to help stabilize Somalia, which has been plagued by anarchy for almost two decades.

Statistics:

  • The US Navy has over 488 major warships, accounting for more than half of the world's fleet (Source: The Guardian).
  • The area of ocean off the Somali coast where piracy is a threat is approximately 400,000 square miles (1.04 million sq. km) (Source: The Globe and Mail).
  • The public has been misinformed about the size of this area, with reported figures of "a million square miles of ocean" (Source: CNN).

Sources:

  • Gwynne Dyer, "The Pirate Threat Off the Somali Coast: A Chance for US Navy Intervention", The Globe and Mail, 2008.
  • The Guardian, "US Navy has more than half the world's major warships", 2008.
  • CNN, "Pirate hunting: A misnomer", 2007 (no date mentioned in original text, although article is from 2007).

Read more