Dealing with pirates

What's the difference between dealing with today's pirates and running the nazi blockade during World War 2?

Not much.

What did the U.S. and Canada do then to safely move ships across the North Atlantic?

Escort ships and armed merchantmen.

Pirates have become a scourge off Africa and in the Far East (China would do well to keep her warships closer to home).

With one exception, pirates approach merchant ships with impunity. The exception are ships flying the Mogen David (Israeli flag). They learned that crews are armed and prepared to defend their ships and cargoes.

I've heard whines that "the area's too wide to protect all the ships in transit."

Is it larger than the North Atlantic? No.

Granted, trying to send aid to a ship already under attack might be impossible, but let's return to the days of ship convoys.

During World War 2, nazi submarines took a heavy toll, but the protective shield provided by allied navy ships assured that most of the supplies would get through and that the nazi sailors would often pay with their lives.

To the best of my knowledge, the pirates - wherever they be - lack submarines. Their most sophisticated weapons, again, "to the best of my knowledge," are fast boats and shoulder-launched rockets.

Having worked for a ship company (Zim), I know that an idle ship is costing its owner serious money; on the other hand, having a ship high jacked by petty pirates is more expensive.

I am suggesting that merchant vessels assemble in safe waters, then - under warship escort, traverse the pirate infested waters. I am not suggesting every civilian sailor be armed.

Hopefully we learned our lesson from the USS Cole disaster and now if a ship - merchantman or combat - is approached by a "suspicious" craft, the approaching craft will be warned away before coming within pirate missile range or, failing that, be sunk at a distance.

Pirates are no different that land-mobile terrorists and should be treated similarly.

If other navies want to assist the US Navy, well and good. If not, let our operations be unilateral.

To paraphrase Shamai's counterpart, "Where there is no country, let us be the country" that does what is right and honorable.

Let the pirates keep the (US) Marines' hymn in mind as they contemplate attacks on our ships: From the shores of Tripoli to the Halls of Montezuma ...

Let our politicians remember those same words and give the Navy and Marines on the spot carte blanc to do what needs to be done.

If not Semper Fi then Semper Paratus !

Yohanon
Yohanon.Glenn @ gmail.com