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Modern Piracy
Apr. 11th, 2008 09:44 amSince I've been writing a series of novels based on space pirates, I have been following the various modern pirate attacks off the Somali coast and elsewhere. I note that the Associated Press reports that pirates have released the luxury yacht Le Ponant, formerly being held in Somalia. The ship, really a luxury small cruiseliner, was captured April 5th. According to the news release, the release was "peaceful." Methinks in the original French this read "somebody paid the pirates."
This is not terribly surprising to me. The Europeans have a long history of paying off pirates, going back at least as far as the Danegeld paid to Viking raiders in the Middle Ages. To France's credit, naval and military forces were dispatched, but it appears that they were used as bargaining chips to reduce the price. We've not seen the last of the Somali marines or the other groups active on that coast.
Unfortunately, Somalia is an ideal place for piracy to flourish. There is no local navy, the government(s) are weak and fragmented, and it's far enough of the beaten path that attacks aren't perceived as broad threats. There are bad people everywhere, and if not kept in check by somebody, sooner or later they'll get organized and become a real problem.
This is not terribly surprising to me. The Europeans have a long history of paying off pirates, going back at least as far as the Danegeld paid to Viking raiders in the Middle Ages. To France's credit, naval and military forces were dispatched, but it appears that they were used as bargaining chips to reduce the price. We've not seen the last of the Somali marines or the other groups active on that coast.
Unfortunately, Somalia is an ideal place for piracy to flourish. There is no local navy, the government(s) are weak and fragmented, and it's far enough of the beaten path that attacks aren't perceived as broad threats. There are bad people everywhere, and if not kept in check by somebody, sooner or later they'll get organized and become a real problem.
