Looks Who's Coming For Dinner5th Fleet Focus: Pirates Not Our Problem
-- Information Dissemination
-- Information Dissemination
This is an important discussion. If you read it at face value, it can easily piss you off. The US Navy sells the purpose of the Navy in the 21st century as keeping sea lines of communication open to commerce, but statements like this make it clear the Navy does not see piracy as a threat to that strategic objective.
The U.S. Navy said on Monday allied warships were doing all they could to thwart piracy in the strategic Gulf of Aden, but shipping companies should take their own measures to protect their vessels and crews.
The warning came as it emerged Somali pirates had hijacked another vessel off the Horn of Africa on Sunday, bringing the total seized so far this year to more than 30.
The U.S. Navy said the international naval force CTF-150 had stopped more then 12 attacks since May. CTF-150 comprises of warships from nations including Britain, France, Canada, Germany, Pakistan and the United States.
"The coalition does not have the resources to provide 24-hour protection for the vast number of merchant vessels in the region," said Combined Maritime Forces commander, U.S. vice admiral Bill Gortney.
Taking a historical view it pains me to read this. One of the primary reasons he United States of America dumped The Articles of Confederation and wrote the Constitution of the United States was to gain the power of taxation, and the primary reason the founding fathers needed taxation was so the country could build a Navy for the specific purpose of fighting pirates.
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My Comment: Piracy is a problem for everyone.