From Eaglespeak:Back in 2004, when the pirates of Somalia were small time operators, there was a perceived threat to world trade in the Strait of Malacca, where pirates were very active. At that time, there was a series of articles by Eric Koo (see here for links)which contained the conclusion:
Piracy and maritime terrorism are forms of asymmetrical warfare that non-state actors use as instruments in disrupting the peace and security of states. It is therefore necessary for navies to revamp and find new definitions for their role in the modern security context.
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My Comment: A long post, but one that is worth reading.