After the U.S. Navy killed three Somali pirates holding an American container ship captain hostage, pirates have seized four ships in 48 hours. BBC News reports the most recent was a Greek-managed ship with 22 Filipino crew members. NATO Lt. Commander Alexandre Fernandes told Reuters news agency, "There was only three minutes between the alarm and the hijack... They attacked at night, which was very unusual. They were using the moonlight as it's still quite bright."
The pirates have vowed to retaliate against the U.S., and a plane carrying Rep. Donald Payne of NJ was shelled by mortars yesterday in Somalia. However, when asked if the attack was related to the piracy incident, Payne said, "I don't know, and I don't want to speculate." He did add that his fact-finding trip to the region was not publicized. While the attack didn't hit the plane, civilians were injured; the Star-Ledger reports that a "Islamic extremist group al-Shabab later claimed responsibility."
Yesterday, President Obama said he would "halt the rise of piracy," but the NY Times notes, "With the 'Black Hawk Down' episode in Somalia still etched in the American consciousness 16 years after two helicopters were shot down and 18 American soldiers were killed, Mr. Obama and his advisers are wary of becoming deeply involved in the region again. "
It turns out the pirates who were holding Captain Richard Phillips hostage were teenagers. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said they were 17 to 19 years old, "Untrained teenagers with heavy weapons. Everybody...knows the consequences of that." He added, "There is no purely military solution. As long as you've got this incredible number of poor people and the risks are relatively small, there's really no way to control it unless you get something on land that begins to change the equation for these kids."
And there's still awe for the work the Navy Seals did in taking out the three pirates: A military source told the Washington Post, "It was pretty remarkable that these snipers nailed these guys. You think of rough seas, 75, 80 feet away, and under darkness, and they got them. Three pirates, three rounds, three dead bodies." The pirates were also reportedly suffering withdrawal from not having khat, a plant with stimulating effects when chewed (it's banned in the U.S. but legal in Britain).
