Essay Example on Somali Piracy

Piracy in Somalia Through research, I had no idea that the threat of Somali Piracy has been on the rise for the past couple of years. Being a U.S. Navy Officer, Brian Wilson forms his own opinion on this topic when he states that all one-hundred eleven (111) Somali ships that carry oil, military weapons, and hazardous chemicals are being hijacked. He writes that attacks are much more likely to occur when ships are on a dedicated route. If there is no form of government, there is piracy. Brian Wilson conveniently introduces his article in lessons; I will talk about the ones that I feel are the most important. Lesson one (1) outlines the overall situation in Somalia. Locals seek to obtain money by any means necessary. Lesson two (2) of this article discusses the use of British, Indian, and Russian warships; they play a significant role in confronting the threat. Forging new partnerships enables nations to participate in capacity building, by sharing information, communicating or improving maritime domain awareness. Wilson makes an interesting point in Lesson four (4) when he explains Resolution 1846; it implores states to avail themselves to a 1988 maritime criminal law to prosecute pirates. The SUA Treaty was also established to criminalize acts that jeopardize ships and their safe navigation. In the Fifth (5th) lesson of this article, common sense dictates that piracy can never fully be eradicated. In the article, “Piracy in Somalia”, Osei-Tutu, a Research Associate of the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Center (KAIPTC) addresses the root causes of this piracy. She reminds us that even though piracy has a distinct pattern, the motives and values of pirates differ. The example she uses here is the use of navies to destroy safe havens and hideout, as well as prosecuting all pirates. In this situation, piracy is an international concern, rather than a local affair. The writer talks about her sources in the majority of the article. She compares the