Don’t you think that it might be time to bring back the “Letter of Marque’ and Reprisal”?
As far as I know, such a commission would empower a privately owned vessel to be armed as a “Privateer” and at least defend itself, if not capture a pirate “prize” or two now and then.
Entrepreneurial adventurers might well set up their own privateers and take a crack at ‘em, as apparently some did back in the days of sail.
I know that this syndicate (oft referred to as an “Administration”) is loathe to bid anything out to the private sector without significant bribery... err.. “Lobbying influence”, but I think that you’d see a big dent in the piracy problem if such an old policy were to be revived.
Where is the Mariner’s Union in all of this?
I’m amazed that they would stand for their Members being subjected to this sort of risk and abuse.
From what little I’ve observed, their Union is not in the habit of backing down to intimidation. Am I wrong about that?
Bump to Post 33....{:-)