I am afraid that four scared pirates (one of whom actually was in a conversation with Reuters) have scored a huge propaganda victory. The incident should never have been allowed to continue once the Bainbridge was nearby. I wonder, doesn’t a destroyer have a launch aboard, or a motorized lifeboat? Shouldn’t it have had an armed crew and been within hailing range? Shouldn’t it have holed the pirate vessel? I’m sorry, but the fecklessness of our response only portends future problems for American vessels who ply the region.
Agreed. A timid reaction will result in escalation on the part of the pirates.