Free Republic

Pirate attacks off Somalia’s coast are close to returning to the record levels seen last year as attackers adapt to the international naval presence by striking further offshore and using more violence. A surge of attacks in the past week has included the hijacking of the MV Frigia, a Maltese-flagged dry bulk carrier, 1,500 miles off Somalia’s coast – the longest-range operation that pirates have ever successfully mounted. This incident was among five successful hijackings and 19 attacks off Somalia this month, according to the International Maritime Bureau. This compares with 32 attacks and five hijackings in March last year,...

Colorado Rep. Mike Coffman says it's time the U.S. took more aggressive action on the seas. He recommends arming merchant ships with military personnel. Coffman says the pirating problem is only going to get worse. "They may be less interested in taking hostages when the situation may be somewhat precarious for them to do so," Coffman said. "I think they are going to be more aggressive in their actions." Coffman says arming American merchant vessels with military personnel is also nothing new. "We did that in World War II, we posted military personnel on U.S.-flagged merchant vessels to provide protection....

The United States lacks the intelligence needed to pursue the fight against pirates on Somali soil, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said . His comments came days after the U.S. delegation at the United Nations circulated a draft resolution that would give countries the right to pursue pirates on land as well as at sea. Analysts say that pursuing pirates on land is crucial to any military response to attacks that have targeted dozens of ships in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean in recent months. Referring to media reports that "two to three clans or extended families" were...

A cruise ship will evacuate passengers before sailing past the Somali coast and fly them to the next port of call to protect them from possible pirate attacks, German cruise operator Hapag-Lloyd said Tuesday. An official with the European Union's anti-piracy mission said separately that it would station armed guards on vulnerable cargo ships _ the first such deployment of military personnel during the international anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden.