Piracy in Perspective: The Unintended Consequences of U.S. Foreign Policy in Somalia

SOMALIA IS in the news a lot these days, almost always in reference to the latest pirate hijacking in the Gulf of Aden, one of the busiest, and now the riskiest, shipping routes in the world. Words like “swashbuckling” are bandied about to describe the derring-do of sophisticated and well-armed Somalis who have brought GPS technology and international wire transfers to the profession. Some reports tell of new international restaurants that have opened in Somali port towns catering to the non-Somali tastes of long-term guests, i.e. hostages. Naval ships from China, India, Europe, and the U.S... More