U.S. To Lead Anti-Piracy Naval Patrols

International Force To Focus On Somali Pirates, Whose Attacks Are More Frequent And Increasingly Brazen

(AP)  A new international naval force under American command will soon begin patrols to confront escalating attacks by Somali pirates after more than 100 ships came under siege in the past year, the U.S. Navy said Thursday.

But the mission — expected to begin operations next week — appears more of an attempt to sharpen the military focus against piracy rather than a signal of expanded offensives across one of the world's most crucial shipping lanes.

The force will carry no wider authority to strike at pirate vessels at sea or specific mandates to move against havens on shore — which some maritime experts believe is necessary to weaken the pirate gangs that have taken control of dozens of cargo vessels and an oil tanker.

Pentagon officials described it as a first step to create a dedicated international structure — combining military force, intelligence sharing and coordinated patrols — to battle piracy from lawless Somalia.

The sharp spike in pirate attacks caused a "situation where there were competing priorities" between counterterrorism missions in the region and protecting merchant ships, said Air Force Lt. Col. Patrick Ryder, a Pentagon spokesman in Washington.

There currently are more than a dozen warships in the vast expanse off the coast of Somalia, from naval giants such as the U.S., Britain and Russia, emerging powers such as China and India and regional forces such as Iran.

The announcement on the new mission — issued by the U.S. 5th Fleet in Bahrain — said more than 20 nations are expected to take part and it will be headed by U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Terence McKnight.

U.S. Navy officials declined to list the nations, but suggested it would likely comprise many of those already in the region.

It's highly unlikely, however, that nations such as Iran would agree to operate under U.S. command. But Lt. Stephanie Murdock, a 5th Fleet spokeswoman, said the new force would "work with any nation that wants to join."

Defense Department press Secretary Geoff Morrell told a Pentagon news conference in Washington that anti-piracy efforts have been strengthened recently and some militaries cooperating in an anti-piracy task force already in the region have been using "more aggressive tactics ... to thwart would-be hijackings."

The new force underscores the urgency to act after a stunning rise in pirate assaults off the Horn of Africa last year: At least 111 ships targeted and 42 of them commandeered, including a Ukrainian cargo shop loaded with tanks and heavy weapons and a Saudi oil tanker with $100 million worth of crude.

At two more ships have been hijacked this month, leaving about 15 vessels and about 300 crew members in pirate hands, according to the International Maritime Bureau's piracy reporting center.

Most of the attacks have occurred in the Gulf of Aden, one of the world's busiest shipping lanes.

The waters have increasingly become scenes for showdowns between well-outfitted merchant ships and pirates swarming the hulls on skiffs and armed with light weapons and grappling hooks — and often asking for millions in ransom from owners if they manage to take control.

On Christmas, a German military helicopter responded to a distress call from an Egyptian cargo vessel under siege from pirates, who fled when the chopper arrived.

New Year's Day saw pirates seize another Egyptian cargo vessel with 28 crew, while a Malaysian military helicopter saved an Indian tanker from being hijacked and a French warship thwarted an attack on a Panamanian cargo ship and captured several pirates.

Just a day later, crewmen on a Greek-flagged oil tanker used high pressure water cannons to fight off a pirate ambush.

The U.S. Navy and other nations have international authority to battle pirates in the open seas and come to the aid of vessels under attack. But forces have been stymied on how to respond to ships under pirate control, fearing an all-out assault could endanger the crew members held hostage.

"This task force does not does have any greater rules of engagement," said Cmdr. Jane Campbell, a 5th Fleet spokeswoman. "It does, however, bring a greater focus to counter-piracy operations under one command."

But it also carries the suggestion that it could one day take stronger measures. The U.S. contribution to the force is expected to include cruisers and destroyers, many carrying H-60 helicopters, said Campbell. The flagship, the USS San Antonio, is an amphibious ship capable of bringing hundreds of Marines ashore.

This is the type of action needed to truly rattle the pirates, said Noel Choong, head of the International Maritime Bureau's piracy reporting center.

"Right now there is no major deterrent," he said. "The military maybe chases away the pirates, but they regroup and come back for another attack on another ship. Piracy will continue until their networks and bases are hit."

On Thursday, the new president of a breakaway Somali region of Puntland, Abdirahman Mohamed Farole, promised to crackdown on piracy. Puntland is a pirate hub, where local authorities have been accused of helping them and taking a cut of the huge ransoms.

[wardoglrs]

What would you do if you were a fishermen and these huge vessels were dumping there garbage in your fishing hole?

[wardoglrs]

Gee i guess I would be a pirat too cause these ships keep dumping there garbage in my fishing hole....UNDERSTAND

[nikosk11]

In the good ol'''''''' days Britain had the most powerful navy. From about the time of the Spanish Armada and Sir Francis Drake in 1588, Britain ruled the high seas for the next 350 years.

In many battles with the French Navy during the Napoleonic Wars, Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson crippled the French fleet and cutoff Napoleon''''''''s reinforcements into Egypt. The French fleet could have come out on top, if some highly intelligent French admirals related to French royalty were not decapitated during the Reign of Terror in the 1790''''''''s.

Posted by dan_8951 at 12:32 AM : Jan 09, 2009

So, what''s your point?

[koopa98]

It is called sarcasm. Really, you should try it sometime . . . . . .

[beewitchy1]

aaarrrgggghhh!

[koopa98]

The European fleet as well under British command. All of our responsibilities are slipping away. Awwwwwwwww
It is pathetic, is the government really so scared? The rest of world is finally starting to get off its backside, the military is stretched and millions of American can''t afford to buy a digital converter, and they go and do this?

[koopa98]

Why? There is already a fleet from the E.U there, along some Chinese ships, why. . . . hang a minute, China? Oh, right yeah, now i get it.

[torva-2009]

This is just more waste of U.S. taxpayers'' money - Somalia is an African problem and piracy is just one of many symptons coming from the fact that Africa and the rest of world don''t really want to be bothered!

[abrame]

"...The sharp spike in pirate attacks caused a "situation where there were competing priorities" between counterterrorism missions in the region and protecting merchant ships, said Air Force Lt. Col. Patrick Ryder, a Pentagon spokesman in Washington..."

This is the core of the problem why the pirates were not quashed long ago. We had an Osama Bin Laden type of relationship with them.

[zhynaryll]

You persist in calling Somalia a ''country''? Hellhole is more like it! Send in the marines from whatever countries want to get rid of these pirates and then make the place a UN safe spot where they can relocate out of the US!!

[wardoglrs]

There not there to patrol the pirates there this is stealing the resources through deception. The fishermen that you all call pirates are fed up with the industrial wast that gets thrown in the ocean killing there lively hood

[debinok1]

We have the money for a global navy to combat pirates but we don''t have the money to help the people of THIS country. I am so tired of this garbage.

[leeanna58]

Oh good. Yet another place on the planet where we get to play global policeman. Wouldn''t it be easier and faster just to nuke the country of Somalia?