Ongoing Efforts To Combat Piracy On The High Seas

Ongoing efforts to combat piracy on the high seas : hearing before the Committee on Armed Services, United States Senate, One Hundred Eleventh Congress, first session, May 5, 2009.

What factors motivate modern day pirates? Are pirates the same as terrorists? Should international navies or local fleets handle pirates? Does aid help prevent piracy, or does it have no effect? This anthology explores the ongoing problem of modern-day piracy. Rising in prevalence at the turn of the 21st century, pirates attacked commercial ships in Southeast Asia and off the coast of Somalia. Readers will learn about the complexities of nautical law, the conflicts on land that engender piracy at sea, and how governments are dealing with forces unaligned to any nation.

A provocative new look at an important security topic examines terrorist threats and attacks on shipping and ports—and provides strategies for safety. Terror on the High Seas: From Piracy to Strategic Challenge is a provocative look at maritime security and the steps that must be taken if terrorist threats are to be nullified. From the Achille Lauro hijacking to the bombing of the USS Cole to attacks on shipping channels, terrorists have employed a variety of tactics, both successful and unsuccessful. These have included the smuggling of arms and plots to bomb shipyards, as well as attacks on Merchant Marine ships, maritime offices, fuel storage facilities, and Navy personnel, ships, and facilities, on shore and in port. This book constitutes the first research effort after the unprecedented attacks of September 11, 2001, to provide government, industry, and the academic and policy communities with a major resource on potential threats to the maritime environment. Assuming that past tactics, as well as a variety of other unconventional attacks, will be utilized by both domestic and international groups well into the 21st century, the book sagely outlines the response needed from government and industry to meet the coming challenges.