Thursday, November 20, 2008
WASHINGTON (AFP) -- The Pentagon said Wednesday a military approach was not the answer to a surge of piracy off the Horn of Africa and suggested that shipping companies do more on their own to protect their vessels.
"You could have all the navies in the world having all their ships out there, you know, it's not going to ever solve this problem," said Geoff Morrell, the Pentagon press secretary.
"It requires a holistic approach from the international community at sea, ashore, with governance, with economic development," he told reporters.
Piracy, like crime and terrorism, is an opportunistic infection. It doesn't cause a problem in a healthy host, but when the system is weakened by overwhelming and chronic wimpiness, this presents an opportunity for the pathogen to infect.
Have they no yard arms in the nuclear navy?
Arrr - these guys are taking all the fun out of 'Talk like a Pirate Day'