Pirates Of The Somalian

Somalia will allow foreign powers to use force if necessary against pirates who are holding a ship loaded with tanks for $20 million ransom, raising the stakes for bandits who are facing off against the United States and soon Moscow on the high seas. this is going to be like Delta Force meets Under Siege meets Black Hawk Down!

Last week's hijacking of the Ukrainian ship MV Faina — carrying 33 Soviet-made T-72 tanks, rifles, and heavy weapons — was the highest profile act of piracy in the dangerous waters off Somalia this year. The ship is presently surrounded by several U.S. warships and helicopters. Moscow also sent a warship to protect the few Russian hostages on board, but it will take a week to arrive off the coast of central Somalia, where the Faina has been anchored since late last week. Most of the 20 crew are Ukrainian or Latvian; one Russian has died, apparently of illness. Yeah, "illness"

Negotiations between the ship's Ukrainian owners and the pirates were taking place by telephone, but that "no other side is involved in negotiations." Somalia's president also urged foreign nations to help Somalis fight piracy. In the past, the U.S. military has launched air strikes in Somalia and is known to have secretly sent special forces into Somalia to go after militants linked to al-Qaida. A talking head at the Defense Department spokesman declined to comment on any possible military operations but said the U.S. was continuing to monitor the situation and remains concerned that the cargo not fall into the wrong hands.

Russia has used force in the past to end several hostage situations — sometimes disastrously, as in the 2004 storming of a school in Beslan, which resulted in 333 deaths, nearly half of them children. Here, they sought to downplay the possibility of using force in Somalia. Yesterday, the pirates denied reports that an argument over whether to surrender led to a shootout that killed three pirates. It was claimed they were enjoying a feast to end the holy month of Ramadan. However, they're pirates, so can you really believe them?

Piracy is rife off the coast of Somalia, emerging as a lucrative criminal racket bringing in millions of dollars in ransom. The pirates rarely hurt their hostages, hoping instead to hold out for a huge payday, which often works. A Malaysian shipping company confirmed it paid Somali pirates a ransom earlier this week to free two of its freighters. In June, a U.N. Security Council resolution gave foreign nations' ships permission to enter Somalia's territorial waters to stop "piracy and armed robbery at sea" if their actions were taken in cooperation with Mogadishu's government.

While few believe the pirates will be able to unload any of the tanks, the Faina's other military cargo or a huge ransom could exacerbate the two-decade-old civil war in a country where all major civil institutions have crumbled and hunger and drought ravage the impoverished population. American military officials and diplomats say the weapons are destined for southern Sudan, but Kenyan officials insist the weapons are bound for their country. The U.S. says it wants to keep the arms out of the hands of militants linked to al-Qaida in Somalia, which is a key battleground in the war on terrorism. To that end, it has surrounded the Faina with half a dozen ships, including the guided missile destroyer USS Howard.

Most pirate attacks occur in the Gulf of Aden, one of the world's busiest shipping lanes, north of Somalia. But recently pirates have been targeting Indian Ocean waters off eastern Somalia. Some 62 ships have been attacked in those notorious waters this year. A total of 26 ships were hijacked, and 12 remain in the hands of the pirates along with more than 200 crew members. New worst job in the world? Somali foreign travel bureau minister.