complex subject. Of course the Somalia's need to feed them selves. They have no government, health care, no food, no infrastructure, on and on, all the things that make a viable state. They starve by the thousands, are disease riddled, and generally exist in a living hell. Maybe global warming has contributed to the crop loss, Maybe over fishing by themselves and by others has ruined the fishing grounds. Maybe warlords have taken over the country for their own personal greed. Maybe the sky is going to fall on them tomorrow. I feel sorry for them. I really do. No BS. But, and this is the hard part, even if you are starving to death, which some of them are and everything I mentioned above is true and correct, you still have to live by the law of nations. That's because the other nations of world have the right to pass in international water and conduct their free and fair trade without being attacked and killed. Would I as a father sit by and let me family starve or would I take up my AK-47 and head out with the pirate boats and have a go at it? I would most likely be right up in the bow with the rest of them. Having said that, I would expect that I would eventually take some fire back. Lots of fire back as a matter of fact. Hell, I would be shooting RPG's at them, why wouldn't I expect them to shoot back. That's the point, they expected it and they took this couple hostage as leverage against it. What do you do about it. You make it cost more for the pirates to engage in the practice then they get out of it. Period. Either that or the entire world sails around the cape and no one ventures within 900 miles of their coast. That's a little problematic for the countries within that 900 miles that need and are given aid by the rest of the world not to mention having their own business to conduct. Having their Aid ships hi jacked and commerce disrupted puts then at risk for ending up in the same situation as the Somalis. So, what do you do? Make the circle 1800 mile and kiss those countries off as well? No, I think you get the United Nations to step in, with force, get rid of the war lords, close the terrorist training camps, give the people some support and hope. You get the country back on it's feet. You can bet this will take years. In the mean time you protect the people and shipping traversing the high seas off the coast of Somalia by using as much force as is necessary. If that means convoying ships protected by Mercenaries then so be it. The "professionals against the pirates". The new prime time reality show. Some son of a Bi%&h would try figure out a way for TV to make a buck but that's just the way it is. It just might be the time for sailors to decide that crossing that area is just not worth the risk. IMHO