This picture says it all about how effective armed security can be. Bring it pirates!
The notoriously dangerous pirate infested waters off the coast of Somalia have suddenly become serene. For over a month now, pirates have not even attempted to take a vessel. This is unprecedented in recent years and prompts one to ask what has suddenly changed. Well, the data are in and they overwhelming show that self-defense has proven to be the most effective anti-piracy strategy. Who would have thought?
Over the last decade, the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden have been progressively becoming more and more dangerous for mariners. The seizure of the Maersk Alabama and its crew by pirates and their subsequent rescue by Navy Seals illustrates this situation. To counter this, the international community insisted the answer was to deploy an international flotilla worth billions of dollars from around the world to protect vessels while simultaneously using “soft power” to improve the lives of violent pirates in hopes they would return to more tranquil occupations such as fishing. As the years past, it was clear that the piracy continued unabated and at best, the world’s navies were a reactive force staging what often became messy rescue operations resulting in the deaths of both pirates and hostages.
Industry could not wait for government solutions and instead, did what industry does best. They found their own solution. To mitigate the piracy threat and the spiralling insurance costs of moving cargo through these vital shipping lanes, the shipping companies authorized armed personnel to ride escort on the ships. The international community naturally resisted vehemently and brought up the host of hollow gun control arguments of why this would be “more dangerous” and not effective. “Civilized” nations went so far as to suggest they would restrict ships from entering their ports if there were armed guards aboard. Nonetheless, the necessity to move billions of dollars in cargo through those treacherous waters required an effective solution to be found.
Very soon then, ships began to hire armed security contractors and or arm and train their own crews for defense of the vessels. The result has been an unheard of 100 percent success rate at preventing hijackings according to a statement made by Admiral Potts, the commander of the European Union’s anti-piracy force. Governments in particular are quick to point out that they have conducted raids of pirate enclaves and have implemented programs to help transition pirates into other “occupations,” but the ground truth is indisputable. That is, that privately armed individuals have been more effective than all the governments on earth at stopping piracy. Stig Hansen, an expert on Somali piracy is quoted in the below linked Christian Science Monitor article and states, “The naval forces would perhaps dispute this, but I would say that private security is by far the major factor, not the warships. Pirate commanders I have spoken to onshore tell me that it’s those armed guards they’re most afraid of. It means that they just don’t target the most valuable ships any more.” Could he have been more direct?
For Americans there is much to be learned from the success of this counter piracy strategy. As a nation, we are currently facing ever increasing forces determined to force the disarmament of the American people. These forces aggressively lobby and publicize the lie that it is really the guns that make America unsafe and if we were to just give up our weapons, the government would be there to protect us. Nothing could be further from the truth as a handful of Somali pirates demonstrated to the world’s navies. On the domestic front, in Aurora, Colorado, an incredibly fast 90 second response time to the theater massacre was clearly not enough either and demonstrated again the insanity in believing the government can protect you.
In truth, what America needs for security is the same as what those ships required. It isn’t a police state, or better intelligence and surveillance, or massive government firepower and raids. It is simply the willingness to take responsibility for your own safety and security and those around you. This goes beyond taking up arms, but the fact that you can arm is essential and a core aspect of this principle right. You can never get safer or freer than by living in an armed society of citizens that understand this responsibility.
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Africa/2012/0808/For-Somali-pirates-July-was-a-very-bad-month
