Somali Pirates: What do we do with some captured pirates?

Sadly, not a Somali pirate

Here's another article in what seems to be a semi-annual review of the problems of international law and the effort to bring captured pirates to justice - this time from the NY Times "Seized Pirates in Legal Limbo, With No Formula for Trials":

Vessels from several navies collaborating on counterpiracy are holding a total of 71 captured pirates, according to Vice Adm. Mark I. Fox, commander of the United States Navy’s Fifth Fleet. No system has been developed for prosecuting their cases.

“There is not a repeatable international process to bring them to justice,” Admiral Fox said, in a recent interview in Bahrain. “We lack a practical and reliable legal finish.”
***

The many possible permutations for prosecuting the 15 pirates now locked up in the Vinson almost perfectly capture the puzzle surrounding such cases.

The pirates are Somali. They attacked the motor vessel Sunshine, which is Greek-owned but operates under a Bahaman flag. They were detained in international waters, but in the so-called exclusive economic zone of Oman. And they had commandeered an Iranian fishing vessel and held the crew hostage for more than a month.

The Navy took the pirates into custody. But the former hostages returned to Iran, and the Sunshine simply steamed on, over the horizon and out of sight.

So which country should take the case? And how would it hold the pirates before trial, collect evidence, and arrange for foreign witnesses and foreign investigators to testify?

So, these pirates have become somewhat akin to "The Man Without a Country" , whose punishment was to be forever transferred from one ship to another to another . . .      Of course, Philip Nolan had the benefit of a trial. H/T: Lee.

Breaking Cricket News

Photo of a well-dressed ref from here

I gather this is bad for England but probably good for Pakistan and South Africa: BBC Sport - Pakistan v England: Gul and Ajmal complete series whitewash:

It completed England's seventh losing whitewash in Test cricket and their first series defeat since 2009.

For the uninitiated, cricket is a sport of some sort which has rules of some sort and is as alien to the American mind as U.S. football is to yak herders in the areas where yaks need to be herded.

Except, of course, it is less physical . . . than either yak herding or American football.

News of Rugby Union stuff from the BBC here. Rugby is different than cricket.

Somali and Other Piracy in 2012

From our friends at the Internation Maritime Bureau, Piracy News and Figures:

Please see below figures for piracy and armed robbery incidents as reported to the IMB Piracy Reporting Centre in 2012

Worldwide Incidents: updated on 31 Jan 2012:

Total Attacks Worldwide: 37
Total Hijackings Worldwide: 2

Incidents Reported for Somalia:
Total Incidents: 13
Total Hijackings:2
Total Hostages: 28

Current vessels held by Somali pirates:
Vessels: 10 Hostages: 159

You might note that the IMB definition of piracy, while quite valid, is broader from that of the definition in the UNCLOS (piracy occurs on the "high seas"), which makes the IMB definition more inclusive of activity in the national waters of many states.

This has the effect of increasing the number of worldwide attacks in the IMB statistics. To clarify, by far the largest number of attempted and successful "on the high seas" piracy attacks occur in the Indian Ocean and are the handiwork of Somali pirates.

You will note that the IMB has added "armed robbery incidents" (see highlighted section) to its description of its numbers. This is correct, as some activities that occur in national waters that would constitute piracy if they were committed on the high seas are classified as "sea robbery" because of their location.

Also, the IMB includes robberies that occur on ships at anchor in its numbers. Again, quite proper, but something you should be aware of in looking at the numbers. Highlight added by me.

Iran: The Paper Trail of Ayatollah Khomeini

Yeah, yeah, cultural differences, etc.

But . . . BBC News - Cardboard cut-out Ayatollah Khomeini tours Tehran Bwahhahahahahahah!

Weapons of War and Peace

National Energy Security: Coming "Golden Energy Era"

Oil and Gas Journal reports "US on brink of strong oil, gas growth, Senate panel told":

“We believe that by 2020, the United States will become the largest producer of hydrocarbons in the world, surpassing Russia,” said Roger Diwan, partner and head of financial advisory operations at PFC Energy. Now that producers have solved the problem of producing oil and gas from tight shale formations, the nation is on the verge of a golden energy era which is reshaping the industry worldwide, he maintained.
***
The scale of the opportunity to increase US oil production is greater than in most other countries over the next decade, noted James Burkhard, managing director of IHS CERA Inc.’s global oil group.
***
Howard K. Gruenspecht, acting administrator at the US Energy Information Administration, said the US Department of Energy’s independent forecasting and analysis agency’s initial 2012 Annual Energy Outlook (AEO) reference case forecasts 20% growth in US crude production over the next decade. Net petroleum imports are expected to drop from 49% of total US consumption in 2010 to 38% in 2020 and 36% in 2035 as a result, he said.

So, less reliance on foreign producers, brought to you by the petroleum industry. You know this is much better for national security and our maritime energy security. And, as a bonus, it buys time for all those expensive bio-fuels projects to be perfected . . .

Somali Pirates: Convoy Coordination India, China and Japan

Reported as India, China, Japan coordinating in anti-piracy operations :

China and Japan have started implementing a new mechanism to coordinate the movement of their warships in the Gulf of Aden to provide protection to cargo vessels from sea brigands, Press Trust of India (PTI) reported.

The three countries operate independently in the Gulf of Aden to provide protection to cargo ships from pirates and are not part of the two groupings deployed there– the European EUNAVFOR and the US-led Task Force 151.

“Earlier what was happening was that the convoys of all these three countries would be spaced by few hours and there would be long hours in a day when no convoy was available for escorting the vessels,” Indian Navy’s Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Foreign Cooperation and Naval Intelligence) Rear Admiral Monty Khanna told reporters here.
***
He said now the three countries have “evolved a mechanism under which it will be ensured that there is enough gap between the Indian, Chinese and the Japanese convoy and they are well-displaced” to be able to escort a greater number of ships in a day.

Good.

Know Your Opposition

Some gems in this Oil and Gas Journal opinion video about the "stakeholders" in opposition to development of "non-conventional" petroleum production and transportation. The development of new means of production is an "inconvenient truth" for groups now fighting, as noted in the opinion, for that in which they've invested their time and talents. In some instances, it is almost like arguing against a religious belief.

Naval Strategy: "Cooperation from Strength: The United States, China and the South China Sea"

January 10, 2012 - at the Center for a New American Security, with an interesting introduction from Chief of Naval Operations Admrial Greenert, Cooperation from Strength: The United States, China and the South China Sea | Center for a New American Security about . . .

the future of U.S. strategy in the South China Sea and the impact of territorial disputes on the maritime commons.

For those of you who like to listen as you work out, you can download the audio here. Lots of good stuff - during one Q&A sequence, the second part of question was something like, ". . . the Chinese Ministry of Defense warned the U.S. to be careful in words and actions." To which the Admiral responded, "I appreciate the advice." UPDATE: Oh, and the written report they are discussing Cooperation from Strength: The United States, China and the South China Sea. Read it, watch it and think about how big and capable a Navy we need.