A state offering protection on the market (Somali pirates)!

Miscellaneous Current Events
1

What I learned today: Ships passing through Gulf of Aden concerned about the Somali pirates can now contract with the Lotus Maritime Security Services or Gulf of Aden Group Transits Ltd. They can chose beetwen an Armed Embarkment Team package or the Armed Escort Vessel package. The two are ostensibly private companies, but are colluding with government of Yemen, so it actually means indirectly hiring the Yemen’s coast guard to protect you in the international waters off Yemen’s coast.

Not exactly 100% private security, but I like the market principle. Here is a state offering you protection, but not stuffing it down your throat. Very nice, and here you were thinking Yemenis were Commies!

Also it seems more effective and less bloodthirsty than what the American and the Russian navy have been doing and not escorting anyone, but just going at the pirates.

relevant links:
http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB10001424052970204204004576049660513491614-lMyQjAxMTAxMDAwMzEwNDMyWj.html

http://www.goagt.org/

2

The “War on Terror” wonks have been getting a hard-on for target Yemen; could there be a connection?

3

Not directly no. The people they had been bombing in Yemen are aligned against the governement, not a part of it.

4

The sole necessary solution to the piracy problem is to legalize ships carrying weapons, the way our natural rights require.

Huge vessels are being captured by a handful of idiots in little more than a motorized rowboat, with a few pistols, a rifle, and maybe some grenades.

A single bolt-action rifle would have put a stop to maybe half of the pirate attacks. Add a couple of pistols and some grenades, and piracy is no more.

Here’s an article on the subject:

http://butnowyouknow.wordpress.com/2008/12/04/stopping-piracy-on-the-high-seas/