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Needed: International Counter Piracy Center

By Colin Clark Saturday, April 18th, 2009 9:23 am
Posted in International, Naval, Policy

As the National Security Council meets to consider US policies and operations to counter piracy, it should consider creation of an operational international center to coordinate the world’s response. Pirates can run rings around the world’s navies in part because there is no one place where governments can find and share information about pirates. Call it Blackbeard’s Nightmare or the International Counter Piracy and Smuggling Center or whatever nifty acronym international civil servants can conjure up.

But creating one or more centers where countries can share operational information about pirates to coordinate and speed the responses of the world’s navies is an idea worth considering, says retired Coast Guard Rear Adm. Ed Gilbert. (As an example of the international scope of the problem, I picked a photo showing Indian Marine commandos capturing suspected Somali pirates.)

“Piracy is not a short term problem limited to just one ocean region off Somalia. Success against it will require lots of international cooperation, plentiful assets, improved procedures and a significantly improved picture in real time of the areas involved,” Gilbert said. “Some have suggested convoys and establishment of exclusions zones around the convoys other ways to thwart piracy. The IMO’s establishment of shipping lanes in international waters to enhance safe commerce may provide an illustrative example. For these initiatives to work there will need to be operations centers to maintain situational awareness and to control responses.”

It isn’t surprising that the idea, hatched in a Friday conversation, should come from a Coast Guard veteran. One agency in the US government knows piracy better than any other: the Coast Guard. The Coasties handle representation of the US on piracy issues at almost all international gatherings. It is the US lead at the International Maritime Organization, which establishes regulations, procedures and programs in many areas of safety, security and environmental protection. The Coast Guard Commandant is our representative to the IMO council.

And the Navy, while it has big ships that can sail the ocean blue, correctly focuses largely on national security threats and ensuring the American presence at sea. But, as Gilbert notes, piracy is “fundamentally a law enforcement issue, not a defense issue and the Coast Guard has broad authorities and experience with this.”

So, the Coast Guard is the US government agency with the most knowledge of piracy’s legal and operational issues. Their equipment and their legal training — combined with their extensive experience tracking and often arresting drug lords and their minions throughout the Caribbean and other waters — makes them, to many minds, the most obvious choice to lead our nation’s response.

Gilbert notes that the Coast Guard “is an ideal organization to lead such an effort because of its strong history of building cooperative international programs and its experiences with operating similar operational control centers.”

Let’s assume Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and National Security Advisor Jim Jones love this idea. Information should be fused and made available to all participating countries as quickly as possible. This would help speed the response of navies to the scene and allow much better analysis of data about pirates and the often related problem of smuggling.

Malta might be a good location for the center. Its history as an historic victim of piracy attacks and its fairly neutral politics speak for it, as well as the fact that many of its naval officers have received US Coast Guard training. Or perhaps Singapore, close to the notorious pirate haven of the Strait of Malacca, would better suit the important Pacific maritime powers of China, Japan and South Korea. “With modern communications, there is flexibility in the location of these centers, which will need to be staffed with an international flavor. Response assets can come from many places, other nations, our DoD and Coast Guard and others,” Gilbert argues.

Imagine the feather in the cap for the first commander of the International Counter Piracy Center.

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	cvn April 19th, 2009 at 10:16 am oh such brilliance: lets set up another UN agency… that will solve the problem. Perhaps we can set it up in the 3d world so obama can vacation with his entourage, look for more relatives that live in a hut and bow to one of his muslim masters…
	doc75 April 20th, 2009 at 7:03 am We don’t need a coordination center. We need a legal framework. Pirates are being captured regularly but are in many cases released because of the lack of a legal framework to charge them under.
	hess April 20th, 2009 at 8:32 am They just need to get a group of countries to agree on a law… create or change the law so that you know what to do with these guys…
	B.Price April 20th, 2009 at 9:22 am I agree with the rest of the comments on not creating another UN based agency where nothing will be done other then meetings, bureaucracy, and disagreements. I also don’t believe the the CG has the capacity to go after these pirates, nor should it be their responsibility. Their primary responsibility is to protect the shores & borders of the US not US ships in International Waters. Should the CG be leading the US effort for strategy and planning, yes. Using CG vessels, personnel, and resources off the coast of Africa, no. That should be left up to the Navy.
	Chief Houston April 22nd, 2009 at 4:33 pm Nobody is talking about a UN based agency! Coordination with State,DOD,Justice, etc.. is done on a daily basis by the U.S. Coast Guard around the world gentlemen, in it’s multi-mission capabilities. PSU 311 deployed with the Navy’s Maitime Expeditionary Security Squadron ONE in December 08 for Iraq and Kuwait. Ever wonder why a USCG ensign is run up on a Navy ship? Joint OPS is the name of the game and Uncle Sam’s pirates are the U.S. Coast Guard. Legal jurisdictional problems are all we are talking about, since prosecution procedures have to be established in a country that wants to hold the pirates. Hess is right, once the procedural and substantive legal issues are worked out with a nation willing to host the Pirate’s Court, the joint boarding teams under U.S. Coast Guard legal authority are ready to pounce. Sea surface landing SPECOPS Cobra’s are needed for overwatch air support. They can be containerized and deployed with a towed, self powered landing platform. Air droppable TPSB’s can be deployed in pirate radius within minutes along with PSU/SEAL/Force Recon joint boarding teams.
	Lt Allen April 22nd, 2009 at 11:16 pm Better idea… How about we put some seals on some US flag cargo ships and sail them just off the coast inviting attacks (bait)… And then the seals blow the pirates out of the water when they attack, making them fear approaching a US flag ship? These guys are looking for low-hanging fruit, so lets start growing our fruit way up on the tree! Let the rest of the world figure out a fix for their own flag ships.
	cj April 22nd, 2009 at 11:22 pm Great idea but we could wipe out 80% with NSA and an aircraft carrier in 3 days. Sink all the motherships (ie. their Navy) at night with guided munitions from 20 thousand feet and hit the locations on shore the same way. No warnings no negotiations, just do it. In the morning their friends won’t be able to contact them by their sat phones. Then mine their harbors. They are committing a crime punishable by death in some countries and are threatening the lives of over a hundred hostages. No further discussions needed. Most if not all hostages would be released very quickly, give them 24 hours.
	Bob the Coastie Ret. April 22nd, 2009 at 11:47 pm This already exists within the framework of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC). It is called the International Maritime Bureau (IMB)‘s Piracy Reporting Center. Please stop recreating the wheel folks. The good news is this org is tied in and payed for gy the Industry and P&I’s so it runs and is cost effective. I think the Governments should just help with funding and let these guys keep doing what they are doing.
	vamcdenver April 23rd, 2009 at 12:16 am An AWACS type capability, like P3 Orion and army observation choppers is need in areas patrolled for piracy. Back that up with allied carriers and amphib, SPECOPS who can go in fast. Identify hostile vessels, prevent the mother ships from taking on their fast boats. Let CNN show a mother ship under attack by F16’, strafed, bombed and surrounded by burning oil. Follow, harass and finally sink them within sight of shore. We also need HUMINT intel on the ground. Find out who these people are. Do extraordinary rendition in the dead of night, bring them to our courts HERE for trial. We can do this by re-flagging vessels in the area of our (or allied) protection. We did this in the Regan era when tankers were threatened. You attack one of our flagged ships, we come after you. Now it’s personal. Another option, we recycle the camp at GITMO to hold pirates. It makes no difference of you were kidnapped, otherwise illegally captured, courts have ruled once you are in custody in our jurisdiction, we can proceed with lawful arrest and trials. Death penalty applies here. Note: even Columbian drug lords feared extradition to the US. European nations have now starting to issue international arrest warrants for things that happened outside there own country. Spain wants to arrest Israelis for events in mid east. No Spaniards were involved, but under this doctrine, pirates who kidnap anyone could arrested. Makes the NATO excuse that they had to release them kind of moot.
	Park April 23rd, 2009 at 12:21 am Chief Houston sounds admirable in the explanation of the situation. I am curious about the cheif’s statement that nobody is talking about a UN based policy. Is it not true that there is still a law concerning territorial waters? Personally I think that a cruise ship venue should be designed for a cruise to troubled areas that might be subjected to piracy. All passengers would be trained during the trip to handle firearms that would be deck mounted. This equipment would be stored in such a way as to not prevent normal day to day operations of the cruise ship. When the trouble arrives those that have taken the training offered on the cruise are allowed to use the equipment. I think that would be a fun way for our patriots to get involved in our national security as well as internationally. RP
	Bob the Coastie Ret. April 23rd, 2009 at 7:39 am I have to admire Lt Allen’s zeal. The fact is there are less than 200 U.S. Flagged ships in the world that may be affected and most of those are MSC Operated, or UN Humanitarian aid and a great majority do not sail to pirate infested waters. Most U.S. Licensed Merchant Mariners work on foriegn flagged ships not flying our flag (because we have forgotten how to build commercial shipping here in the U.S.).
	Moses April 23rd, 2009 at 9:02 am Thank you Chief Houston & Hess for enlighting us. It seems we have some folks here who can’t comprehend or can’t say anything nice of our current administration. It’s unfortunate. Moses
	Rhyno327 April 23rd, 2009 at 9:55 am We can’t even get all the NATO members to honor thier NATO commitments, so why would anyone think another UN, or other organization will work? You want to deter them? Hit them where they live. Light up thier beaches with napalm. That might have an affect. Seriously, I can’t see alot of countries willing to commit, so its a nice idea, but it won’t happen.
	Rhyno327 April 23rd, 2009 at 9:57 am Yeah Chief! Take it to THEM. Nice plan.
	Joseph P. Passaretti & Family April 23rd, 2009 at 10:04 am This new agency is not needed. This should be a short term problem as was taken care of in the 1800’s. Action is what is needed. These ;pirates’ have ‘NO’ world rights and should be delt with accordingly !!
	Thomas Carney April 23rd, 2009 at 10:30 am This is pure baloney. Another “agency” to have nice offices, lots of meetings, paper-pushers and virtually no one in the field to handle things. You’ll have people who have never been in the field making policies and decisions that make no sense and literally hamper, no, cripple the operations in the field. Stephen Decatur and then-President Thomas Jefferson had the right idea during the days of the Barbary Pirates: bomb the snot out of the ports and the coast. Destroy all ability of shipping. Pirates are then out of business. If the pirates come back, the locals will not welcome them. “Moses” Barack HUSSEIN Obama, Kisser of the Hand of the Saudi Wahabbi King, is an empty suit. Get real, dude. If the CO of the USS Bainbridge hadn’t taken decisive action in Article 19 of Appendix L in the “Convention of the High Seas” that the Commanding Officer of a US Ship on the high seas is obligated to respond to distress signals from any flagged ship (US or otherwise), and protect the life and property thereof when deemed to be in IMMINENT DANGER, we’d have a dead Captain Phillips.
	D. Danial Crear April 23rd, 2009 at 10:43 am I’ve said that all along. If you’re busy defending your front door, you don’t have time to be off somewhere “hijacking” a boat. With all the electronic gadgetry at our disposal, it would’t take much to isolate their routes, or island if that be the case. A couple of well-placed unmanned armed preditors flying around their area, would put an end to a lot of the piracy issues. Satellite monitoring would save a lot of man hours too.
	saints60 April 23rd, 2009 at 11:07 am And which retired Coast Guard real admiral do you propose to run this new counter piracy center?
	Yussuf April 23rd, 2009 at 3:07 pm Thanks to you all, to me with trust, honesty, and correct intellegence from the land to water that men deployed can end pirates, and that is the change we need. Am Yussuf from KENYA
	CAPT CG Ret April 23rd, 2009 at 3:50 pm Piracy cannot be eliminated at sea unless there is a solution ashore. The UN should be taking serious action on the irresponsibility of the Somalian government to eliminate the criminal activity originating from their shores. The fact that the Somalia is a failed state is just an excuse for continued criminality. Much of that is due to the shameful way that the UN botched up their nation-building efforts during the Black-hawk down era.
	Yussuf April 23rd, 2009 at 3:58 pm Hodi, gentle men and women we need fully planed war againest this pirates, and please don’t take this isue small, this people are trained gorilla who have all types electronic eqeupment that means, so can we help the world. Am yussuf from KENYA
	Steve April 23rd, 2009 at 4:05 pm To those demanding more “action” against piracy: most of the piracy off the coast of Africa and the Malacca Straits is a criminal and not a national security concern. I’m of the opinion that the best solution to a problem is usually the simplest and most cost effective one. In the case of piracy, the best thing to do is harden the targets, i.e. improve security for commercial shipping. Because most of these pirates are lightly armed, a small force of well-armed, well-trained private security guards onboard should be able to deal with most pirate incursions. Perhaps this could be augmented by speedboat-sized escorts. There are a number of private security companies staffed by ex-SEALS and other ex-military personnel that could easily adapt themselves to the job. The Navy needs to be focused on larger scale threats and if anything, should be a last resort used only in hostage situations. Wouldn’t it look silly if armored cars driving around to service ATM’s were to be escorted by M1 tanks? So why advocate the equivalent on the seas?
	gallglas April 23rd, 2009 at 4:09 pm Arm the merchant ships traversing the area, shoot back when attacked, captured pirates are tried by drumhead court marshal and shot on the fantail. Bodies jettisoned.
	Yussuf April 23rd, 2009 at 4:12 pm Thanks CAPT CG ret, infact that is it, with somalia gervment being the way it is? Then piracy will be at high becouse they are takeing cover or it’s the garverment it’s self, so dealing with somalia will also reduce or end piracy
	Davy Jones April 23rd, 2009 at 6:54 pm Argh Matey, There be many dead pirates down here in me locker. They knew the deal when they took up arms in acts of piracy. DEATH to all Pirates. It is part of International Maritime law as previously stated. You can equip ships with a big ol red button, that when pushed by a crew member would launch a rocket propelled beacon high in the sky summoning all available help for a Pirate attack. Much faster that Radio. It would give posistion, name of ship and list of crew aboard. That is half the battle,to know where and who is attacked. Shipping Convoys worked pretty well against U-Boat attacks during WWII. They had destroyer escorts. Saved a lot of ships. A few ships equiped with Harriers & Helicopters would be real nice in that convoy as well.
	clyde April 23rd, 2009 at 8:01 pm Just put a couple of M-2’s on each US Merchantman, and our troubles are over. A small arms locker would do it. But, that’s not legal-right? Sp, make it legal!!!! Sort of, like, Concealed Carry, on the high seas?? Gun Control works for pirates, not for merchantmen, or anyone else who works for living!!!!! Eat sh*t, Billary Pelosi UN dervus blobus politicanus
	Jack April 25th, 2009 at 2:47 pm Why not do it like for 150 years ago, hang the pirate in the ro-mast, in our days we just put a granate on the pirate ship as soon it show up. The Pirate are not some kind of Robin Hood who share the money with anyone, maybe we have the money back in form of a bullet from a terrorist’s AK-47. The whole world of terror muslims have a great time, when we discuss a way to solve the problem with piracy.
	HERD April 25th, 2009 at 8:23 pm The “Blackbeard Nightmare” can easily be handled by “Blackwater” & other scty firms. These shipowners should “spend the money — solve the problem”.
	Ed Reese April 26th, 2009 at 8:24 am We don’t need any of all that crap about legal framework or CERTAINLY UN involvement(the UN would only sell the priviledge to the pirates as it did with Sadam Hussein and oil for food). Piracy is illegal in every civilized nation on earth. Just use capture of the pirates as a training exercise for every navy of civilized countries. What is all this crap about a legal framework. Where in history has piracy been protected?