13T H E E X A M I N ER T U E SDAY, SEP T E M BER 2 9, 2009
A
s the seas of the Indian Ocean, like
those of the Atlantic, calm with
the end of storm season, we need
to worry about another threat that
dominated the news at times earlier in the
year but has since fallen off our radars: piracy
along the African coast.
The impressive operation to rescue the
captain of the Mersk Alabama last spring
did not end the problem. That operation, cul-
minating in a dramatic SEAL operation of
classic vintage that killed the pirates and lib-
erated their hostage, was the right response
to the situation. But it was not a model we
can or should expect to easily repeat. There
is a need for a more preventive strategy.
The stakes are getting higher this fall.
Although the impressive multilateral con-
voy operation in the Gulf of Aden continues
to protect ships in more northern waters as
they leave the Suez Canal and Red Sea, there
is no dependable protection for vessels going
southward from that point toward ports in
Kenya and beyond. Yet ships traversing
these routes carry, among other things, food
aid for East African states that will have to
increase in coming months as drought condi-
tions in that part of the world remain severe.
Other cargo needs to be shipped as well,
from military supplies for the fledgling and
beleaguered Somali government to commer-
cial goods that reflect the efforts of Kenya
and other regional states to gradually inte-
grate with a globalizing economy.
The pirates put all of that, and countless
lives, at risk. They also threaten Americans
aboard some of those transport vessels.
And of course what is mostly a risk to a few
brave, enterprising seamen could become a
national security issue if al Qaeda or related
groups get involved in the next kidnapping
operation, possibly trying to take and hold
Americans hostage to achieve a public rela-
tions coup.
In this light, the idea of Maryland
Democratic Rep. Elijah Cummings makes
sense. Cummings has inserted into the
House-passed version of the 2010 defense
authorization bill language that would have
U.S. military personnel board cargo ships
for the perilous part of their journey from
the Gulf of Aden to East African ports. They
would of course have the right to use weap-
ons in defense of themselves, the ships they
ride, and the crews of those ships from loca-
tions that would maximize their prospects
for timely and accurate use of force. Using
American military personnel is the right
way to go because they have the necessary
training to use force carefully; in addition,
ensuring the safety of the high seas is an
appropriate and time-tested role for the
armed forces of great powers and is the sort
of thing our military should feel a certain
obligation to carry out.
Chances are good, though, that their
presence -- and perhaps a few demonstra-
tion shots near any ships that came near
-- would suffice to deter pirate action before
lives were put at direct risk. After all, these
pirates are not particularly well organized,
equipped or trained. They are profiting
from a completely unsecured environment
in these perilous waters, out of the main-
stream of most world commerce but crucial
for the peoples of East Africa and for Ameri-
can interests there. They are sometimes
successful only because we are basically
ignoring the problem.
Former Rep. Steve Solarz and I wrote an
essay several months ago advocating the
use of convoys for ships moving along these
routes, to complement the convoys further
north. That remains a reasonable option in
some cases, especially if enough shipping
vessels can be gathered together at one time.
However, the Cummings idea may be more
appropriate for the individual ships often
making this trek in isolation. It also could
be cheaper, and easier on the Navy, than the
convoy approach.
In its version of the defense bill, the Sen-
ate has not approved comparable language
to that of the House. The bill is now in con-
ference, and this issue should be addressed
there, with the House version prevailing.
Implementation of the use of armed teams
can still be handled prudently, and at the
discretion of CENTCOM commanders; the
defense bill need not and should not try to
dictate tactical operations. But it can push
the U.S. military to take this mission seri-
ously and help us address our remaining
Achilles' heel regarding the pirate threat
before we again have to learn the hard way
-- with American lives put at risk in the
process.
A good idea for dealing with African pirates
POLITICSNational Security
Iraq
A series of bombings ripped
across Iraq on Monday, killing
at least 18 and signaling an end
to a relatively peaceful period
duringtheholymonthofRama-
dan. The attacks, which injured
several dozens, occurred in
both Sunni and Shiite areas.
Iraqi security forces were
the focal point of the blasts, as
theyhavebeensinceU.S.troops
pulled out of Iraq's cities at the
end of June. The deadliest
attack Monday occurred when
a suicide bomber slammed
a tanker truck packed with
explosives into a police outpost
west of Baghdad, killing at least
seven people and wounding 16
more, a government spokes-
man said.
There has been a dramatic
drop in violence across Iraq
since the country was engulfed
in bitter sectarian fighting in
2006 and 2007. But the hatred
directed at national military
and police units remains
strong.
NEWSMAKERS
MIDDLE EAST TROUBLE SPOT
Michael O'Hanlon, a senior fellow at the Brook-
ings Institution and the author of "The Science of
War,"isoneoffourdefenseexpertswhocontribute
monthly columns to The Washington Examiner.
MICHAEL
O'HANLON
MANUEL ZELAYA
The ousted Honduran president drew a
sharp rebuke from the United States for
his "irresponsible and foolish" return
to his country before a settlement
was reached in the Central American
political crisis. Lewis Anselem, the
U.S. ambassador to the Organization
of American States, criticized Zelaya
for fueling violence by slipping back
into Honduras last week and holing up
in the Brazilian Embassy.
STANLEY MCCHRYSTAL
Some experts responded negatively to the
statement by the commander of NATO
forces in Afghanistan that he has only
talked to President Obama once since
taking the job more than two months
ago. "It's startling," Sen. Judd Gregg, R-
N.H., told Fox News. Other critics said it
was a worrisome sign. McChrystal made
the comment on CBS News. The general
submitted a request for more troops in
Afghanistan on Friday.
JA SONG NAM
The North Korean ambassador to Britain
said in rare public remarks, "There can
never be peace and security on the
Korean peninsula while the United
States continues to threaten us with
nuclear weapons." Talks among the two
Koreas and other powers ground to a
halt about a year ago. But China said
recently that it was sending an envoy to
North Korea, signaling a possible
resumption of talks.
By Ali Akbar Dareini
The Associated Press
TEHRAN, IRAN -- Iran tested its lon-
gest-range missiles Monday and
warned they can reach any place
that threatens the country, includ-
ing Israel, parts of Europe and U.S.
military bases in the Mideast.
The launch capped two days of
war games and was condemned as
a provocation by Western powers,
which are demanding Tehran come
clean about a newly revealed nuclear
facility it has been secretly building.
The tests Sunday and again Mon-
day added urgency to a key meeting
this week between Iran and the five
permanent members of the U.N.
Security Council and Germany --
an international front seeking clear
answers about the direction of its
nuclear program.
Iran's missile program and its
nuclear work -- much of it carried
out in secrecy -- have long been a
concern for the United States, Israel
and its Western allies. They fear Teh-
ran is intent on developing an atomic
weapons capability and the missiles
to deploy such warheads, despite
Iran's assurances it is only pursuing
civilian nuclear power.
In the latest exercise, the powerful
Revolutionary Guard, which controls
Iran's missile program, successfully
tested upgraded versions of Iran's
medium-range Shahab-3 and Sajjil
missiles, state television reported.
Both can carry warheads and reach
up to 1,200 miles, putting Israel, U.S.
military bases in the Middle East and
parts of Europe within striking dis-
tance.
The launchings were meant to
display Iran's military might and
demonstrate its readiness to respond
to any military threat.
"Iranian missiles are able to target
any place that threatens Iran," said
Abdollah Araqi, a senior Revolution-
ary Guard commander, according to
the semiofficial Fars news agency.
Iran conducted three rounds
of missile tests in drills that began
Sunday, two days after the U.S. and
its allies disclosed the country had
been secretly developing an under-
ground uranium enrichment facility.
The Western powers warned Iran
must open the site to international
inspection or face harsher interna-
tional sanctions.
Iran's Foreign Ministry spokes-
man, Hasan Qashqavi, maintained
the missile tests had nothing to
do with the tension over the site,
saying they were part of routine,
long-planned military exercises.
That assertion was rejected by
the United States and its European
allies.
White House press secretary
Robert Gibbs called the tests
"provocative in nature," adding:
"Obviously, these were pre-planned
military exercises."
French Foreign Ministry spokes-
woman Christine Fages agreed,
saying "these tests constitute a prov-
ocation, even as we have multiplied
our offers of dialogue with Iran."
The latest controversy comes days
before a critical meeting Thursday in
Geneva between Iran and six major
powers trying to stop its suspected
nuclear weapons program -- the
U.S., Britain, France, Russia, China
and Germany.
Iran tests its longest-range missiles, draws condemnation
ALI SHAIGAN/AP, FARS NEWS AGENCY
The Revolutionary Guard launches a
Shahab-3 medium-range missile during a
drill at an undisclosed location Monday.

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