Piracy: The Legacy of a Failed State

In the hours since President Obama promised to "halt the rise of piracy," four more ships from the Philippines, Liberia, Greece and Togo have been attacked in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Somalia. Naval vessels are in the region. Pirate leaders are threatening vengeance for those killed during French and American rescues. How much longer can fishermen in motorboats defy history's most powerful navies? Can merchant vessels defend themselves? Can military patrols be increased? Is it time to take action on shore either with force or to deal with the political chaos and economic deprivation behind an epidemic of lawlessness?