Bradley Blakeman Op-Ed: Self Defense on the High Seas

With regard to African Pirates - A bad story that has one chapter that ends well is still a bad story. Thank God the Captain of our U.S. Merchant Ship was rescued. Now that the World's attention has been shone on African Pirating, maybe the international community will finally act to stop it once and for all. It is unacceptable for rag tag criminals to rule the seas with impunity. Isn’t it about time that the United Nations did what they were chartered to do? Shouldn’t they be the ones to rally the World to stop this scourge? Commercial ships must be allowed to defend themselves. Ships should be allowed to travel with trained armed onboard security. The rules of engagement must me retooled to allow a ship's crew to deal with threats themselves if they can. This law enforcement operation by the U.S. Navy was avoidable. The millions of dollars this cost the U.S. Tax Payer should not have been necessary. This is not nor should it be a U.S. Problem alone to solve.