Today Yahoo News (via Associated Press) posted an article regarding another pirate attack on the Maersk Alabama today.  The owners of the Maersk Alabama have evidently learned from their experience in April–the pirates were fought off by private guards on board who fired off guns and a high-decibel noise device.

According to the article:

“However, Roger Middleton, a piracy expert at the London-based think
tank Chatham House, said the international maritime community was still
“solidly against” armed guards aboard vessels at sea, but that American
ships have taken a different line than the rest of the international
community.

“Shipping companies are still pretty much overwhelmingly opposed to the idea of armed guards,” Middleton said. “Lots of private security companies
employee people who don’t have maritime experience. Also, there’s the
idea that it’s the responsibility of states and navies to provide
security. I would think it’s a step backward if we start privatizing
security of the shipping trade.”

There is something in the American make-up that defends private property.  It is my opinion that the concept of defending yourself has been lost in a large portion of the rest of the world.  The ship escaped capture because the security forces were on board–they were not saved by naval ships in the area.  They avoided capture because of having people on board who thwarted the attack. 

Thank goodness that the owners of the ship took the precautions they did to avoid a repeat of what happened in April!