Pirate Alley: Commanding Task Force 151 Off Somalia - Hardcover

McKnight, Terence E; Hirsch, Michael

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1612511341 ISBN 13: 9781612511344

Publisher: Naval Institute Press, 2012

Synopsis

Named a Notable Naval Book of 2012 by Proceedings magazine, Pirate Alley is now available in paperback. The book provides an in-depth look at every aspect of Somali piracy, from how the pirates operate to how the actions of a relative handful of youthful criminals and their bosses have impacted the world economy. It explores the debate over the recently adopted practice of putting armed guards aboard merchant ships, and focuses on the best management practices that are changing the ways that ships are outfitted for travel through what's known as the High-Risk Area. Readers will learn that the consequence of protecting high quality targets such as container ships and crude oil carriers may be that pirates turn to crime on land, such as the kidnapping of foreigners.

About this title

About the Author

Rear Admiral Terry McKnight, USN (Ret.) is a thirty-one-year veteran of the U.S. Navy who, as a Surface Warfare Officer, rose to command the USS Kearsarge, an amphibious assault ship carrying nearly 3,000 sailors and Marines. He was selected to serve as the first commander of Combined Task Force 151, a multi-national unit formed to combat piracy in the Gulf of Aden. He currently lives in Fairfax Station, Virginia with his wife of over thirty years and two wonderful sons. Michael Hirsh is a journalist who has produced documentaries and specials for PBS, CBS, ABC and HBO. He’s received the Peabody Award, a Writers Guild Award, and multiple Emmy Awards. Among his television specials are “Memories of M*A*S*H” for CBS, “A Program for Vietnam Veterans―and everyone else who should care” for PBS, and a five program PBS series for on the prevention of child sexual abuse. He’s written six non-fiction books, including None Braver―US Air Force Pararescuemen in the War on Terror, and The Liberators―America’s Witnesses to the Holocaust. He and his wife, Karen, live in Punta Gorda, Florida.

From the Back Cover

With piracy on the rise and fast becoming a serious global security issue, Admiral Terry McKnight took command of a new multi-national task force in 2009 to combat piracy in the Gulf of Aden. As task force commander, he directed operations that disrupted several hijackings and resulted in the capture of sixteen Somali pirates. After running head-on into a U.S. policy of catch-and-release, he realized that there was more to fighting piracy than just catching youngsters armed with AK-47s and RPGs.

McKnight retired from the Navy and began researching the problem. This book, co-written with journalist Michael Hirsh, is a very readable yet authoritative introduction to the subject. The authors explore every aspect of Somali piracy, from how the pirates operate to how their actions have impacted the world economy. They examine various attempts to solve the problem, including placing armed guards aboard merchant ships, and highlight the best ways to outfit ships for travel through high risk areas. But they warn that a consequence of successfully protecting such targets as container ships and crude oil carriers may be that pirates turn to crime on land, such as the kidnapping of foreigners.

In addressing the worldwide economic impact of piracy, they note that piracy costs as much as $13 billion a year, and in 2011 took 1000 seafarers into captivity. One shipping company argues, however, that over-reaching shipping regulations have a greater negative effect on the economy. The book concludes that in the interest of justice and to protect the free flow of commerce throughout the world, the United States government needs to take additional measures to stop the flow of U.S. dollars for ransoms payments that serves as the only reason for piracy in the region. With a foreword by Jim Miklaszewski.

Edition details

• Publisher: Naval Institute Press
• Publication date: 2012
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1612511341
• ISBN 13: 9781612511344
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 272