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eLert Library >> Politics >> World Politics

A few hundred ragged, poorly educated and utterly ruthless pirates are having an effect on the world economy and proving that just as all politics is local, all politics in this age can be global as well.

Here politics is only via the barrel of a gun. There is a weak central government, but it is propped up by the presence of the occupying Ethiopian army and Addis Ababa is considering withdrawing in the near future.

The global politics is a consequence of the failed state projecting its terrorism, violence and piracy outwards. Given its geography there is little point in projecting west, which leaves heading out east to the high seas.

The pirates began attacking passing ships in earnest in late 2004.

As the problem grew, the EU and NATO took action and began guiding aid ships into Somalia ports.

This allowed the aid to keep flowing but the piracy problem still grew. In 2008 it is at record levels with more than 80 ships attacked this year, of which more than 30 were hijacked.

Lives have been lost, millions of dollars have been paid in ransom, millions more lost in delayed shipments. No wonder the shipping industry is looking hard at what to do.

This is because to get to the Canal you have to navigate the treacherous pirate-infested waters of the Gulf of Aden, which is where most hijackings take place.

However, going all the way down the coast of Africa and back up the other side massively increases petrol costs and delivery times.

That in turn would have a knock on effect on the price of goods including oil. The whole reason for the Suez Canal was to get round, or rather through, that problem.

If the Suez is bypassed Egypt's economy will suffer. If the ships sail hundreds of miles out from the African coast and try to avoid docking in West Africa, the ports all down the seaboard will suffer.

And if oil goes up we will all suffer. The seizure of the Sirius Star has concentrated minds but the problem is a long way from being solved. The only true solution is for Somalia to become a fully functioning state.

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