Piracy off Somalia

I blogged about the present day pirates in Gulf of Aden earlier this month. Last week Ukrainian cargo ship Faina "was captured by Somali pirates on September 25, 2008, becoming the 62nd attack by pirates on ships near Somalia, and the 26th ship hijacked by pirates in 2008" according to Wikipedia. This morning AFP reports:

The USS Howard

MOGADISHU (AFP) — The US Navy on Wednesday piled pressure on Somali pirates holding out for a 20 million dollar ransom for a Ukrainian cargo ship carrying tanks and other arms.

Warships from the United States and other navies have blockaded the MV Faina in a pirate lair off Somalia's Indian Ocean coast.

The US Defence Department has suggested it could wait days for a Russian warship to arrive, before taking action, and has laid the emphasis on ensuring a "peaceful resolution."

The pirates, who seized the MV Faina with its 21-man crew and 33 Soviet-era T72 battle tanks last Thursday, say they are under 24-hour surveillance from the US ships and helicopters.

"We are prepared for any eventuality," warned pirate spokesman, Sugule Ali, by satellite telephone from the ship.

It is certainly comforting to know the U.S. Navy is on the scene. So the modern day thugs will not be the old time vikings. The title of the AFP article "US Navy plays waiting game with surounded Somali pirates" certainly give us hope for a peaceful solution, thanks to the U.S. Navy. But one just can not help asking where the heck is United Nations? Did they ever done anything meaningful for the world peace?

???

Right! zero, zilch, nothing, nada!
(Do you suppose that the pirate leader might get an invitation to address the U.N. someday?)