Government Involvement and Impact

Since piracy is an international issue, it is up to the federal government to solve this problem. Within the federal government, there three main organizations involved: the Department of Defense, the State Department, and Congress. Currently, the Department of Defense is using the U.S. Navy to patrol waters frequented by pirates while the State Department is busy working with other nations to find the best solution. Meanwhile, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation have held hearings to find out what legislation is needed to help stop piracy. Watch the Senate hearing here: http://commerce.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.LiveStream&Hearing_id=93dfe074-a312-490e-9c8e-3490dd16efc8. While President Obama is ultimately in charge, he must also rely on the help of his Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates is another key political figure because he is in charge of CTF 151 and he must coordinate with Secretary Clinton. The Senators and Representatives on the two committees listed are important because any type of legislation dealing with piracy must go through them. The decisions of these governmental leaders affects many U.S. citizens including those in the military who must patrol the waters off the coast of Somalia and the Gulf of Aden. People in the shipping and maritime trade industry are also impacted because they must follow the laws passed by Congress. If the U.S. government decides to halt aid to East Africa because it is too dangerous, then many people in Africa could starve to death. Our government impacts both U.S. citizens and people around the world. Right now, our government has taken a relatively passive approach to piracy. The government is taking time to evaluate the situation in order to make the best choice possible. Working with out allies to stop piracy is advantageous because it requires fewer of our resources and by working together the U.S. and the international community are stronger and more effective. However, the downside to the U.S. government's current approach is that it will take a long time to control piracy. Despite that, I think this is the best approach considering the situation. Working with our partners and being ready to confront piracy situations is the best solution.