Maritime Piracy in the 21st Century: A Short Course for U.S. Policy Makers

Abstract

While piracy has been recognized and in part dealt with in past centuries, it has seen a resurgence in the last two decades and appears to be growing in the quantity of incidents and the efficiency with which it is carried out. This paper will discuss the growth of piracy activities throughout the world, identify the legal issues regarding the ‘policing’ of these activities, identify the various ‘players’ who participate in the governance of the maritime commons and, finally, outline the various ramifications of this phenomenon for U.S. foreign policy. It is the conclusion of this writer that contemporary methodologies and systems of enforcement are inadequate to the task of constraining and/or eliminating piratical activity as it is presently practiced.