by Lance Thompson

Over the weekend, the US Navy rescued Captain Richard Phillips from pirates who had boarded his commercial civilian ship, tried to seize it, and held him at gunpoint for five days. Navy marksmen shot three of the four pirates holding Phillips in a lifeboat, and took into custody the fifth pirate who was “negotiating” for the captain’s life. The nation should cheer the actions by the US Navy, welcome Captain Phillips home with open arms, and take this opportunity to establish a strong anti-piracy policy.

That policy should be that pirates shall be executed as terrorists on the spot. There is no need for a trial. Five armed pirates boarded a defenseless ship and attempted to seize it and its crew. The crew fought back, regained control, and the pirates departed with one hostage, threatening to kill him if their demands weren’t met. There is no defense, no excuse, no extenuating circumstances for piracy. The two remaining pirates in this incident should be executed immediately, before they reach port. Their remains can be displayed as a reminder of the fate that awaits their kind.

Some have commented already that the decisive end of this incident will encourage more violent acts by pirates. These are the same deep thinkers who believe that being nice to terrorists will lessen the severity of terrorist attacks. Pirates and terrorists have freely chosen careers of murder and depredation in which they prey on the innocent and unarmed. There is no defense or excuse for this behavior. There is only one suitable penalty–death.

Pirate apologists will say that this in unrealistic, particularly in hostage situations. But hostage situations work both ways. In this incident, as in so many others, the pirates threatened to kill their hostages. By the same token, pirates also know that the hostages are their only shield against punishment for their crimes. If hostages are killed, pirates must know that they will face execution–not a lengthy legal battle that will turn them into celebrities.

For additional leverage in a hostage crisis, any pirates held in custody by the nation attacked should be put at risk. For every innocent hostage harmed, a pirate will be executed immediately. If the nation should run short of pirates in custody, that nation should apprehend pirates (such as Abdullah Lami, a pirate who is holding a Greek ship in the Somali town of Gaan), those who support pirates, those who supply pirates, those who defend pirates, those who speak for pirates, those who profess to be pirates (such as self-described Jamac Hebeb, who advised all future hostage-takers to kill their hostages before they can be rescued), and those who are related to pirates. It is time that the enemy be put at the same level of risk as the civilized world. The penalty for piracy is death, and that penalty applies to anyone involved.

While this may sound harsh or uncivilized, it is the only possible response to the terrorism of piracy. Do you ever wonder why Iranian ships, Russian ships, Red Chinese ships are never seized by pirates? It’s because pirates know that those governments will retaliate swiftly and mercilessly. Is it more civilized for us to put all those who sail under our flag at risk, merely so we can appear to be humane and civilized? If we don’t punish piracy severely, we become complicit in its wickedness, and we contribute to its awful human toll.

Just as with terrorism, piracy will not cease until pirates are certain that their acts will be met with swift and certain justice. Pirates have chosen to hold innocent people at risk to realize financial gain. One who becomes a pirate forfeits all claims to mercy, compassion, and the benefits of humanity. These are enemies of the civilized world, and they should be exterminated as one would deal with pestilential vermin.