David Axe, who has a great blog over at warisboring.com, went on another brave endeavor to track Somali pirates in the waters off Somalia and Kenya. You can link to listen to the podcast here:
If you need the direct URL, use:
http://www.skewz.com/podcast/podcast_item?podcastNum=53
The show notes are reposted below:
Skewz Podcast #44: On the Trail of Somali Pirates with David Axe
We had yet another amazing conversation with David Axe whose blog at warisboring.com recounts his experiences in some of the most dangerous places in the world. David's mantra is that he "goes to war so you don't have to." Thank God he's brave enough to do it because the insights David regularly imparts are so much deeper than you hear in the press which often has only a cursory/transitory interest in many of these subjects.
David spoke to us extensively about how Somali pirates have evolved to become a credible threat to high seas commerce off the Horn of Africa. These pirates are especially harmful to the economic interests of Kenya which is one of the more progressive states in the region. Trade with Kenya has been significantly impacted as has trade with many other countries in the region.
David highlighted the fact that the Bush administration unwittingly assisted in the expansion of pirate activity several years ago. The Islamic courts emerged in Somalia with some popular support to provide security and stability in the war torn country. Their appeal was similar to the Taliban's more than a decade ago. Once in power, the Bush administration assumed the Islamic courts had a substantial relationship with Al Qaeda. It was later determined that this was not the case. But before that intelligence could sink in, the Bush administration supported landlocked Ethiopia's take over of Somalia. Ethiopia got access to ports, and Washington removed a perceived problem.
However, the law of unintended consequences ruled he day. The Islamic courts fell, the Ethiopians got locked into an Iraq style occupation which led them to finally retreat, and the one check on the pirates (the courts) disappeared. The Islamic courts were not fans of the pirates and worked to dismantle the pirate network. With that adversary gone, the pirates flourished.
We get a lot of sporadic stories of high seas chases and scenes of high seas naval face offs from the traditional press, but we don't get a lot of context. That's what David provides so well.
You can check out David's blog at: warisboring.com
Your host: Vipul Vyas
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