Phillips: Military should protect U.S.-flag ships

Phillips: Military should protect U.S.-flag ships    The captain of the Maersk Alabama told the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Thursday that he thought it was the government's responsibility to protect U.S.-flag ships that are coming under attack off the coast of Somalia.
   “I believe it is the responsibility of our government to protect the United States, including U.S.-flag vessels that are by definition an extension of the United States, their U.S. citizen crews, and our nation's worldwide commercial assets,” said Capt. Richard Phillips. “The most desirable and appropriate solution to piracy is for the United States government to provide protection, through military escorts and/or military detachments aboard U.S. vessels.” He also said that ships should be further “hardened” against attack.
   But Phillips said he was aware “that some will argue that there is a limit to any government's resources — even America's” and that he would not be opposed to private security forces on ships, if they remained under command of the captain.
   He expressed caution about the idea of arming merchant mariners: “Arming the crew cannot and should not be viewed as the best or ultimate solution to the problem. At most, arming the crew should be only one component of a comprehensive plan” and be restricted to a few senior officers who receive special training.
   Also testifying was John P. Clancey, chairman of Maersk Inc., who warned: “Arming merchant sailors may result in the acquisition of ever more lethal weapons and tactics by the pirates, a race that merchant sailors cannot win.”
   He also pointed out that most ports of call will not permit the introduction of firearms into their national waters and that companies would be vulnerable to lawsuits if someone was killed or injured by a weapon.
   Several committee members seemed to be less reluctant about putting guards on ships or training crewmembers how to use weapons. “Why is that training not worthwhile?” asked Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass. “Rather than paying millions of dollars in the aggregate as an industry” in an apparent reference to the ransom money shipping lines have paid pirates. “It seems to me that you would be significantly more advantaged if you are able to defend yourself,” he told Clancey.
   Kerry also seemed worried about the cost of protecting merchant ships. “It seems to me that piracy is an increasing problem. The alternative is to call on what may be a far more expensive form of protection, which is to have military diverted from a lot of other activities.”
   “Historically we have deputized citizens to engage in certain law enforcement activities going back to the time of the posses,” he said. “It costs somebody to do this protection. The taxpayers have paid for it through their tax dollar and the U.S. government provides protection or the taxpayer pays for it through the cost of the goods that are sold to them. The question is what is the most feasible way to provide the protection,” he said. ' Chris Dupin