Marines could fight pirates once again
Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 1:46 am
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Marines could fight pirates once again
U.N. resolution gives more options to nations with ships in Gulf of Aden
By Dan Lamothe - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Dec 29, 2008 15:46:53 EST
It has been more than 200 years since Marines invaded the African port of Tripoli, Libya, taking on pirates who terrorized civilian sailors from the Barbary Coast to the Atlantic Ocean.
Now, the U.N. Security Council has opened the door for another war on piracy, voting unanimously Dec. 16 to approve a resolution that authorizes nations to conduct land and air attacks on pirate bases on the east African coast of Somalia, where extreme poverty has led to a large spike in attacks on ocean vessels.
U.S. officials, including Commandant Gen. James Conway, have not indicated that Marines will be called on to fight pirates. But Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said Defense Secretary Robert Gates and other officials welcomed the resolution and look forward to addressing with allies “this troublesome problem.”
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