COMMENTARY
The United States has yet to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. As a result, the U.S., the world's leading maritime power, is at a military and economic disadvantage, write Thad W. Allen, Richard L. Armitage, and John J. Hamre.
COMMENTARY
Instead of fanning piracy, international businesses need to heed policy. Ransoms in the short term can only lead to more problems in the long term, writes Laurence Smallman.
COMMENTARY
Only by addressing the poverty and lack of central authority in Somalia can the international community lower maritime crime and violence off the Horn of Africa, writes Peter Chalk.
COMMENTARY
Piracy is a crime at sea, but it starts on land. To thwart the Somali piracy career path, the world community should put funds toward protecting local fishing grounds and building a national coast guard capability in Somalia, writes Peter Chalk.
REPORT
RAND recently convened a group of experts from the U.S. government, allied partner nations, the maritime industry, and academic organizations to reconsider the underlying factors that drive maritime piracy in this century. This conference proceedings highlights the six major themes that animated much of the discussion.
COMMENTARY
Piracy is a growing international problem, primarily around the Horn of Africa. The international response has been largely military in nature and focused exclusively on the maritime theatre, ignoring key land drivers of piracy, which will resurface once the military actions end, write Peter Chalk and Laurence Smallman.
REPORT
In testimony presented before the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, Cortez A. Cooper ties China's re-emergence as a naval power to its expanding economic and security interests.
COMMENTARY
The recent French and American rescues of hostages held by pirates off the coast of Somalia were necessary and proper. No one believes these actions will end piracy. But unless we impose risks on the pirates—which means taking some risks ourselves—piracy will certainly flourish, writes Brian Michael Jenkins.
MULTIMEDIA
RAND Maritime Piracy Expert Peter Chalk, in a Fox Business interview, offers insights on whether the successful rescue of captain Richard Phillips will be a deterrent for pirates.
COMMENTARY
As recent events off the Horn of Africa have demonstrated, armed violence at sea is emerging as a growing threat.... Piracy threatens the freedom of the seas, increases the cost of international business, endangers political security through corruption, and could trigger a major environmental disaster, write Peter Chalk and Laurence Smallman.
REPORT
In testimony presented before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, Peter Chalk testifies on the scope and contributing factors driving the rash of recent pirate attacks and the principal dangers associated with this particular manifestation of transnational crime.
COMMENTARY
The international community is at something of a loss as to how to respond to the increasingly audacious nature of piracy off the Horn of Africa.... What's needed is a less dramatic and more nuanced approach, one with a greater focus on the land-based violence in Somalia, home of the pirates, writes Peter Chalk.
REPORT
To preserve its ability to design, build and support complex warships and submarines, the UK's Ministry of Defence (MOD) asked RAND Europe for help with identifying labour implications for its shipbuilding programme. Research indicates that MOD will need to preserve and sustain several key technical skills, especially detailed designers and professional engineers for various stages of surface ship and submarine acquisition and support.
NEWS RELEASE
Acts of piracy and terrorism at sea are on the rise, but there is little evidence to support concerns from some governments and international organizations that pirates and terrorists are beginning to collude with one another.
REPORT
Acts of piracy and terrorism at sea are on the rise, but there is little evidence to support concerns from some governments and international organizations that pirates and terrorists are beginning to collude with one another.
RESEARCH BRIEF
This research brief summarizes RAND's analysis of recent trends in piracy and maritime terrorism, which pose a significant threat. The United States has taken only limited steps to enhance maritime security; broader measures are required.
REPORT
The authors evaluate the use of small ships in theater security cooperation (TSC). They provide the U.S. Navy with a concept of operation for small ships in TSC, necessary small ship characteristics, a survey of suitable ships, and recommendations for increasing the effectiveness of TSC operations conducted with a small vessel. The report concludes that, with a mothership, the PC-1 Cyclone Class would be fully capable for use in TSC.
REPORT
Sea Basing, a concept fundamental to the U.S. Navy’s operational vision for the 21st century, is intended to use the flexibility and protection provided by the sea base while minimizing the presence of forces ashore. This study analyzed the feasibility of simultaneously sustaining Marine Corps and Army elements ashore from a sea base or of moving an Army element in a reasonable period while sustaining a Marine Corps ground element…
JOURNAL ARTICLE
This paper analyzes one program, the Container Security Initiative, which inspects high-risk U.S.-bound containers at foreign ports.
NEWS RELEASE
October 16, 2006 News Release: RAND Study Warns Maritime Terrorism Risk Extends Beyond Dangers Posed to Container Shipping.
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