PIRATE (TERRORIST) CONTROL

A friend suggested that we could help defuse the pirate issue near Somalia with a few well placed munitions on some of their assets. I believe that if we want to defeat these terrorists (I am reluctant to glamorize these criminals) we, the USA, will have to make a concerted effort in destroying their capabilities. Have no fear, our so called allies and even our potential enemies have no stomach or desire to get mixed up with us on this or any other endeavor (except to accept our valuables and protection while damming us at the same time).

My approach to these Somalian terrorists would be somewhat costly, but probably not as expensive as our (and other nations) having to pay them yearly tribute.

1.First we should declare that the area adjacent to the Somalia coast extending out as far as necessary (500 mi?) and within Somalia itself including all navagible waterways to be a WAR zone.
2. Place as many as 3 surveillance aircraft over this region on a 24 hour/ 7 day basis.
3. Detail as many as 2 Aircraft Carriers (initially) to patrol the area.
4. Set up a screen of Combat Air Patrol (CAP) planes over the ares under the control of the surveillance aircraft.
5. Have helicopter gunship support in continous attendance in the area.
6. Detail the use of inshore patrol watercraft (maybe Coast Guard assets) to monitor close in to the Somalia coast to interdict all potentially hostile craft.
7. Interdict all watercraft through the use of the above assets. Destroy all hostile or potentially hostile forces.
8. Arm all merchant ships (or as many as could be convinced it would be for their own safety) or provide Military forces to ride thes merchant ships (a requirement for US flagged ships; optional for other nation's assets).
9. Require all merchant ships to transit the WAR area in convoys under military protection.

I believe that this approach would choke off the sea to the terrorists. Once this is done, go about the serious business of enforcing a stronger civil government for Somalia and pursuing the criminals in their own country. This effort would be quite a bit more costly than the seaborne phase.

I do not believe that the UN or any other organization (NATO, SEATO,ETC) would willingly participate, but maybe, if we, the US, could get some backbone, we might be able to impose peace in this area.

I wonder if the Israelis would be interested in such a venture (for consideration of course).