Source: Global Times

11-28-2008 11:17

16 ships and 300 seamen-- these are the "treasures" grasped in the hands of the savage Somali pirates; more than 10 warships, belonging to more than ten countries----these constitute the bandit-suppressing forces deployed by international communities off the Somali coast.

Chinese fishing boat "Tian Yu No.8" was hijacked by Somali  pirates on Nov. 14, 2008

There is no outcome yet for this contest, but some states have already become the focus of attention: “Fearless," a protection frigate of the Russian Northern Fleet has repelled two pirate attacks so far, and the Indian Navy’s “INS Tabar” has sunk a pirate ship. However, as always, emerging state´s “incidental extraordinary performances” always brings about criticism from other parts of the world. This time, Russia was described as “showing off its muscles” by the American Defense News. As for India’s growing naval strength, there are experts who worry that "one day it will challenge the primary naval power of the Indian Ocean - -the United States.

"This criticism may also trouble the Chinese policymakers who face the unfounded “China military threat theory” spread repeatedly by the West. Should China take the initiative to send warships to fight Somali pirates to protect its own ships or should it act with discretion and opt for a safer solution?

Russia and India´s conspicuous performance draws disputes

According to statistics, this year, Somali pirates have raided 95 ships, and are still holding 16 ships and 300 seamen in their hands. In the short 10-day period from November 7 to 16, five foreign ships were robbed one after another. Facing the increasingly rampant piracy, the UN Security Council passed a resolution in October, calling for all states to use all necessary means to crack down on pirates of the “Horn of Africa,” especially through deploying warships and fighter planes.

At present, a multinational fleet headed by the US has been patrolling the waters, and NATO has sent seven frigates and destroyers; India has sent a large warship with helicopters and crew on board to escort Indian merchant ships; The European Union announced that it will send five to six warships on December 8 to patrol in the Gulf of Aden; Russia has transferred the "Fearless" guided missile frigate from the Northern Fleet to perform missions in the area; The South Korean Congress will vote next month on dispatching destroyers to the Gulf of Aden early next year, thus realizing actual overseas combat mission for the first time in history; Japan also has prepared its draft resolution for sending its self-defense forces to the Somali waters to strike the pirates, seeking to overcome its constitutional restraint again at next year’s Diet sessions.

In the Gulf of Aden, the Russian “Fearless” frigate has made an extraordinary performance. On November 11th, the "Fearless" and the British "Cumberland" frigates each sent out one helicopter and prevented pirates from hijacking a Danish cargo vessel; on November 15th, “Fearless” repelled pirates who meant to attack a Saudi Arabian ship. According to a November 21 report by the ITAR-TASS, the Russian Naval Department of General Staff commanded that all naval vessels, regardless of location or current assignment, should attack when encountering pirates.

On the same day, Russian News reported that Russian naval commander in chief expressed that more warships will be sent to Somalia, and be deployed there regularly. On November 22, the American "Defense News" reported under the title "Somali pirates gave Russia chances to demonstrate its strength": Russia planned to take this chance to re-open its former Soviet period naval base on a Yemeni island in the northern Gulf of Aden, and some reactivated commanders trained by former KGB vowed that they would crush the Somali pirates. The article claimed, " Russia fighting the Somali pirates so actively indicates that it is returning to the ranks of world´s powerful countries."

INS Tabar, the Indian Navy warship which sunk a Somali pirate ship several days ago was the pride of the Indian people. The Indian Navy stated: Since the Tabar entered the Gulf of Aden at the beginning of November, it has ensured the safe passage of 35 ships through these "pirate infested waters". A headline in India´s Economic Times on November 20 reads: "US cites Indian success against pirates to signal global action.” The article quotes US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack who said, "the action of the Indian Navy shows that international community must jointly strike against Somali pirates. This is an international problem. No one country is going to solve it alone.”

However, not all Americans think in this way. Qatar´s Gulf Times reported on November 22 from Washington, "when western states strengthened patrol in the ´Horn of Africa´, India snatched their public attention" and the sinking of the pirate ship by Tabar demonstrated India´s growing naval strength. The report claims that a lot of Indian strategists have regarded the whole Indian Ocean as India´s sphere of influence, and now, its naval strength has extended to the Red Sea and the Gulf, as well as along the east coast of Africa and all the way south to the Fijian and Australian waters.

According to the article, India has already possessed an aircraft carrier, and at least 16 modern submarines, including a nuclear-powered submarine, are under construction. In addition, with 48 warships as well as a powerful naval aviation corps and advanced reconnaissance satellites, India will one day challenge the primary naval power of the Indian Ocean - - the United States; It also says, "India´s lunar exploration, the deployment of intermediate range ballistic missiles as well as the sonar development of the Navy, has alerted the Americans", " India has not ruled the waters yet, but who knows for certain it will not be the case one day in the future?" ”

Somali waters endanger two major Chinese shipping routes