Somali Pirates Take Another Ship

MV Faina Is Cornered

The U.S. Navy dispatched several ships to track and corner the MV Faina to make sure that the pirates were not able to off load any of the cargo. While Christensen said they aren't involved in the ransom negotiations, which have ranged from $8 million to $20 million, the Navy ships will stay there until the situation is resolved.

Piracy is flourishing off the coast of Somalia because on land the country has been embroiled in civil wars for a generation and the current feeble government is busy trying to fend off an Islamic insurrection that threatens to topple it.

In his report, Middleton said the solution must be political, not from the military. "The most powerful weapon against piracy will be peace and opportunity in Somalia, coupled with an effective and reliable police force and judiciary," he wrote.

It's a sentiment Christensen agrees with. "Ultimately, piracy begins ashore," he said. "It is an international problem that requires an international solution. The international community together as a whole needs to engage ashore to deter these acts from starting in the first place."