Your Tax Dollars at Work

We often hear that oceans off the Somali coast are so vast that navies cannot effectively patrol them.

However, they have apparently abandoned a tanker that has already been hijacked.

The chemical tanker, Stolt Strength, which after being held for ransom by Somali pirates for six months, was released last week. Because it is running low on bunkers, it is now drifting, at risk to be attacked again.

A navy vessel escorted it at first but then left it. Now the Stolt Strength drifts alone. Its owners say they repeatedly have requested the escort be resumed, but they have so far been ignored.