Πώς να τερματιστεί η πειρατεία: Μαθήματα από την τελευταία δεκαετία

Η θαλάσσια πειρατεία είναι εξ ορισμού θαλάσσιο έγκλημα, που όμως έχει τις ρίζες του βαθιά στην ξηρά. Οι πειρατές χρειάζονται ασφαλή καταφύγια που τους παρέχουν πλοία και προμήθειες -και, κυρίως, τα μέσα για να διακινήσουν τα κλοπιμαία τους στην αγορά.

Ύποπτοι πειρατείας στην Μομπάσα της Κένυας, τον Ιούνιο του 2009. (Joseph Okanga / Courtesy Reuters)

Κατανοώντας αυτό, οι κυβερνήσεις συνήθως καταπολέμησαν την πειρατεία όχι μόνο με πολεμικά πλοία, αλλά και με στρατιώτες στην ξηρά. Από την αρχαία Ρώμη ως την δυναστεία Qing της Κίνας και την Αγγλία του δεκάτου εβδόμου αιώνα, τα κυρίαρχα κράτη έχουν υπονομεύσει τους πειρατές ξεριζώνοντας παραθαλάσσια χωριά, καίγοντας σκάφη, και εκτελώντας συνεργάτες. Και αυτό συνέβαινε και στις Ηνωμένες Πολιτείες. Το 1805, ο πρόεδρος των ΗΠΑ, Τόμας Τζέφερσον, ανέπτυξε μια μικρή δύναμη πεζοναυτών και μισθοφόρων στο Derne, μια πόλη με λιμάνι στην ακτή της σημερινής Λιβύης, ως μέρος μιας ευρύτερης εκστρατείας για τον τερματισμό της πειρατείας στην Βαρβαρία σε βάρος των αμερικανικών εμπορικών πλοίων –ένα γεγονός που έχει απαθανατιστεί στον επίσημο ύμνο των πεζοναυτών. (Οι πεζοναύτες «πολεμάμε στις μάχες της χώρας μας», λέει το τραγούδι, «από τα περάσματα [της ναυμαχίας] του Μοντεζούμα ως τις ακτές της Τρίπολης».)

Obama Taps Insider as Secret Service Chief After Being Prodded to Choose an Outsider

Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson told lawmakers late last year that the Secret Service, rocked by scandals in recent years, has “fundamental, systemic issues” that can only be fixed by an agency outsider. On Wednesday, President Barack Obama instead tasked the ultimate insider to fix them.

The White House selected Joseph P. Clancy, who formerly led Obama’s security detail and has been serving as the interim chief of the Secret Service, to permanently run the agency. Clancy is likely to be a controversial pick with lawmakers, who want an outsider to overhaul the Secret Service after a string of embarrassing scandals and security lapses. If the president had chosen the other leading candidate, Sean Joyce, a former deputy director of the F.B.I., it would have been the first time in the history of the Secret Service someone who had never been an agent ran the agency.

Industrial Expansion Will Strain Mexico's Water Resources

Much like its northern neighbor, Mexico is not water scarce when viewed as a whole. But unequal water distribution has led to significant water stress in several parts of the country. Supply has been further strained by poor infrastructure, pollution and overuse — partly attributable to inefficient management and a growing population. Still, Mexico is positioned to experience significant economic growth because of its proximity to the United States and the likely expansion of its manufacturing sector as the country's population increases.

Recent changes to the constitution to encourage much-needed investment in the country's energy sector will further aid the faltering sector. Asymmetrical distribution and increased competition for limited water resources, however, could temper Mexico's potential for growth. Growth is still possible without addressing the problem, but it must be dealt with if Mexico hopes to fully utilize its geographic advantages, especially in the industrial and manufacturing sectors. In addition to the other obstacles that must be addressed, Mexico will need to make policy and behavioral adjustments to overcome its current water scarcity issues.

Seven Lessons from Greece

For years, radical forces in Europe have only been able to resist austerity policies, rarely engaging in offensive strategic thought and action, and always from outside government. But on February 6, when thousands demonstrated in favor of the new Greek government, in front of an unpoliced and open parliament, it was clear that something significant had changed.

A celebration in Athens after Syriza's January victory. Vagelis Poulis / Flickr

In the words of Syriza central committee member Stathis Kouvelakis, there is a “spreading mood of mobilization, of regained dignity, of a desire both to support the government in the face of the blackmail and to put pressure on it to halt any retreat.” Against Germany’s insistence that “elections do not change anything,” against leftist fears that the government would be forced to back down immediately, Syriza seems to have opened space for heightened struggle against neoliberal hegemony in Europe.