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The straits and narrow waterways are the choke points of economics, and control of these insures freedom of the Blue water areas.
Admiral Mahan treatise on Seapower, written eons ago, when BBs were the order of the day.
Today, we have Iran, (see article), China, NATO vessels, USN vessels, all attempting to control the narrows. Pirates, small vessels, with dedicated Horn of Africa based gangsters aboard, are competing for this control
Loyds of London, hurting via ransom/insurance payments, distant governments upset due to loss of revenue (delays of product to market), local nations on the closer scene, beginning to fear physical intervention.... A bunch of hot spots developing.
Now comes a new navy, albeit not much on legs, into the picture. See article. Comments??
TEHRAN, Iran — Iranian state radio says Iran has sent a warship to the coast of Somalia to protect its cargo ships against piracy.

The Saturday report says the ship arrived in Somali waters.

The Iranian ship would join vessels from the U.S., Denmark, Italy, Russia and other countries in patrolling the Gulf of Aden, which leads to the Suez Canal and is the quickest route from Asia to Europe and the Americas.

In November, a cargo ship operated by Iran was hijacked off the coast of Somalia, the second since July.

The ship, with 25 crew members, was carrying 36,000 tons of wheat and was headed for the Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas.

In October, pirates freed 29 Iranian seamen from the earlier hijacking after Iran paid a ransom for them.

SUNTZU " Keep your enemy close, know his mind, control his money, effect his movements, then you can succeed".end

ALL
Update
CTF 151 is now the Lead in the Narrows, again the tenets of Adm Mahan prevail.
CTF 151, led by a USN Adm, composed of multiple nations small navies, guarding the straits.
Comments?
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Obviously, the DC Stimulus bill has our attention. However, our friends across the pond, IE China has this to say re our beloved Blue Water fleet, currently doing duty for Adm Mahan
China sent its naval fleet on Dec. 26 2008 to join the international anti-piracy task force patrolling the waters off Somalia. The escort vessels had sailed from Sanya, a city in southern China's Hainan Province to Gulf of Aden, where they participated in the anti-piracy mission after the United Nations Security Council authorized nations to conduct land and air operations on pirate bases.

The first escort duty of the Chinese navy has attracted world attention. Whether it is difficult for the Chinese naval fleet to join the global campaign on pirates and whether the China can fulfill the escort duties are the attentive focus.

Some analysts say the anti-pirate mission is of low-intensity conflict, and China, with advanced missile destroyers, can successfully fulfill the mission. While others hold that the escort duty, the first of this kind for China, will be a major test for Chinese navy. Although Chinese navy has completed several expeditions and taken part in many joint exercises and maneuvers with naval forces of other countries, the one off Somali waters is an expedition in the real sense.

The first time, expedition and combat are the key words for Chinese navy's escort duty in the Gulf of Aden. However, there are outstanding issues: whether China will dispatch naval forces to take part in the escort? And whether the Chinese navy is capable of doing such a mission? The first problem has been settled as the Chinese naval forces arrived in Somali waters.

But along with the launch of escort duties, a series of new problems have emerged, which require prompt response from the Chinese navy: whether the vessels, helicopters and various facilities can stay well for the three-month long anti-piracy mission? Whether observation equipment can effectively spot, recognize and track all the objectives, particularly in bad weather conditions and rough ocean conditions? Whether the weapons can meet the special requirement of anti-piracy task, and whether telecommunication, information as well as logistic service are vigorous and powerful? Have all the staff been trained capable of fighting against pirates? Will emergency be effectively handled? However, the final results will depend on whether Chinese naval fleet can fulfill its escort mission.

It is quite common for mighty navy to take on such a task. However, even the powerful navies worldwide regard anti-terror, anti-piracy as new and tough missions. The US navy, known as the world's No.1, suffered defeat in the battle with pirates, who made attacks on US Aegis cruiser.

The traditional mighty naval forces did not respond promptly and maintain the safety of important sea-lanes amid the rampant piracy off Somali waters. China is still a developing country, and Chinese naval force is also in its primary stage. There will be many "first time", which will all serve as tests for Chinese navy.

Chinese naval force poses no threat at all to all the countries around the world and will get tempered in all the tasks and tests, which will make it better to serve for the national security, shoulder responsibility and contribute more to the world and regional peace and equality.

By People's Daily Online
Folks, while we bemoan our fate re the New Admin, the world paces on. The Straits are our life blood. W/O commerce, we will not have to concern ourselves with who is in charge.
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CTF 151 News. More Adm Mahan. More Nato ships. More Piracy. More disruption of the Narrows, the Straits of Commerce.
Comments?
KRAKOW, Poland —
NATO is planning to deploy a new naval flotilla in the coming months to combat piracy off Somalia, the alliance said Thursday.

In November, NATO sent four warships to the waters off the Somali coast and the Gulf of Aden to stem a surge of pirate attacks against merchant shipping in one of the world's busiest sea lanes.

They were replaced in December by a European Union task force, which will remain in place until the end of 2009. A number of other countries, including China, Russia and India, also have contributed warships to the international effort to combat piracy.

Still, pirate attacks have continued, and NATO has been considering sending a follow-on force to reinforce it.

NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer told reporters that six vessels would be sent, although he did not say from which countries.

"It's a considerable strengthening of the anti-piracy role," he said. "We are seeing the end of the monsoon season, so I would not be astonished to see piracy go up again."

The U.N. Security Council has authorized countries to enter Somalia's territorial waters, with advance notice, and use "all necessary means" to stop piracy and armed robbery at sea.

The pirates are well-funded, well-organized and have easy access to heavy weapons in a country that has been in tatters for nearly two decades. Pirates travel in open skiffs with outboard engines, working with larger ships that tow them far out to sea. They use satellite navigational and communications equipment and have an intimate knowledge of local waters, clambering aboard commercial vessels with ladders and grappling hooks.
HIGH TECH STUFF HERE, NOT THE USUAL AK 47....
To date, pirates have raked in tens of millions in ransom and attacked and seized dozens of vessels carrying everything from palm oil and chemicals to luxury yachts. High-profile seizures include an oil tanker and a Ukrainian ship laden with tanks, both recently released.

Their focus has been the Gulf of Aden, between Somalia and Yemen, where 20,000 merchant ships a year pass on the way in and out of the Suez Canal, the quickest route from Asia to Europe and the Americas.

With a Global deepening recession on us, how will this intensified effort on the part of the pirates, NATO and the CTF 151 control, effect the economies of UE, USA, PAC RIM etal?
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Please keep updating , thanks

Nhegge
Piracy news has quieted down. Apparently, the NATO force and the USN Conn has the area under some level of control. More to follow.
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Update
Pirates 0 USA 1 reads the headlines, as the USS Bainbridge etal takes down 3 pirates. Shades of the Med Pirates days.
More to the point. MAREK lines did not pay. The crew and the Captain acted as they should. Seamen the world over understand the process. One hand for the ship, one hand for the crew and self.
The Vermont Captain hails from a long line of USA Citizens. We, the USA Electorate should take a lesson.
Littorels, gulfs, narrows, and the attendant shore lines will now become the focal points of conflict. Transisting merchants, material goods, oil, gas, fuel, etal move thru these areas. We have these points all over the globe.
In my Opine, we are entering a phase of Gobal conflict, centered on the narrows, designed to constrict world trade, as nearly all of the trade moves via ships. No aircraft Fed Ex moves material like trains or ships. The world simply needs open seas.
We, the USN, have fortunately built small boys, in sufficient quantity to stand up for the USA Transiting Freights, but the rest simply have not.
Pacific regions, though vast, also have their littorls. The South China sea, the Taiwan straits, the Yellow sea, the Northern Japan sea, the Bering strait, all are difficult areas to navigate, defend and transit.
Look to the Littorels. Look to the Gulfs. Look to the Narrows, this is the next conflict area.
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Semper Fi.

He was a great Admiral. By the way you old tin can sailors until YOU VISIT AN ARLEIGH BURKE DESTROYER don't knock I commissioned the RUSSELL DDG-59. She's a billy bada** try a tiger cruise you'll be impressed!!! DC2 Campos vet.