The Big Myth of Somali Pirates

In much of the froth about piracy off the Horn of Africa one sees a tendency to compare that problem today with the problem the young United States had with Barbary pirates 200 years ago. But trying to understand modern-day piracy—especially Somali piracy—by looking at the past can present a distorted view of what’s happening today. It is very possible to learn the wrong lessons from history, and distorted perspectives lead to distorted policy.