(((Boy, this oughta be some jolly, French-inspired, rollicking, adventure on the high seas kinda stuff. Except they'd better watch out for those pirates – not only do they have narcotics, Moslems, small-arms and speedboats, they steal tanks.)))
Link: BBC NEWS | Africa | EU force to fight Somali pirates.
The European Union has agreed to establish an anti-piracy security operation off the coast of Somalia.
French Defence Minister Herve Morin said at least eight countries have agreed to take part. ((("The Coalition of the Wilting.")))
The deal follows the seizure of a ship laden with 33 tanks - a $20m (£11m) ransom is wanted for its release. (((I bet they're not asking for dollars, either.)))
Meanwhile, police in Kenya have arrested a maritime official who said that the battle tanks were destined for southern Sudan, rather than Kenya. (((Ooops.)))
Andrew Mwangura - who's the spokesman for the Kenyan chapter of the Seafarers Assistance Programme - is likely to be charged with issuing an inflammatory statement. (((Telling the truth, a revolutionary act, as Orwell used to say.)))
A police official is reported to have said they want to question him about the allegation that the tanks on board the Ukrainian ship were going to South Sudan - a claim strongly denied by Kenyan and Ukrainian authorities. ((("I'm shocked, shocked to discover," etc)))
But other sources, including a US navy spokesman, said the cargo was bound for the autonomous government of South Sudan, in possible contravention of a peace accord.
A British report says that Somali piracy has more than doubled this year, with more than 60 ships attacked so far and between $20m (£11.3m) and $30m (£16.9m) paid in ransom.
November launch
The French announcement was made after a meeting of EU defence ministers at Deauville, in northern France.
"There is very broad European willingness," said Mr Morin. "Many countries want to take part."
