How will it end with the Pirates?

This is how the Pirates want the situation to end. They want something in exchange for the Captain of the Maersk Alabama, plus safe passage home.

Other pirates want to come and help their friends,” Andrew Mwangura, coordinator of the East African Seafarers' Assistance Program that monitors the region's seas, told Reuters.

"They will release the captain, I think, maybe today or tomorrow, but in exchange for something. Maybe some payment or compensation, and definitely free passage back home," he said.

Phillips is one of about 270 hostages being held at the moment by Somali pirates, who have been plying the busy sea-lanes of the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean for years.

They are keeping 18 captured vessels at or near lairs on the Somali coast — five of them taken since the weekend alone.

What should the U.S. do?

In my opinion it's the proper time to address this piracy problem as a whole.

The problem begins, of course, in Somalia and the lack of a government. The little government there is can't handle the problem. They say they have asked for help, but I don't really think just giving them money will solve the problem.
Here's what one person stated.

"This problem of the piracy in Somali sea waters is a problem and a very difficult thing for everybody. But for us it is not a difficult thing because we as Somalis have to show our experience of how we can handle and tackle these kinds of problems. But we are deeply sorry and it is regrettable all these expenses that the international community is spending towards addressing this piracy issue sending all their naval vessels to Somali sea waters without doing anything at all," Haji Ibbi said.

He said several requests by the Somali government to help solve the piracy problem have fallen on deaf ears.

He has a point about all the wasted money sending Naval vessels to the area, without doing anything.

The UN needs to step in and help the Government learn how to first of all, get control of the country. They need to get back control of the fishing rights which are probably being sold under the table. They need more attention to the dumping of illegal hazardous waste in their waters. I have no idea how this could be cleaned up.

It's a big job. I always find it so sad that so many countries never seem to "get it together". Take Haiti for example. The U.N. has been there for a number of years, and I don't think it's improved all that much.

But that doesn't mean we shouldn't try.