Pirate hunting

It has been six years since pirates from the war-torn, lawless African nation of Somalia took control of the high seas off the coast of East Africa, and in that time 30 ships have been captured and more than 660 people taken hostage, but US citizens have remained largely unscathed - until Feb. 22.

Four Americans were found killed on a yacht that had been hijacked Feb. 18 by pirates south of Oman. The Quest was shadowed by four US warships and sky-high drones as the captors tried to sail it to the Somali shore.

While the murders of the four Americans are still being studied, the reality is that the pirates from Somalia aren't a bunch of ragtag criminals. Rather, they use high-speed boats and are armed with assault rifles, rocket-propelled grenade launchers and semiautomatic weapons.

Piracy on the high seas must be treated as a declaration of war requiring the U.N. to respond aggressively. Member nations should be prepared to provide all the fire power necessary to not only clear the shipping lanes of the pirates, but also to destroy their hideouts in Somalia.

- The Vindicator, Youngstown, Ohio