The Incense Coast: Piracy around the Horn of Africa

In the failed East African state of Somalia, piracy has become a dominant factor in the economy. Bordering one of the world's busiest waterways—with steady traffic coming and going through the Suez Canal—Somalia's north shore, once famed as the “Incense Coast,” provides a dependable parade of suitable victims. Maritime nations have powerful naval contingents in the region; but, lacking legal justification for preemptive action, they are paralyzed and ineffective. News media are hungry for s...