--Despite popular culture's romanticization of pirates -- particularly the Blackbeards and Captain Kidds of the Golden Age (1692-1725) -- pirates have always been ruthless brigands hell-bent on theft. That hasn't changed. What has changed is the technological sophistication, which often matches that of coastal authorities; and of greater concern is the terrorist connection.

-Granted, pirates and terrorists have different primary objectives. Pirates are thieves and killers, who care nothing for the limelight. Terrorists are mass murderers bent on inflicting mass casualties and influencing mass audiences. But both employ similar tactics and have similar sub-objectives -- illegal arms trading and the development of secret bases of operation -- and both operate outside of international law. Thus there is the very real possibility that global piracy is creating a new oceangoing realm into which terrorist cells can safely and effectively move. That is the most frightening prospect of all.

NEW TECHNOLOGIES: Cruise companies today are equipping their ships with a variety of counter-pirate technologies, including: • High-voltage electrical fences fixed along ships' railings as deterrent barriers. • Long Range Acoustic Devices (LRADs) -- essentially “sonic cannon” used to beam extremely loud streams of non-lethal noise at attacking pirates. Sonic cannon, which have been used by U.S. ground forces to clear buildings in Iraq, were employed with great success against pirates off Somalia in November 2005 (I'll get to that in a moment). • Devices capable of beaming bowel-movement-inducing sound waves in the direction of attacking pirates. Sounds odd, but it works. • Metal and explosives detectors. These are used to deter would-be insiders who might slip weapons or explosive materials aboard ship in hopes of providing assistance to externally attacking pirates. • Powerful foaming agents and extreme glues that can be sprayed onto decks prior to a boarding by pirates. • Searchlights to scan the seas at night. • Fire-hoses to repel boarders. • Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). These pilotless aircraft fitted with powerful cameras may be launched from ships in order to provide shipboard security teams with “real-time” imagery of approaching pirate vessels.

-Once aboard, pirates will bind or kill the crew; seize control of the freighter; change the ship's name, registration number, and logbooks; then sail the vessel into a pirate-friendly port. At that point, the pirates will either sell the ship and its cargo, or demand ransom for the ship or any surviving crewmembers.

-Modern pirates are well equipped for their dark work, utilizing everything from personal computers to satellite phones and GPS receivers. They also have long-range telescopes, all manner of automatic weapons, grenades, knives, and boarding tools. Their attacking platforms include converted fishing boats and hopped-up inflatables liked those used by Navy SEALs and Recon Marines.

-Worldwide, the number of pirate attacks as reported by the International Maritime Bureau in the first quarter of 2006 was 61, slightly higher than the 56 attacks reported in the same quarter of 2005. But no attacks in the first three months of 2006 were reported off Indonesia, which was one of the world's most dangerous pirate hotspots in 2005. The decline of pirate activity off Indonesia is a testament to the coordination of intelligence- gathering and law enforcement efforts between Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore.

-The most dangerous areas presently appear to be the waters off Somalia (where there is no legitimate national law enforcement structure) and believe it or not, Iraq (There, ground-based bandits -- in the face of coalition ground forces -- have taken to the sea). But the U.S. Navy is now actively involved in counter-piracy operations in both the blue waters off Somalia and Iraq, as well as the littorals of the Iraqi coastline. Pirate attacks have also been reported off West Africa, India, Bangladesh, South America, and in the Caribbean. And state navies and coast guards are increasing joint efforts in those areas as well.