My knee jerk reaction, is that the piracy we're seeing off the coast of Somalia isn't new, but the intensity of it is due to a relatively recent (past 20 years) loss of State control, more weapons available on the open market (pirates probably have greater capability, and success begets success, because they have more money to buy faster boats and more weapons), fewer viable economic alternatives.

Somalia is a country in the non-integrated gap, and what I have read to date their criminals are integrated into the global economy, but simply tapping into it by holding ships and crews for ransom. I'm sure there is more to the story, I'm basing this admittedly lame assessment off about three newspaper articles .

However, their operations are having an effect on the global economy. This problem should be relaatively easy to suppress to an acceptable level again if the international community is willing to take the harsh actions needed against the pirates, so the risk out weighs the gains in their decision making calculus, but the long term permnanent fix (nothing is permanent) is regaining State control and creating alternative economic models for the coastal populations of Somalia.