Swashbuckling With RPGs

"Why can't the pirate go to the movie? Because it was rated 'AARRRGGHHH'!" That the latest from an eight-year-old wannabe comic, complete with an eye half-closed and appropriate sneer but sans parrot or peg leg. It seems the romantic Johnny Depp version no longer exists as piracy has taken a whole new twist off the east coast of Africa. The media has protrayed them as uncivilized, uneducated villains while the Somali people see them as protectors of a land without an actual government since 1991. "Ha!" you exclaim, "Protect them from what, exactly?" It would seem that, in spite of everything in the press, there are some issues at stake of which we are generally ignorant. But first, some facts:
110 out of 1,000 babies born in Somalia will die as infants.
Life expectancy for women is 51.12 years; for men, it's a measly 47.43 (no joking about why women live longer, either)
The per capita income is about $600 a year, and half the country's population of 7 million would starve if not for the free food given at a rate of 43,000 tons per month or 260,000 tons last year, mostly from organizations like the World Food Program, CARE International and others like them. So, what gives?
After the government was overthrown in 1991, warlords basically began a nationwide gang war for power...a gang war which nobody has been able to win. Ethiopia tried to restore some order but failed: its last troops just pulled out recently, as did CARE International following threats by Islamic militants. Now, even ships destined to bring food to the people get hijacked. The MV Sea Horse was on its way to India to pick up 7,327 tons of food for the people of Somalia, but now it lies at anchor in the hands of the piratical faction who are now threatening to kill any French or American sailors they happen to capture. These are really bad guys, right? Yes and maybe not.
Most of the pirates used to be fisherman off the east coast of Somalia, able to feed their families and make some money as well through diligent effort, until two things happened.
1. Ships from all over Europe began cruising the area and dumping toxic waste close enough to affect the people of Somalia who suffered mysterious rashes and more serious ailments where there were none previously.

2. In addition, the vast fishing fleets of the Eastern and Western megacountries, having depleted much of the world's population of fish through mindless overfishing, began trolling through Somalian waters, taking the only real economic source available to an admittedly impoverished country.

So, what were they to do? Social security, food stamps and welfare checks were not coming anytime soon. Drought had taken away most of the food-producing capability (and continues unabated), leaving an entire population hungry, thirsty and afraid.
If you believe Sugule Ali, a spokesman for the pirates in Somalia, the operation began as a simple one to try to get countries to stop overfishing and dumping crap in the water then slipping away to their "clean" countries. The policy of NIMB (not in my backyard) is one developed countries have followed for years, so why should we be surprised when somebody finally gets angry enough to fight back?
I have no solution; violence really only begets more violence, and simply providing a free ride isn't effective, either (unless you are a major financial institution or GM), but desperate people will resort to desperate measures.
We should know this by now.
After all, weren't some people desperate enough at one time to dump a whole cargo of tea into Boston's harbor?