Both the LA Times and the NY Times have fascinating articles this morning on the booming pirate economy in northern Somalia. Included are some rather jaw-dropping quotations.
How easy is it to become a pirate?
"All you need is three guys and a little boat, and the next day you're millionaires," said Abdullahi Omar Qawden, a former captain in Somalia's long-defunct navy.What brings the pirates together?
"We are just a group of people with a common interest in making money," said Sugule Ali, a spokesman for the pirates.How do they deal with questions of legality?
When one young thug complains that a $5,000 deduction for disobeying an order is "illegal," the old man snaps back: "Even the $15,000 you are getting is illegal! It's all stolen!"Where does the money go?