Pirates notched up the stakes when they seized the American-flagged vessel, Maersk Alabama, off of Somalia and held the captain hostage until U.S. SEALs killed three of them. Now we hear threats of retribution.

One 25-year-old thug from the Somali coastal town of Harardhere who calls himself “Ismail” said, We will seek out the Americans, and if we capture them, we will slaughter them." One Abdullahi Ahmed, also from Harardhere, added, "We have decided to kill U.S. and French sailors if they happen to be among our future hostages. (He included French because the French also responded to a recent piracy attempt by counterattacking.) Meanwhile, Abdi Garad from the pirate lair in Eyl told AFP by telephone, ". . . I tell you that this matter will lead to retaliation and we will hunt down particularly American citizens traveling our waters."

Such audacity springs from pirates’ success. Shipping companies have been writing off million-dollar ransoms for their ships and crews as a cost of doing business, just feeding pirate greed. Moreover, many owners refuse to consider using convoys because the additional transit time required would eat into their profits. Some also insist that they will allow no defensive weapons on their vessels for three reasons:

1. Increased liability.

2. The laws of some countries prohibit commercial shipping in their ports if such weapons are aboard.

3. Increased danger to flammables being carried.

Well, let’s put the pirate issue into perspective by looking at three bits of history.

1. In the 19th century, stagecoach owners paid people to ride shotgun to protect their passengers and cargo.

2. During the fourth decade of the 20th century, American merchant ships in World War II -- even some carrying fuel and ammunition -- carried protective firepower and people who were paid to use it.

3. During the later part of the 20th century, American pleasure boaters started paying to be towed home if a non-life threatening mishap occurred. This was a change from earlier policy, because the Coast Guard, the Congress, and the taxpayers got fed up with the Coast Guard picking up boaters who weren’t properly prepared to go on the water. Today the Coast Guard remains on call only for bona fide emergencies.

In one respect, even though hoodlums have threatened to kill crews of U.S.-flagged vessels, America has little practical interest in pirates that are primarily seizing European and Asian shipping. Furthermore according to the International Maritime Bureau, in 2008 only 50 of 130 piracy attempts succeeded. With some 21,000 ships transiting the Gulf each year, this is statistically insignificant. Nonetheless, two aspects must be considered.

First, as the world’s only superpower and a proponent of freedom of the seas since its Revolutionary War, the United States ought to lead the way on anti-piracy, and it’s doing just that. The U.S. Combined Task Force 151, with ships from nearly a dozen countries, operates an anti-piracy mission in the Gulf of Aden that spills over into the Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean, and Red Sea. Those 50 or 60 vessels are far too few for more than a million square miles in the Gulf of Aden and the coastal waters of Somalia and Kenya alone. But, as noted by the Maersk Alabama hijacking attempt, they can be of some help.

Second, media reports have shown that Americans -- as always -- simply don’t like thugs to bully other Americans.

So, in view of the three bits of history cited earlier, here’s a way to attack the problem. If the pirates know that any ship flying the American ensign is armed, they will be encouraged to make their attacks against other shipping.

I hasten to ask readers not to inundate me with all the reasons why it can’t be done, or won’t work. As we say today, “think outside the box” and find a way that it can be done. Consider these examples: Liability risk is handled by liability insurance. Countries prohibiting entry to merchant vessels with armed crews can change their laws or stop doing business with the United States. Ships with flammables can be given better protection or can travel by convoy under the protection of helicopter-equipped warship escorts. American merchant seamen can seek employment with U.S. flagged vessels or go to flags of convenience at their own risk. Shipping company owners who don’t want their crews armed can hire security companies. And the Congress will have to modify a host of special-interest laws.

Sure, it will cost money, and as consumers we ultimately will pay it. But you and I already are paying for ever-increasing ransoms of millions of dollars a pop. And it just might revolutionize registration of flags of convenience as other countries join the American initiative.