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Editorial Week of July 29, 2001
Terrorism at Sea: U.S. Must be Prepared
by Philip Roberto
Last October, the USS Cole was severly damaged and nearly sunk by terrorists who launched a suicide bombing attack on the $1 billion U.S. Navy destroyer while it was refueling in Yemen. Seventeen servicemen died in the attack, which should serve as a wake-up call to all Americans about the potential for terrorist attacks at sea.
If a small band of terrorists with little more than explosives, a dingy and the willingness to die for their cause can cripple a state-of-the-art U.S. warship that, in theory, had the means to defend itself from such an attack, then what type of havoc and casualties could be caused in a similar attack against a defenseless cruise ship?
Last week, Admiral James M. Loy, Commandant of the Coast Guard, warned that a "successful terrorist attack on any one of these ships could result in a catastrophic number of casualties, and threaten the economic viability of the entire [cruise ship] industry."
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When terrorists strike, they rarely go after alert military targets. Usually such attacks on military personnel are made on military barracks, embassies, etc. The attack on the Cole was clearly a message to the U.S. that not even our warships are safe from such an attack.
But, as Admiral Loy pointed out in testimony before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, terrorists most often target transportation assets: airlines, subways and, yes, even cruise ships.
Less we forget, in 1985 Palestinian terrorists commandeered the Italian cruise ship Achille Lauro in the Mediterranean Sea, killing American tourist Leon Klinghoffer.
Today, terrorists clearly have the capacity to sink any cruise ship at sea, with catastrophic results, perhaps with even greater ease than blowing airliners out of the sky [as they too often succeed in doing].
Admiral Loy also disclosed that this month in Miami, the Coast Guard and the FBI responded to a bomb threat against a cruise ship capable of carrying approximately 3,000 passengers and 1,000 crewmembers.
Hopefully, we won't see the day when Navy frigates need to escort cruise ships round-the-clock to safeguard against attacks at sea. But, short of a strong, counter-terrorism policy against not only terrorist groups, but against the nations that arm and safeguard them, escorting these massive tourist ships may be the only means of defense against such attacks.
Philip Roberto is the Editor of PoliticsOL.com, a veteran political activist and a member of the U.S. Naval Institute. The above opinions are his own and do not necessary reflect those of the Institute. Sign up to receive his FREE valuable e-book on E-Activism, How to Advocate Your Cause on the Internet, at: http://www.politicsol.com/ebook.html
Last October, the USS Cole was severly damaged and nearly sunk by terrorists who launched a suicide bombing attack on the $1 billion U.S. Navy destroyer while it was refueling in Yemen. Seventeen servicemen died in the attack, which should serve as a wake-up call to all Americans about the potential for terrorist attacks at sea.
Philip Roberto is the Editor of