There have been pirates since there has been commercial maritime activity. Contrary to apparent popular opinion, our "pirate problem" has never gone away. Piracy has existed, and continued to exist LONG after the Barbary Wars, even in those very same waters.
I don't think you realize what the size of the body of water we're talking about is. The pirates operate far beyond literal waters, extending their reach to an area that far surpasses the size of the United States. Our Navy is just not that big.
No one is saying that pirates shouldn't be dealt with harshly, but to opine that we're going to sacrifice the hostages in the name of the greater good, is farcical. Pirates are criminals. There is a role for us federal police agencies, like the FBI hear, especially when there's an active-hostage crisis.
Sorry: I don't understand. Do you perhaps mean littoral (i.e., "coastal") waters?
Regards,
Piracy has always existed, but in the last two years, the number of attacks in that area has climbed from about 358 to 444 (and until the late 90s, it was negligible). So that means the situation has been changing for several years, has recently gotten much worse, and needs a much firmer response than what a bank robber who kidnaps some hostages might get. This is a different situation; furthermore, the money goes to organizations (that is, terrorist organizations) and is not just somebody’s way to make a fast buck.