The Latest U.N. Failure

What's a good sign that you're completely incapable of enforcing international law, even though your organization claims exclusive rights to enforce those very same laws? When you send a ship loaded with supplies, and it gets hijacked by Somali pirates!

The UN food agency has warned it will stop shipments to central Somalia for 10 years if one of its ships hijacked by pirates is not returned in 48 hours.

The World Food Programme's director for the region, Robert Hauser, was speaking after reports the pirates were in talks with Somalia's interim government.

It also follows Kenyan claims that the WFP was delaying the ship's release by refusing to talk to the warlords.

The MV Semlow was taking aid to Somali victims of last December's tsunami.

It was seized on 27 June in seas between the areas of Haradheere and Hobyo, some 300 km north-east of the capital Mogadishu, as it sailed from the Kenyan port of Mombassa.

On board were 850 tonnes of rice and a crew comprising of eight Kenyans, a Tanzanian and their Sri Lankan captain, who are all reported to be safe.

The United Nations. Is there anything it can do!?