Years ago Somalia pirates were raising hell all through the Horn of Africa, the Indian Ocean and down the African East Coast. They pretty much operated with impunity, even giving rise to such famous h.
It is not surprising that today, when confronted with potential risks of a peer competitor challenging the status quo of free and open maritime passage as provided under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the United States is continuing its strategic policy to actively safeguard its interests in Southeast Asia as it did 190 years ago.