Renewing the U.S. effort to wipe out piracy in the Horn of Africa and Gulf of Guinea, the White House has drawn up a new mix of carrot-and-stick diplomatic, economic and military measures. In its 23-page Counter Piracy and Maritime Security Action Plan, the Obama administration says "the paramount goal of the United States is to safeguard U.S. citizens and U.S. interests." No mention is made of Asia's pirate zones including the South China Sea or Strait of Malacca. The administration says the scourge can be eradicated only by improved economic, politi- cal and social conditions in the countries involved, as well as through crime-fighting and military measures.
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