Here’s what I don’t understand and hope someone will explain to me: Post-9/11, we have armed marshals on airplanes. If terrorists attempt to take over a plane, those marshals may use lethal force to stop them.

So why are there not armed marshals on ships who have and may use their weapons to prevent pirates from boarding and taking over? Is such protection of lives and property prohibited under current Laws of the Sea?

An aside: Years ago, I used to live on a houseboat at the 79th Street Marina in (or right next to) Manhattan. Many of the houseboaters exercised their Second Amendment rights. This was known to the local police, who would tell us confidentially: If you catch an intruder on your vessel, dispatch him lethally. You’ll be justified and there will be much less paperwork to worry about. Seems like good advice for the shipping industry, no?