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The difference between pirates and pirate fighters

Anyone else notice a difference in body type between pirates, and those tasked with combatting them? Somali pirates, March 5, 2009 Four of the seven Somali pirates arrested await their trial March 5 in the Kenyan port city of Mombasa. U.S. naval vessel USS Leyte Gulf intercepted the seven pirates off the Somali coast last ...

By , copy chief at Foreign Policy from 2009-2016 and was an assistant editor from 2007-2009.
587817_090312_SomaliPirates2.jpg
587817_090312_SomaliPirates2.jpg

Anyone else notice a difference in body type between pirates, and those tasked with combatting them?

Anyone else notice a difference in body type between pirates, and those tasked with combatting them?

Somali pirates, March 5, 2009

Somali pirates, March 5, 2009

Four of the seven Somali pirates arrested await their trial March 5 in the Kenyan port city of Mombasa. U.S. naval vessel USS Leyte Gulf intercepted the seven pirates off the Somali coast last month as they attempted to board a merchant vessel.

Philippine Coast Guard, Feb. 16, 2009

Philippine Coast Guard, Feb. 16, 2009

Members of the elite Special Operations Group (SOG) of the Philippine Coast Guard exercise in Manila on Feb. 16. The SOG participated in an annual three-day exercise with its Japanese counterparts from Feb. 17 to 19 to enhance its capabilities to combat pirates and armed robbers at sea.

Photos, top to bottom: STR/AFP/Getty Images, JAY DIRECTO/AFP/Getty Images

Preeti Aroon was copy chief at Foreign Policy from 2009-2016 and was an assistant editor from 2007-2009. Twitter: @pjaroonFP

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