Lexington, KY - Until recently, when most people heard the word "pirates," the first thing that came to mind was either movies about swashbuckling rogues or baseball teams from Pittsburgh. Who could have predicted that piracy would explode on the international scene as a threat to the global economy? Who could have known that global businesses and policy leaders would be confronted with a challenge like this?
Robert Farley could.
Dr. Robert Farley is an assistant professor at the University of Kentucky's Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce. Each year Farley develops and manages a "crisis simulation" for the students, and he's been remarkably prescient in building scenarios. Two years ago, this space featured the simulation he developed for a sudden change of power in Cuba - just months before Fidel Castro ceded authority to his brother.
"Each year, the Patterson School launches a 24-hour, realtime policy crisis," said Farley. "The idea is to give our students an opportunity to practice what they've learned in the classroom in a quasi-real policy setting." The crisis simulation has become a storied tradition at the Patterson School, and Farley has written the past four scenarios. This year, the scenario Farley developed involved a merchant ship boarded and seized by pirates - but the simulation happened in February, weeks before pirates seized the Maersk Alabama 240 miles off the coast of Somalia.
Of course, Farley's scenario didn't stop with a simple seizure; it added several layers of international and military intrigue. "This year, a ship carrying machine parts to Iran was intercepted and seized by pirates. The nature of the cargo came under question (Iran was smuggling contraband equipment for a nuclear centrifuge), and the identity of the pirates was unclear," Farley recalled.
The simulation - and Farley's choice of scenario - is just the latest example of how the Patterson School prepares its graduates for present and future real-world challenges, and not simply the case studies of the previous decade. "Piracy has always been with us, but we haven't always been paying attention," Farley explained. "From the point of view of the international economy, the problem is thus far more of an irritant than a crisis, but that will change if pirate attacks increase. The international community is certainly beginning to respond forcefully to the problem by deploying a flotilla of warships to the afflicted areas."
Piracy is an issue that affects Kentuckians as well. "Kentucky, like every other part of the world, depends on international trade," said Farley. "Ocean transit remains the cheapest form of transport, which means that Kentucky will be affected if trade is disrupted. As piracy could emerge as a greater concern off Somalia, off Nigeria, and even potentially in the Caribbean, it's best that Kentuckians stay abreast of the problem."
Further, it's best that the Patterson School help its students prepare for 21st century global challenges like piracy. "During the simulation, our students have to make critical decisions in a short time with limited amounts of information," Farley said. "That's a lot like the real world, whether in business or in government."
This year, Farley added a new and interesting wrinkle - he invited UK's School of Journalism to participate. "Bringing the journalism school on board gave our students the opportunity to deal with an inquisitive media, which is one of the most important tasks that they will face in any policy position," Farley said. "The simulation also gave the journalism school the opportunity to train its students in a crisis situation.
Of course this year's scenario also played to Farley's strengths as an expert in maritime security and military issues. He's observed the Obama administration's approach to the piracy issue closely. "I think they've done a good job thus far," he said. "The rescue of Captain Richard Phillips was conducted very well; they gave the pirates sufficient time to surrender, then allowed the Navy to handle the rescue with utmost expertise. The administration can continue to help by formulating legal standards under which pirates can be tried and imprisoned, by patrolling the waters off Somalia, and by facilitating the work of the international coalition that has been deployed to stop piracy."
The Patterson School's tradition of creativity and excellence should also send a message to our leaders in Frankfort. UK and other state universities are bracing for a third straight year of cutbacks. More cuts will severely compromise this state's ability to train our students for the complex and rewarding jobs of the next decade. It is long past time leaders in state government realized that the only way to break a vicious cycle of economic malaise in Kentucky is to invest more resources in our successful education programs.