VOA常速英语:Obama Vows To Combat Somali Pirates

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U.S. President Barack Obama says he is determined to halt piracy in the shipping lanes off the coast of Somalia. Mr. Obama spoke one day after the dramatic rescue of an American cargo ship captain who had been held hostage by the pirates since last week.

Richard Phillips was rescued Sunday after members of an elite Navy unit shot and killed three of his captors.

President Obama ordered the military to take action if there was reason to believe Phillips' life was in danger. He says he is pleased with the results, noting the captain's safety was the top concern throughout the crisis.

"I am very proud of the efforts of the U.S. military and many other departments and agencies that worked tirelessly to resolve this situation," Mr. Obama said.

Mr. Obama says the American people also have reason to be proud of the captain who offered himself up as a hostage to the pirates in an effort to protect the crew of his cargo vessel.

"I share our nation's admiration for Captain Phillips' courage and leadership and selfless concern for his crew," said Mr. Obama.

The president's first public comments on the dramatic rescue came Monday at an event at the U.S. Department of Transportation. His initial response to Sunday's dramatic events was delivered in the form of a written statement. And in his remarks, he made many of the same points.

He vowed once again that America will do all it can to halt piracy in the region, working in concert with other nations around the world.

"We are going to have to continue to work with our partners to prevent future attacks. We have to continue to be prepared to confront them when they arise. And we have to ensure that those who commit acts of piracy are held accountable for their crimes," said Mr. Obama.

The president did not refer to a new round of threats from the pirates, who say they want revenge for the killing of three of their own in the rescue operation.

At the U.S. Defense Department, spokesman Bryan Whitman said there is always concern that the use of force by the military could lead to reprisals. But he said the shootings might make the pirates less inclined to attack ships. He said until now, they have been operating with relatively few penalties.

"I think the actions the United States military took the other night, the other day, yesterday could certainly have that affect where people are less inclined to engage in that type of activity," said Whitman.

All the same, Whitman said steps could be taken to make commercial shipping less vulnerable to piracy on the high seas. He said it is a serious international problem that should be addressed broadly and can not be solved entirely by military means.