So now some gang of pirates is promising harsh retaliation against the U.S. for its actions in freeing the captain, and killing "some of their most experienced men"
I mean, how hard is it to be a goddamn pirate? This seems like an easily replaceable job, especially with all the dumb and impressionable people in that region desperate for money.
Oh no, gosh! How will the Somalis respond to this American aggression against people who hijacked a cargo ship with assault rifles and took the captain hostage? Those poor, innocent Somalis!
These pirates should be easier to deal with militarily than terrorists. After all, they aren't a bunch of suicidal fanatics. They want money.
Granted, they're probably extremely desparate, which is why they're willing to take fairly significant risks to get money, but the potential payouts are so big that the risk is acceptable to many of them.
It wouldn't be very difficult to make the risk unacceptable for all but the craziest ones.
A few instances of pirate ships getting sunk, and their crews left in the water would probably change the cost/benefit analysis significantly.