Secret Weapon Vs. Somali Pirates: Britney Spears

Apparently this is an actual thing
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted Oct 28, 2013 12:21 PM CDT
Secret Weapon Vs. Somali Pirates: Britney Spears
In this July 28, 2013 file photo, singer Britney Spears arrives to the world premiere of "The Smurfs 2" in Los Angeles.   (Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP, File)

Anyone who's had "...Baby One More Time" stuck in their head for any amount of time will surely understand this tactic: The merchant navy is blasting Britney Spears music to fend off Somali pirates. An officer tells the Mirror that Spears' hits, especially the aforementioned song and "Oops! I Did It Again," have been chosen as deterrents by a security team because the pirates "can’t stand Western culture or music, making Britney’s hits perfect." If you're starting to feel bad for the crew of the ships Britney is protecting, no need: "The speakers can be aimed solely at the pirates so as not to disturb the crew," the officer says.

The whole thing sounds questionably effective, but she swears it works: "As soon as the pirates get a blast of Britney they move on as quickly as they can," meaning guns are only "rarely" fired. Apparently the US military and cruise ships use a similar tactic, and a spokesperson for a British security association asserts that "playing loud pop songs has been proven as one of the most effective ways of fending off attackers." Jokes one security expert, "I’d imagine using Justin Bieber would be against the Geneva Convention." (More Britney Spears stories.)

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