Ship Captain Rescued From Somali Pirates

[Gratiot]

Same here.  Now, the remaining pirate should be questioned, tortured, hanged, then wrapped in a hog carcass and dumped off at the nearest port with a note attached that reads:  "Next!"

While I wouldn't rule that out, for it's potential effectiveness as a deterrent.  Doing so, might not bold well for the 200 or so people currently being held for ransom by the pirates.   

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

Should we give Obama some props, over the French.  Since he had him rescued without a loss of life for the captives? 

Anyone?   

Bueller?   

Depends.

One of the pirates was captured. We will soon find out what it looks like when Obama's screwy ideas about constitutional protections for terrorists collides with reality.

I'm not saying it will but this could become a legal fiasco if Obama's philosophy turns the courts into a circus...or a blessing if they realize how whacked it has become and opt to reverse course and re-establish Bush era doctrines.

[Eupher]

May I offer a rather controversial point of view, something that Gratiot has been talking toward?

First, we know that the SEALs brought the hostage out of the situation, with 3 of the 4 pirates now dead. The fourth is in "custody" (whatever that means in The Anointed One's administration).

Second, it seems to me that this thread is being highly critical of Uncle Zero (for good reason), but according to Reuters, this is how the thing played out:

A U.S. Navy commander made a split-second decision to fire on the pirates because he believed that Phillips, who tried to escape on Friday, faced imminent danger amid tense hostage talks with his captors and deteriorating sea conditions.

"They were pointing the AK-47s at the captain," Vice Admiral William Gortney, head of the U.S. Naval Central Command, said in a Pentagon briefing from Bahrain.

"The on-scene commander took it as the captain was in imminent danger and then made that decision (to kill the pirates) and he had the authorities to make that decision and he had seconds to make that decision."

President Barack Obama granted the Pentagon's request for standing authority to use appropriate force to save the life of the captain, Gortney said.

Reuters

Seems to me that this thing went down exactly like it should've - the hostage was rescued and most of the bad guys are dead. One left over for intel - however that plays out, we'll never know (unless Uncle Zero's admnistration leaks the info, which is always more than likely).

Bottom line - apart from the fact that it took Uncle Zero five freakin' days to make a comment on this situation, the end result is what matters.

Based on Reuters' report, His Holiness took himself out of the equation long enough to allow the commander on the scene to make a call - and that's exactly what happened.

WTF is wrong with that?

Let the bitch slaps commence....

 

[Miss Mia]

Obama twice approved force to rescue hostage

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama twice authorized the military to rescue a U.S. captain who was being held by Somali pirates and whose life appeared to be at risk, administration officials said after Sunday's rescue.

The Defense Department twice asked Obama for permission to use military force to rescue Capt. Richard Phillips from a lifeboat off the Somali coast. Obama first gave permission around 8 p.m. Friday, and upgraded it at 9:20 a.m. Saturday. Officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations said the second order was to encompass more military personnel and equipment that arrived in the Indian Ocean to engage the pirates.

Somali pirates last week boarded the Maersk Alabama off the Horn of Africa. The crew fought back, but Phillips surrendered himself to safeguard his men. Navy ships soon were on their way to the area.

White House officials on Sunday said Obama received regular updates by phone and in person at the White House — including 11 memos — and during his daily intelligence briefings with senior officials. The National Security Council last updated the president on a contingency plan for Phillips at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, according to a timeline of events released Sunday afternoon by the White House.

-snip-

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iqznz3bUMKIUbrDYAUHHuMQ4vyJAD97H6E300

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

Obama twice approved force to rescue hostage

A no-brainer.

The hostage precipitated events by making a second escape attempt and the captain of the USS Bainbridge gave the order to shoot.

Obama got lucky this time but anybody who naive enough to think Obama has a clue about how to run a genuine military effort is deluded enough to...vote for Obama.

[thundley4]

The Defense Department twice asked Obama for permission to use military force to rescue Capt. Richard Phillips from a lifeboat off the Somali coast. Obama first gave permission around 8 p.m. Friday, and upgraded it at 9:20 a.m. Saturday.

Does anyone else think that this permission should have been given without being asked for?   Simply put, once our forces were on station, 0bama should have given the order to take whatever actions believed necessary to effect a rescue.

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

Does anyone else think that this permission should have been given without being asked for?   Simply put, once our forces were on station, 0bama should have given the order to take whatever actions believed necessary to effect a rescue.

In other words: the so-called CinC was a passive observer being carried along by the actions of others with less authority but more competence.

[Eupher]

A no-brainer.

The hostage precipitated events by making a second escape attempt and the captain of the USS Bainbridge gave the order to shoot.

Obama got lucky this time but anybody who naive enough to think Obama has a clue about how to run a genuine military effort is deluded enough to...vote for Obama.

Sorry, but I don't see how Obama was directly involved in ANY military effort. He simply was briefed, authorized resources, and most tellingly, saw to it that the commander on the scene had the final call.

Nothing wrong with that in my book. And I don't see any "luck" involved in this at all, vis a vis Obama.

I will submit, however, that much of the play-by-play with respect to the decision that Obama reportedly made, the NSC, the memos, and all of that, isn't clear.

It seems to me that in this case, Obama did what he was supposed to and not much more.

[Eupher]

In other words: the so-called CinC was a passive observer being carried along by the actions of others with less authority but more competence.

If I'm completely out of my element, say in dishwasher repair for example, I'm going to listen carefully to the repair guy when he tells me what he thinks needs to be done.

Obama is NOT a military expert and doesn't represent himself that way. "Being carried along by the actions of others" isn't entirely a bad thing.

That way, I don't blow up my dishwasher and have water all over the floor and running into my basement.

[Eupher]

Does anyone else think that this permission should have been given without being asked for?   Simply put, once our forces were on station, 0bama should have given the order to take whatever actions believed necessary to effect a rescue.

He won't do much without some kind of request from DoD, recommendations from the NSC, and even a word or two from Rahm, his handler.

Why? Because he knows nothing about military ops, the options, and even the desired end result in this case, apart from safe return of the ship's captain.

[diesel driver]

While I wouldn't rule that out, for it's potential effectiveness as a deterrent.  Doing so, might not bold well for the 200 or so people currently being held for ransom by the pirates.   

Perhaps not, but if the sailors currently held hostage are harmed, declare open season on any and all residents of any pirate port....

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

If I'm completely out of my element, say in dishwasher repair for example, I'm going to listen carefully to the repair guy when he tells me what he thinks needs to be done.

Obama is NOT a military expert and doesn't represent himself that way. "Being carried along by the actions of others" isn't entirely a bad thing.

That way, I don't blow up my dishwasher and have water all over the floor and running into my basement.

Yes, but at least you have an appreciation for clean dishes.

Has anything in Obama's political career led you to believe that he is sympathetic to or appreciative of the military art or the proper role for the projection of force?

[thundley4]

If I'm completely out of my element, say in dishwasher repair for example, I'm going to listen carefully to the repair guy when he tells me what he thinks needs to be done.

Obama is NOT a military expert and doesn't represent himself that way. "Being carried along by the actions of others" isn't entirely a bad thing.

That way, I don't blow up my dishwasher and have water all over the floor and running into my basement.

To carry your Maytag Repariman analogy a little further. He comes to your  house, he tells you what the problem is, do you both just sit there until he asks you to let him fix it, or do  you tell him to fix it once he has told you what is wrong with it?  0Bama knew the situation, but waited until he was asked for permission, before granting permission to use force.

[TheSarge]

Obama twice approved force to rescue hostage

Something that should have been done and stated by the POTUS himself within two hours of news that the ship had been attacked.

It's not something that should have come out FIVE DAYS later.

[Eupher]

Yes, but at least you have an appreciation for clean dishes.

Has anything in Obama's political career led you to believe that he is sympathetic to or appreciative of the military art or the proper role for the projection of force?

Absolutely not. But that doesn't stop him from playing out of the President's playbook - which is exactly what I think he did.

Obama didn't lead, necessarily. He certainly appeared weak and fumbling early on - perhaps even now. But without us knowing all the ins-and-outs, he made "appropriate" decisions that I would have expected him to make as president.

Obama is a political animal (as all presidents are to one level or another) and will do the "right thing" that best supports his political agenda. Despite the rhetoric of support, you'd better believe that Zero was well in-tune with the negativity that surrounded his silence on the matter.

Nope, I see this as simply Obama playing out of the President's playbook - nothing more, nothing less.

[Gratiot]

Nope, I see this as simply Obama playing out of the President's playbook - nothing more, nothing less.

I concur.

[Eupher]

To carry your Maytag Repariman analogy a little further. He comes to your  house, he tells you what the problem is, do you both just sit there until he asks you to let him fix it, or do  you tell him to fix it once he has told you what is wrong with it?  0Bama knew the situation, but waited until he was asked for permission, before granting permission to use force.

With all things military, 0Bama is (and should be) passive.

Waiting for a request from DoD gives Zero the political one-upsmanship that he desperately needs - he's "granting" resources and "authorizing" operations, but he doesn't have a ****ing clue about what those things are.

[thundley4]

With all things military, 0Bama is (and should be) passive.

Waiting for a request from DoD gives Zero the political one-upsmanship that he desperately needs - he's "granting" resources and "authorizing" operations, but he doesn't have a ****ing clue about what those things are.

Also, by waiting for the DoD to make the request, he gets some political cover if things had ended poorly. He's a weasel.

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

Obama is a political animal (as all presidents are to one level or another) and will do the "right thing" that best supports his political agenda. Despite the rhetoric of support, you'd better believe that Zero was well in-tune with the negativity that surrounded his silence on the matter.

My political disputes with Bush--and ESPECIALLY McCain--were legion, but never once did they give me cause to believe they would ever make a military decision based on political expediency. They both held their ground even when the polls were resoundingly against them.

Nonetheless, I understand and am sympatheic to your comments.

 

[Eupher]

Also, by waiting for the DoD to make the request, he gets some political cover if things had ended poorly. He's a weasel.

Agreed.

[Eupher]

My political disputes with Bush--and ESPECIALLY McCain--were legion, but never once did they give me cause to believe they would ever make a military decision based on political expediency. They both held their ground even when the polls were resoundingly against them.

Nonetheless, I understand and am sympatheic to your comments.

 

Thank you - good to have a clear debate on the matter.

And I also agree with your assessment on Bush and McCain. Part of that agreement lies with the knowledge that both Bush and McCain wore the uniform - The Anointed One, of course, never did.

[TheSarge]

Also, by waiting for the DoD to make the request, he gets some political cover if things had ended poorly. He's a weasel.

IMHO it also was him trying to say "I'm running this not you" to the DoD.  Cause I'd be willing to bet that the military went to the POTUS within hours with a plan to retake the ship wanting permission to strike.

By waiting as long as he did...it was his way of putting the Pentagon "in it's place".

[Chris]

Navy Snipers Kill 3 Pirates During Captain Rescue

MOMBASA, Kenya —  Navy snipers on the fantail of a destroyer cut down three Somali pirates in a lifeboat and rescued an American sea captain in a surprise nighttime assault in choppy seas Easter Sunday, ending a five-day standoff between a team of rogue gunmen and the world's most powerful military.

One of the pirates pointed an AK-47 at the back of Phillips, who was tied up and in "imminent danger" of being killed when the commander of the nearby USS Bainbridge made the split-second decision to order his men to shoot, Vice Adm. Bill Gortney said. The lifeboat was being towed by the Bainbridge at the time, he said.

Phillips was not hurt in several minutes of gunfire and the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet said he was resting comfortably on a U.S. warship after receiving a medical exam.

A fourth pirate was in discussions with naval authorities about Phillips' fate when the rescue took place. He is in U.S. custody and could face could face life in a U.S. prison.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,514775,00.html

[Eupher]

IMHO it also was him trying to say "I'm running this not you" to the DoD.  Cause I'd be willing to bet that the military went to the POTUS within hours with a plan to retake the ship wanting permission to strike.

By waiting as long as he did...it was his way of putting the Pentagon "in it's place".

I can see this point as well. His arrogance knows no bounds.

I have to say, however, that Gates has publicly bowed to his Master 0Bama prior to this event, something that surprised me. I would've thought that Gates might've been at least a little more resistant to the Gitmo issue, for example.

Gates' public bowing to The Anointed One may not have been enough to a power-mad, insecure little turd like 0Bama.

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

Navy Snipers Kill 3 Pirates During Captain Rescue

These bully tactics against people suffering from the after-effects of colonialism is just making more people hate the US.[/DUmmie]

From the same article:

Abdullahi Lami, one of the pirates holding the Greek ship anchored in the Somali town of Gaan, said: "Every country will be treated the way it treats us. In the future, America will be the one mourning and crying," he told The Associated Press. "We will retaliate (for) the killings of our men."

Jamac Habeb, a 30-year-old self-proclaimed pirate, told the AP from one of Somalia's piracy hubs, Eyl, that: "From now on, if we capture foreign ships and their respective countries try to attack us, we will kill them (the hostages)."

"Now they became our number one enemy," Habeb said of U.S. forces.

Maybe I'm just a silly rabbit but aren't those names muslim?

Killing muslims in the name of American commercialism and corporate interests? tsk-tsk