Pajamas Media

193 Comments

1. Rotwang:

I didn’t notice Obama claiming credit for anything. He praised Captain Philips and the actions of the Navy command and rescue personnel. He also did not claim victory over anyone, but urged ongoing international cooperation to combat piracy.

Also, reports that Philips dove overboard a second time are contradicted by the official story, which states that he was aboard the lifeboat with a gun trained on him.

I understand it must be galling to you that this worked out as well as it did. You seem to have a detailed knowledge of the situation, moment-to-moment, and the private thoughts of individuals at the scene. Were you there, or are you making those parts up, too?

Apr 13, 2009 - 12:42 am 2. Strongwang:

Well. Looks like someone peed in your Obamaflakes this morning.

Apr 13, 2009 - 1:07 am 3. realitycheq:

Rotwang @1 is absolutely correct. Were you there, or are you just making things up?

All official reports indicate that the Navy Seals were not yet on the Bainbridge when Captain Philips dove into the Indian ocean the first time. Also, he did not dive overboard a second time; he was on the side of the lifeboat ‘relieving’ himself with an AK-47 pointed at his back. Even Faux news contradicts your ‘facts’ and chronology of events.

It does seem as if you would have preferred a different outcome. Would it have pleased you to see Captain Philips killed in a botched rescue attempt? Whether or not you realize it, your ‘reporting’ reveals much about your true character.

Apr 13, 2009 - 1:34 am 4. Larry:

the whole way this unfolded is simply pathetic. A raft of uh 4 pirates with small arms against a US NAVY DESTROYER goes on for days, before thankfully it ended well. Somehow this is considered a military triumph. I mean what were the odds? How about we hold a massive tickertape parade down Fifth Avenue for the captain of the destroyer and Philips, after this incredible derring-do. Pullleeez.

Is nobody going to ask the obvious question – why even consult or wait for the president’s approval here to take out the pirates when they could? Fighting military personnel need to make life and death decisions in the moment, not wait for a call from Washington for crying out loud before acting. It should not need to go all the way to the White House in the first place, and then after that to sit and wait until the president gives the green light. They were a handful of friggin’ pirates on a raft, gettit? No hardly anybody does.

Apr 13, 2009 - 1:43 am 5. mik:

funny. if the situation ended up not successful, then obama would be blamed ’til kingdom come. but since it ended up succesful, let’s find ways to make sure nothing is credited to obama.

when bush was prez, anybody that went against bush was called unpatriotic. so are repubs unpatriotic now?

Apr 13, 2009 - 1:48 am 6. James S.:

Fox News (hardly a bastion of Obama worship) is stating that the President twice gave permision to use military force to end the situation. Is this inaccurate? Where are you getting this information from?

I would not have called President Obama’s role in this decisive (Four Days? Against out of fuel lifeboat? Come on!). But let us give credit where credit is due. He allowed the Navy to do what was nessessary. Sometimes you just have to shoot the bad guys. The Navy deserves the bulk of the credit for this. But with all the dumb stuff Pres. Obama has done since he’s been in office let us not take a way one small thing he has done right.

Apr 13, 2009 - 1:51 am 7. Terrence:

You know, your criticisms of Obama will have more weight if you can give him credit when he does something right. Otherwise, you come off as a cranky old man who’ll criticize anything and everything.

Apr 13, 2009 - 1:55 am 8. Burl T. Topp:

Obama
and his mindless media mongrels are empty suits one and all.
They pursur foolish and wasteful dialogue with a nation like Iran, the foremost world exporter of Islamofacism like Chamberlain and his “Peace in Our Time” nonsense.

The time is coming when liberal retards and their idiotic utopic mantras will be met with a dramatic lifestyle change. I hope they all get a taste of this Obama Messiah’s fool hardy attempts to destroy America from the inside. More Checks and Cheese for lazy foreign scum and third world would be voters. DemoCraps are the party of Special interest.

Apr 13, 2009 - 2:08 am 9. retrophoebia:

Rotwang–
Regardless of whether said author was actually there, he is absolutely correct that this situation should have taken about as long as it took to get the operators on site. They love this shite. SEALS, the ‘d-boys’ and other HRT types live for this sort of thing, so I’m surprised they didn’t parachute into the ocean 10 miles away with a seal delivery vehicle or some such and sneak up on our pirate buddies. Point being, the standoff could have been ended much, much earlier and much more decisively.

Well, actually, I’m not surprised– this event was managed from the White House, instead of by the lowest competent commander being given the mission to get the hostage back. It’s too bad that the Navy wasn’t given authority to act, and that we insist on giving succor to these pirates by negotiating with them. This event was an abysmal failure, and if Navy had followed WH guidance, that captain would probably still be in captivity or dead. It worked out well, so the Pres is happy and etc… but if it had failed, he may well have been the first to issue recriminations.

And now our enemies are emboldened, seeing a president who will not act decisively against a minor threat.

“Official story”? If you believe that, then the whole sorry Pat Tillman episode is going to come as a disappointment to you.

Regards-

Apr 13, 2009 - 2:55 am 10. RAH:

I watched the Admiral and it it was obvious they wanted non violent solution. However Obama did give cover to the commander who decided to take the shots. The cover was the immenant danger to Captain Phillips. He was in danger the whole time not just that moment. So the Seals took the head shots and suceeded.

Kudos to the USN, commander, and the SEALS. Alos Obam did allow the military to solve this so he deserves kudos also.

Obama may have not been great but he was not bad either. He did not mucromanage and that was good.

The President did OK

Apr 13, 2009 - 2:59 am 11. LeighB:

Once again I am so proud of our Navy. Thank you for getting the captain back safely and dealing with the pirates as they deserved.

Apr 13, 2009 - 3:20 am 12. Jack:

I’m waiting for Obama to give credit to fine military he “inherited”. I’m not holding my breath.

Apr 13, 2009 - 3:30 am 13. seansarto:

5 days for this was five days too long…For sakes alive, the seige on Waco, Texas and David Koresh had less considerations…This is gonna go straight to thee Somalians heads that the “African Male” could hold off US firepower about as long as the whole country of Iraq did….An’ it’ seems that’s exactly the message this White House can profit by…..a contrivance of masculinity in the face of overwhelming odds…Martin Luther King BS..They done something they shouldn’t of that’s all there is to it…end story…but these bugs keep tryin’ ta steal a little more…
Good shooting sailors..an’ that Captain has got some real balls…but the poor guy was probably readin’ the US forces hesitation as a bad sign..as I probably would…seein’ how they had the manpower an’ skill ta topple these thugs real quick…but they kept ridin’ their safetys….pathetic political whitewash.

Apr 13, 2009 - 3:46 am 14. nosinin:

Here is the headline on MSNBC this am: Analysis: Obama scores win on pirate crisis

The U.S. economy is showing only glimmers of life and two costly wars remain in the balance, but President Barack Obama’s “no drama” handling of the Indian Ocean hostage crisis proved a big win for his administration…

So yes, he is getting the credit.

Apr 13, 2009 - 3:55 am 15. Bob:

As Commander in Chief, the President gets credit for whatever the military accomplishes – and also gets blamed for its failures. If the war in Iraq had gone better, Obama would not be President. The only graceful thing for the CIC to do, however, is to praise the military men and women, especially the SEALS, who actually put their lives on the line to gain this victory. It would also be helpful if the President would take a Jeffersonian stand on attacking the Somali pirates at their home base, rather than simply reacting to the next crisis.

Apr 13, 2009 - 3:57 am 16. AngryAmerican:

The fact that it took as long as it did to accomplish this mission, is proof in itself that it was micromanaged.

The US Navy SEALs deserve all the credit here, the Captain for his courage, our Navy commanders, and yes, our president for finally stepping aside and letting the military take care of military issues.

When all is said and done – it was a mission accomplished.

NOW – will BHO ever admit that the Iraq War was a mission accomplished? Not holding the breath on that one…..

Apr 13, 2009 - 4:08 am 17. Herb:

You know, Jeff, you complain of the administration spinning this, and yet you offer little more than spin yourself.

“However, instead of taking direct, decisive action against the rag-tag group of gunmen, the Obama administration dilly-dallied, dawdled, and eschewed any decisiveness whatsoever, even in the face of enemy fire, in hopes that the situation would somehow resolve itself without violence…”

How would you have handled the situation differently? Would your result be the same? (Dead pirates, a prisoner, a hostage rescued alive.)

It may have seemed like the Obama administration “dilly-dallied,” but man, that’s some effective dilly-dallying, isn’t it?

Apr 13, 2009 - 4:09 am 18. Gary Ogletree:

The Con Artist in Chief gets credit for not screwing this up. A lot of us feared President Pantywaist would make a Chicago style mess of it. The Navy Capt. saved his ass as well as the life of Capt. Phillips. Go Navy!

Apr 13, 2009 - 4:23 am 19. bjr118:

This little creep in the WH did nothing. It was Americans doing what Americans have always done – take charge.

Apr 13, 2009 - 4:32 am 20. RE:

All credit goes to the US Navy and none to the US Government.

Pirates need to be eliminated. They are not to be used as an income source for trial lawyers.

Apr 13, 2009 - 4:36 am 21. Mary Grabar:

Great reporting, here. Not what you’ll see on CNN. Yeah, I too was wondering what took them so long. Thanks, Jeff.

Apr 13, 2009 - 4:38 am 22. capdar:

The life boat was not a small inflatable liferaft. You need to make a correction,,,,it makes you look foolish

Apr 13, 2009 - 4:44 am 23. elvis:

Obama is not a good commander-in-chief. Doing “ok” is not good enough. His first job is to protect his citizens.He didn’t do well at all.
He certainly didn’t hesitate flying a pizza chef in did he?
He is going to be worse then Carter.

Apr 13, 2009 - 4:45 am 24. vivo:

This is journalism at its WORST. Everyone has its own version and nobody has its facts straight. Lots of speculations and blaming back and forth. Will we know the REAL story some day? Shame on everyone. Maybe Newsweek will get it straight.

Apr 13, 2009 - 4:46 am 25. Paul -Indiana:

Why did it take Obambi until Saturday to turn loose the Navy? You can’t negotiate with criminal Muslims.

Apr 13, 2009 - 5:06 am 26. Meryl:

Regardless of how murky the pro-bambi forces want to pretend the situation was/is, a couple of thoughts.

I hope some time in the near future, Sully and Phillips can get together! They are two of a kind, along with their crews. Way to go, Phillips and crew, SEALS and snipers!!! These are MEN.

If the Precedent demands camera time by having Captain Phillips and his equals (crew, SEALS, and snipers)to the White House, that’s a problem, I would think.

The lesser can only honor the greater by bowing, so maybe the Precedent can bow to them. That might work.

That said, I can’t see how he (the lesser) can bestow awards and honors on them. By tradition, the greater must honor the lesser.

If honors are to be bestowed and recognition, may I suggest that the Navy and the Merchant Marine get together together for a private dinner at some magnificent location on the east coast and take 7-8 hours to tell their stories and recognize one another (with their families in attendance.)

These MEN are a CLASS ACT. The ad hoc admin we are stuck with at present wouldn’t know anything firsthand about either category.

Apr 13, 2009 - 5:14 am 27. Peter the Bubblehead:

Larry @ #4 is obviously not someone who has served in the US military, or he might know that, except in instances of extreme emergency (ie, the imminant danger to Captain Phillip’s life that precipitated the SEALs taking out the three armed pirates) the US military cannot and will not take direct military action without orders from higher up (ie, the Pentagon and/or the POTUS).

The entire reason this debacle lasted more than 4 days instad of 4 minutes is because the I-Vote-Present-in-Chief could not come ot a decision to end this like it should have been ended right after it occurred.

And the only way to keep this from happening again is to hit them back, and hit them back hard, before they can strike again. Like the character of Malone said in the movie version of the Untouchables, “If he brings a knife, you bring a gun. If he sends one of yours to the hospital, you send one of his to the morgue!”

Next pirate attack on a US flagged ship should not only bring swift retaliation against the pirates involved, but on their base in Somalia, their friends, and their families. Make it not worth the effort to attack ships any more. That is what Jefferson did! It is what I fear Obama has not the guts to do.

Apr 13, 2009 - 5:15 am 28. Meryl:

6 James S…acknowledging your point, but note that you suggest we give the precedent credit for “ALLOWING the Navy to do what is right”!!??? Doesn’t that tell you something about your own (accurate) perception?

He’s SUPPOSED TO BE the CIC, not the “allower in chief”.

Apr 13, 2009 - 5:16 am 29. Big Al:

THANKS, FOR THIS REPORTING, AND TO THE NAVY FOR NAVIGATING THROUGH WASHINGTON TO GET ER DONE.

Apr 13, 2009 - 5:18 am 30. Meryl:

Those making a big deal about wanting to give the precedent credit for this will also want to find that arsonist who set the big fire in Oklahoma last week and give him an award for stopping at some red light when he left the area, thereby avoiding running over a 3 year old playing in the street.

You should be embarrassed.

Somewhere in me there is a bit that would truly like to believe that the boy precedent is capable of wisdom, courage and bravery (since our safety as a nation depends on it), but it doesn’t meet the standard if it has to be found in this kind of flimsy crap.

Looks to me like his supporters are standing at the fire with their backs to the firefighters, screaming at everybody to look at the arsonist. This would not have happened if the pirates were afraid of the President of the United States and his willingness to kill them. They were not.

Apr 13, 2009 - 5:21 am 31. Meryl:

24 “Maybe NEWSWEEK will get it straight”? Surely you jest.

Apr 13, 2009 - 5:23 am 32. Samizdat:

“A peaceful solution was the only acceptable outcome to the standoff unless the hostage’s life was in clear, extreme danger.”
We need to know if this was the President’s actual order and I would like the author to clear that issue up. I would also like the specific detail of what Captain Phillip’s position was when the shots were taken. Did he jump overboard a second time or did that occur after the snipers fired? The answer to that question would provide operational detail that is currently unclear.
If the President’s actual order was as outlined above, then we are in deep trouble. This planet is infested with rogues who will prey on the weak and indecisive. If the President in fact did issue this specific order he was placing the strategic political situation above the welfare of Captain Phillips and was complicating the rules of engagement for the snipers and the commander of the Bainbridge. It is clear that Navy SEALS are expertly trained in handleing these hostage situations. What is unclear is what the ROE’s were regarding this incident. I request that the author specifically address this issue and clear it up. It will tell us alot about the President’s values and thinking. I am hoping that Mr Emanuel is wrong about the Presidents actual order. Can anyone access the actual text of the order or is it classified? Looking forward to further illumination.

Apr 13, 2009 - 5:30 am 33. cedarhill:

Obama dumped on the military. By making it the military commander’s decision Obama shows the politician at work since he made sure the buck stopped across the Potomic.

This incident will be read by military officers as being left out to dry if anything goes wrong in any way. That’s Obama’s leadership. He gave a command that a mayor would have given to a police chief. And if the hostage were killed? Hey! It’s not the mayor’s fault.

Real leadership. Real Change. Real Cowardice. But great politics. I feel all tingly comfy and secure don’t you?

Apr 13, 2009 - 5:31 am 34. aloysiusmiller:

If you want credit for bold you have to state your claim before the bold action. Waiting in the wings and stepping forward after the fact to claim decisiveness and boldness is Carter-esque.

Way to go Jimmy O.!

Apr 13, 2009 - 5:44 am 35. PAR:

What do you expect from someone who identifies more with the pirates than with the rescuers.

Apr 13, 2009 - 5:45 am 36. Jeff:

I took the con man 4 days to “give” the Navy permission … now that’s leadership …

Apr 13, 2009 - 5:51 am 37. Cybergeezer:

Obama’s, ha, ha, ha, “mettle”, ha, ha, ho, ho, has been tested; Ha, ha, ha, ho, ho. Is he tough, or what? Ha, ha, ha, ha, ho, ho, ho.
Man; It’s not, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, easy typing and, ha, ha, ha, ha, ho, ho, ho, laughing this hard! Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha;
I don’t know how the main stream media can do it with a straight face

Apr 13, 2009 - 5:53 am 38. Sebastian Shaw:

The man would not be alive had he risked his own life a second time with a second successful escape; the Navy exploited the captain’s actions for both benefit. Therefore, without the captain taking his own initiative, he would still be a hostage today. President Obama’s feckless leaderless abilities are magnified with this incident.

Apr 13, 2009 - 6:05 am 39. fear Obama:

The Head man of the Navy told the Head man in charge of the Bainbridge “If there is any danger to the Captain please advise your Navy Seals to make good Head shots.”

GO NAVY!

Now that pirate heads are splattered all over the African coast,
the Head man of the Pirates says he will make revenge from a prison yet to be determined.

Having used the Head on several Navy vessels,
I now have a deeper respect for the men that had to walk down the same paths to get to it that I did.

It should be renamed the Pirates Head.

Apr 13, 2009 - 6:06 am 40. Ed Wallis:

Dear RedCheeks (#1) and other O-sycophants:
SEE
http://www.blackfive.net/main/2009/04/how-the-rescue-happened.html

The on-site commander made the order.

Now, go troll elsewhere…like http://www.highlights.com.

Apr 13, 2009 - 6:08 am 41. ajacksonian:

So what was President Obama’s standing orders on pirates before this? Did he have one? Believe it or not that *is* part of the job description of ‘Commander of the Armies and the Navies’ and is his direct and accountable responsibility to ensure that these mobile pieces of sovereign US territory are looked after when at the high seas (as given by the 19th century SCOTUS precedents of being within reach of the high seas, thus not past the mouths of rivers or in bays).

Trying to say he had a ‘more important job’ to ‘fix the economy’ requires one to point to where that is in the Executive job description (or, indeed in any job description in the Constitution). He ran for this office and this is a primary and fundamental duty of each and every President as it deals with the safety of US maritime vessels or those operating under US flag: we extend our laws and full protection to each and every vessel under US flag in the world.

So what is his stance on piracy which was referred to before the founding as those that are enemies of all mankind reverting to the Law of Nature and stepping away from the laws of civilization? Can we get some clarity and standing orders on this? And just why is it that US citizens have their civil rights violated on sovereign territory by not being allowed personal side-arms or other personal defense? You have a position in which a speedboat of a few men trying to board a ship have to clamber up quite a long distance and are most amenable to a light handweapon being used against them. Even a Chu Ko Nu would do fine, that ancient repeating cross-bow… and with modern materials that would be one wicked weapon… so you don’t even need firearms although they are handier, easier to use and tend not to over-penetrate a target. One decent shot with a Colt 1911 would have stopped this before it started. And if it was an ancient arm, well, just what do pirates do with cross-bow bolts stuck through vital organs? Why are our citizens on sovereign territory denied even personal side-arms?

Off the coast of Somalia is not the only place with modern Pirates around, and the South China sea has its share as do parts of the Caribbean with its lovely tourist trade so easily found by motorboats… robbery at sea is piracy too, you know.

So how about it? How about seeing the President take a firm stand against those breaking all laws of man, calling them outlaw and letting US citizens defend themselves against them? Would that really make us viewed as a ‘global enemy’? Or would it ‘create more pirates’ to know that one country will resist them… well, two after France showed the way recently, which does point out the problem the current POTUS has as he would now have to follow France’s lead, just as he hinted at wanting to do at the G-20. That should embolden him! Let him take an anti-piracy stance and cower behind France for political cover!

So howsabout it? A bit of ‘hope and change’ against the enemies of mankind, hmm? And stepping away from the failed policies of non-confrontation that got us here? Could we hope about that and some actual, real, recognition of the President’s responsibilities and powers and not trying to use those he doesn’t get as reasons he can’t do his job?

Apr 13, 2009 - 6:09 am 42. misanthropicus:

RE: #1/Rotwang & #3/realitycheq:

Rotwang & realitycheck, you pathetic Soetorotrolls, you’re already out (12am/ 1am) from your ACORN Barrack (sic!) to try to stifle or deflect any cogent commentary on the Beloved One’s actions (or lack thereof).
But then, how not understand Soetoro in his handling of this Somalia situation when he was born there, just 500 miles south of that place, in Kenya, wasn’t he?

Yes, the action was a success and this success should be entirely credited to the Navy’s efficiency – from SEALS to the USS Bainbridge’s skipper, and to NO ONE ELSE (definitely not to the clown who voted hundred of times PRESENT in the Illinois Legislature, the one who when faces criticism immediately goes “it’s my staff who…” and at any moment that requires leadership “delegates authority.”

Also, the review of the circumstances that made this situation possible will surely show – time and again – that it’s the embracing, “one world – we are the world” understanding policies towards those Somalian thugs that generated this situation. And also, we cannot allow anymore Obama’s sympathy for his Somali cousins endanger the lives of our seamen and the world’s trade.

Rotwang and realitychecq, you should be ashamed – back into your ACORN barrack.

Apr 13, 2009 - 6:12 am 43. Hotpatch 6:

And right this minute, ACLU lawyers are speeding to Somalia to discuss legal remedies against the US with next of kin of the innocent pirates murdered by the US Navy.

Apr 13, 2009 - 6:17 am 44. NukeET:

Give credit to where it is actually due…

US NAVY SEAL SNIPERS: 3

SOMALI PIRATES: 0

Apr 13, 2009 - 6:17 am 45. Kim Amundson:

If in fact the green light was not given from the onset, then that is a failure of leadership. Seems to me if I were to be held at gunpont, not to put too fine a point on it, my life is by any reasonable definition “in imminent danger”. We will never get the facts, for operational and national security reasons.

However, this should have been over two or three days ago. The fact that it wasn’t raises serious questions about the direction of our country with our new POTUS.

Apr 13, 2009 - 6:25 am 46. Brian Richard Allen:

Amazing how all the girly-boys and those others too damned stupid to know they’re being lied to and/or who are too damned mean-spirited and/or lazy and/or greedy to care and/or who are criminal alien, felonious and/or who died decades ago and/or are fascistic and/or crypto-fascistic — and who are also known as the “Democratic” potty’s “base” — have all jumped all over this thread and are froth and foam flecked obsessively endeavoring to paint their self-and-America-loathing moronic mobbed-up murtadd Moslim Marxist empty galabia, Sayed Hussein O’Zero, a “hero.”

He, that is, who’s richly profited from every other RICO racketeering rat-bag he’s ever rolled, stood over and/or shaken down and/or has lived off graft and/or the borrowed equity of whatever gangster-financed house he’s ever called his own. And who is an Economics illiterate who has never had a job nor met a payroll and has not the slightest idea about being responsible for turning a profit.

And who, as does every other “liberal,” believes a “naval action” is whatever Winston Churchill was rabbiting on about when he wasn’t talking about rum and the lash while describing the traditions of the British Navy.

Brian Richard Allen
Los Angeles CalifO’ZEROcated
And the Far Abroad

Apr 13, 2009 - 6:30 am 47. Broadsword:

MRE’s, meals read to eat, sometimes known as ‘three lies in one. Two lies in one? “Bold leadership”.

Apr 13, 2009 - 6:40 am 48. hermie:

Remember, that Obama was treating this as a criminal investigation to be settled by FBI negotiators. In fact, they are still debating what to do with the remaining pirate/terrorist/man-caused disaster-maker. They can’t decide what crime to charge him wioth and how to proceed with prosecution.

Also, the One couldn’t even bring himself to comment on the captain’s situation. He wanted only to talk about what was on his teleprompter.

Apr 13, 2009 - 6:42 am 49. TexEd:

Well, yes, he dithered and debated, emphasizing yet again that he is an empty suit who doesn’t have the slightest idea what he is supposed to be doing. But, in the end, Obama appears to have ordered the summary execution of three muslim terrorists, enemies of our Republic. I would love to see him send the captured muslim terrorist to Gitmo where he would be held until the Somali authorities are prepared to try him for piracy.

Apr 13, 2009 - 6:45 am 50. Kolchak:

I don’t understand why Bush doesn’t get credit. These are Navy seals trained under his admin.

Apr 13, 2009 - 6:52 am 51. Diggs:

With President Bush as CIC, a couple wars that liberated millions of people from repressive regimes have been labeled a disaster by all Leftists, with the military that made it all possible being trashed daily by Democratic Congressmen and Senators. With President Obama as CIC, one US citizen is freed by the very same military, and suddenly he’s the second coming of Alexander the great, and the SEALS are great humanitarians.
I can see how the next four years are going to go.
Thanks to God it will only be four years.

Apr 13, 2009 - 6:52 am 52. jsulman:

Obama should have given one order, “Release the captian in X hours or we will take him by force and kill you in the process if necessary.” Instead we had this “No Easy Solutions” and we must seek and “International Solution” garbage from Hillary.

Obama gets no credit for this ordeal, other than letting it drag on for 4 humiliating days.

Apr 13, 2009 - 6:53 am 53. Idahoser:

The O’boy owes heartfelt apology to that captain and his crew and their families. To ever veteran living and dead. To every citizen who wants America to try to return to freedom. And he owes his resignation to the Constitution.

Apr 13, 2009 - 6:56 am 54. hermie:

Somali authorities? That’s a joke! They’d most likely would call the pirate a national hero!

Besides he didn’t actually order the takedown of the three pirates, he simply told the commanders to use their judgement regarding the rules of engagement. He was totally prepared to make this a Justice Department operation, when the Navy did what they should have done when they first had the chance, rather than wait for a hostage negotiator to run the show.

Apr 13, 2009 - 6:59 am 55. TalkinKamel:

Five days was too long. The pirates should have been taken out at the beginning, rather than being allowed to call for back-up (why weren’t their transmissions jammed?), bringing other pirate ships, with their hostages, into the area, possibly precipitating a military incident. Yes, the Navy blockaded those ships, but it could have turned out badly—and why even take the risk?

There was also a good chance that the pirates could have made it to land, escaped with the captain, hidden themselves, doubled the ransom, and made it nearly impossible for us to rescue him.

They should have been stopped at the very beginning. There never should have been a stand off. Merchant ships must be armed, and retaliatory attacks against the Somali towns that give the pirates safe haven should be considered.

Apr 13, 2009 - 7:01 am 56. TalkinKamel:

By the way, I wonder if that Somali mediator, who set out to negotiate with the pirates, without any clear idea of how to find them, or where he was supposed to be headed, is still out there, sailing around the Indian Ocean?

This whole incident has been handled like a farce, except when the Seals did the right thing at the end.

Apr 13, 2009 - 7:03 am 57. m.a.:

This entire episode, except for the stellar action of our navy and the entire crew of the ship, has been an embarrassment to America purpatrated by the ineffecual Barak Obama. This lack of action by him, following his recent humiliation of America overseas is setting the stage for more attacks on America. Is this the “change” his supporters voted for?

Apr 13, 2009 - 7:04 am 58. RE:

Give credit where credit is due:

Obama sent the FBI.

I am underwhelmed.

Apr 13, 2009 - 7:10 am 59. beavercleaver:

Obama will still get credit, which is just the way a successful military operation is always spun, no matter who is POTUS. Had it failed, he’d get the blame. We Republicans should be proud of our military for not taking any crap from these piddly ass terrorists. The SEALS did the job they are trained to do, and the master of the Alabama exhibited heroism beyond the call of duty, but a government offical sitting in D.C. gets the credit from the MSM. That is the way it is.
Now that he has warmed up on a few poorly armed starving terrorist pirates, let us see how BHO handles entire terrorist nations armed with nukes.

Apr 13, 2009 - 7:13 am 60. WJA:

John Wayne is alive and well.

Seals 3
Pirates 0
Game over.

Now let’s leave this childish, unnecessary politics out of it and be thankful we have a military that can get the job done.

Apr 13, 2009 - 7:21 am 61. retrophoebia:

50.Kolchak:
I don’t understand why Bush doesn’t get credit. These are Navy seals trained under his admin.

Ha! Good call! We need more of that.

Apr 13, 2009 - 7:24 am 62. RV:

I too wonder why they waited this long. They should have acted sooner without any intelligence and ensured that the captain would have been shot and killed. Waiting to get all the neccesary information and ensuring that they had the best posible plan only helped save the captain’s life and ended the threat from these pirates, but that doesn’t seem to be good enough!

Apr 13, 2009 - 7:26 am 63. Richard:

At least we aren’t seeing Obama smoking a big cigar on the White House balcony!

Apr 13, 2009 - 7:29 am 64. Bilgeman:

Hey, gang.

Let’s kkep our eyes on the prize. All of our seamen are safe and sound, our ship is safe in port, (as safe as it can be in Mombasa), three scumbag pirates are shark-food, and the other lucky scumbag is getting the best grub he’s ever had in the USS Bainbridge’s brig.

All’s well that ends well, and there’s credit enough to go around, even to the Alleged Hawaiian.

Some of those guys are probably my ex-shipmates from my Maersk Line years, and getting them home safe is what this is always was about.

I reckon that the next gang of Somali pirates are learning to recognize US ports of registry painted across the stern so they can avoid them on their next foray.

Apr 13, 2009 - 7:31 am 65. savage24:

Another crisis not gone to waste by this administration. The first thing I heard on the radio this morning was that the Great One ordered the attack on the pirates. BS is going to be neck deep by noon. He will probably order another pizza tonight. I hope you realize that our names are going on the DHS’s right wing conspiracy list.

Apr 13, 2009 - 7:32 am 66. RV:

“Besides he didn’t actually order the takedown of the three pirates, he simply told the commanders to use their judgement regarding the rules of engagement.”

Yes, which is the job of every president ever. He did what his job called for, allowed the people trained to do their job. And they did their job exceptionally well.

Apr 13, 2009 - 7:34 am 67. hermie:

What information did they need? Did they need background info on each pirate? (Were they abused as children? Are their homes in foreclosure? Do they need their mommy?)

The only info needed: Here are the pirates…Here is the hostage…Can you make the shot(s)?

Apr 13, 2009 - 7:37 am 68. The Blogshevik:

It’s my opinion President Obama exhibited a stunning example of leadership by calling the captain of the destroyer USS Bainbridge and giving him the go ahead to take action should it become necessary. And let me remind you, he called not once but twice! It takes a great deal of energy, personal strength, sacrifice and leadership abilities to pick up the phone, dial it and speak into the talky-talky part.

Apparently Obama did it all by himself too, except maybe the picking up the receiver part and dialing, that’s what aides are for, but I’m almost sure he did the talking. You don’t learn that kind of leadership at a community organizing school, no-siree bob….that’s the kind of thing only the very best and brightest telemarketer can pull out of his bag of tricks in times of stress and impending doom.

To interrupt playtime with the 6 month old Portuguese “water” dog “Bo”; given to him by Senator Ted “Swimmer” Kennedy, took a great deal of personal sacrifice.

Had Obama not taken the initiative and talked into the bat phone at such a crucial time, things might be so much different. It’s obvious to me that CDR Frank Castellano of the USS Bainbridge; the seasoned but inexperienced captain of DDG96, is unable to lead as well as Obama for crying out loud. Without Obama’s guidance and encouragement, we all might being chewing on wads of “ghat”.

Saved by Zero…

Apr 13, 2009 - 7:37 am 69. Clattertuck:

When Emanuel descibed the lifeboat as “inflatable” I assumed nothing in his report was reliable as to the facts. He could have watched Fox News.

Apr 13, 2009 - 7:58 am 70. John Galt:

One thing that will bear watching will be what the Obama DOJ attempts to do with the captive pirate.>>

I think that they should try and him a character part on Disney’s Pirate of the Carrribian #4, which sadly will be without Keira.

I realize that he isn’t a Carribean pirate but will we just call it Hollywood license.

Apr 13, 2009 - 8:02 am 71. Bobb:

#50. Kolchak:
I don’t understand why Bush doesn’t get credit. These are Navy seals trained under his admin.

You should know that Obama will say that the taking of this hostage was all Bush’s fault, and he inherited it, again.

Apr 13, 2009 - 8:04 am 72. ndulik:

Obama sucks

Apr 13, 2009 - 8:06 am 73. Carolb:

We may never get all the details on what happened, but, from what I’ve been reading on some of the military blogs, Obama initially did not want any aggressive action against the pirates, even after the pirates were shooting at our guys! It was only after the US was made to look like fools to the outside world and everyone was making fun of us that he decided to act (and by “act,” I mean to tell the commanders they had authority to protect ONLY if the captain’s life was in imminent danger; Obama didn’t order any kind of rescue).

These pirates were young African men, and I think the president hesitated to do what he should have done at the beginning for that very reason. So, yeah, if you want to give him “credit” for that…

But, this is also why I don’t think there will be much future action from the US having to deal with pirates – because they’re African. It will turn into a race thing really quick.

But, how much do you want to bet that, if the captain had been killed, the president would have tried to distance himself from the decision and blame the military commanders on site for acting without his authority?

Apr 13, 2009 - 8:11 am 74. GlobalObserver:

If I were Jeff Emanuel or Pajamas Media I’d take this story down quick, or at the very least do a quick edit.

It’s pretty embarrassing to build a story around two leaps into the ocean when CNN now says its first report was in error and there was no second escape attempt because the captain’s hand were tied behind his back.

Unless Emanuel has other evidence, which he should quickly share, he’s not lending himself credibility to anything else he’s speculating on.

No criticism here, just advice. The facts should be foremost, right? Besides, the New York Times already has first dibs on inaccurate reporting – and that privilege should be respected.

Apr 13, 2009 - 8:13 am 75. one of my own:

This is why conservatives and Republicans and assorted other rednecks will remain lost in political exile . . . you don’t have the guts to deal with reality . . . “Obama didn’t do anything. He did do something. He did it but it was the wrong thing. He did the right thing at the wrong time.” Don’t believe me? Check the other pirate post on this site.

This is all spin and dodgery. Here’s the fundamental thing you’re all missing, and I offer this as a favor . . . the past 8 years this country has received an education in spin from the right-wing media machine. We’ve all caught on and are now dismissing the tactics that were once so successful. Your problem is that you’re just catching up with the Ailes machine and its ability to disseminate (calm down, Bilgepump, I said DISseminate) your right-wing idiocy. You done found out about the Internets. And so you take the talking points from on high and spread them around like good little seamen (relax, Bilgepump, I said seAmen) on the good ship Fox Hole. But you’re five years too late. The vast majority of people in America reject that model of manipulation. In other words, you’re talking to yourselves. Unless, of course, you think you’re going to convince me to come around to your side – the wrong side, the dark side, the dumb side, the whiney side, the victim’s side, the closeted side, the repressed side, the hidden guilt side, the bimbo side, the Unabomber side, the McVeigh side, the get drunk and shoot a friend in the face side, the hillbilly heroin side, the Newt’s three wives side, the get loaded and fall off the couch and blame it on a pretzel side, the torture side, the conservative side.

Gee, maybe that doesn’t sound so bad after all.

Apr 13, 2009 - 8:14 am 76. Alex:

my my my….so many monday morning quarterbacks.

Any hostage situation is to maintain status Quo until clear advantage is presented, which came when all three popped their heads up and were taken out. Those seals may hbave been sitting on the fantail for hours on end waiting for that one moment when all three could be eliminated at the same time.

What good would bringing an entire destroyer to bear on a tiny raft with 3 pirates, they would all die including the Captain who willingly went along to save his crew. Exactly what would be accomplished…

it may have taken more time that most of the posters here liked, but then you are not the captains family, hoping that the Navy would take the time and be patient until the the right moment and their father, husband, brother, etc comes home alive.

Apr 13, 2009 - 8:30 am 77. Paul -Indiana:

Well, it turned out ok. I guess 4 days of voting ‘present’ was all it took.

Apr 13, 2009 - 8:35 am 78. Joel Watts:

As an aside, it’s interesting to note that America’s first military action against piracy actually took place at Derna (not Tripoli) with just 7 marines and several hundred mercanaries, all led by a U.S. Army captain. Another interesting tidbit: the USS Bainbridge is named after a U.S. Naval officer who was captured by Barbary pirates during the first war against the pirates in the early 19th century.

Apr 13, 2009 - 8:36 am 79. Bart:

I guess this was the “test” Obama would face during the first 6 months of his administration as predicted by Joe Biden. If I had to reach a conclusion on how Obama would handle a crisis based on this one, “HOUSTON, WE HAVE A PROBLEM”. An FBI negotiating team for Pete’ sake? Since when does our FBI have training dealing with Somalian pirates? Apparently someone in O’s administration thought this was a domestic type situation and reacted accordingly. Is this the type response to expect in the future? Maybe it took Obama a couple of days to get sufficient guidance and counseling before acting. What happens in a real emergency or crisis?

If you want an answer, do as I have suggested before. READ HIS BOOK!! The answers are in there.

Before it is all over, will Obama apologize to Somalia for taking action without consulting with them first?

Apr 13, 2009 - 8:52 am 80. Suzi:

Don’t have time to read down the line of all the responses, but last night after spending time with family, caught the tail end of a news report about the daring rescue, and YES, “they” were singing Obama’s praises. Sickening. My husband heads our County’s Crisis Resolution Team. He said it should have been HOURS, not DAYS. If Obama can’t act like a “Commander in Chief” he needs to get those around him who will. As my late momma used to say, ‘he needs to sh*t or get off the pot’. Nuff said. (except, thanks to the real heroes of this story, the trained men who got the job done!).

Apr 13, 2009 - 8:53 am 81. trapper:

Let’s calm down. We don’t know all the details yet so judgement should wait. One thing is clear: the Captain and his crew are safe. We should be thankful for that.

Apr 13, 2009 - 8:54 am 82. Toddrice:

All this mocking of President Obama after an operation that left three pirates dead, one in custody, and the hostage safe and unharmed? Yeah, uhh, boooo!

I get that people here are giving most of the credit to the Navy SEALS and the Marines for this operation (as do I). But if this thing had gone another way, would people here have blamed the SEALS? No, they would have blamed Obama.

Apr 13, 2009 - 8:58 am 83. Chuckt:

Maybe Obambi will do to the captured pirate what he deserves: make him ride in a car with Ted Kennedy driving.

#75 One of my own: Right wing media machine? That’s funny, considering the media (TV, newspapers, most periodicals, Hollywood, most radio), has been dominated by America-blaming leftists for the past 50+ years. I suppose NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN, CNBC, MSNBC, NPR, NYT, LAT, et al have all been beaten into submission by little ‘ol AM radio & the lone Mr. Ailes’ Fox news, and now we’re all of a sudden inundated with right-wing spin and nothing else.

Naaah, just stay on the side your already on: the limp-wristed side, the bleeding-heart side, the appeasing-sit-down-to-tea-with-terrorists-who-want-to-kill-us side, the Geithner/Daschle et al-whoops-I-forgot-to-pay-my-taxes side, the no-guns-for-law-abiding-citizens-side, the no God side, the Clinton/Ted Kennedy philandering side, the I-deserve-a-U.S.-Senate-seat-because-I’m-a-Kennedy-even-though-I-have-no-public-service-experience side, the John-Kerry-seek-out-and-sponge-off-rich-widows side, the destroy-once-great-Detroit side. Yeah, just stay on that side. I just don’t know how we’ll survive without you, though.

Apr 13, 2009 - 8:59 am 84. Insufficiently Sensitive:

With the small inflatable lifeboat in which he was being held captive being towed by the American missile destroyer USS Bainbridge, and Navy Special Warfare (NSWC) snipers on the fantail in position to take their shots at his captors as soon as the command was given, the captive captain of the M.V. Maersk-Alabama took his second leap in three days into the shark-infested waters of the Indian Ocean.

That was one of the rumors that floated around in the first minutes after we learned that Phillips had been freed.

It was wrong. He was tied up in the lifeboat, and the snipers only shot when one of the crooks aimed an AK-47 at his back. This ‘double-dipping Captain’ story should be laid to rest. And Pajamas Media had better scrutinize its stories before some snotty commenter does.

Apr 13, 2009 - 9:00 am 85. AThinkingPerson:

Navy Seals get the credit for this. GO NAVY!! Well, unless we hear that the the official U.S. Teleprompter is a sharpshooter. Until then, credit where credit is due. GO NAVY!!

Apr 13, 2009 - 9:02 am 86. Peter the Bubblehead:

62. RV wrote:
I too wonder why they waited this long. They should have acted sooner without any intelligence and ensured that the captain would have been shot and killed.

Peter asks: And what intelligence was learned in 4 days that wasn’t known the moment this entire shameful incident began? Other than the so-called POTUS is a spineless wimp who would rather read off his teleprompter about the state of the economy than make a single remark on the welfare of an American citizen, taken hostage by a bunch of petty thugs while performing his job in an exemplery manner?

Apr 13, 2009 - 9:14 am 87. gLAZYeyes:

It must have been galling that Obama’s cool hand did not flinch and comes out of this looking good. I’m sure it ruined all your “Teabagging” over the weekend.

Apr 13, 2009 - 9:16 am 88. AThinkingPerson:

gLAZYeyes… “Obama’s cool hand did not flinch..”? What? He had no hand in this except to defer to the Navy. How does that show unflinching leadership?

No need to be jealous of the “teabagging” happening. It’s on April 15 btw, not this weekend. Apparently you’re bad info on Obama’s unflinching leadership and the tea bag fun both come from the same unreliable sources.

Apr 13, 2009 - 9:23 am 89. Войска ПВО:

To be fair, like many here, I concede that this did end well for the kidnapped captain of the hijacked vessel, the Navy, and — luckily for him — The Alleged Hawaiian. Maybe we are getting a little cranky on this subject.

But those who complain about the folks here who do not give President Training Pants enough credit for this will have to look deep into their own consciences and ask when they gave credit for George W. Bush for keeping America safe from a repeat of 9/11. In fact, those that would complain of the crotchety tone here, might pause and remember how the anti-war crowd ROOTED for the U.S. to fail in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Some of the rhetoric got pretty chilling as I recall.

There was an excellent point about Obama not praising the military he inherited; that needs to be echoed.

Oh, by the way and for the record, Obama’s Rasmussen tracking poll strongly approve/strongly disapprove margin is — at today’s reckoning — at plus two percent. It won’t be long before he is in negative territory with so-called [in]action like this.

Apr 13, 2009 - 9:27 am 90. Rod the ancient merchant mariner:

We just showed them how to play Cowboys & Pirates – Cowboys 3 – Pirates 0

It did take awhile, maybe a bit indecisive but the bottom line is in the end the Seals got the job done and NOBAMA let them do their job. In my eyes first thing the pres had done right since he was elected.

Apr 13, 2009 - 9:33 am 91. Samizdat:

Hey One of My Own,
Way to enhance the discussion with your ad hominem attack. As I said at #32 the key thing with this incident is what was the President’s actual order and what were the rules of engagement. I want Pajamas to clarify those facts before I pass judgement. It is posssible that no favorable shot was presented by the pirates for the 1st 4 days of this hostage taking and that is why it dragged on. If the President’s actual order was as Emanuel suggests that is a problem. If his order was otherwise, then judgement has to be adjusted accordingly. I think Emanuel owes us clarification, which I trust will be forthcoming.
Turning to a related matter, I would support the President strongly if he decided to directly engage the pirates and destroy their bases of operation. We must be accumulationg a signifigant amount of intelligence regarding the who, how and where. A direct action based on operational intelleigence would put the pirates on defense and exact a cost for their behavior. The SEALS and the Marines are well trained in these types of operations and could be very disruptive in a short campaign. With proper naval air support the pirates could be substantially attrited and given something new to consider before mounting more attacks. I would support the President if he were to order such an operation and if he were to give the military license to carry it out.

Apr 13, 2009 - 9:42 am 92. Bilgeman:

#91 Samizdat:
“Hey One of My Own,
Way to enhance the discussion with your ad hominem attack.”

Don’t take my grody little blog-slave seriously, he hangs around me like a mongrel dog, capering and grovelling for attention.

Feel free to kick him, if the mood strikes you.

His yelping and whining is quite gratifying to my ears.

Apr 13, 2009 - 9:53 am 93. seven:

This is a global crisis. Just as he was trying to find a church for
Easter and bring the Head Mutt Bo into his innercircle, he had to mess with this.

Thanks for Pres Bush investing in great training for the navy seals.

Apr 13, 2009 - 10:04 am 94. RV:

86. Peter the Bubblehead:

Peter asks: And what intelligence was learned in 4 days that wasn’t known the moment this entire shameful incident began?

You are right. All issues on planet Earth are Black and White. Only two sides ever exist. Guy with gun bad. Bad person must die. We good. Must shoot bad person.

Apr 13, 2009 - 10:06 am 95. The Historian:

OBAMA USED MILITARY TO ADVANCE DOMESTIC AGENDA
The real pirates are in Washington DC. Obama followed Bush template to curry public favor.

http://greensrealworld.blogspot.com/2009/04/pirates-obama-does-bush-thing.html

Apr 13, 2009 - 10:09 am 96. Terry Campbell:

According to Beldar’s account of the New York Times article:

“near the end of the New York Times’ account of the rescue:

The Defense Department twice asked Mr. Obama for permission to use military force to rescue Captain Phillips, most recently late on Friday night, senior defense officials said. On Saturday morning, the president agreed to permit action, they said, but only if it appeared that the captain’s life was in imminent danger.

Then tell me: When, exactly, during this entire episode was Captain Phillips’ life not in imminent danger? Why did Barack Obama have to sleep on the decision whether to permit our military commanders on the scene to use their own judgment as to whether to kill pirates who had attacked an American vessel and were holding its captain hostage? If this paragraph from the NYT is correct, then even if our forces had clear shots at all of the pirates simultaneously prior to Saturday morning, they lacked Obama’s permission to take them. And that is outrageous and, on the part of our nominal Commander in Chief, pathetic.”

Apr 13, 2009 - 10:15 am 97. wancow:

I give cudos to Obama for authorizing the navy to take them out.

But like 91. seven said, thanks to Bush for investing in Seal Training…

78. Joel Watts: “Another interesting tidbit: the USS Bainbridge is named after a U.S. Naval officer who was captured by Barbary pirates during the first war against the pirates in the early 19th century.”

There’s a whole lot more to that story. The reason there is a ship named after Bainbridge is this

Apr 13, 2009 - 10:17 am 98. kazooskibum:

I’m going to sleep now.

Apr 13, 2009 - 10:18 am 99. TalkinKamel:

So, R.V., you think it was a good idea for the navy to just sit and watch the pirates for four days, giving them the chance to call for help, and taking the risk that they might make it to shore and hide the captain in a more secure spot?

Apr 13, 2009 - 10:21 am 100. Sherab Zangpo:

Just for the joy of all the trolls:

I know who the Seals are,
but who is this “Obama” guy you are all talking about ?????????????????????

Thank you for the opportunity to comment.

Apr 13, 2009 - 10:22 am 101. TalkinKamel:

R.V. what information did they get that they couldn’t in the first few hours?

Apr 13, 2009 - 10:24 am 102. Sebastian Shaw:

President Obama in the hours of the captain being taken hostage: “Uh, er, uh erm” This would explain the tepid, eunuch response.

Apr 13, 2009 - 10:34 am 103. techfin:

Armchair wanks think they could have managed this better than the captain. Maybe waiting saved Capt Philps life.
Jeff emmanuel and Hewitt are reaching under their adjacent stalls…

Apr 13, 2009 - 10:36 am 104. Samizdat:

Terry at #96,
Thanks for the info. Unfortunately, I no longer trust the NYT to provide staight information and would like further confirmation of the actual order and sequence of commands transmited to the commander of the Bainbridge. Your post provides potentially useful additional information and I appreciate your taking the time to send it in.
Bilgeman at #92, it seems to me you have more than a passing familiarity with “One of My Own” based upon your response. Just trying to get to the facts. If they are as Terry suggests, the President needs to start leading and executing his oath of office. Restrictive rules of engagement that don’t confer authority to act as the commander sees fit given the circumstances of the hijack and the immediate tactical situation are evidence of lack of basic understanding of chain of command, military strategy and the President’s constitutional responsiblity to the hostage and crew of the Bainbridge. That is why I want to have the facts. If they are as Terry’s evidence suggests, then we have a naive, indecisive President, an extremely dangerous combination that will invite further international probes and challenges.

Apr 13, 2009 - 10:53 am 105. bsandersga:

This is silly, considering the fact that most readers of this site supported GW and his ill-advised invasion of Iraq. Has George Bush taken credit for screwing up in Iraq? I thought the commander in chief gets credit for everything military.

Apr 13, 2009 - 10:54 am 106. BC:

The way this operation is being spun on the right wing web sites *so* supports my contention that “There is ignorance, damned ignorance, and then right wing blog sites”. Gawd, where to start….for one thing, the lifeboat was enclosed:
http://gcaptain.com/maritime/blog/maersk-alabama-lifeboat-faq/

Not quite a Titanic-style open top, eh? And this obviously makes picking off the bad guys while leaving the good guy alone not so easy, especially at night time in choppy waters, when it was done. As far as why action wasn’t taken sooner, that’s because the grown-ups are back in charge. The pirates didn’t want to die, which they knew would happen immediately if they killed their hostage, and the lifeboat was adrift and surrounded — so that wasn’t going anywhere. In this scenario, you negotiate while you get all your pieces and plans in place for any scenario. I don’t know if that 16 yr old pirate who gave himself up and then tried to talk his fellow pirates into doing likewise is that typical, but obviously you don’t want to go sniping out teenagers without really, REALLY damn good reasons.

And do not try to give Bush an iota of any credit — his harebrained, shoot first, lie later foreign policy has caused nothing but grief. And not to defend the pirates, but the how’s and why’s for how all this got started doesn’t exactly make them the only bad guys:
http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,594457,00.html

Apr 13, 2009 - 11:03 am 107. Juvenal:

What is it Obama deserves credit for? For doing his job? Which he had to be prodded into doing after days of vacillation and initial refusal?

If something had gone wrong, guess whose fault it would be. We’d have yet another “cowboy military” narrative in the media.

Apr 13, 2009 - 11:12 am 108. e:

Meh, the outcome was about as good as could happen. Give Obama at least some credit for not doing something stupid to screw it up.

Apr 13, 2009 - 11:15 am 109. wancow:

99. TalkinKamel: “So, R.V., you think it was a good idea for the navy to just sit and watch the pirates for four days, giving them the chance to call for help”

I do, the more target practice the SEALS get with live targets, the better

By the way, isn’t Piracy considered a crime against humanity or somesuch that killing a pirate is about as illegal as squashing a cockroach?

Apr 13, 2009 - 11:21 am 110. Samizdat:

Techfin,
I don’t think anyone is questioning the captain of the Bainbridge, he appears to have acted correctly based upon his perception of threat to the hostage. What we all need to know is what the President’s specific order’s consisted of and what the rules of engagement were, along with the chronology of communication. I am interested in those specifics, for obvious reasons.

Apr 13, 2009 - 11:22 am 111. Peter the Bubblehead:

94. RV wrote:
You are right. All issues on planet Earth are Black and White. Only two sides ever exist. Guy with gun bad. Bad person must die. We good. Must shoot bad person.

Peter writes: Glad to see you agree with me. Perhaps there is a brain cell starting to grow in that liberal head of yours? Maybe you have been habging out with the intelligent conservatives enough that it is starting to rub off?

Apr 13, 2009 - 11:27 am 112. Peter the Bubblehead:

101. TalkinKamel wrote:
R.V. what information did they get that they couldn’t in the first few hours?

Peter writes: Exactly the question I asked, that RV, in his infinite (lack of) wisdom chose to completely ignore.

PS – Nice to see you again, TK.

Apr 13, 2009 - 11:29 am 113. Peter the Bubblehead:

103. techfin wrote:
Armchair wanks think they could have managed this better than the captain. Maybe waiting saved Capt Philps life.

Peter writes: And likewise, maybe waiting put his life, and the lives of others, more at risk. If the Navy had been allowed to act from the get go, the pirates would not have launched their fleet in support of their ‘comrades.’ What if waiting had resulted in one of those pirate motherships attacking another vessel or, if crazy enough, attempting to ram one of our Navy vessels.

We can play these armchair games all day. The main point is Obama sat on his heels hoping the hostage situation would resolve itself before he had to make a real decision. This shouldn’t have had to take 5 days! It should not have been more than 5 hours!

Apr 13, 2009 - 11:32 am 114. Will:

The mission was accomplished,no thanks to Barak Hussien Obama just because he is a so called president.

Apr 13, 2009 - 11:34 am 115. Peter the Bubblehead:

105. bsandersga wrote:
Has George Bush taken credit for screwing up in Iraq? I thought the commander in chief gets credit for everything military.

Peter writes: You’re right! Let’s give President Bush all the credit for eliminating a dictatorial despot from this Earth and freeing millions of Muslims to live in a free, democratic society. Let’s hope they are up to the challenge of maintaining it.

Apr 13, 2009 - 11:34 am 116. Samizdat:

BC,
You made some good points and then you had to lurch into intellectual bankruptcy with your Bush lied angle. By the way, holding a US citizen hostage at AK-47 point while bargaining for his ransom is more than a valid reason to snipe them at the first opportunity. I agree with your points about establishing favorable tactical conditions. The operation can not be properly executed without that.

Apr 13, 2009 - 11:35 am 117. donttreadonme:

Bah! This crisis was the definition of speed and brutal efficiency. Insiders know that four days was optimum: To wit:
Day 1 – Obama staff contacts Somali Ministry of State – verifies that Obama’s long-lost Somalian cousin Mufasa SimbaRufikiObama is NOT one of the “pirates.”
Day 2 – A special wetsuit cum jetpack is fitted for BHO. Short delay in applying the press-on patch of his campaign “hope” symbol on chest piece.
Day 3 – BHO undergoes intense sniper-rifle training and aquatic manuevers.
Airlifted to theater of operation. Gets update and visual of pirate raft.
Day 4 – BHO flies via jetpack overhead of the pirates – peels off laminate of his chest-piece emblem, allowing his natural meta-radiance to engulf pirates, who are temporarily blinded. Siezing this opportunity, BHO eases off the jetpack throttle, swoops in and grabs Captain Phillips, dropping him into the arms of awe-struck SEAL personnel. The coupe-de-grace: BHO returns to life boat and gets off three precise headshots while in full flight, while declaring to all within earshot “uuhhhh, let everyone know that, uhhhhh, that uuuhhhh..the United States of uhhhh, uhhh, America, does not negotiate, uuuhhhh, with, uhhhh, overseas man-made , uuuhhhhh, disaster-makers.”
Now do you get it, people?

Apr 13, 2009 - 12:32 pm 118. AThinkingPerson:

As we all know, Obama will (and has) taken credit for the Navy rescuing the captain. What remains to be seen is if he’ll follow suit and take the credit for the Iraq War which is almost at a successful end. I’m guessing yes, he will and I for one, will never forgive him if he does. If he’s any sort of man at all he will give credit to the real hero of the Iraq War, President “I kept the country safe after 9/11″ Bush. A real American President.

Apr 13, 2009 - 12:49 pm 119. ronnor:

Its called micromanaging, we saw the same thing with Jimmy “the Duh” Carter. I’m just glad that the President has so much time to do things like this, it means we have no problems that his lack of experience can screw up. He’s a man for all seasons, he’s banker now that he’s taken over the banks, he’s a car salesman now that he’s taken over the car companies and now he’s the trigger man onboard ships. He’ll be going out on patrol in Afghanistan next making decisions there, what a man!

Apr 13, 2009 - 1:12 pm 120. Ratatosk:

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/04/12/official-sea-captain-faced-imminent-danger/

I think the author should clarify his article or provide his sources… thus far it seems out of agreement with every other article I’ve read on the subject.

According to Fox News:

President Obama twice authorized the military to rescue a U.S. captain held by Somali pirates and whose life appeared to be at risk.

A senior administration official told FOX News that Obama granted the authority on Friday and Saturday to use appropriate force to rescue Capt. Richard Phillips from a lifeboat off the Somali coast. The Pentagon believed Phillips’ life was at risk both times, officials said.

A senior administration official said the president’s order authorized force for a group of military assets that arrived at the scene late last week. When more resources arrived, Obama added them to a roster of military personnel allowed to engage militarily with the Somali pirates.

It also appears to disagree with the above narrative on the Captain jumping out of the boat again.

Apr 13, 2009 - 1:14 pm 121. The Shadow:

Many of you people seem to have wanted the operation to fail just to blame Obama. He handled it just the way a good commander should – He let the military commander at the site take operational control. If any of you morons had been President, it would have ended in diaster

Apr 13, 2009 - 1:17 pm 122. Jerry M:

Because the pirate hostage crisis has thankfully come to a successful conclusion, Obama and his administration will claim credit for his handling of the situation. While he deserves some credit for not screwing it up, a critique of his activities during the course of these events is in order. Because he gave permission to use deadly force twice, it is clear that he was indecisive and was trying to micromanage the situation from thousands of miles away. The Commander on the scene should have been given clear, immediate and unambiguous authority once to use force and that should have been as soon as it was obvious this was a hostage taking event with innocent life at stake. Because that was not done, it is possible opportunities were missed to bring this situation to an end sooner and with less danger to Capt. Phillips. The only real heroes in this event were Capt. Phillips and the Navy personnel who made his rescue possible not because of but in spite of anything coming from Obama and his administration.

Apr 13, 2009 - 1:19 pm 123. donde2k:

I like donttreadonme’s scenario of events.
Given the Wonder and Majesty of BHO, it is indeed the most probable.

Apr 13, 2009 - 1:20 pm 124. Ratatosk:

Because he gave permission to use deadly force twice, it is clear that he was indecisive and was trying to micromanage the situation from thousands of miles away.

Are you sure? According to the article at FOX news, the second authorization was to include the reinforcements that had just gotten on the scene:

“A senior administration official said the president’s order authorized force for a group of military assets that arrived at the scene late last week. When more resources arrived, Obama added them to a roster of military personnel allowed to engage militarily with the Somali pirates.”

I think someone needs to provide a clear view of what happened before anyone can determine if the President acted correctly or not.

Apr 13, 2009 - 1:39 pm 125. Sebastian Shaw:

Bsanders, what does George W. Bush have to do with this crisis? None. Stop with the tangets. We’re talking about President Obama–the man who thinks he is God.

Apr 13, 2009 - 1:40 pm 126. AThinkingPerson:

The Shadow… Why stoop to name calling? Can you not make your argument any other way?

Apr 13, 2009 - 2:02 pm 127. crossdotcurve:

What a crank this loser author is. “A life of welfare checks”. Grow up. Actually, don’t. The frothing idiocy of WingNut cranks like this has led the GOP into the wilderness, where it belongs.

Apr 13, 2009 - 2:04 pm 128. irving:

Whether Obama gets credit or blame for this situation is almost beside the point. The truth is, the decision to shoot some pirates should not have involved the commander in chief at all. There’s no need for a decision like that to go to the oval office unless either the commanders present in the water are indecisive, or someone at a higher level make it clear that they are not entitled to make decisions. Either is very bad.

This should have been ended the first day. It was a good resolution that should not have been so hard to achieve.

Apr 13, 2009 - 2:19 pm 129. Larry:

Well, it turned out OK. Much better than we had a right to expect. The tragedy is that these rag-tag crooks have been allowed to mug these ships for so long. I think it is a symptom of the first world’s weak-kneed attachment to appeasment. A squad of infantrymen with a sniper or two will keep this rabble away. Add a speed boat or two so they can range out and engage the scum bags before they are close enough to do some RPG damage, and you’ll have a system that is nearly pirate proof.

Apr 13, 2009 - 2:26 pm 130. trojan2:

I`ll tell you why it took Obama 4 days to give the OK to use force to rescue Capt.Phillips.His pollsters were all away because of the Spring Holiday long weekend.(It would be Politically Incorrect to say Easter or Passover).

Apr 13, 2009 - 2:41 pm 131. AThinkingPerson:

crossdotcurve… “frothing idiocy of Wingnuts…” My, such poetic prose from someone not entirely in control of their emotions. I’ll give you points for effort but must deduct some for lack of content. Time to scurry back to your liberal home port now for talking points…

Apr 13, 2009 - 2:46 pm 132. Dave:

This is not really any great event in which to judge this administration. (It does, however, show how professional our military people are!) 3 not-so-smart criminals in a disabled life boat against Navy warships and a SEAL team is not exactly Mogadishu. For Obama, way to not really not screw it up, I guess. The left spun every act of the Bush administration as if it was a puppy beating. We should resist the urge to respond with the same inanity. Obama gives us enough real screw ups and extremism. We don’t need to manufacture them.

That said, the response to this by the Dem Sycophant MSM has been pathetic. Characterizing this as some great international test is a joke.

Apr 13, 2009 - 2:51 pm 133. Cheryl Woolard:

Wow, lots of sour grapes here, fault finding, etc. Lots wishing it would have turned out differently so they could tar Obama with the Carter brush. Too bad for you suckers the captain made it out alive and the pirates (terrorists) are dead. I dn’t hear Obama taking credit – he was busy praising the actions of the military. Put down your Fox talking points and get real. He’s our commander in chief. He won in a November landslide. Get over it!

Apr 13, 2009 - 3:06 pm 134. myth buster:

The Navy did exactly what it should have done- wait patiently while not letting the pirates escape, and look for an opportunity to rescue the Captain. They could’ve blown the lifeboat out of the water any time they wanted, but they would have killed the Captain in the process. Best to tail the pirates- they’re not going anywhere- and wait until the moment is right to strike. Nobody likes killing, anyway. The Navy knew they were going to win no matter what, so they gave the pirates every opportunity to surrender and live, but the pirates wouldn’t budge. Bravo Zulu to the US Navy.

Apr 13, 2009 - 3:17 pm 135. Thou_Shalt_Not_Kill:

“best that could possibly be expected”

Surely that would be the captain freed unharmed and all four pirates in custody? (i.e. no loss of life)

Apr 13, 2009 - 3:25 pm 136. Cybergeezer:

And, is John Murtha going to have these snipers prosecuted for war crimes?

Apr 13, 2009 - 3:35 pm 137. Thou_Shalt_Not_Kill:

Killing the pirates can’t be a war crime because the laws of war only apply in situations of armed conflict. Hostage taking by civilian pirates and a stand-off with a naval vessel doesn’t meet the criteria for an armed conflict.

Just because killing the pirates isn’t a war crime doesn’t mean that it’s a good thing that they are dead.

Apr 13, 2009 - 3:53 pm 138. Cybergeezer:

137. Thou_Shalt_Not_Kill:
So; How long you been out of solitary and off medication?

Apr 13, 2009 - 4:12 pm 139. Turbo Rant:

Get out the cardigans. “The first black president since the second season of ‘24’ ” (-Dave Barry) will be our first black Jiminy Carter, micro-managing everything from Desert One to the White House tennis courts that day he left office.

Apr 13, 2009 - 4:29 pm 140. Anonymous:

You morons are trying to make this event political when it’s a simple story of our American military protecting Americans abroad.

Anyone who tries to attack Obama on this issue is going to get slammed as anti-American and anti-military, so there’s no way the right can win on this issue.

I’d say the right should quickly shut up on this issue if they’d like to keep the last remaining scrap of decency and dignity they have left.

Apr 13, 2009 - 4:29 pm 141. GZ:

Not that I am a big Obama fan, but what a total load of self-serving crap that does not correspond with any other reputable reporting source and is chockfull of errors, starting with an “inflatable” life boat, or raft. The damn thing was about as rigid hull as you can get! On that point you didn’t even have to check the facts, you just had to look at the pictures.

Apr 13, 2009 - 5:25 pm 142. Adelphi 418:

Oh, it is a very good thing that these people are dead. TSNK and others can live in their land of lollipop bushes and licorice trees but there are some people who deserve and need to die.

I hope that PETA is aware that no parrots were harmed in this shooting.

Seriously, the fact that Obama felt it neccessary to cover his ass with two legal findings says everything about him and his administration. The standing rules of force and the laws of the sea require no supplementation on his part. The fact that he needed to further restrict the actions of the commander on the ground displays a timidity and risk aversion that turns my stomach.

Any one of those SEALs could have easily died on that jump into the water. And to sit on their asses until they had to react instead of executing their plan? The risk to the Captain increased exponentially with that (lack of) decision on Barry’s part. It is only the SEALs’ skill at arms that saved the Captain’s life; that and the huevos of the commander on the ground to make the right call IN TIME for it to do any good.

Save your protestations in defense of Obama. Unless you’ve been on the other end you don’t have any understanding of the guts and skill it took to make up for this administrations attempt to negotiate with terrorists.

Apr 13, 2009 - 5:25 pm 143. Rubicon:

I await reports from those who were there. That will reveal the details & those will resolve who was where, when, & what happened when opportunity presented itself.
However, there is no way the CIC should be directing on the ground (or sea in this case) operational elements of the situation. Once we decided to take any advantage of opportunity, the President should have been out of this. Then the commanders on the ground (again, sea in this case) should have already had the requisite authority to act on their own authority. If Obama was issuing multiple directives &/or vacillating on what actions to take, etc. then there is a real problem.
He does not have the “operational” ability or experience to issue directives based on changing situations on scene.
If we find out he had given blanket authority to act if opportunity presented, then he done good. But if he was issuing directives or not issuing directives based on “peaceful settlement” objectives, he was wrong on all counts & the Captain not only did the right thing by acting on his own authority, but probably ended his career as the politico’s will get even with him.
If the Navy Captain’s career tanks, we know Obama & his minions acted against him & his actions. If the Navy Captain is promoted, we know Obama & his minions actually did the right thing & let military personnel do their jobs the way they were trained to act.
If I was on that life raft, I want the military to have total authority to act the moment the opportunity presents itself, w/o having to “mother may I” from someone miles away protecting their political ass!

Apr 13, 2009 - 5:32 pm 144. Cybergeezer:

Oh my god; Now it’s the DIGNITY AND DECENCY.As if you had any to preach from, butt wipe.

Apr 13, 2009 - 5:33 pm 145. Cybergeezer:

I’m going back on vacation; There are too many butt wipe retard liberals with key boards.
Nothing intellectually stimulating, or vaguely thoughtful.

Apr 13, 2009 - 5:36 pm 146. AThinkingPerson:

#140 Anonymous…”You morons…” Ah, yet more from the liberal left I see. So many adjectives, so little time eh “Anonymous”? Why no name?

This “event” is political and will become even more so when the remaining pirates back at their hidey-hole seek revenge as even the liberal media is daring to report. Will Obama still give the Navy free reign to sharpshoot them all out? Will he lifeflight his teleprompter to Somalia for some pirate sweet talking? Will he put his shoulder out of joint patting himself on the back for “ordering” the Navy to take the pirates out? So many options for President Obama. We’re just lucky he’s good at organizing things!

Apr 13, 2009 - 5:48 pm 147. Marie Claude:

the pirats that act nowadays aren’t the legend pirats, they hijack a ship, they hold hostages under arms menace, they request a ransom… they threaten to kill a hostage if our governments or maritim Cies don’t comply.

This isn’t just looting goods ; in our democratic countries, such behaviour is punished, be it by death penalty, or life jail.

So, this can’t be considered as a usual armed conflict but as a criminal action, and must be punished for so.

The problem with international laws, do we have the right to judge these criminals on our soils ? France judged that she has this right, these persons were making their crime on a no-man’s land as far justice laws are concerned, Somalia having no reliable government to make that that piracy ceases, and or no desire to do it, so our judges said that that wasn’t a case of justice but of defense against sea militias, that’s also why we took the right to “hunt” the Ponant pirats on their ground last year, and they are going to be condamned to prison for their life long after that their court appeal failed.

Apr 13, 2009 - 6:04 pm 148. Bilgeman:

#134. myth buster:
“The Navy did exactly what it should have done- wait patiently while not letting the pirates escape, and look for an opportunity to rescue the Captain. They could’ve blown the lifeboat out of the water any time they wanted, but they would have killed the Captain in the process.”

It is far more likely that it was a fiberglass enclosed lifeboat, they only have fuel for 24 hours, the idea being that you’re going to be rescued in a sinking within the 24.
Less likely it was the ship’s RHIB, (Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat), no-one in his right mind is going to cast off 200+ miles from shore in a Zodiac-style open boat…not in the Indian Ocean near the equator. Dehydration will kill you within 5 days, and you’ll still be far, far from anywhere.
Least likely is that it was an inflatable life raft, which is one step above jumping over the side in a life jacket. It’s a big rubber balloon, see?

With that out of the way, the Navy did fine, and this is only offered as a professional critique.

The Baingridge didn’t have to wait for SEAL Team snipers to arrive before taking action. The first time Captain Phillips jumped in the water, they could have riddled the fiberglass lifeboat stem to stern with machine-gun fire, and fixed THAT little red, (orange, actually), wagon and everyone in it, most thoroughly.
Fiberglass is as much protection from a machine gun bullet as a sheet of cardboard is to a .357 magnum…let alone inflated rubber.

“Nobody likes killing, anyway.”

Speak for yourself.

I’d have a gas blasting those turds to Kingdom Come.

Apr 13, 2009 - 6:37 pm 149. Sdharms:

The first clue (that Emanuel is right) was when it was made public that the Bainbridge asked TWICE to take action. If the answer was YES the first time, why would they ask again.? Obviously, the parameters were too narrow so they thought. Then when the Capt came out immediately after the rescue and said at least a dozen times that Phillip life was in danger so they took the shot, I knew what he meant. He was telling the Pres. “we met your requirements, now shut up”/ And what would have happened if it had gone badly? Why, BHO would have denied giving permission and blamed the Capt of the Bainbridge.

Apr 13, 2009 - 7:09 pm 150. Delia:

Maybe I’m a sap but I cried my guts out after hearing of this happy news. If the captain had been black/hispanic/Irish/Whatever, I don’t care as long as he was an American my heart-felt happiness is for a fellow AMERICAN.

Apr 13, 2009 - 7:38 pm 151. newscaper:

The point has been raised that SEALs were not yet present when Philips jumped overboard the first (only?) time.

But I don’t think that’s a decent excuse.

Once the captain was overboard surely a .50 cal could have ripped the lifeboat to shreds — no head shots required.

Apr 13, 2009 - 8:05 pm 152. Oscar the Grump:

I just saw the evening news. Great news folks, according to the MSM Obama ordered the navy to attack the pirates. It was all his idea. Isn’t that great.

Apr 13, 2009 - 8:12 pm 153. Dennis:

I think you’re all WET. (sorry about the pun)
The reason BO took so long to resolve this “international crisis” and “national security breach” (yeah, right) is because he wanted to make sure none of the pirates were one of his illegal relatives. You know, like the half-brother from Britain that was a sex offender, Samson; his illegal aunt living in the states illegally. You can never be too careful, you know.

Apr 13, 2009 - 8:23 pm 154. newscaper:

Addendum — perhaps Philips was in the line of fire when he was in the water, but I think it much more likely that the problem was the original hand-wringing ROE.

I think the relative silence on the details of the original escape by Philips is telling.

And the emphasis on the “because he was in imminent danger” just shows how out of sync TPTB are, basically apologizing for whacking the bad guys.

Sheesh.

Apr 13, 2009 - 8:30 pm 155. P Gable:

There’s a silver lining in all this for conservatives… See “More Optimism: SEALs, Pirates and Truth” at http://www.brushfires-of-freedom.com/somali.html

Apr 13, 2009 - 8:38 pm 156. Delia:

I would just like to send every single Liberal Islamist apolly-jist to an Islamic run country and see how well they survive.

Please. All Islam apoligists…go and see! PLEASE! You love them so and so does your prezzy dent so go fer it. What’s stopping you? Be sure to buy a burka though (even if you’re a dude). Dudes in Burkas are HOT.

Apr 13, 2009 - 8:39 pm 157. elvis:

Thou_Shalt_Not_Kill:
‘Just because killing the pirates isn’t a war crime doesn’t mean that it’s a good thing that they are dead.”

Actually it does mean it’s a good thing. Terrorists are like pedophiles. They can’t or won’t change. They need to be KILLED!

Apr 13, 2009 - 8:46 pm 158. Ring:

Amazing watching the Obamanauts scurry around President Teleprompter.

Obama has again showed his indecision by ordering action to be taken if the situation demands it. What kind of leadership is that? This just gives him enough room to say he gave the go ahead if public opinion is favourable, and to throw the SEALS and the commander under the bus if there was any blow back. Obama does this everytime so he can distance himself from every decision by saying he wasn’t responsible if public reaction is bad.

However, as usual, he painted himself into a corner by claiming responsibility thereby saying he will shoot hostage takers while actively negotiating. How’s that going to go down in future scenarios?

Obama seems to lack the ability to look even 2 steps down the road, but then, that’s what experience teaches you, and he shows daily how much he is lacking.

Apr 13, 2009 - 9:02 pm 159. fsteele:

“Fox News (hardly a bastion of Obama worship) is stating that the President twice gave permision to use military force to end the situation. Is this inaccurate?”

It’s misleading. SOP gives the commander at the site authority to use force if the hostage is in ‘immanent danger.’ This SOP was routinely signed by the White House, for two different stages. However Obama did NOT authorize the military to take initiative to end this sooner — which people are now pretending he did.

See noquarterusa.net for chronology.

Apr 13, 2009 - 9:08 pm 160. Robohobo:

The paid VLWC trolls are strong on this post.

Apr 13, 2009 - 10:12 pm 161. LeighB:

Perhaps the Prez would like to extend his “Apology Tour” into this week and invite the fourth pirate to come and live with him. Or, perhaps Madonna would consider adopting him. Maybe there is a spot for him on “Dancing with the Stars”. He could be the new spokesman for creditreport.com.

OK, attempted humor…middle of the night…am reporting self now.

Apr 13, 2009 - 10:53 pm 162. Samizdat:

I just read “No Quarter’s” piece as recomended by fsteele at # 159. Unfortunately, it doesn’t give us the sequnce of orders issued by the POTUS and the chronology, it only gives us a partial picture. Mr Johnson is highly credible regarding the deployment of the SEAL team or teams involved. The tactical situation dictated that they be deployed and that takes at least 24 hours unless the team happens to be in theater.
It will be interesting to see if the actual orders and chronology are released.

Apr 14, 2009 - 4:42 am 163. brownbear:

Here is the problem with your fibs. They rob the soldiers who did the shooting of their glory. I understand that a jimmy carter situation was expected by republicans. I understand that the Somalians were a bit of a disappointment, as they didn’t cause Obama to be revealed as a fraud, and instead he came off as cool under pressure, as one side shouted SHOOOOT and the other shouted DOOON’T! You may have hoped for failure but it didn’t occur, and frankly the standoff ended pretty well. The Somalis are dead, which I am keen on, as I don’t have pity for the people of that nation, after they cheered the murder of our soldiers on aid mission, and oddly enough the robbery of the very food that was going to them. Then they dragged them through the streets. I will never forget, and while they suffer over there, I was glad to send them those boys back dead.

The thing is, you can’t create a fictional reality to suit you. This is fiction, there is not another account out like this one, and I don’t think you were there.

besides,
The Somalis are dead, which I am keen on, as I don’t have pity for the people of that nation, after they cheered the murder of our soldiers on aid mission, and oddly enough the robbery of the very food that was going to them. Then they dragged them through the streets. I will never forget, and while they suffer over there, I was glad to send them those boys back dead. I don’t feel sympathy for them, the Somalians did all of this to themselves, yeah they had a war, but they blew up their own country, they actually bombed their treasury. They are a home to female circumcision, and frankly an alround crappy country.

Apr 14, 2009 - 4:56 am 164. princetrumpet:

Rotwang, your post is just silly, I’m sorry. OF COURSE the tele-prompter in chief isn’t going to stand up there and claim credit. He has Chris Matthews, Keith Obermann, Katie Couric, Ed Schultz, and Charlie Gibson to do it for him. I’m glad Captain Phillips is safe as are the crew. It’s a credit to our military, G-d bless ‘em. Obama’s desire for a peaceful resolution is typical in the face of terrorism. He doesn’t get it.

Apr 14, 2009 - 6:16 am 165. Sebastian Shaw:

Barack Obama’s tepid response will encourage more pirate attacks, despite his bravado teleprompter speech. Obama should have ordered the Navy to sink the pirate’s ship after they rescued the captain. This would have sent a clear message: Don’t mess with the USA.

Instead, we are going to have more hostages in the near future & Americans are going to die.

Then Obama will blame the Navy & Pentagon instead take the blame himself.

Apr 14, 2009 - 6:34 am 166. one of my own:

165 SS writes . . . “Instead, we are going to have more hostages in the near future & Americans are going to die. Then Obama will blame the Navy & Pentagon instead take the blame himself.”

More of that relentless optimism of the Right. Though I must admit I envy your ability to predict the future . . . conservatives have a unique ability to do that . . . just look at all the predictions here at PJM about how Obama would handle the Maersk situation. Wow, they were right on!

Maybe you should keep your predictions focused on something you know a bit more about . . . your bowel movements maybe.

Apr 14, 2009 - 7:32 am 167. flaggard:

The captive pirate is praying to Allah that he ends up in a cushy supermax prison with 3 squares, and where he will live out his sentence as a legend.

Apr 14, 2009 - 8:09 am 168. Terri:

Somehow it smelled. I just knew Obama could never be that decisive and commanding. Ugh. It’s gonna be a loooooonnnnnnng four years.

Apr 14, 2009 - 8:25 am 169. Combatvet:

OK, I don’t care for obama. I just need to get that out there. His silly ideas about change and not actually following through on any of his promises… makes him a cheap pathetic liar just like all of the whole lot before him (both parties included, what happened to Multi party system?) As for this situation. It was the best outcome one could hope for. Amazing talent was allowed to perform. The time frame did leave alot to be desired. As we all know, when you are acosted at gun point, violence is the only end. Being too lenient, allows for more brazen behavior. In future events, and there will be, a more quick decision should be made.

I beleive, in the USA. I beleive that we can come to non-violent resolutions in the U.S. and dealing with U.S. citizens. As for citizens from other countries taking U.S. citizens hostage, and threatening mortal harm to U.S. citizens, the only outcome should be death.

As for the author of this, shamefully opinionated report, quit being so subjective. Your opnion is great, but before spreading it in such a broad media format, please do some research. Valid, fact filled research.

Apr 14, 2009 - 8:28 am 170. Peter the Bubblehead:

121. The Shadow wrote:
Many of you people seem to have wanted the operation to fail just to blame Obama.

Peter responds: Far from it. I prayed every day for Captain Phillips and his safe return. But I also know from experience the chances of a successful rescue became more distant the longer it took to resolve the crisis, as more of the pirate’s comrades moved toward the area to rescue/protect their thug brethren.

All it would have taken was an order from the POTUS that :At the first opportunity, take out the pirates and rescue the American hostage.” Instead we got FBI hostage negotiators flown out to the Indian Ocean, orders not to commit any acts of violnece UNLESS the hostage was in mortal danger (which to my mind started the instant the pirates borded his ship) and that we would have a peacful resolution to the crisis while the so-called Secretary of State collapses into fits of laughter during a briefing on the pirates and the so-called President complains when reporters go off teleprompter and dared ask him questions about the pirates instead of being enraptured by his brilliant solution to the economic crisis.

Apr 14, 2009 - 8:48 am 171. Peter the Bubblehead:

148. Bilgeman wrote:
It is far more likely that it was a fiberglass enclosed lifeboat, they only have fuel for 24 hours, the idea being that you’re going to be rescued in a sinking within the 24.
Less likely it was the ship’s RHIB, (Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat)

Peter writes: They showed exactly what kind of lifeboat it was on the local news in the Boston area the first two days after the hostage situation began.

It was very similar to the two closer lifeboats shown in the picture at this link;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Brosen_lifeboats_scandinavia.jpg

Apr 14, 2009 - 8:56 am 172. Peter the Bubblehead:

151. newscaper wrote:
The point has been raised that SEALs were not yet present when Philips jumped overboard the first (only?) time.
But I don’t think that’s a decent excuse.
Once the captain was overboard surely a .50 cal could have ripped the lifeboat to shreds — no head shots required.

Peter writes: Problem was, the Bainbridge was anywhere from 1 to 2 nautical miles away from the lifeboat, and in the dead of night, when Captain Phillips made his first escape attempt. Little the crew could do, given the circumstances and amount of time before the pirates reacted and re-captured the Captain.

Part of the problem was the Bainbridge was ordered to keep its distance, so as not to provoke the pirates into harming Captain Phillips. Probably one of the reasons why the destroyer needed to clarify their orders more than once.

Apr 14, 2009 - 9:01 am 173. Peter the Bubblehead:

156. Delia wrote:
Be sure to buy a burka though (even if you’re a dude). Dudes in Burkas are HOT.

Peter writes: Considering the region is at or near the equator, I’m sure you meant that temperature-wise, right?

Either way, the comment still made me smile.

Apr 14, 2009 - 9:03 am 174. Keira:

Hugh Hewitt discussed this article on his show yesterday and witheld comment until he could factfind. Hugh, have you found out anything?

The order from the president came twice – Fri & Sat – to use deadly force only if Capt. Phillips’ life was in imminent danger. He was a hostage held at gunpoint; isn’t that imminent danger? Also, the crew of the Alabama has stated that they were “under attack from the pirates for over a week.” How were they evading the pirates/extortionists/kidnappers for so long? Had they sent out an SOS? What, if any, response had they gotten on that?

There are a lot of questions about this entire incident, starting from before the time the pirates actually got onboard the Alabama. Hopefully, the TRUTH will emerge. And regarding the 4th pirate who is in custody…I hear there is a special court for pirates in Kenya. Why isn’t he being taken there?

Oh, and BRAVO to our wonderful, amazing Navy and its SEALS!

Apr 14, 2009 - 9:13 am 175. Paul -Indiana:

The Obambi followers in this thread just can’t see that POTUS [theirs, not mine] is weak, vacillating and generally unfit for the Office of The President. Wow, ‘if he’s in danger’. Mealy mouth twit.

Apr 14, 2009 - 11:30 am 176. Ratatosk:

I thought we’d seen the last of BDS, but its just changed into ODS. Great… I swear this country is apparently losing its mind.

Apr 14, 2009 - 12:08 pm 177. Oscar the Grump:

Latest word is that Obama was the third shooter aboard the USS Bainbridge. The truth can be told now, it was two seals and Obama that fired on the lifeboat and rescued the Capt. Who says this is not a man of action?

Apr 14, 2009 - 1:18 pm 178. Delia:

0bama also created oxygen. All praise ‘the one’ that we can now breathe.

Apr 14, 2009 - 2:33 pm 179. The Shadow:

This series a great example of why the wingnuts will never win. It is too easy to make fools of them by using their own words. It would be great if we could really publicise this nonsense more widely. You know it is really nutty if the conservatives disown you

Apr 14, 2009 - 2:57 pm 180. Sheep hearder:

Its SEAL not Seal…baa baa sheeple.

Apr 14, 2009 - 4:51 pm 181. mickey:

What a bunch of insane morons patronize this thread.

Apr 14, 2009 - 5:22 pm 182. Arthur Banks:

Never mind the ignorant nay sayers. Good job Mr. President.

Apr 14, 2009 - 7:05 pm 183. Arthur Banks:

Good job Mr. President.

Apr 14, 2009 - 7:07 pm 184. Blackhorse Doc:

Obama GETS the credit, in the same sense that GWB got credit for the results of the
“surge”. He is the head guy, and he gave the right orders. I congratulate him, as you should. I would never vote for him, but he did a good job, on this one. Geez!

Apr 14, 2009 - 10:38 pm 185. Jerry Nroman:

A good narcissist will always rise to the top. Check out people like Hitler, Bill & Hillary, Stalin – If it makes them look good, they will glory in the credit! If it taints their image because they screwed up, they will blame anyone they can! This Kenyan national (YOUR president) will find some way to make himself look good.
All hail to the Chief Narcissist!!!!!!!

Apr 15, 2009 - 1:13 am 186. john from cinncinatti:

the US Navy has been in the area of operations for awhile now. so if Barry did a good job he inherited it from GWB. the question is what are the rules of engagement (ROE) for catching kids with their hands in the cookie jar? do we immediately spank or tell them why they are going to get a whoopin, and do the kids already know how the game is played and realize that if caught they will get a spanking????
why else would these scamps carry ak’s with them? they aren’t party favors, so they end up dead. if the SEALS would have needed more than one shot one kill their friends would not have let them forget it. on thre return they probably would have found giant coke bottle glasses waiting for them. none the less, good shooting.

Apr 15, 2009 - 8:04 am 187. Lyddea:

“small inflatable lifeboat” – FALSE
“the captive captain of the M.V. Maersk-Alabama took his second leap in three days” – FALSE
“Phillips threw himself off of his lifeboat prison, enabling Navy shooters onboard the destroyer a clear shot at his captors” – FALSE, Seals were not yet there for the first (and in reality only) jump.

“Mr. Emanuel, a special operations military veteran, is a columnist, a pulitzer-nominated combat journalist, and a director emeritus of conservative weblog RedState.com.”

I’m sure the Pulitzer is coming right up after this fact-filled piece, Jeff. Fake but accurate is alive and well. I mean, we know that Obama is a bad CINC, so why does it matter if we make up the story as long as it illustrates that point?

Apr 15, 2009 - 12:16 pm 188. jfeltone:

01.20.2012

Apr 15, 2009 - 1:14 pm 189. gijoeblow:

Another tactical idiot and wannabe. I seriously doubt you are a special operations military veteran – probably a typical support remf – you probably couldn’t be a cook in a special operations unit (apologies for disrespecting our great cooks). You are a clueless ass. Get your facts straight.

Apr 16, 2009 - 3:09 am 190. davod:

WRT the SEALS being trained under Bush. The SEAL course has just been increased to twice the time. The additional time will beb used to train SEALS in how to keep alive the lawyer who wil accompany them on each mission.

Apr 16, 2009 - 6:22 am 191. Paul -Indiana:

#33. Tingly? I wonder if Chris Matthews tinkled on his leg again. His Messiah acted….sort of.

Apr 16, 2009 - 8:34 am 192. Vargr:

Long Live the Pirates!!!!!

Yarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh!
Vargr

Apr 21, 2009 - 11:43 pm 193. Ms.Thang:

Did you know that the USS Bainbridge Rear Admiral Michelle Howard is a black woman? The media did not mention this.

Apr 29, 2009 - 2:56 pm

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