Posted on 04/12/2009 5:12:26 PM PDT by Free ThinkerNY
I just finished listening to the press conference w/ ADM Gortney about the rescue of Captain Phillips. At the time it happened the USS Bainbridge was towing the lifeboat to calmer waters as the sea state was deteriorating. One of the pirates was on board the Bainbridge as the talks about obtaining Phillip's release continued. The lifeboat was approx. 25 m behind the Bainbridge when snipers on the fantail observed one of the pirates in the pilot house of the lifeboat pointing an AK-47 at the back of a tied up Phillips and the other two pirates on board were visible (at least shoulders and heads). The standing authority gave them clearance to engage the pirates if the life of the captain was in imminent danger. The on scene commander deemed this to be true and gave the order to fire. All three bad guys were taken out and then a rigid inflatable boat went to the lifeboat to retrieve Phillips. Iti is unknown at this point whether the shooters were SEALs or Marine Scout Snipers as both would have been available. This was not a rescue attempt ordered by National Command Authority i.e. the President. It was a reaction by the on scene commander under standard authority to safeguard the life of a hostage.
The AP is reporting that President Obama gave the order to use military force to rescue the hostage, that is misleading.
WASHINGTON (AP)—Administration officials say President Barack Obama approved the military operation that rescued a U.S. captain held hostage by Somali pirates.
The officials say Obama ordered the Defense Department to use military resources to rescue Richard Phillips from a lifeboat off the Somali coast.
He did affirm the military's authorization to use force if the captain's life was in danger, but they already would have had that authorization as part of their standard rules of engagement. If there are innocents about to be slaughtered the same reasoning that authorizes self defense also covers an imminent execution unless the ROE specifically forbid it.The AP is making it sound like there was an active rescue ordered by the President. It was not, there was an imminent threat and the local commander gave the order to fire. Good on Obama for ensuring their authorization was clear, but let's also be clear that he did not authorize or order an active rescue attempt.
The moment that they showed three heads, they were DEAD.
Heresy!
Very interesting, sounds like the captain decided a clean shot on all three was an opportunity and decided to take it. Doesn’t sound like the pirates were about to shoot the captain. This was real hardball, which I think is appropriate for pirates. A very gutsy move, also taking advantage of the absence of the 4th pirate who was negotiating.
I don’t Think the White house has a recent reputation for “truthfulness”.
They were probably ready to say “obama did not authorize Deadly force” if things had gone badly for the Captain.
Obama was ready to “bow” out on Bad news.
The only good Muslim pirate, is a dead Muslim pirate.
Amen.
Conjecture, based on what I read in the funny books and see on computer games:
Three snipers stationed on the fantail of USS Bainbridge reported that each had their assigned target in their scopes and had a clean shot.
Captain of Bainbridge assessed reports of snipers and with understanding of imminent danger to the hostage, ordered snipers to engage.
Snipers engaged, the three shots coming within a single second of one another.
Three pirates cease to exist.
LRB (Little Rubber Boat) embarks from Bainbridge to lifeboat, retreives hostage, and returns.
4th pirate placed under arrest and informed of his likely future.
Hey there,
Seals Rule!
Let's be honest here. We won't know all the inside details until Vice President Biden decides to fill everyone in on how it really happened. Ole Joe will tell us all about it sooner or later, as only he can tell it.
Hello,How do you know they were not going to shoot him.
“The only good Muslim pirate, is a dead Muslim pirate.”
So does this mean that there are some good non-Muslim pirates? Just trying to keep the rules straight.
I bet Obama will bring him to US soil, then find an ACLU lawyer to get him released.
But it would be entertaining to see the hypocricy if the pirate is very quietly taken to Gitmo.
Again I hate to defend Obama; but this seems like exactly the best way to have handled it.
The professional people on the scene were given permission to do what was needed.
The stories last night were implying that the life boat was drifting to shore and were helpless to stop it.
That apparently was not the case fortunately.
so many pirates, so few yardarms.
Who cares. They had the chance to do what they should have done day one.
My question is:were the Navy’s hands tied when the Captain jumped into the water?
I hope they learned their lesson, don’t mess with the U.S. Navy or the Marines or the Army or even the Coast Guard.
I think that this skinny will not go to Gitmo. He will find himself in the Federal system and will be tried in due course. The penalties for piracy on the high seas are rather straightforward, the left having paid little attention to this element of the law. He will be convicted, and will likely be confined to Marion or some similar venue.
He will rot in prison as is appropriate to his station in life.
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