How SEALs Carried Out Their Mission

The Washington Post ^ | Monday, April 13, 2009 | Ann Scott Tyson

[Delacon]

The operation to rescue Capt. Richard Phillips involved dozens of Navy SEALs, who parachuted from an aircraft into the scene near dark Saturday, landing in the ocean. The SEALs were part of a group of Special Operations forces involved in the effort, according to military officials.

The SEALs set up operations on the USS Bainbridge, which had been communicating with the four pirates via radio and had used smaller boats to make deliveries of food and water to their lifeboat. Yet the pirates were growing increasingly agitated, the officials said. At one point Saturday, the pirates opened fire on one of the smaller U.S. Navy craft that approached.

As the seas grew rougher, the Bainbridge offered to tow the lifeboat to calmer waters, and the pirates agreed, linking up the lifeboat to the destroyer with a towing cable that left 75 to 80 feet between the two vessels. Phillips at the time was tied up in the lifeboat, having been bound -- and occasionally beaten -- by the pirates ever since he had attempted to escape by jumping into the water on Friday, the officials said.

Meanwhile, one of the pirates, estimated to be between 16 and 20 years old, asked to come aboard the Bainbridge to make a phone call. He had been stabbed in the hand during an altercation with the crew of the Maersk Alabama and needed medical care. "He effectively gave himself up," a senior military official said. The Navy then allowed that pirate to speak with the others in hopes that he could persuade them to give up.

The three other pirates, however, showed signs of growing irritation, as the Bainbridge, 18 miles from shore, towed the lifeboat further out to sea, the senior military official said. "They had no promise of

[Miss Behave]

[The three other pirates, however, showed signs of growing irritation....]

Most probably from all that lice in their tweeter zones.

[EyeGuy]

Muslims are habitually “agitated” aren’t they?

I like the military solution to that ongoing emotional problem. I like it very much when it comes to these insane, hateful savages.

[Southack]

Whenever 0bama wants to get something correct, be it telecom immunity, Afghanistan, Iraq, bailouts, dealing with pirates (”Bring It On!”), or whatnot, he’s discovered that he has to “Be like Bush.”

[al baby]

Lead seems to cure them better than lithium

[Niteranger68]

The SEALs know how to reach out and touch someone.

[Niteranger68]

The SEALs know how to reach out and touch someone.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

So I guess this is now the latest,...most official version....

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This Story

• Navy Kills 3 Pirates, Rescues Ship Captain
• How SEALs Carried Out Their Mission
• An Early Military Victory for Obama

  ******************************EXCERPT from the bottom link****************************

  For President Obama, last week's confrontation with Somali pirates posed similar political risks to a young commander in chief who had yet to prove himself to his generals or his public.

  But the result -- a dramatic and successful rescue operation by U.S. Special Operations forces -- left Obama with an early victory that could help build confidence in his ability to direct military actions abroad.

  Throughout the past four days, White House officials played down Obama's role in the hostage drama. Until yesterday, he made no public statements about the pirates.

  In fact, aides said yesterday, Obama had been briefed 17 times since he returned from his trip abroad, including several times from the White House Situation Room. And without giving too many details, senior White House officials made it clear that Obama had provided the authority for the rescue.

  "The president's focus was on saving and protecting the life of the captain," one adviser said. Friday evening, after a National Security Council telephone update, Obama granted U.S. forces what aides called "the authority to use appropriate force to save the life of the captain." On Saturday at 9:20 a.m., Obama went further, giving authority to an "additional set of U.S. forces to engage in potential emergency actions."

  

  A top military official, Vice Adm. William E. Gortney, commander of the Fifth Fleet, explained that Obama issued a standing order that the military was to act if the captain's life was in immediate danger.

  "Our authorities came directly from the president," he said. "And the number one authority for incidents if we were going to respond was if the captain's life was in immediate danger. And that is the situation in which our sailors acted."

  After the rescue ended, White House officials immediately offered expanded information about Obama's role, though the president simply released a statement praising the troops and expressing pride in the captain's bravery.

  The operation pales in scope and complexity to the wars underway in Iraq and Afghanistan. And Obama's adversaries are unlikely to be mollified by his performance in a four-day hostage drama.

[Thrownatbirth]

The SEALs set up operations on the USS Bainbridge

We had a rule - no wet flippers in CIC.

[Dream Warrior]

God bless these brave Americans, I call this American “exceptionalism”. May America continue to be blessed by the Almighty.

[Armedanddangerous]

A bunch of toothless, illiterate savages messed up on khat and heavily armed...

Makes em easier to find..

[Tallguy]

The operation to rescue Capt. Richard Phillips involved dozens of Navy SEALs, who parachuted from an aircraft into the scene near dark Saturday, landing in the ocean.

Interesting that they would risk the SEALs in this manner: a night drop into the ocean. Rough men.

I was guessing that the helicopter carrier, "USS Boxer", that was reported to be heading to the scene was carring the SEAL team (or soon would be) and that the "Boxer" would be the staging point.

[IrishMike]

......the Bainbridge, 18 miles from shore, towed the lifeboat further out to sea.
.
.

Watch the libs in the media get upset at the big bad US navy
for the set up to ‘whack’ these merchandise redistribution specialists

[militant2]

LOL!! Great one!

Militant

[Salamander]

Wait!

Where’s the part where heroic Pres_ent Ahab was carefully orchestrating the whole rescue whilst giving the nonchalant appearance of “partying” so as not to give away the game?

[Rennes Templar]

lol Thats funny because it’s probably true....

[Miss Behave]

[The three other pirates, however, showed signs of growing irritation....]

...from all that lice in their Burmuda Triangles.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

An earlier piece...portrayed the Bainbridge as towing them in toward the shore...calmer water)....they are having a rough time getting the story consistent...

[SendShaqtoIraq]

“Throughout the past four days, White House officials played down Obama’s role in the hostage drama”

That’s because he had none.

[Rennes Templar]

When the seals went into the boat to get Phillips, I imagine it was nat a pretty sight. Three head shots with high powered rifles. They were proabbaly stepping in brains.

[08bil98z24]

The SEALs know how to reach out and touch someone

The Somalian pirates need a history lesson ... We've been fighting pirates for 200 years ... We aren't about to stop ...

[Miss Behave]

Whoops, make that Bermuda.

[The three other pirates, however, showed signs of growing irritation....]

...from all that lice in their tinkletorium territories.

[1066AD]

Phillips at the time was tied up in the lifeboat, having been bound -- and occasionally beaten -- by the pirates

First time I've seen anything re beatings. Still having trouble understanding how they could see Phillips' back etc. Covered lifeboat, "cockpit" is aft, it's being towed, how could you see into the thing from the Bainbridge ? If you could see Phillips, wouldn't that mean he'd be in the line of fire too ?

[IrishMike]

It’s only a matter of time before Obama was the sniper !

[al baby]

Hate to be the low man on the totem pool in house keeping

[MountainWoman]

God Bless Our SEALs

[Concho]

Heh, heh,,,tell them anything, then tow them anywhere. There are no rules in those situations. That had to be absolutely hilarious, short snubbed on the tail of a 1000 foot destroyer, bouncing around like a ping pong ball in a washing machine in that prop wash in the dark......you have to hand it to the commander, that guy has a really dark sense of humor.

[Syncro]

I love the last two paragraphs

"As soon as the snipers had a clear shot at the guy who had the rifle, they shot him and the other two in the hatches," the senior military official said.

A member of the Special Operations team slid down the tow line into the water and climbed aboard the lifeboat. Phillips was then put in a small craft and taken to the Bainbridge.

[al baby]

You can say that again

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

FR Thread:

An Early Military Victory for Obama (barf)

[kevinm13]

Thank God for the Navy Seals and their excellent training.

Now Barry is trying to take credit for executing this action. He had voted “absent” on this (as opposed to “present”) until it actually happened and I bet he didn’t have much to do with the actual decision to take action. He probably got confused or thought that any actual “threat” was remote.

[Armedanddangerous]

It probably dawned on them about then that Allah was laughing at them.

[refermech]

Obama now has blood on his hands. Muslim blood. Now we will see if they like him so much.

[Syncro]

Covered lifeboat, "cockpit" is aft, it's being towed, how could you see into the thing from the Bainbridge ? If you could see Phillips, wouldn't that mean he'd be in the line of fire too ?

The article explains that pretty good.

Bottom line is that the SEALs are excellent at what they do.

There is no second guessing their actions, they did their job perfectly after Obama finally let them.

[whodathunkit]

...how could you see into the thing from the Bainbridge ?...

I think this is a good time for the 'don't ask don't tell' policy. Just be glad we have the capability !

[NoDRodee]

haha, yea I loved that part. I can see it now.
US: “Lets us tow you to calm waters so we can have a better shot at you!”
Terrorist: “Sure, anything for water and peanut butter crackers!”

[1066AD]

Heh heh

“Nudge nudge, wink wink, say no more “

[ImJustAnotherOkie]

What’s that game at chucky cheese where the little heads pop up and bop them with a mallet.

Change the name to “Seal Trainer”.

[A_Former_Democrat]

So was there a standing order to get these terrorists if the opportunity arose even if the Captain wasn’t in “imminent” danger?

If not, why?

[LRS]

Language barrier? “We seek paradise” = “They want calm seas” = “Head shot”...

[Delacon]

“The three other pirates, however, showed signs of growing irritation,..”

Usually when confronting SEALS, the adversary isn’t allowed time for this emotional state. Usually the only emotional state they are allowed is a complete and immediate cessation of all emotions as well as bodily functions.

[Dr. Ursus]

After firing,I can see him grabbing the rifle by the barrel!

[Clioman]

Three rounds, three ex-pirates. Sweet!

[HereInTheHeartland]

A lesson to terrorists.

Letting yourself be pulled by a US warship, with elite US forces on board, separated by a 100 foot tow rope; is not a good idea!

[Armedanddangerous]

whack a mole

[FReepaholic]

...What’s that game at chucky cheese where the little heads pop up and bop them with a mallet...

Whack-A-Mole.

We could change it to "Whack-A-Muzzie"

[Syncro]

Obama now has blood on his hands. Muslim blood.

Unlike Bill Clinton with Blackhawk Down.

In that situation, the racist white/troop hating communist dictators loving Congressional Black Caucus grabbed president clinton by his "blackness" and convinced him to not protect our troops who were then killed and dragged through the streets in Somali.

The Caucus didn't want black people killed, even if they in turn would kill and maim our troops.

The CBC is a traitorous racist anti-American group of black congresspeople, 42 members at this time.

As we can see from the news reports, the terrorist pirates state they will pump up their attacks.

The leftists scream America has now caused terrorists to hate us and this incident will bring more attacks.

Big deal, the terrorists are emboldened by Obama's showing his weakness to the world with his recent apology tour.

This was the first attack by pirates on an American Flagged ship in a long time, they held back when a real man was in the Office of the Presidency.

[Delacon]

“A lesson to terrorists.
Letting yourself be pulled by a US warship, with elite US forces on board, separated by a 100 foot tow rope; is not a good idea”!

LOL, I am sure some pirate is scribbling that down right now in their playbook. Whats that saying about grabbing the tail of the tiger?

[NormsRevenge]

Thanks! Heck, they didn’t even have to get wet. ;-)

Now THat is professional.

The best thing Obama could do was stay the heck out of the way. Mission Accomplished.

—

on to the next developing “crisis” ..

Pakistani Taliban begin imposing rule in new area (Buner)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2228072/posts

[Pharmboy]

Are all SEALS trained as snipers or just some?