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How SEALs Carried Out Their Mission
The Washington Post ^ | Monday, April 13, 2009 | Ann Scott Tyson

Posted on 04/13/2009 8:55:29 AM PDT by 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


(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: hostaqes; obama; piracy; pirates; rescue; richardphillips; seals; snipers; somali; somalia; somaliapirates; somalipirates; specialforces; usnavy
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To: Niteranger68
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 ...

21 posted on 04/13/2009 9:15:48 AM PDT by 08bil98z24 (War on Drug supporters are enemies of the Constitution.)
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To: Rennes Templar
Whoops, make that Bermuda.

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

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

22 posted on 04/13/2009 9:16:18 AM PDT by Miss Behave ("Easter SEALs!!!" ~ FReeper Choose Ye This Day)
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To: Delacon
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 ?

23 posted on 04/13/2009 9:16:26 AM PDT by 1066AD
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

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


24 posted on 04/13/2009 9:16:36 AM PDT by IrishMike (Liberalism is a psychological disorder and a dangerous mental illness.)
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To: Rennes Templar

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


25 posted on 04/13/2009 9:16:56 AM PDT by al baby (Hi Mom)
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To: Delacon

God Bless Our SEALs
26 posted on 04/13/2009 9:17:18 AM PDT by MountainWoman
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

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.


27 posted on 04/13/2009 9:17:26 AM PDT by Concho (01-20-2009--The beginning of an ERROR)
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To: Delacon
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.


28 posted on 04/13/2009 9:18:02 AM PDT by Syncro (Qui non intelligit, aut taceat, aut discat)
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To: Niteranger68

You can say that again


29 posted on 04/13/2009 9:18:37 AM PDT by al baby (Hi Mom)
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To: All
FR Thread:

An Early Military Victory for Obama (barf)

30 posted on 04/13/2009 9:19:19 AM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach (Support Geert Wilders)
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To: Delacon

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.


31 posted on 04/13/2009 9:20:53 AM PDT by kevinm13 (Tim Geithner is a tax cheat. Manmade "Global Warming" is a HOAX!)
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To: Concho

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


32 posted on 04/13/2009 9:21:04 AM PDT by Armedanddangerous (I think you're so full of inconsolable rage, you don't care who you hurt.)
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To: IrishMike

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


33 posted on 04/13/2009 9:22:59 AM PDT by refermech
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To: 1066AD
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.

34 posted on 04/13/2009 9:23:20 AM PDT by Syncro (Qui non intelligit, aut taceat, aut discat)
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To: 1066AD
...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 !

35 posted on 04/13/2009 9:24:23 AM PDT by whodathunkit (Shrugging as I leave for the Gulch)
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To: Syncro

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!”


36 posted on 04/13/2009 9:24:45 AM PDT by NoDRodee (U>S>M>C)
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To: whodathunkit

Heh heh

“Nudge nudge, wink wink, say no more “


37 posted on 04/13/2009 9:25:33 AM PDT by 1066AD
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To: Delacon

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”.


38 posted on 04/13/2009 9:25:58 AM PDT by ImJustAnotherOkie
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To: Delacon

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?


39 posted on 04/13/2009 9:26:39 AM PDT by A_Former_Democrat
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To: Delacon

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


40 posted on 04/13/2009 9:27:11 AM PDT by LRS (Just contracts; just laws; just a constitution...)
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