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U.S. ship captain held by pirates off Somalia, has been freed,
CNN ^

Posted on 04/12/2009 10:25:08 AM PDT by Ladycalif

U.S. ship captain held by pirates off Somalia, has been freed, senior U.S. official says. Three of four pirates killed.

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


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 444; alabama; maritime; navyseals; owned; piracy; pirates; rescue; richardphillps; seals; somalia; somaliapirates; somalipirates; usnavy
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EDIT: Are you still insinuating the Navy waited to take action because they simply could not get their shit together fast enough, yet, the pirates were at some point unarmed??


1,061 posted on 04/12/2009 4:06:33 PM PDT by CodeToad (Anyone wanting the government to take over medical care should stand in line at the post office)
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To: tc45a

Thanks..... the admiral did not mention when and how the towline was connected. I could visualize swimmers and nylon or polyester line making a hitch on a cleat or prop


1,062 posted on 04/12/2009 4:07:18 PM PDT by bert (K.E. N.P. +12 . John Galt hell !...... where is Francisco dÂ’Anconia)
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To: CodeToad; dirtboy
Are you still insinuating the Navy waiting to take action because they simply could get their shit together fast enough, yet, the pirates were at some point unarmed??

A Navy spokesman said they purposely prolonged any action as long as possible. It allows them to become "friends" with the hijackers. They gave them food/medical supplies/dry clothes etc. The longer the wait the better the outcome.

1,063 posted on 04/12/2009 4:10:23 PM PDT by tc45a
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To: anniegetyourgun; eyedigress
No kidding - we’d still be waiting if he hadn’t taken this bold move.

As there were no news teams on the scene, I accept that whatever the official story is, it may or may not be true. We have no way of knowing, and will never know. If they make a Movie of the Week about this, the script I'd believe would go thus:

Obama refuses to allow the U.S military to make a first move. Cpt. Phillips dives off boat first time and the attempt fails. Navy SEALS are pissed. They know that if they'd at least been in the water in the vicinity, they could have taken advantage of the situation. They request having guys in the water. Obama says no, or maybe even says "Yes, but don't make the first move." SEALS are in the water regardless, and those guys aren't just going to wait around for Obama to make up his mind. They go in, grab the captain, kill three of the guys and take the other to the ship where he was supposedly negotating. The official story that the captain jumped again to protect the SEALS.

Push is going to come to shove with our military with Obama in office.

1,064 posted on 04/12/2009 4:12:12 PM PDT by Finny ("Raise hell. Vote smart." -- Ted Nugent.)
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To: BlazingArizona

You say bargaining chip... I say warehouse of information about enemy locations, strength, weaknesses, names and faces of leaders. And then when he is weak from months of grilling and questioning without rest, THEN we use him as a bargaining chip.


1,065 posted on 04/12/2009 4:19:14 PM PDT by christx30
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To: Finny

I’m hearing rumors that Obama couldn’t make a decision so the military basically said “screw you dirtbag” and made the decision.

At least we can count on Bush’s mighty military to over-ride the incompetent illegal usurper when needed. And he would just as soon let them make any hard decisions.

All the American people have to do is look at Zero’s voting record. During every hard decision (also known as a vote) Zero wouldn’t vote but just listed himself as “present” or took other measures to avoid having to make a decision.

Libtards heads are exploding everywhere...LOL.


1,066 posted on 04/12/2009 4:29:40 PM PDT by FTL
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To: FTL

Rumors? Do tell.


1,067 posted on 04/12/2009 4:45:27 PM PDT by Miss Didi ( "After all...tomorrow is another day." Scarlett O'Hara, Gone with the Wind)
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To: Girlene
"I wonder why were they sticking their noggins out? "

Well if I were in on the planning I would think that the first early run was to test their defense. I think they saw that they all came out to start shooting. So they would run a boat back in again and they would all come out again. Targets were assigned and the sharpshooters did the rest.

1,068 posted on 04/12/2009 4:51:35 PM PDT by ex-snook ( "Above all things, truth beareth away the victory.")
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To: FTL
At least we can count on Bush’s mighty military to over-ride the incompetent illegal usurper when needed.

You're actually in favor of the military no longer taking orders from the President?!?

1,069 posted on 04/12/2009 5:05:24 PM PDT by Wissa (I despise the liberal media.)
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To: ex-snook

I’m thinking the fourth pirate should be sent to CTU medical. Then we’d be four for four. :^)


1,070 posted on 04/12/2009 5:07:46 PM PDT by mkmensinger
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To: FTL
I’m hearing rumors that Obama couldn’t make a decision so the military basically said “screw you dirtbag” and made the decision.

Place a drycleaning bag over your head for thirty minutes, and come back and tell us all exactly where you heard the rumors. I call BS. I further contend that FTL is a disruptor from the left, by the tactics used.

1,071 posted on 04/12/2009 5:07:55 PM PDT by AH_LiveRight
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To: trumandogz
Obama did not do a great job. However, our military presented him with options and he had the brass and the brains to select the right option. It shows us that Obama is no Jimmy Carter and that is a Victory for America.

To quote a great line from Tombstone: "You're getting a little ahead of yourselves, ain't you boys?"

1,072 posted on 04/12/2009 5:08:20 PM PDT by Finny ("Raise hell. Vote smart." -- Ted Nugent.)
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To: FTL

I have a problem with “has been freed” in the headline.

He escaped in my opinion with the help of the navy.


1,073 posted on 04/12/2009 5:12:57 PM PDT by TribalPrincess2U (Welcome to 0bama's America... Be afraid, be very afraid)
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To: saquin

“3 of the 4 pirates killed, the 4th captured, the Captain safe. What more could we want?”

Looks pretty much like we drew a straight flush on this one. Kudos to our servicemen! And, I am very pleasantly surprised that our government allowed our Navy to take out these pirate pukes. I had been saying I thought The Bamster did not have what it took to authorize such an action. He surprised me. Kudos to him, too.


1,074 posted on 04/12/2009 5:16:06 PM PDT by ought-six ( Multiculturalism is national suicide, and political correctness is the cyanide capsule.)
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To: Kansas58; al baby
Obama is reluctant to use force. That is the message that came through. Also, if Obama does not launch some retaliation, NOW, this will all happen again and again.

The Islamofascists are going to test him on this.

1,075 posted on 04/12/2009 5:22:54 PM PDT by Jim W N
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To: Taking Congress back in 2010
OK, that’s one good thing Obama did.

OK, so what's he batting, .013? That's nothing - unfortunately he's a player/ manager and his disastrously bad decisions are sinking the whole team.

1,076 posted on 04/12/2009 5:32:54 PM PDT by Jim W N
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To: ought-six

I just read where the captain of the Bainbridge ordered the shooting of the three pirates as he felt Captain Phillips was in mortal danger. He has that authority. Now it very well may be that The Bamster had nothing to do with the decision to take out the pirates. I assume the real story will eventually come out. The main thing is that Captain Phillips is safe and three of the four pirates are taking dirt naps and the fourth is probably singing like a bird to the intelligence folks on the Bainbridge.


1,077 posted on 04/12/2009 5:35:17 PM PDT by ought-six ( Multiculturalism is national suicide, and political correctness is the cyanide capsule.)
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To: kabar
I do know that this took almost five days to accomplish.

Fair enough -- so stipulated.

I do know that the WH took the unprecedented step of having the FBI in charge of negotiations.

Fair enough -- so stipulated.

I do know that the Captain tried to escape twice.

No you don't. You know that the media has reported that he did.

Sure, the media reported that it started five days ago and that the FBI was put in charge, and there is plenty of other things or sources to corroborate that information.

There is ZERO source of corroboration for reports about the captain's actions while a hostage. We can only take the "official" word for it. Personally, I think Cptn. Phillips jumped once. If there was a second jump, it wasn't initiated by him, but by the Navy -- and that same Navy has the unworthy traitorous Marxist CIC by the balls.

1,078 posted on 04/12/2009 5:52:25 PM PDT by Finny ("Raise hell. Vote smart." -- Ted Nugent.)
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To: EyeGuy
Does that not mean deck-mounted guns?

Does that not mean instant pirate hamburger?

When I watched a streaming press conference earlier today, the shooters on the Bainbridge were being referred to as 'snipers' and here again:

FOXNews.com - Navy Made Split-Second Decision to Open Fire in Captain Rescue - International News News of the World Middle East News Europe News

Navy snipers on the fantail of a destroyer

In common parlance, 'sniper' usually implies a shoulder-fired weapon but given that this is the media I wouldn't parse their words too closely, given the media's history of breathtaking, laughable inaccuracy pertaining to anything involving weapons of any kind.

That being said, I'm sure that some of our Vets here can attest to a sniper's bullet turning someone's head into something pretty darned close to 'hamburger'.  :-)

Sometimes there might not even be much of a head left at all.

I would also be very interested in learning what exact weapons were used but I suspect that this information 'may' not be released, as they may feel it would compromise a tactical advantage in the future.

1,079 posted on 04/12/2009 5:56:31 PM PDT by Stoat (Palin / Coulter 2012: A Strong America Through Unapologetic Conservatism)
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To: FTL

.......At least we can count on Bush’s mighty military to over-ride the incompetent illegal usurper......

that is the most ill informed and moronic post on the thread.


1,080 posted on 04/12/2009 6:03:32 PM PDT by bert (K.E. N.P. +12 . John Galt hell !...... where is Francisco dÂ’Anconia)
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