Our guys are probably under orders to do nothing without consulting the White House. So they can’t do anything on the spur of the moment.
At least those in the chain of command, and possibly a few good sailors on the Bainbridge know the real answer.
If it is learned later that politics played a hand in this and prevented effective military action, then the blame will lay at the feet of voters in last fall's election.
That is the nature of a democratic republic.
An effective chain of command would have entrusted the skipper of the Bainbridge with enough free rein to make the best decision on the spot.