Posted on 04/12/2009 11:00:01 AM PDT by bimboeruption
MOMBASA, Kenya (AP) - An American ship captain was freed unharmed Sunday in a U.S. Navy operation that killed three of the four Somali pirates who had been holding him for days in a lifeboat off the coast of Africa, a senior U.S. intelligence official said. One of the pirates was wounded and in custody after a swift firefight, the official said.
Capt. Richard Phillips, 53, of Underhill, Vermont, was safely transported to a Navy warship nearby.
The official was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
A government official and others in Somali with knowledge of the situation had reported hours earlier that negotiations for Phillips' release had broken down.
The district commissioner of the central Mudug region said talks went on all day Saturday, with clan elders from his area talking by satellite telephone and through a translator with Americans, but collapsed late Saturday night.
"The negotiations between the elders and American officials have broken down. The reason is American officials wanted to arrest the pirates in Puntland and elders refused the arrest of the pirates," said the commissioner, Abdi Aziz Aw Yusuf. He said he organized initial contacts between the elders and the Americans.
Two other Somalis, one involved in the negotiations and another in contact with the pirates, also said the talks collapsed because of the U.S. insistence that the pirates be arrested and brought to justice.
Phillips' crew of 19 American sailors reached safe harbor in Kenya's northeast port of Mombasa on Saturday night under guard of U.S. Navy Seals, exhilarated by their freedom but mourning the absence of Phillips.
Crew members said their ordeal had begun with the Somali pirates hauling themselves up from a small boat bobbing on the surface of the Indian Ocean far below.
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
I want to know why he had to do it TWICE? Why wasn't once enough? Did his authorization come with an expiration date?
Yes Norm. Job one. Rubble by sunrise.
In other words... Obama did not solve this problem... Jack Bauer solved this problem.
Thank you for that. I don’t know why he’s been off my radar screen, but I want to hear more from this true conservative. Coburn/Palin 2012? :D
I hope they get “Joe the Sailor” clip back on soon.
“why he had to do it TWICE?”
I had the same question. I’m betting that his first authorization had conditions attached to it. Either that, or it was ambiguous. Possibly, it said use NON-lethal force. Also, read them their rights. Or maybe he wanted the Naval captain to get a search warrant or an arrest warrant before proceeding.
Where at, please? :)
Not jack, a team of great US Navy minds focusing tightly on the problem and bringing their assets to a tight point.
3 clear open head shots at terrorists holding an American = Priceless!
God bless our Navy and our Seals!
That’s okay. It sounds wonderful, though! Probably soon it will be up on youtuble. :)
Yes, my point is that it wasn’t the politicians who should get the credit, but rather the guys with the guns and long knives. In other words, the problem was solved despite Obama, by the real men.
I sure hope so, FGnH! I think I’m in love with “Joe the Sailor”! ;-)
Sorry. I saw it on Foxnews when they were “listening” in to the Alabama crew. I was able to rewind it (DVR live), but they haven’t shown the clip again. It was reported that the crew was not supposed to come down and speak, but they did. They hung the USA flag and were speaking what was on their minds.
I have to believe the "negotiations" were a ruse to buy time to set up the rescue. No one with a lick of sense would actually believe they could productively negotiate with these pig-brained savages.
.......In other words, the problem was solved despite Obama, by the real men.......
Yes.
The point to be argued henceforth is what motivated the Brown Clown to accept the course outlined by the military?
Sniperz :-) :-)
........3 clear open head shots.....
Apparently 2 were clear but i think the third was through the windshield.
Adm. Gortney stated that the pirates were shot by snipers who were on the fantail of the Bainbridge. Force Recon from the Boxer probably would have liked to have taken the shot.
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