Official: US sea captain freed in swift firefight

breitbart.com ^ | 4/12/9 | ELIZABETH A. KENNEDY and LARA JAKES

[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.

[bimboeruption]

I'd hang him and show the video at the next White House press conference, but that's just me.

I think that would be appropriate. Wonder what Helen Thomas would say?

I've been away from the tube for a few hours...has Barry commented yet, or is he still at PetSmart trying to pick out a bed?

[MrPiper]

Obama is crying for his fellow Muslims....................

[SeminoleSoldier]

Ummm, that quite a bit of conjecture there pal. Wether or not you like Obama how do you know why he made the decision he did? It all turned out alright so I don’t have any complaints about the CIC here. All the Americans got out alive and the pirates got smacked down nicely.

[vox_freedom]

hehehehe

[SeminoleSoldier]

The one thing I don’t understand is why the President would be involved at all. This isn’t a dem/republican thing, but the president wouldn’t be involved in a hostage situation in the states - the police would take over. Why would he be involved in this situation other than order the appropriate military unit in the area to go and resolve the situation with the FBI/CIA if their expertise was needed?

[vox_freedom]

thanks for the links and you are correct...

[MrPiper]

Wether or not you like Obama how do you know why he made the decision he did?

You think Osma H Obama makes his own Decisions???? LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!His communist handlers do the thinking!

[Just A Nobody]

I’m not giving him any more credit then what our last prez got. Never will.

And that was zero! I'm with you.

[Doogle]

some good shooting too....night,rolling seas, probably a bit messing, the one that surrender had seen enough.

[SeminoleSoldier]

Be interesting to find out. I really don’t want to believe that though. I’d rather not think Obama is so crazy as to give an absolute ‘don’t shoot’ order. If he told them to give the negotiators a shot first, I could abide that - after all if the situation is resolved without a single bullet fired there’s no risk of harm to the hostages.

[SeminoleSoldier]

I hope that’s what he did. Good leaders delegate, not microminage. If we had a conservative in the WH that’s exactly what he should have done too.

[MrPiper]

the one that surrender had seen enough

I'm betting he was on the short list to die. Very young, and SEALS knew he was a patsy. Left him alone. You think we only have 3 snipers?? We are the good guys.

[Doogle]

We are the good guys.

..huh?...I know that

[SeminoleSoldier]

I see your point but I disagree. It’s the advantage of every country that relies on global trade to wipe out pirates. Just like the British in the 19th century, their navy directly or indirectly protected the shipping of many countries, but their economy and prestige benefitted.

[bimboeruption]

some good shooting too...

I wonder what they used?

[Doogle]

most likely M25

[Star Traveler]

Well, do it at no cost to the U.S. then, which means that all the ship-owners have to pay the bill to the American taxpayer for all the costs involved.

And, actually that’s what I’ve been saying before this post anyway. I said that if the other countries and ship-owners want our help, they can come to the White House in their knees and beg us for it. But, don’t forget to “show us the money”...

Then we’ll show them how it’s done. And we’ll bill them additional amounts, depending on the costs. If other countries and/or shipping companies don’t want to pay us to do it for them, they are certainly welcome to do it themselves.

No more *bailouts* and *especially* not for other countries and foreign companies who won’t take care of the problem themselves...

[AliVeritas]

FYI, Obama twice approved use of force to rescue captain held by pirates. BS.

http://www.blackfive.net/main/2009/04/how-the-rescue-happened.html

If anything, he probably paid someone off for them already.

Where’s Odinga?

[PanzerKardinal]

The Obamas Stage Daring Rescue

AP: Washington DC April 12 2008 10:37PM EST

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibb released an official photo of the President and First Lady rescuing Captain Richard Phillips from Somali pirates.

In a prepared statement Gibb stated, "...that America's foes better be prepared for robust and immediate and personal action from The President and First Lady."

The President and First Lady were unharmed according to Gibb. They are expected to arrived on Monday by a F-18 Hornet piloted by Michelle Obama.

Gibb also stated that the supposed visit by The First Family to St. John's Episcopal Church was an elaborate plot to lull the Somali pirates in to complacency while The President and First Lady arrived on the scene. Actors were used to impersonate the Obamas.

When asked by reporters his reactions to the rescue, Vice President Biden responded, "The Obamas are some crazy SOB's and they kick ass and take names, so you better not piss them off."

[Joya]

Amen. Thanks for this GOOD NEWS !!!