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.

[Delacon]

“Now we should destroy the port, kill the elders, issue Letters of Marque, and post a bounty on pirates’ heads”.

There are over 200 hostages still in Somalia. I’d settle for a naval blockade(nothing in, nothing out) until every single hostage is returned to their country of origin and then regular patrols thereafter.

[a fool in paradise]

Thanks to our military. No thanks to President Barack.

His staff said last week that he had people to make these decisions, he was busy with housing.

This wasn’t Barack’s call. He’s a puppet ruler.

[Girlene]

One pirate wanted to phone home. He was allowed to boat over to the US ship. While onboard, he was eating and waving at his friends holding Capt Philips on the lifeboat — as they were shot.

Sounds like he was the bait to get the two pirates to expose their necks and shoulders.

[HollyB]

Has O spoken about this to the press yet? He has been very quiet.

[Delacon]

“It’s what he does when the Somali pirates start taking more ships and shooting hostages, that will be be dissected”.

True. This ain’t over.

[FTL]

So has this story been beat to death yet?

Interesting how Zero gives the go ahead as a story is breaking in the UK about Obama’s brother George accused of “sex crimes”. Clinton did basically the same thing - multiple times.

[ricoshea]

I do think Obama gets some credit.He approved deadly force Saturday morning they said.At least it ended quicker than Jimmy Carters hostage situation.

[cookcounty]

"Just a guess, but I think the hull is fiberglass and probably between .25 and .5 “ thick. The reports I heard said that the two had their heads out of the hatch and in the clear. The third was said to be visible through the windshield or possibly a window.

THanks. There seems to be little hard reporting and even little speculation anywhere as to HOW this was done. I haven't heard that report, though I've learned an awful lot about small-town Vermont.

[jetson]

Only two words comes to mind

DIP SH*T

[Delacon]

Look for the movie to come out in record time with Denzel playing the leading role as Obama and Capt. Phillips and the seal team characters having minor supporting appearances.

[Delacon]

Close to Home   [Kathryn Jean Lopez]

I learned last night that Captain Phillips is the brother of Jim Phillips, a Mideast expert at the Heritage Foundation. Jim and his family are, of course, overjoyed at the rescue news. Ed Feulner sent this out to THF staff this morning: 

Dear Heritage Colleagues,

            A member of our Board of Trustees called me Saturday and asked why Heritage had been silent on the situation with the Maersk Alabama piracy and the fate of its heroic Captain, Richard Phillips.

            Now that Captain Phillips has been rescued by the U.S. Navy Seals, I can share with you, our Heritage family, the secret:  Captain Phillips is the brother of our own Senior Research Fellow for Middle Eastern Affairs, Jim Phillips. 

            Because of the unpredictability of the situation and the erratic behavior of the pirates, we did not want to say anything that might jeopardize or interfere in any way with the efforts of the U.S. Government to secure the release of Captain Phillips.

            Jim sent me an email last evening from Vermont, where he is staying with his family, in which he says that “this is the best Easter ever for us.”

            He concluded by saying “God bless the Seals!,” to which we all say, welcome home, Captain Phillips! 

Sincerely,

[Ed]

Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.

President

04/13 08:49 AMShare

http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=NDEzNWEyYzRjMzBiNmFmN2IwZDk5ZTVlMWI4ZWM4YWI=

What a great chance to plug my favorite conservative website The Heritage Foundation (next to FR of course). Ditto God bless the Seals!

 

[davidosborne]

I echo the response of Captain Phillips... God Bless the NAVY SEALS !!!! HOOOOAH

[davidosborne]

“some” credit... the better COA would have been “no negotiations period”.... swift decisive actions.. no negotiations.... I hope President Obama learned something from this ordeal...

[davidosborne]

One pirate wanted to phone home. He was allowed to boat over to the US ship. While onboard, he was eating and waving at his friends holding Capt Philips on the lifeboat — as they were shot.

If this is true it would not surprise me if the commander gets relieved for "tricking" the perps....

[Miss Behave]

Maybe so, pal, but Obama had thirteen or fourteen meetings about this particular situation. I hate to see how many meetings it would take him in order to give the OK to go on something of real crisis.

The Americans got out safely and the pirates got smacked down nicely due to the training and awesome expertise of our US Navy in general and our incredible, incomparable SEALs in specific.

My money is on the very safe odds that Obama did a whole lotta hand-wringing in a whole lotta meetings.

[Miss Behave]

OMG, Panzer! LOLOLOL!!!

Thanks for the HUGE belly-laugh this morning! Priceless!

[M1928A1 Thompson]

You got that right!! Denham, Decatur and Neslon were sea captains that knew how to deal with pirates!

“Taking a wasps’ nest... is more effective than catching the wasps one by one,” remarked the British Foreign Secretary in 1841.

[Grampa Dave]

Great! I will now steal, er, borrow this! 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."

[Miss Behave]

Bumpin’ it again, Grampa D!

[davidosborne]

my thoughts exactly