How SEALs Carried Out Their Mission

The Washington Post ^ | Monday, April 13, 2009 | Ann Scott Tyson

[Delacon]

The operation to rescue Capt. Richard Phillips involved dozens of Navy SEALs, who parachuted from an aircraft into the scene near dark Saturday, landing in the ocean. The SEALs were part of a group of Special Operations forces involved in the effort, according to military officials.

The SEALs set up operations on the USS Bainbridge, which had been communicating with the four pirates via radio and had used smaller boats to make deliveries of food and water to their lifeboat. Yet the pirates were growing increasingly agitated, the officials said. At one point Saturday, the pirates opened fire on one of the smaller U.S. Navy craft that approached.

As the seas grew rougher, the Bainbridge offered to tow the lifeboat to calmer waters, and the pirates agreed, linking up the lifeboat to the destroyer with a towing cable that left 75 to 80 feet between the two vessels. Phillips at the time was tied up in the lifeboat, having been bound -- and occasionally beaten -- by the pirates ever since he had attempted to escape by jumping into the water on Friday, the officials said.

Meanwhile, one of the pirates, estimated to be between 16 and 20 years old, asked to come aboard the Bainbridge to make a phone call. He had been stabbed in the hand during an altercation with the crew of the Maersk Alabama and needed medical care. "He effectively gave himself up," a senior military official said. The Navy then allowed that pirate to speak with the others in hopes that he could persuade them to give up.

The three other pirates, however, showed signs of growing irritation, as the Bainbridge, 18 miles from shore, towed the lifeboat further out to sea, the senior military official said. "They had no promise of

[Miss Behave]

[The three other pirates, however, showed signs of growing irritation....]

Most probably from all that lice in their tweeter zones.

[EyeGuy]

Muslims are habitually “agitated” aren’t they?

I like the military solution to that ongoing emotional problem. I like it very much when it comes to these insane, hateful savages.

[Southack]

Whenever 0bama wants to get something correct, be it telecom immunity, Afghanistan, Iraq, bailouts, dealing with pirates (”Bring It On!”), or whatnot, he’s discovered that he has to “Be like Bush.”

[al baby]

Lead seems to cure them better than lithium

[Niteranger68]

The SEALs know how to reach out and touch someone.

[Niteranger68]

The SEALs know how to reach out and touch someone.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

So I guess this is now the latest,...most official version....

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This Story

• Navy Kills 3 Pirates, Rescues Ship Captain
• How SEALs Carried Out Their Mission
• An Early Military Victory for Obama

  ******************************EXCERPT from the bottom link****************************

  For President Obama, last week's confrontation with Somali pirates posed similar political risks to a young commander in chief who had yet to prove himself to his generals or his public.

  But the result -- a dramatic and successful rescue operation by U.S. Special Operations forces -- left Obama with an early victory that could help build confidence in his ability to direct military actions abroad.

  Throughout the past four days, White House officials played down Obama's role in the hostage drama. Until yesterday, he made no public statements about the pirates.

  In fact, aides said yesterday, Obama had been briefed 17 times since he returned from his trip abroad, including several times from the White House Situation Room. And without giving too many details, senior White House officials made it clear that Obama had provided the authority for the rescue.

  "The president's focus was on saving and protecting the life of the captain," one adviser said. Friday evening, after a National Security Council telephone update, Obama granted U.S. forces what aides called "the authority to use appropriate force to save the life of the captain." On Saturday at 9:20 a.m., Obama went further, giving authority to an "additional set of U.S. forces to engage in potential emergency actions."

  

  A top military official, Vice Adm. William E. Gortney, commander of the Fifth Fleet, explained that Obama issued a standing order that the military was to act if the captain's life was in immediate danger.

  "Our authorities came directly from the president," he said. "And the number one authority for incidents if we were going to respond was if the captain's life was in immediate danger. And that is the situation in which our sailors acted."

  After the rescue ended, White House officials immediately offered expanded information about Obama's role, though the president simply released a statement praising the troops and expressing pride in the captain's bravery.

  The operation pales in scope and complexity to the wars underway in Iraq and Afghanistan. And Obama's adversaries are unlikely to be mollified by his performance in a four-day hostage drama.

[Thrownatbirth]

The SEALs set up operations on the USS Bainbridge

We had a rule - no wet flippers in CIC.

[Dream Warrior]

God bless these brave Americans, I call this American “exceptionalism”. May America continue to be blessed by the Almighty.

[Armedanddangerous]

A bunch of toothless, illiterate savages messed up on khat and heavily armed...

Makes em easier to find..

[Tallguy]

The operation to rescue Capt. Richard Phillips involved dozens of Navy SEALs, who parachuted from an aircraft into the scene near dark Saturday, landing in the ocean.

Interesting that they would risk the SEALs in this manner: a night drop into the ocean. Rough men.

I was guessing that the helicopter carrier, "USS Boxer", that was reported to be heading to the scene was carring the SEAL team (or soon would be) and that the "Boxer" would be the staging point.

[IrishMike]

......the Bainbridge, 18 miles from shore, towed the lifeboat further out to sea.
.
.

Watch the libs in the media get upset at the big bad US navy
for the set up to ‘whack’ these merchandise redistribution specialists

[militant2]

LOL!! Great one!

Militant

[Salamander]

Wait!

Where’s the part where heroic Pres_ent Ahab was carefully orchestrating the whole rescue whilst giving the nonchalant appearance of “partying” so as not to give away the game?

[Rennes Templar]

lol Thats funny because it’s probably true....

[Miss Behave]

[The three other pirates, however, showed signs of growing irritation....]

...from all that lice in their Burmuda Triangles.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

An earlier piece...portrayed the Bainbridge as towing them in toward the shore...calmer water)....they are having a rough time getting the story consistent...

[SendShaqtoIraq]

“Throughout the past four days, White House officials played down Obama’s role in the hostage drama”

That’s because he had none.

[Rennes Templar]

When the seals went into the boat to get Phillips, I imagine it was nat a pretty sight. Three head shots with high powered rifles. They were proabbaly stepping in brains.