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Navy snipers had multiple chances to shoot Somali pirates (Obama waits until Captain nearly killed)
LA Times ^ | 4/13/2009 | Julian E. Barnes and Greg Miller

Posted on 04/13/2009 6:07:49 PM PDT by tobyhill

Reporting from Washington -- Before ending a pirate standoff with three fatally precise shots, U.S. Navy SEAL snipers had passed on multiple opportunities to fire.

They had moved into position after the White House expanded the authority it had given the world's most powerful navy against a rag-tag foe holding an American hostage.

(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...


TOPICS: Breaking News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: bho44; gutless; hostages; obama; somalipirates; usnavy
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1 posted on 04/13/2009 6:07:49 PM PDT by tobyhill
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To: tobyhill

I’m shocked to learn of this, shocked I tell you.


2 posted on 04/13/2009 6:09:12 PM PDT by Radix (Bullets can turn corners.)
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To: tobyhill
They had moved into position after the White House expanded the authority it had given the world's most powerful navy against a rag-tag foe holding an American hostage.

So this must have been the second request that we have been hearing about.

3 posted on 04/13/2009 6:11:29 PM PDT by Irish Eyes
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To: tobyhill; RaceBannon

FYI...


4 posted on 04/13/2009 6:12:22 PM PDT by Dutchy
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To: tobyhill

Before this is all over, I expect we’ll have about 999 different versions of what happened.

This one appears to come from yet another anonymous official.

But it does say that: “Obama was briefed on the crisis at least 18 times. But the crisis seems to have crystallized for the administration on Friday, not long after the White House got word that Capt. Phillips had tried to escape from his captors.”

In other words, Obama was micromanaging it, and only gave permission to shoot after it had gone on for days. Otherwise they could have intervened when the Captain jumped overboard the first time.


5 posted on 04/13/2009 6:13:51 PM PDT by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: tobyhill

YES! We have a leader … not. What a wuss. Perhaps a lesson was learned over this … sometimes action beats negotiation.

He who hesitates, loses his ars. ;-)


6 posted on 04/13/2009 6:17:14 PM PDT by doc1019
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To: Irish Eyes
It's exactly what I thought. Obama gives the order but then rescinds it when the FBI comes in, even though the SEALs had clean shots. When negotiations break down he reauthorizes it but the SEALs almost didn't get the opportunity again.
7 posted on 04/13/2009 6:19:29 PM PDT by tobyhill ("Hope and Change" is so overrated!)
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To: tobyhill; LucyT; Fred Nerks; Beckwith

The FBI had nobusiness even being there. Puracy is not a domestic crime in this case. Piracy is a separate category which is covered by the law of the apprehending nation, This would be military law in this case.

Obama sent the FBI in to establish the situation as a crime, so that military justice would not prevail. In that Obama was foiled by men who had the trigger pull, the traditional remedy for pirates.

Contrary to popular socialist belief, The UN Law of the Sea
DOES NOT replace the traditional International Law on Piracy.Piracy does not have to occur on the High Seas for the act to be treated as an act of war from a private individual or group, even though the UN Law of the Sea says so. The Old law is still in place, and that is that the victim nation can use both private and military acts of war to apprehend and punish pirates, without reference to any other national or international jurisdiction.The jurisdiction is universal.

*************************

Universal Jurisdiction
Antonio Cassese, a leading jurist, asserted that the concept of universal jurisdiction is legally admissible. He further went on to explain that the crimes over which such jurisdiction may be exercised are of such gravity and magnitude that they warrant universal prosecution and repression. Although international law concerns itself with criminal jurisdiction, outside the sphere of international tribunals, it does not prescribe rules requiring the exercise of jurisdiction; rather it concerns itself mainly with the propriety of the exercises of state jurisdiction.

On this point, the 1934 analysis of “In Piracy Jure Gentium” states that: “With regard to crimes as defined by international law, that law has no means of trying or punishing them. The recognition of them as constituting crimes, and the trial and punishment of the criminals, are left to the municipal law of each country”. Piracy is then thought to be the basis of universal jurisdiction for what are termed “Jus Cogens” crimes. “Jus Cogens” is a Latin term that means a “compelling law”; and this fundamental law must be followed by all countries. The 1986 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties affirmed “Jus Cogens” as an accepted doctrine in international law.

********************************************

http://war-crimes.suite101.com/article.cfm/piracy_forced_creation_of_universal_jurisdiction

Obama wanted due process to apply to these pirates, and that is why the FBI was sent out. Look at what Holder is doing with the remaining juvenile pirate.Before its over Holder will have the pirate put up at the Waldorf on New York, dining on lobster tails. Its a darn good thing the Navy killed the other three, or they would have ended up on our welfare rolls , and later running guns from Chicago.

The FBI had no business being there, and did not have to be. They were there to help the pirates, not the hostage.

And the Navy was delayed in shooting the pirates so that the pirates could be “saved” so that Obama could suck up to his Muslim buddies later in diplomacy, while they were in custody of the FBI, being convicted and “rehabilitated”, or even pardoned, or “de-proscuted” like the Master Mind for the USS Cole bombing was let off.

It would not surprise me if some of these pirates were Luo.Zero’s paternal tribe.


8 posted on 04/13/2009 6:19:35 PM PDT by Candor7 (The weapons of choice against fascism are ridicule, and derision. (member NRA)
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To: tobyhill

been saying this for some time but it seems some have short memories

the order was if his life was in danger then use deadly force

well his life was in danger from the start and even more so when he had jumped over board
so the question is when was the order to use deadly force given , plus phony knew that there was no other alternative and hoped to have talks?

He wanted to prove that by talking it is better than using force, believe me I am convinced phony is pissed off they were shot
why else did he send the FBI and hostage smooth talker, why else did he keep his mouth shut?

He is p,laying it both ways
if the capt had died he would have blamed the navy
now it has been good for the capt he tries to take credit with the media spinning again for him and yet some sheep even believe it


9 posted on 04/13/2009 6:20:11 PM PDT by manc (Marriage is between a man and a woman no sick queer sham--- end racism end affirmative action)
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To: tobyhill

They had moved into position after the White House expanded the authority it had given the world’s most powerful navy against a rag-tag foe holding an American hostage.

Get ready for the “America Bullying the Little Guy....Again” stories. Yea, these rag-tag pirates weren’t really a threat, and the SEALS just shot them because they are killers, yada, yada, yada.

God Bless the US Navy.


10 posted on 04/13/2009 6:22:32 PM PDT by Sir Clancelot
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To: manc

Bumping your every word, manc.


11 posted on 04/13/2009 6:23:30 PM PDT by Miss Behave ("Easter SEALs!!!" ~ FReeper Choose Ye This Day)
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To: manc

***his life was in danger from the start and even more so when he had jumped over board***

BINGO. Deadly force was warranted from the beginning.


12 posted on 04/13/2009 6:24:45 PM PDT by tobyhill ("Hope and Change" is so overrated!)
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To: doc1019
YES! We have a leader … not.

We have a leader. Unfortunately, he is the captain of a merchant ship and not in our White House, but we have a leader. Now we just need to figure out how to convince the voters that a leader is a good thing ... even better than a druggie who speaks well from the teleprompter.

13 posted on 04/13/2009 6:25:29 PM PDT by TurtleUp (Turtle up: cancel optional spending until 2012, and boycott TARP/stimulus companies forever!)
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To: Candor7

THANK YOU SO MUCH
I have been saying the same but you said it better than I

The FBI was there for one reason and one reason only
to make this a case of criminals, obama wanted to talk and that was it

this was his first chance to prove to Bush and others that using the cowboy approach(their words) is not as good as talking

Obama never wanted them shot. the seals could have shot anytime so the question is why didn’t they

Now obama knows that this might be a problem with muslims after his we love you speeches .

The seals could have shot these lot when the capt went overboard, they did not
WHY??????? is what everyone should be asking and I believe because they never had the order to shoot then as obama wanted to prove that talking is better and then try this in a criminal court

Now it is good he jumps on this and hey look at me


14 posted on 04/13/2009 6:26:09 PM PDT by manc (Marriage is between a man and a woman no sick queer sham--- end racism end affirmative action)
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To: Miss Behave

love your tag line miss and good to know that others out there are not the sheep

I guess we will not have any journalists asking these questions though.

Remember when asked he replies guys were talking housing and the off to fly a cook nearly a 1000 miles to cook him pizza(the pollution o my)


15 posted on 04/13/2009 6:29:41 PM PDT by manc (Marriage is between a man and a woman no sick queer sham--- end racism end affirmative action)
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To: tobyhill

indeed it was and many here were asking why they did not shoot, I for one was asking many times.
To add

The seals did great thank you seals and the navy


16 posted on 04/13/2009 6:31:54 PM PDT by manc (Marriage is between a man and a woman no sick queer sham--- end racism end affirmative action)
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To: manc
The SEALs did exactly what they were authorized to do when they were finally authorized to do so. The SEALs are not trained to ignore an opportunity just to wait and see if the situation worsens while a life is already in danger.
17 posted on 04/13/2009 6:38:33 PM PDT by tobyhill ("Hope and Change" is so overrated!)
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To: manc
Too bad Zero had not come out to the life boat to do a little community organizing. He would have shown us a thing of two!!!!

Buahahahahaha!

18 posted on 04/13/2009 6:41:11 PM PDT by Candor7 (The weapons of choice against fascism are ridicule, and derision. (member NRA)
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To: tobyhill
Obama was briefed on the crisis at least 18 times. But the crisis seems to have crystallized for the administration on Friday, not long after the White House got word that Capt. Phillips had tried to escape from his captors.

Senior NSC officials met in the White House situation room to draft a series of options to deliver to Obama. Later that night, Obama appears to have issued his first order authorizing the use of lethal force. The next morning, that authority to use lethal force was expanded and SEALs arrived on the Destroyer Bainbridge.

A military official speaking on condition of anonymity said the sniper team had multiple opportunities to shoot, but held off, not believing Phillips was in imminent danger.

Micromanagement.

19 posted on 04/13/2009 6:43:28 PM PDT by Donald Rumsfeld Fan (Sarah Palin "The Iron Lady of the North")
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To: Cicero

999 different versions? :)

I hope so ... we may have to do something similar in the future. Let the media run wild!!!! Keep the real details secret.

The pirates were hungry so we tossed some cookies in the water .... when they swam out to get their halal cookies (baked in the pans with the Easter hams), they got blasted. That’s what I’m going with.


20 posted on 04/13/2009 6:43:46 PM PDT by open mind-closed fist
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