Official: Captain was in 'imminent danger' (Defense depart had to ask 0bama twice)

MSNBC ^ | 04.12.09

[Perdogg]

U.S. Navy snipers opened fire and killed three pirates holding an American captain at gunpoint, delivering the skipper unharmed and ending a five-day high-seas hostage drama on Easter Sunday.

The pirates were pointing AK-47s at Capt. Richard Phillips and he was in "imminent danger" of being killed when the commander of the nearby USS Bainbridge made the split-second decision to order his men to shoot, Vice Adm. Bill Gortney said.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Thanks for the ping...so Obama is in the clear on this one to me....course there are some bigger decisions to be made...like what should be done to slow down this pirate activity...and dumping money on them is not an answer.

[Mr. K]

This actually sounds more believable- if he had given them authorization ONCE why did he need to give it AGAIN?

My guess is they had to ASK PERMISSION before they fired, and had to wait around for a reponse.

So they asked, it took too long, the missed the opportunity, and when another opportunity came they HAD TO ASK AGAIN

[Walmartian]

I would not be a bit suprised... Not a BIT suprised... If the Captain gets court martialed for something in the near future.

You're thinking of the Bush administration. This is 0's war so the captain will be praised for following 0's brilliant plan.

[Kanzan]

I’m not up on military protocol, but in a situation like this, wouldn’t you expect the President to initiate the order rather than sit around waiting to be asked? The Navy was pretty busy during this time, while he was sitting around eating pizza.

[Viking2002]

Yeah, something about this smelled like dead fish from the get-go: the LSM was on it and anointing Il Duce as the second coming of Chuck Norris before there was even any concrete confirmation of the event. I can imagine that over the next day or so, a substantially different picture of the actual chain of events will come to light, and it's not going to bathe FUBO in a flattering light. Be sure to take take your Dramamine, 'cuz there's gonna be some serious G-force spin coming out of The Swamp.

[yankeedame]

I suspect that the order was more like ... take NO action unless ABSOLUTELY necessary. So the Captain found it absolutely necessary when the chance came ... had it gone wrong I’d bet the farm FUBO would say ... “ I never gave the order”

[A.A. Cunningham]

090412-N-XXXXN-001 SOMALI BASIN (April 12, 2009) Maersk-Alabama Capt. Richard Phillips, right, stands alongside Cmdr. Frank Castellano, commanding officer of USS Bainbridge (DDG 96) after being rescued by U.S Naval Forces off the coast of Somalia. Philips was held hostage for four days by pirates. (Official U.S. Navy photo/RELEASED)

090412-N-XXXXN-003 SOMALI BASIN (April 12, 2009) Maersk-Alabama Capt. Richard Phillips, right, stands alongside Lt. Cmdr. David Fowler, executive officer of USS Bainbridge (DDG 96) after being rescued by U.S Naval Forces off the coast of Somalia. Philips was held hostage for four days by pirates. (Official U.S. Navy photo/Released)

[chasio649]

wonderfully libtard post on BBC:

“How dare you represent the problem of piracy with a numerical figure! It doesn’t matter how many millions have been extorted and does. Do these pirates (and they certainly didn’t label themselves pirates) really want to put their lives at risk and do this? Yes, but not because they are greedy, not because they are heartless. They have to do it, if it were your family living in Somalia which America chooses to bomb as and when it pleases, you too would have an entirely different perspective”

[mathluv]

Thank the Lord for that Captain. I wonder what the o’s admin will do to him?

[Exit148]

So what is this spin they are saying on TV -— that O gave them permission twice.

Did they HAVE to ask twice — or did he give permission the two times they asked?

I would think that if they were given permission once, then that is all they would need.

I hope O’s handlers keep him the he** off TV and trying to take any credit for this.

[don-o]

I do know its one F’d up system where he had to be asked at all.

Yah. That chain of command is a pain in the azz.

[fooman]

Weasel words indeed.

The US military says US President Barack Obama personally authorised the use of "appropriate force" against the pirates.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/04/13/2541376.htm?section=world

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

The Admiral at the Pentagon news conference was very clear. (1) Obama signed nothing, made no calls. (2) the Navy acted on “existing authorities” to take out the pirates if the hostage was in imminent danger, The Navy said they interpreted the pointing of a gun at the hostage as “imminent danger.” (and they finally had clear shots.

Thanks. I choose to believe the Navy rather than media spin.

[Straight Vermonter]

This is such a huge story around here. My sister and her family go to church with the Phillips’ and everyone is just so relieved that he will be coming home.

Thanks for all the pings on this story.

[vbmoneyspender]

Yah. That chain of command is a pain in the azz.

I guess that is one way to phrase it -- another way to describe it might be to call it micromanaging.

[Lancey Howard]

It sounds like Dumbo voted, “Present”.

[mystery-ak]

How the rescue happened

[clamper1797]

IMO what really happened ...

Bainbridge ... permission to fire
FUBO ... take no action unless ABSOLUTELY necessary
One pirate on board the Bainbridge to negotiate 3 left on raft ... advantage
Bainbridge ... permission to fire
FUBO ... take no action unless ABSOLUTELY necessary

NOW ... in all in one or two seconds ...

Sniper Zone One on radio to other snipers ... target acquired
Sniper Zone Two on radio to other snipers ... target acquired
Sniper Zone Three on radio to other snipers ... target acquired

By pre-determined plan if the opportunity presented itself ...

BANG BANG BANG ... mission "ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY" complete

With one pirate off the raft the opportunity presented itself
They said that a pirate pointed his gun at the tied up captain who was in an enclosed boat and may not have been even visible ... as if in five days this was the first time a pirate had pointed a weapon at the captain ... right ...

[OrangeHoof]

Well, firing on the Somali pirates might have sparked an international incident with the nation of, uh, um, Somali pirates.

[don-o]

I’m not up on military protocol, but in a situation like this, wouldn’t you expect the President to initiate the order rather than sit around waiting to be asked?

No. He has to consider whatever options are placed before him. You want THIS President plotting military stratgy? I assume not.

That God (and President Bush) for the high state of our military.