Posted on 04/12/2009 3:59:18 PM PDT by Brilliant
A U.S. military official said Navy Seals and other officers opened fire on three pirates when a Navy commander made a split-second decision that an American hostage's life was in danger...
Gortney said the pirates threatened throughout the ordeal to kill Phillips. Gortney said the pirates were armed with AK-47s and small-caliber pistols, and were pointing the AK-47s at the captain.
Gortney said the commander of the nearby USS Bainbridge believed Phillips was in "imminent danger" when he ordered sailors to fire at the armed pirates.
Gortney said the White House had given "very clear guidance and authority" that if any time the commander Capt. Phillips' life was in danger to take action to make sure it was not...
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
No, he isn’t. Bush would have delegated the decision of whether or not to fire to the commander at the scene and stood by the commander’s decision instead of trying to micromanage things from several time zones away.
Does anyone else realize that a hostage stand-off situation as this would never reach any president’s desk?
That’s why they have Secretaries and a Cabinet.
Doesn’t matter who the president is or what party, they do not make decisions on every single situation our Military face.
“The shooters were on the Bainbridge some 30 meters away from the small boat. 30 meters doesnt seem like much, dont forget that both vessels are bobbing up and down in the water. Ever try to take a benchrest shot from a bobbing bench at a bobbing target?”
It’s very difficult. Then again, if you been doing it for x amount of years it is probably just timing the bob.
Seals had thermal IR scopes (It was night, y’all)and could see the mooselimbs even through the plastic cover on the boat. The captain was up front of the boat lying down, and the three muzzies were in the back. They never knew what hit them. They (Bainbridge) were towing the boat and pulling them up close (30 meters). It was like shooting fish in a barrel.
That is what I think as well. He would trust his commanders & let them make the decisions.
she is really somethin’ huh? never have cared for her to much, and especially now that she appears to be hussein’s biggest fan. she needs to go find her old boyfriend and their news van and go back to reporting news like the way she was famous for in the minor leagues. dittos on eric shawn also, great job today from him.
EXACTLY
And that is the difference between real men, and our empty suit in chief.
The minute she comes on, I turn the channel. Way too aggressive in her reporting style...and without the charm of Megan Kelly.
Yes, we are saying the same thing: his B.O. is overwheming, where fore he stinketh.
OB sucks.”Gortney said the commander of the nearby USS Bainbridge believed Phillips was in “imminent danger” when he ordered sailors to fire at the armed pirates.”Way to go Bainbridge”
During this afternoon's press conference, NBC Pentagon correspondent Jim Miklaszewski asked specifically whether Obama had ordered the kill or whether the order was in line with long-standing orders all presidents followed.The response was immediate: The president did NOT give a special order to shoot but rather was following a time-honored custom of giving the ultimate authority to the military not only to determine whether an American was in "imminent danger" but also to use all necessary force.
SO THERE, CNN and FOX!!! Stop peddling your romantic tales of heroism to extend to the WH tourist-in-chief!
Regards . . . Penny
They did not really acknowledge that Obama was dealing with it until after it was over. In fact, I saw Krauthammer commending Obama Fri. for not getting involved. If it had turned out bad, you can be certain that Obama would have been no where in the vicinity.
Also ... had FUBO made the call .. he would have made it a photo-op to be shown AFTER the fact ... he may yet ... after he films it
They would have said that Bush did it only to divert attention from the economy.
dittos to that channel change! I do NOT miss meg in the morning on fox and it does not get any better than when she just bombs the sh$t out of some crybaby POS liberal.
Yep!
LLS
“I dunno, but think Obama deserves credit here for having the WILL. Without it, he wouldn’t have given those orders.”
I’m glad he “passively” authorized action. However, would he be able to show more agressive action? IMO - I don’t think so. The irony is that it was Clinton’s screw ups over Somalia that set the stage for the pirates to be active.
Will this “one” instant of Obama showing some, although passively, guts translate in to further action? Pundits have been likening these pirates to “businessmen.” Will they get the message that the cost of running this business has become too high and get out...or rachet up the threat? If it is the latter, will “President Obama” has the huevos to take proactive measures against pirates threatening sea lanes and the anarchy of Somalia that fosters it? I don’t think he will.
Attorney General Holder will review the details, decide that Phillips was not in imminent danger and indict the commander of the USS Bainbridge.
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