Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

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
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 121-140141-160161-180 ... 241-248 next last
To: Star Traveler
Well, like I said, that’s the way I see it.

I initially thought that as well. But the fact that the SEALs had kill opportunities in better conditions shows that Obama's directives were in error. Do you agree that the first priority should have been to save the captain's life as soon as the opportunity presented itself?

141 posted on 04/13/2009 8:52:42 PM PDT by dirtboy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 138 | View Replies]

To: tc45a

You said — Yeah we know that everything printed is true.

Well, it seems that we’ve either got things printed in articles, or we’ve got posters spouting off opinions... hmmmm..., I wonder which one I should consider... LOL..

And actually, we’ve also got some “common sense” — which does seem to be a rarity at times..., on this board... :-)


142 posted on 04/13/2009 8:53:46 PM PDT by Star Traveler
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 136 | View Replies]

To: angkor
This is really a crock, from a crock of a gloomer and doomer "publisher".

Yep, This is the giveaway: Making money from gullibles 101

Free Bonus Report #1: Smart Hoarding 101: Do It Right and Save Big Money By Stocking Up on Food, Water, and Yes, Fuel. Free Bonus Report #2: Life-Saving Basics: Make Your Own Antibiotic Alternatives At Home.

143 posted on 04/13/2009 8:55:54 PM PDT by tc45a
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 140 | View Replies]

To: ArmstedFragg

didn’t you get the memo? He walked from the Bainbridge over to the lifeboat and handled the situation himself.


144 posted on 04/13/2009 8:56:31 PM PDT by Mom MD (Jesus is the Light of the world!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 68 | View Replies]

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

Quite so. Of the many different stories I've read about this incident, there's been that many different versions of what actually happened. I suppose we'll have to wait for the movie to find out what really didn't happen.

I don't trust any of the "facts" yet. All of the reporting has been so fluid... there's just no way to know.

145 posted on 04/13/2009 9:05:34 PM PDT by Ramius (Personally, I give us... one chance in three. More tea?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: tobyhill
GWB would have given the order to take a shot right away.

Even the most liberal police officers know that in any hostage situation you take any open shot you can.

146 posted on 04/13/2009 9:08:33 PM PDT by LukeL (Yasser Arafat: "I'd kill for a Nobel Peace Prize")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Williams

I understand a bit how you are thinking on this W but IMHO ‘makes no sense’ or ‘unlikely’ and pirates do not work out together in any, way, shape or form for me. they are muslim savages, with a weapon pointed at their target and their fingers on triggers they were a fraction of a second at best from ending this man’s life on purpose or for for any number of ‘reasons’ they could dream up. also, a real good chance of an ND here as proper weapons handling skills are not exactly these bastards forte’ from what I have seen.


147 posted on 04/13/2009 9:09:41 PM PDT by bobby.223
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 102 | View Replies]

To: tc45a
Yep, This is the giveaway: Making money from gullibles 101

LOL! You left out Hiding My head in the Sand 101, and the Government is Here to Protect You 102! Also, numbnuts, if you want to pretend you are military in Private Mails, Americans don't normally use the word....eschelon...... Once again welcome to FR....

148 posted on 04/13/2009 9:13:19 PM PDT by ScreamingFist (Annihilation - The result of underestimating your enemies. NRA)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 143 | View Replies]

To: dirtboy

I thought the directives were to gain the release of the hostage or shoot the pirates if the his life was in danger — and then it was up to the U.S. Navy to achieve the goal...

And you’ve got to remember, that the pirates goal (which the Navy can use to their own advantage) is to get a ransom. And a dead hostage gets you no ransom at all, plus... it gets you “dead” if you do that. The Navy can use that to their own advantage..., in order to achieve the directive given to them.

As far as saving the captain’s life, that was the goal all along. As to how to achieve it, I believe the Navy had a lot of discretion to do whatever worked, according to the directives given to them.

The pirates know, and the Navy knows, too..., that without a live hostage, there is no ransom and the pirates’ lives are worth absolutely nothing at that point (if the hostage dies). So, since all parties know that, it’s in the Navy’s best interests to plan for the most successful operation that they can...


149 posted on 04/13/2009 9:14:32 PM PDT by Star Traveler
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 141 | View Replies]

To: Patas
The Pirates obviously had no real intention of killing the captain. Up until this week no known hostage has ever been killed by the Somali Pirates.

They didn't want to kill him, but they didn't want to give him up. They haven't killed anybody before because they were never in this situation before. They have always been the masters of their domain.

150 posted on 04/13/2009 9:17:12 PM PDT by dr_lew
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 131 | View Replies]

To: tobyhill
Don't tell me he was....er...waffling?


151 posted on 04/13/2009 9:17:50 PM PDT by Mad_Tom_Rackham (What did Obama's Teleprompter know, and when did it know it...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Star Traveler

The Muslim equivalent to “Hold muh beer”. Pointing an AK 47 at someone while Navy SEAL’s have a bead on you. Letting a SEAL team come so close was incredibly stupid. Our guys could have dropped these pirates with pistols at that range.


152 posted on 04/13/2009 9:27:16 PM PDT by yawningotter
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 103 | View Replies]

To: tobyhill

shocking!


153 posted on 04/13/2009 9:38:32 PM PDT by Ancient Drive (will)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: tobyhill
Obama was briefed on the crisis at least 18 times

Lyndon Johnson personally okaying bombing targets micromanaging vietnam. geez, you'd think the president would have better things to do. Get rid of the regulations preventing ships from carrying heavy duty arms themselves and you won't have any piracy.
154 posted on 04/13/2009 9:40:18 PM PDT by traviskicks (http://www.neoperspectives.com/Ron_Paul_2008.htm)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: tobyhill

This sounds more like it....


155 posted on 04/13/2009 9:55:44 PM PDT by Freedom56v2 (Wonder if our founding fathers would even recognize the USA?!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Patas

you make some points here Patas but how ‘obviously’? all of those other muslim savages didn’t act suicidal either as they have slyly wandered into any number of places in the past years around the world and have blown their own asses and countless innocents to another place. these savages are up for anything and death does not seem to bother them whatsoever. these bastards can go off at any moment, a US warship breathing down their neck or not. glad our guys took the shots and I don’t agree that it is/was an ‘unnecessary’ escalation, but that is the great part about FR, discussing other opinions around a bit huh?


156 posted on 04/13/2009 9:57:22 PM PDT by bobby.223
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 131 | View Replies]

To: tobyhill
"Get me a rewrite! This is not good enough!" said the voice coming out of the computer. Starting over with a blank screen Harvey Dimple composed the new article in his head as he typed, which was how he got this job.

Dateline: Somalia. Headline: Heroic President leads victorious military campaign.

Body- Somali pirates likely dispatched by a local warlord captured the pirate of a merchant vessel and demanded a ransom for his release. The valiant military forces led by Hero President Obama rushed into action and secured the freedom of the ship captain by sending 3 pirates to the seafloor and capturing one alive with his bare hands.

There Harvey told himself. The 4 days of the worlds most powerful military being in a standoff with an unpowered rowboat were to no longer be a part of history. The White House Office of Truth and Information would send this out to the official media and it would be followed without question.

Soon everyone in the kingdom would forget what they saw as it happened live. They would forget the waiting and the yellow ribbons and the vigils as if they had never happened. They would no longer remember the President waving off questions about the seizure of the civilian vessel. They would no longer recall the Secretary of State having a bout of laughter when she was asked for a comment. No. From now on the President is the hero of the moment and he should be given single-handed credit for saving the ship captain from his captors.

157 posted on 04/13/2009 9:59:56 PM PDT by GeronL (tea parties quarterly until we get big enough to simply take over by force if necessary)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: tobyhill

I know that my preoccupation with “EEEVILL Guns” has made me wonder if the snipers used good old 7.62 or .223 to dispatch the community organizers in that boat. I would have opted for the bigger round for wind bucking capabilities..


158 posted on 04/13/2009 10:00:37 PM PDT by contrarian (Don't blame me-- I didn't vote for him)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: contrarian

at LRs, I would agree with ya.


159 posted on 04/13/2009 10:08:53 PM PDT by bobby.223
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 158 | View Replies]

To: TurtleUp

You must include the CO of the Bainbridge as a hero. His explanation that the pirates were pointing an AK at the cap’t is nice, but i would guess they’d pointed a weapon at him for 119 of the last 120 hours. The Capt of the Bainbridge took it upon himself to declare the hostage’s life in danger as a way of letting the snipers end this and still complying with Obama’s straightjacket RoEs. If they’d missed and Phillips was killed Obama would have had the COs head on a plate, just as he’s taking the credit now.The Bainbridge CO put his career and Phillips’ life in the hands of those SEALS. Talk about confidence.


160 posted on 04/13/2009 10:13:35 PM PDT by xkaydet65
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 121-140141-160161-180 ... 241-248 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson