I don't have a problem with dragging the matter out in order to wear down the pirates, get a SEAL team in place and to improve the tactical situation. I do have a major problem with not allowing the SEAL team to end it at the first and best opportunity.
One of the things that I’ve been reading about in hostage situations, and it covers a wide range of hostage events (not just pirates in Somalia), is that it was found out that chances are greatly improved for the hostages lives, if time is taken to have someone talking and negotiating with the hostage takers even if you are going to storm them at a later time.
Apparently, this is something that the authorities have learned, over time, and so now, “patience” is the key element to these things — unless — there are clear moves to kill hostages, and then you move quickly...
So, from what I’ve read (in other situations, other than this one...), it appears that this situation was carried out in the same manner
It appears to have been a successful resolution and one done according to long-time experience and with the elements of negotiation and patience and trying to improve your odds for success.