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| Africa Horn |
| Real Story of Obama's Role In Freeing US Captain |
| 2009-04-19 |
Having spoken to some SEAL pals here in Virginia Beach yesterday and asking why this thing dragged out for 4 days, I got the following:1. BHO wouldn't authorize the DEVGRU/NSWC SEAL teams to the scene for 36 hours going against OSC (on scene commander) recommendation. So per our last email thread, I'm downgrading Oohbaby's performace to D-. Only reason it's not an F is that the hostage survived. Read the following accurate account. Philips' first leap into the warm, dark water of the Indian Ocean hadn't worked out as well. With the Bainbridge in range and a rescue by his country's Navy possible, Philips threw himself off of his lifeboat prison, enabling Navy shooters onboard the destroyer a clear shot at his captors -- and none was taken. The guidance from National Command Authority -- the president of the United States, Barack Obama -- had been clear: a peaceful solution was the only acceptable outcome to this standoff unless the hostage's life was in clear, extreme danger. The next day, a small Navy boat approaching the floating raft was fired on by the Somali pirates -- and again no fire was returned and no pirates killed. This was again due to the cautious stance assumed by Navy personnel thanks to the combination of a lack of clear guidance from Washington and a mandate from the commander in chief's staff not to act until Obama, a man with no background of dealing with such issues and no track record of decisiveness, decided that any outcome other than a "peaceful solution" would be acceptable. After taking fire from the Somali kidnappers again Saturday night, the onscene commander decided he'd had enough. Keeping his authority to act in the case of a clear and present danger to the hostage's life and having heard nothing from Washington since yet another request to mount a rescue operation had been denied the day before, the Navy officer -- unnamed in all media reports to date -- decided the AK47 one captor had leveled at Philips' back was a threat to the hostage's life and ordered the NSWC team to take their shots. I don't know if the Bainbridge CO was in charge but, if so, he would be Commander Frank X. Castellano according to the Bainbridge website. Three rounds downrange later, all three brigands became enemy KIA and Philips was safe. There is upside, downside, and spinside to the series of events over the last week that culminated in yesterday's dramatic rescue of an American hostage. Almost immediately following word of the rescue, the Obama administration and its supporters claimed victory against pirates in the Indian Ocean and [1] declared that the dramatic end to the standoff put paid to questions of the inexperienced president's toughness and decisiveness. Despite the Obama administration's (and its sycophants') attempt to spin yesterday's success as a result of bold, decisive leadership by the inexperienced president, the reality is nothing of the sort. What should have been a standoff lasting only hours -- as long as it took the USS Bainbridge and its team of NSWC operators to steam to the location -- became an embarrassing four day and counting standoff between a ragtag handful of criminals with rifles and a U.S. Navy warship. |
| Posted by:Captain Crereling7731 |
| #18 Why does the whole pirate episode reminded me of Blackhawk Down? With OBama its all 'image' and appeasement - nothing about making a stand or principal or honor. Worse then Carter. And far, far, worse then Clinton. God save our soldiers from a CIC who will let them down or trade their lives away just to 'have the right image'. And Obama is exactly that kind of person. Israel and Japan should take a good hard look at the president we foolishly elected - I don't think it'll be wise to depend on him (or any democrat) to support them if things get tight. It'll be another Saigon but much, much, worse. |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2009-04-19 16:42 |
| #17 Those ROE sound exactly like the ones that were around when Clinton was in office. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2009-04-19 16:09 |
| #16 This may be a fine point, but I hadn't really heard The One talk about it: BHO immediately claims credit for his "daring and decisive" behaviour. Well, did HE take credit? My perception is that the credit was heaped on him by Big News. That said, I suppose failure to not deflect the credit to where it was due is just about as bad. |
| Posted by: eLarson 2009-04-19 15:29 |
| #15 I would imagine that the good Captain on the Bainbridge had made the decision to sacrifice his career, if necessary, in order to save the life of Capt. Philips by ordering the action. They are both 10^6 more men that the Big O could ever dream to be. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2009-04-19 14:26 |
| #14 Follows is UNCONFIRMED reporting. Date: Tue, 14 Apr 2009 22:44:24 -0400 This is the first-hand account from one on board the USS Boxer. Note: Jargon key located at the bottom. I've been taking notes on facts, speculation and rumors. What I know is on the eleventh of April, 2009 at 1600 two C17 cargo planes flew over USS Boxer and four parachutes emerged out of the back. Then out came the boats! Four very fast 1300 hp SWCC's with radar and guns! After those were safely extracted, the personnel and SEALs jumped. About 95 people in all splashed down near the USS Boxer. They swam to the ship and entered the well-deck. I spoke with one of the SEALs in the hangar bay as he was stowing his gear He was talking to a younger looking Ops guy with shoulder-length hair and I struck up a conversation with them. They were really friendly. The older SEAL finished with his bag and reached for a rifle case. Then he casually unzipped it and pulled out a Mark 416. This is a highly specialized carbine and as he explained "it's basically an M -4, but made by H&K so it's better! It has visible and non-visible lasers and a collapsable stock. It's nice." "And is that an advanced armament suppressor?" I asked. "yeah that just makes it sound better, and the ladies love it!" I asked him if it's the coolest job in the navy. "Well I haven't ever flown an F-18 off a carrier, but yeah, pretty much!" "You guys don't wear any insignia." "We don't wear it, but we're still in the Navy." "I know that but what's with that?" "Well I'm a Chief, and he is a Second-Class" "oh, ok" "So, Chief, did you come in as a SEAL?" "yep, you don't have to be formal, that's why we don't wear it. It gets in the way and besides, we know who's in charge." "Well I have to get back to my watch." "OK, any time you see us over here and just want to chat, feel free!" "Cool, thanks" "Any time" I also found out from the CPO that the guys flew in from VB on C17's and that took 18 hours! They parachuted into the ocean! That's' cool as hell! At 2100 on Saturday we were headed for the area where the USS Bainbridge (DDG 96) was already in position (several hundred miles east off of Somalia's coast). And on Sunday there were so many parts of our engine that were broken from traveling at flank speed (full Bendix) that we stopped the shaft, engaged the jacking gear, pinned the gear and tagged it out. I spent three watches fabricating parts, helping replace sight-flow indicators on journal bearings and running around the ship. On Easter Sunday night at around 1530, as I was making my hourly rounds through the hangar bay, I heard four distant rifle reports and knew exactly what had happened. There was an orange capsule being towed by USS Bainbridge. Two SEAL snipers laying prone on the fantail with Barrett .50 cal rifles pointed at the small craft. CAPT. Richard Phillips of Vermont was swimming toward the RHIB sitting close to the lifeboat. When the Navy said that we want to see proof of life, the good captain jumped into the water and started to draw fire from the pirates. The Snipers fired. I had to return to my watch station and at close of business, I assumed my next watch: CNN's Live broadcast of speculation and grievous bullshit! I have to decipher all of this crap for you. At 2300 Africa time the Maersk Alabama safely docked in Mombasa, Kenya and the crew was debriefed by the FBI for some reason. Captain Phillips was logged onboard Boxer at 1836 and one skinny, short, pitiful-looking (and never in a million year is he sixteen) pirate, who was escorted handcuffed despite the wounds, wearing blacked out ski goggles, through the hangar bay by like 20 marines and MA's. He has asked for amnesty. He'll probably get a UN Trial for international piracy. Me, four hours ago. Monday, APR 13, 2009. At 0930 USS Boxer sits of the coast of Somalia and the Bainbridge is at her stern on the port side in tow, the life boat containing three lifeless pirates dispatched into oblivion by the best sharpshooters in the world. The corpses are transferred under the heaviest morgue security I've seen since President Ford's funeral to the USS Boxer's chilled holding facility. At 1000, the lifeboat from Maersk Alabama is hoisted onto Boxer's flight deck by the local crane. Probably the most interesting Easter I've ever spent! Looking closely at the boat, I see four large bullet holes on the STB side where "justice" entered the pirate's mind's. Some brain matter sloshed around in the boat. I was told before I left San Diego that I would hate the Boxer. I'll tell you now, I wouldn't rather be on any other ship. Broken parts and all, I like it. 1025 "Maersk Alabama, Departing." is heard over the 1MC. The name of the ship is used to describe the Captain as he is at the top of the command. Personal speculation and trusted brass scuttlebutt says that our AOR has shifted from the gulf of Aden where there aren't any pirates, to where we sit now. 16 ships and 200 hostages from various countries still remain stranded. Not for long, I predict. As always, keeping it real on the high seas with the US Navy, ' KEY: SWCC, special warfare combatant crewman, brown water H&K, Heckler and Koch, famous german weapon's designer's world renound for their popular .45 cal USP (universal service pistol) And other highly precise firearms. CPO, Chief Petty Officer, USN, E7 VB, Virginia Beach, Virginia, East coast headquarters of Special Warfare. DDG, Guided Missile Destroyer Flank, the fastest speed the ship can travel, equal to about 35 knots RHIB, (rib) Rigid-hulled inflatable boat STB, Starboard (right) 1MC, numeric designation for the main announcing circuit used on U.S. Navy vessels. AOR, Area Of Responsibily, the confines within which we roam. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2009-04-19 14:16 |
| #13 Second the motion, Zim-Bob-Way for sure, he can't be worse (He doesn't have the guts to massacre and THAT will ensure a VERY Short "Reign") |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2009-04-19 13:55 |
| #12 ...and g(r)om gets credited with the assist. |
| Posted by: Seafarious 2009-04-19 09:33 |
| #11 Can you give us, for example, a name of a country for the presidency of which he is suitable? ZimBobWay. Hands down. |
| Posted by: lotp 2009-04-19 09:33 |
| #10 Or the land called Honalee... Grunter takes the early Sunday lead for Snark o' the Week... |
| Posted by: Seafarious 2009-04-19 09:30 |
| #9 Venezuela is taken. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2009-04-19 07:44 |
| #8 Or the land called Honalee... |
| Posted by: Grunter 2009-04-19 06:31 |
| #7 Grom, I guess he'd probably be fine for Venezuala, or some marginal African country like Chad.... |
| Posted by: Scooter McGruder 2009-04-19 06:04 |
| #6 Obama: Inexperienced, Unqualified, and Unsuitable for the presidency of this great nation. Can you give us, for example, a name of a country for the presidency of which he is suitable? |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2009-04-19 03:38 |
| #5 I'm sure Obama just thought "make a peaceful solution" and it would somehow happen. Remember, he's a transnationalist who doesn't really represent the USA, but he's more like a UN-appointed steward for the USA's interests abroad. No way he's going to order anything but fuzzy bunnies and rainbows for everyone. |
| Posted by: gromky 2009-04-19 03:24 |
| #4 I don't think there will be any direct retribution against the Bainbridge captain. I think there are plenty in the Navy who will tell him quietly, "well done" and make sure his career doesn't suffer. He was right, he made the right decision, and the freighter captain is alive to tell everyone. Obama would have to be truly stupid as a politician to throw a wrench into the man's career -- lord knows how many people would leak such news. Obama isn't that stupid. |
| Posted by: Steve White 2009-04-19 02:45 |
| #3 Obama: Inexperienced, Unqualified, and Unsuitable for the presidency of this great nation. God help us all. |
| Posted by: Scooter McGruder 2009-04-19 01:54 |
| #2 Listen to the good Cap't words -- even the first words released by Adm ??? from him were that his recusers were the heros. He has repeated that over and over. His wife repeated it at their reunion press conference. The good Cap't remained on the Bainbridge to sail into port, rather than quickly being flown to Kenya and whisked home. He wanted and was getting the full story of what happened. The pirates were firing at the SEALS, he went over the side... you know the rest of the story. He and his wife know the story --- watch that video again.... he lets the world know, who rescued him. I kinda get the idea, he's daring anyone to go after anyone that was involved in his rescue. Even included that the Cap'ts of the Bainbridge and the Boxer, were "cool as cucumbers." There was a reason for that statement. He wasn't with them, when the decisions were being made. He knows the results of their decisons. Bet he still hasn't taken off that Bainbridge cap! |
| Posted by: Sherry 2009-04-19 01:45 |
| #1 Sounds like the Bainbridge commander violated orders in authorizing the shooting - Phillips was in no more imminent danger than he had been at several times previously. But the orders may have been intended to be disobeyed, such that any negative outcome (or spin) could be blamed on him, while positives would pass through to Zero. It would certainly not be the first time such situations were set up. It will be interesting to see what happens to the commander's career. |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2009-04-19 00:46 |