Obama ORDERED Rescue of Ship Captain

[berni_mccoy]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iqznz3bUMKIUbrDYAUHHuMQ4vyJAD97H45GO1

(notice how the AP words it though)

Obama approved force to rescue pirate hostage

WASHINGTON (AP) — Administration officials say President Barack Obama approved the military operation that rescued a U.S. captain held hostage by Somali pirates.
The officials say Obama ordered the Defense Department to use military resources to rescue Richard Phillips from a lifeboat off the Somali coast.
The officials discussed this information on the condition of anonymity because they were not yet authorized to disclose the president's decision-making process.
Obama praised the captain for his bravery and courage. The president also said the United States needs help from other countries to deal with the threat of piracy and to hold pirates accountable.

[PopSixSquish]

1. That Will Just Take the Wind Out of the Right Wing's Sails

You know, it really sucks to have a real CIC.

[Hellataz]

54. you would think, but this was the response from my conservative pal:

First I told him about the the snipers taking out the Pirates and saving the Captain.
He yelled "Yeah! Hold on turning on Fox news"
Then he mentioned reading the full AP story and said "Obama gave the order"
So I asked: Does that make you dislike him any less?
He says "Nope"
(and then in response to Obama ordering the mission)
He says: "He had to be asked TWICE"


Nothing he does will ever be good enough for the Right, they will continue to find fault in everything he does, even in ever success he has. It's just sad.

[Puzzler]

57. Yeah, as I mentioned earlier, the "had to be asked twice" meme...

... is pretty much the received talking-point of the hysterical RWers.

[Happyhippychick]

2. The 'pukies won't believe that Obama had anything to do with this now that it has been a success.

[harun]

52. Yep.

[Undercurrent]

3. Yes!

They're saying the same thing on TV.

Our President is no weakling. He'll use force when needed. He just won't order blowing things up as a first response. He prefers a scalpel instead of a sledge hammer whenever possible, just like he did in this situation. Snipers instead of bombs.

[cwcwmack]

4. that's not quite true...

don't bs.

At BEST, the President gave an open ended "Use force to facilitate a rescue if practicable"

What really happened was that the Captain went outside to take a leak again... and jumped in the water for a second escape attempt. A team of SEALS with infrared binocs were monitoring the whole situation and when the Captain hit the water, the SEALS opened up, probably from a deck mount 50BMG an/or sniper rifles "lighting up" the lifeboat. It was the call of the SEALS commander on site...

Saying that the President ordered a snatch and grab operation or something like that is bullshit.

[cwcwmack]

5. But if you like...

you can embellish the story by adding that President Obama was on the Bainbridge personally and was behind the deck gun... all camo'ed up with binocs in one hand and a USP SOCOM in the other...

Bottom line... EVERYONE comes out looking good here. SOS Hillary talked tough and came out smelling like a rose, President Obama enjoys the light of a successful military operation and the US citizens are happy...

No need to fuss it up with bs

[Turbineguy]

6. That may be

but did he stuff a cucumber in his trousers?

[cwcwmack]

9. lol... n/t

[MADem]

23. Come on now, don't be calling out Porgie like that.

It was a rolled up pair of sweatsocks--not a cucumber!!!

[doc03]

19. Kind of sounds like you're disappointed with the

outcome. I don't suppose George F-----g Bush personally planed the invasion of Iraq either but he claimed "Mission Accomplished" didn't he? Why would you be playing down this President's role in the rescue unless you were kind of hoping it turned out like when JEC tried to rescue the Iranian hostages?

[Name removed]

22. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[cwcwmack]

26. of course not...

it's the best possible news... no need to embellish.

[berni_mccoy]

28. Who is embellishing?

[cwcwmack]

30. OBAMA "ORDERED" RESCUE?

embellished compared to original AP story...

it's a little thing but I'm just a stickler for accuracy.

I'm quite sure that Obama said "Stage operation if practicable" and left the operation details up the the commander on scene. That's what he did, that's what happened and it's all good...

[berni_mccoy]

35. It's exactly what the AP Article states.

"Obama ordered the Defense Department to use military resources to rescue Richard Phillips"

[ClarkUSA]

48. WTF?? No one said he PLANNED the rescue fer chrissakes! Oh, and welcome to DU. Really.

:eyes:

[Cha]

59. That's what the AP article says "ORDERED"

The OP was not embellishing.

[Libby2]

51. Nah , that's a gwb tactic.

[opihimoimoi]

8. We don't know any details yet....them sailors prolly got scolding for letting the pirates

recapture the Capt 3 days ago...tyhis time, someone got a vision of keeping the op open for A 2ND ATTEMPT...which obviously happened...

Time will tell who made the real call...

[Bluenorthwest]

56. It is not the job of 'them sailors' to shoot and defend

they are unarmed in fact. The capitan protected his vessel and his crew, as he should. Who do you think would scold unarmed, untrained crew members for not being Navy Seals? That is like saying they'd scold the receptionist in Binghamton for not taking that shooter out.
The crew did their jobs. As did the capitan.

[opihimoimoi]

61. Scuse my Ignorance....didn't realize our Navy Warships do not have small arms

[depakid]

10. I doubt he was micromanaging like Jimmy Carter was wont to do

One hopes he sent in the appropriate professionals and let them do their jobs.

[cwcwmack]

which is exactly how it looked... n/t

[flpoljunkie]

11. CNN just reported that the Captain did not jump in the water for second escape attempt, but Seals

thought he was in 'imminent danger' so they took the pirates out.

[Ian David]

14. I thought I just read that the captain was taking a leak off the side of the boat. n/t

[flpoljunkie]

15. Really? I missed that.

[Ian David]

16. It was in one of the gazilion other threads waiting for the moderators to merge into one. n/t

[cwcwmack]

24. did they report on the cucumber, too? n/t

[berni_mccoy]

13. You did read the AP article didn't you? That's what is posted.

[Politicalboi]

21. Yes that's true

And Bo was there with him biting the other pirate on board.

[Fire1]

39. THANK YOU! Let's not blow this out of proportion. After all,

the Captain deserves most of the credit here. He did the hard part.

[berni_mccoy]

40. No one is blowing *anything* out of proportion. That's what happened and was reported.

[Fire1]

44. I was responding to cwcw mack's post, up thread. What is most

reported is that the Captain, is indeed, the heroe here, which is true.

[berni_mccoy]

49. Not exactly. cwcwmack claimed I "embellished" the story. It's exactly what the AP reported.

And exactly what happened. That guy is pizza material.

[jefferson_dem]

46. Whew. Thank goodness you are here to illuminate the rampant media bias...

in favor of our Democratic President.

Welcome to DU. :hi:

[AtomicKitten]

58. "Obama Ordered Killing of Somalia Pirates"

Loathe to give the President credit where credit is due? How freeperish of you.

"Our authorities came directly from the president. And the number one authority for incidents, if we were going to respond, was if the captain's life was in immediate danger," Gortney said.

http://tvnz.co.nz/world-news/obama-ordered-killing-somali-pirates-2638799

[Bad Thoughts]

7. Obama will get no medal from Bush

You gotta screw up to earn one of those.

[Ian David]

12. Ronald Reagan would have just given them anti-aircraft missiles. n/t

[Thrill]

17. Freepers heads exploding. As President Obama shows his toughness

without talking tough.

[Clio the Leo]

31. Yep they are....

... citing his reason for "finally" acting was because he didn't want it to affect his polling numbers (notice this swipe acknowledges that he has high poll numbers to begin with.)

They are also complaining that we're only hearing of his order AFTER the rescue was a success ..... 'cause ya know, if the President and the Navy and a Navy SEAL team is dealing with a hostage drama, the POTUS should be obligated to announce every decision to the American Public FIRST. :eyes:

Read if you dare....
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2227635/posts

ETA: When poor brave Freeper commended the President on "doing the right thing," another one chided him saying "we dont know that he did, we only know what the press is reporting..." Yeah, I'm sure it's all a lie and the Captain is still being held hostage. This is all a ruse by the press to make sure the President's polling numbers dont fall from 66% to 65%.

[ChimpersMcSmirkers]

36. There are surprising number of freeptards who are actually praising this.

Perhaps there is hope.

[Clio the Leo]

37. No, they are just more apt to like bloodshed...

.... the same thing that causes some of them to praise the President is the same thing that cause me to ... quietly .... be sad that three of the pirates were killed.

I believe that life is precious .... they believe life should be like an episdoe of 24.

[Cali_Democrat]

41. OMG.....that thread.......

I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

It is quite entertaining though.

[DeschutesRiver]

18. I finally made myself turn Fox on and to my great surprise

there was absolutely no bad talk about Obama - in fact, the woman newsperson I watched had nothing but good things to say. I finally got tired of waiting for them to dog out Obama and went to a normal channel.

What is our world coming to, as Obama quietly and persistently runs the country in a competent, practical and well considered manner, and the naysayers begin to settle down and calm their unrealistic fears? Not saying this is of tidal wave proportions, but it is amusing to watch the arguments against my president's competency fade into obscurity, even as slow as it is going.

Obama has a giant mess on his hands, which he is patiently and determinedly tackling one issue or more at a time. I don't always like some things he has done (Monsanto shill for Food Safety dept, add your own favorite pet peeve) but not getting my way on every issue won't rock my world. Watching him take care of business no matter the obstacles is comforting overall.

[MADem]

25. Weekend staff, maybe? All the meanies are home eating ham or lamb? NT

[DeschutesRiver]

47. That made me LOL; at least at home eating the heads off chocolate bunnies, for sure. nt

[saltpoint]

20. Glenn Beck is going to be SO disappointed.

[CTyankee]

29. Mercy! I hope his hemmorhoids don't grow back...

He had that operation but who knows, what with all the stress...:shrug:

[saltpoint]

32. LOL! Poor Glenn. If it ain't one thing, it's another.

May he undergo the most stressful 8 years of his life, starting with the recent inauguration of Barack Obama.
:hi:

[CTyankee]

34. He brought it on himself now, didn't he?

Maybe he'll start crying again on camera...

[saltpoint]

38. He did bring it on himself.

I know it is statistically rare for a human being to spontaneously combust.

But please, God...

[CTyankee]

42. Oh my god!

:rofl:

Thanks for my big laugh of the day!

[Number23]

50. rofl I don't even know what you're talking about and I'm STILL lmao

Something just makes "Glenn Beck" and "hemorrhoids" go together like peanut butter and jelly...

[jenmito]

27. 5th R. GOBAMA! How will the media spin his first success in a crisis? n/t

[WeDidIt]

33. But, but, but, he's an APPEASER. He APPEASES!

And he's a SOCIALIST, too!

For the sarcasm impaired:

:sarcasm:

[Vinca]

43. Not to mention he bows . . . BOWS!

[President Decider]

45. ** PRESIDENT OBAMA HAD THIS TO SAY ABOUT IT ....

[berni_mccoy]

53. lol!

[vaberella]

55. I'm waiting for the family to thank the decisive action of the President.

Seriously. I was listening to Tameron on MSNBC and so far no thanks to the President...but to everyone else. Ah well.

[thatsrightimirish]

60. somalia

I smell spring break!