Navy Seal snipers are some bad mofos

[Uzybone]

Plus it appears Captain Phillips never jumped the lifeboat right before the brigands were taken out.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/13/world/africa/13pirates.html?hp


snip

"Acting with President Obama’s authorization and in the belief that the hostage, Capt. Richard Phillips, was in imminent danger of being killed by captors armed with pistols and AK-47s, snipers on the fantail of the destroyer Bainbridge, which was towing the lifeboat on a 100-foot line, opened fire and picked off the three captors.

Two of the captors had poked their heads out of a rear hatch of the lifeboat, exposing themselves to clear shots, and the third could be seen through a window in the bow, pointing an automatic rifle at the captain, who was tied up inside the 18-foot lifeboat, senior Navy officials said.

It took only three remarkable shots — one each by snipers firing from a distance at dusk, using night-vision scopes, the officials said. Within minutes, members of the Special Forces slid down ropes from the Bainbridge, climbed aboard the lifeboat and found the three pirates dead. They then untied Captain Phillips, ending the contretemps at sea that had riveted much of the world’s attention. A fourth pirate had surrendered earlier."

[firedupdem]

1. Bad Mofo's is right! Wow! n/t

[jefferson_dem]

2. I thought that rumor about him jumping again was questionable since he was cuffed.

He's a hero still...

[jefferson_dem]

3. I thought that rumor about him jumping again was questionable since he was cuffed.

He's a hero still...

[rockymountaindem]

4. Don't evince too much satisfaction

Otherwise you'll face ignominious condemnation as a bloodthirsty freeper and cowardly keyboard warrior.

[Uzybone]

7. I know, but I wonder what the handwringers would have said

if Phillips had been shot dead by criminals while US Navy snipers sat still?

[joshcryer]

20. Truth.

[Orsino]

21. Yes, please don't.

Vicariously enthusing over bloodshed is cowardly and freepery--but I repeat myself.

These SEALs, however, seem to have rescued the hostage with somewhere near the minimum necessary use of force, and I think we're allowed a measure of satisfaction.

[petronius]

5. With all due respect to the NY Times, I really don't think "contretemps"

is the right word for any situation involving suffering and death...

[Jennicut]

6. Wow. They are incredibly well trained.

I fully respect the amount of dedication they must have put in to their training.

[ChazII]

53. Agree with you 100%/ n/t

[Botany]

8. They (the Seals) did not come to play around

Way to go U.S.N. & Capt. Phillips

[hlthe2b]

9. Seeing your three captors picked off with three head shots

(I'm assuming) at night within seconds.... while one held an AK-47 to your head--well, I'm guessing the Captain is gonna have a few nightmares in the future. Yes, those snipers were pretty amazing.

[mix]

13. I wonder too

how the Captain will live with this trauma.

[flvegan]

10. Sniper finish. I called it.

Uh, yay for me.

[Born_A_Truman]

11. All the while the ship is moving and waves are not stationary

I know stories my DH has told me about landing F14s at night on a carrier deck. Imagine having to take a shot like that. One missed shot and the captain was gone.

[opihimoimoi]

18. Them heads are BIG at 90 feet......

[Cha]

57. Precisely, it could have gone

the other way.

[MrSlayer]

12. Once they bring in the special forces, you're done.

Their whole job is to kill efficiently and they are damn good at it. Hats off to the SEAL team.

[Bicoastal]

14. Shut yo' mouth!

[PopSixSquish]

15. The Recon Marines Would Tell You That They are Better

but both groups are some of the best in the world...

[mia]

16. It's a good thing they are!

And it's even better that we have a strong Commander in Chief.

[elleng]

17. and that he now knows he can rely on them

(if he had any doubt before.)

[Sebastian Doyle]

19. So when do we send the Seals into Goldman Sachs?

Those fucking pirates are holding the entire country hostage.

[sampsonblk]

22. Let's not get wobbly in the knees

They are good. But these are generally not people you'd want to invite to dinner.

They are no better or worse than they were last week.

[erinlough]

23. excuse me?

They, meaning the Seals? They are sailors, they are someone's kid, brother, nephew. I have dinner with my nephew all the time, and some of his team was at his wedding. I saw them as people who you would want to invite to dinner! They are interesting, humble, and in my experience you would never know from them that they were SEALS.

[ChazII]

55. Exactly.

I have met two SEALS since Sept. 11 and I can't think of two men I'd rather go to a sporting event with, share a beer and yes, even have over to dinner. Your last sentence describes the two I know perfectly.

[Cha]

58. Thanks for

your post..somebody needed to enlighten that poster.

[TwilightGardener]

25. WTF?? They're just servicemen--with specialized training. Why in the hell

would someone not want them over for dinner?

[sampsonblk]

26. That's easy

Those are not regular servicepeople. I am speaking in general of course. But if your MOS is speficially killing people, it changes you. Most people couldn't do it.

[erinlough]

29. I think anyone in the service has the same MOS

Isn't the point of a military force to kill?

[sampsonblk]

32. No, every job has a specific number (MOS)

An MOS is the number assigned to a servicemember's job. Every job has a specific number. I was listed as a typist, so my MOS was 71L. You won't find any 71Ls on the SEAL teams. It ain't the same thing.

[11 Bravo]

51. My MOS was 11 B.

I guess you won't be asking me over for dinner.

[SoxFan]

52. I was an 11B, a 13F,...

and commissioned as a 13 Series officer. All involve inflicting significant emotional events on the bad guys. on making some other guy proud to die for his country.

Does the term REMF ring a bell?

[11 Bravo]

56. You bet your ass it does.

But the little blue rectangle with a long rifle and a star on top (second award) tended to inoculate me from most of the REMF banter. Two hearts and a ti-ti star with "V" for valor didn't hurt either.

[SoxFan]

60. Amen, brother

the balloon never went up while I was in uniform, but I've got plenty of friends who did their time over in Saudi, iraq, and Afghanistan, and you guys have earned every possible ounce of respect.

:patriot:

[Brooklyns_Finest]

59. 0311

My MOS was infantry. I have been deployed to several countries around the world, including Iraq. While I did not get the kind of training that the SEALs get, my primary job as a rifleman was to locate, close with and destroy the enemy. I have probably fired 50K rounds of ammunition in my 8 year military career. I would consider myself a pretty good shot. With that said, I am a pretty nice fellow who makes for good dinner company.

I did not know that typist was an MOS, but based on your statement, it seems as if you know very little about people in the military. We are no different than anyone that has a stressful and important job.

[TwilightGardener]

31. All military are trained to kill people, if ordered. My husband considered

becoming Special Forces (Air Force pararescue) back in the day, when he was a young enlisted man. I'm pretty sure he suddenly wouldn't have turned into an unfit-for-civil-society nutcase. You said something dumb, and there's no way to rationalize it.

[Waiting For Everyman]

45. My late husband was a long-range sniper and so was a good friend of mine.

I had dinner with both many-a-time. I was married to my husband for 25 years before he died. I can honestly say, as a woman of small stature, I was never afraid of either one of them.

It's true, you don't mess with them (as most people do to most people these days), but "control" of themselves is one thing they have.

[Fleshdancer]

27. Why wouldn't you invite them to dinner?

The SF guys I know are all wonderful people. :shrug:

[a la izquierda]

28. I guess I'll stop hanging out with my

buddy, a former Green Beret and about the most liberal person I know. :eyes:
Let me check off my brothers-in-law too...a Marine and an Air Force Major.
And my grandpa, a Navy man.

Jeez louise.

[sampsonblk]

42. You mistook my point - nt

[DevonRex]

30. WTF is wrong with you?

[beachmom]

33. I've broken bread with SEALs. They actually are not unlike anyone else.

Spoken clearly by someone ignorant of the military and particularly special forces.

[mainegreen]

34. Oh for crying out loud, our military personnel are not all spawn of evil.

Good grief.

[sampsonblk]

41. Oh for crying out loud, read before you write

I am a 10 year veteran. I know we are not all bad.

[vaberella]

36. I'll take that in hoping it's sarcasm. n/t

[SKKY]

50. Have you ever known any SEALS? I do, and I think you're "generally" off base...

...99.9% are great guys, very low-key, and yes, will break your neck in 16.3 different places. But, I would be happy to have them for dinner. Me thinks you know not of what you speak.

[TankLV]

62. Well, maybe not dinner - but only BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T BE ENOUGHT FOR WHAT THESE WONDERFUL BRAVE

PEOPLE DO TO PROTECT US!!!

I personally know of a Navy Seal - and he is one of the nicest, truely HUMANE persons I ever met...

YOU KNOW SHIT ABOUT WHAT YOU WRITE...asshole

[Zech Marquis The 2nd]

24. you do NOT mess with those guys!!!

No way in hell would any same person try to go up against the Navy SEALS, especially their snipers! If you see what they go through in training, you wouldn't dare cross their path anywhere.

[vaberella]

35. Tell that to Mika Mouse on Morning Joe...she said it was "LUCK"...I kid you not. n/t

[Sebastian Doyle]

40. Well, actually I'd expect that of Mika

considering it was probably her dad who fucked up that whole Iran thing back in 1980.

[Bobbie Jo]

43. No. "Luck" is what you have when these men show up to save your ass.

Clueless, as usual.

[Fire1]

49. Yeah, I gotta go with that. As much as I detest violence, if my

ass was in a sling, that's exactly who I'd want to show up!

[Bobbie Jo]

37. Damn Straight!

I used to date a SEAL....these bad boys are all about taking care of business. :patriot:

[Name removed]

38. Deleted message

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

[arcadian]

39. For got to add:

Prepare to be boarded!!!

[Hanse]

44. Navy Seals rock!

:spray:

[Phx_Dem]

46. You're not kidding. They shot the pirates through the wall of their covered lifeboat!

I bet I could do that! :rofl:

Seriously, these guys are amazing. :patriot::patriot::patriot:

[ShortnFiery]

47. The Navy SEALS who I have had the honor of meeting were all PROFESSIONALS and

LOW PROFILE in their conduct.

In Airborne School, the SEALS and RECON USMC were always shagged for extra push ups. They never complained and were in THE BEST SHAPE of any military members I've seen. No disrespect to The Rangers or Special Forces but IMNSHO, the Navy SEALS were the entire package of PERFECTION, i.e., military brains and brawn. :shrug:

[genna]

48. I just hope these pirates continue to be low tech. We don't need piracy in the 21st century.

I'd like to think this was a 18th and 19th phenomena.

[SoxFan]

54. Real SEALS vote Dem!

[FraDon]

61. I don't believe a word of it, and haven't for a week • How do we know it even happened?

The FRAUD light on the control panel has been steadily flashing for a week. American Tough-Guy Three-Simultaneously-Perfect-Sniper-Shots in-Rough-Seas?! Forgive me, a Resurrection on Easter Day ?! It's all too perfect. It's a play; and many players have their own cards to play. • Ike tried to warn us. • Perfect permanent wars mean pocketing permanent profits.

[Dumak]

63. These snipers are amazing, but you have to realize they

have access to some very advanced shooting technology. Guns that are "wired" to shoot at exactly the same time, and image-processing technology that automatically makes the gun track a bobbing target.

[Hello_Kitty]

64. I gotta agree with Katie Couric this time

"Navy Seals RAAWK!"

[KathieG]

65. Word.

:patriot: