NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) - Navy snipers on the fantail of a destroyer cut down three Somali pirates in a lifeboat and rescued an American sea captain in a surprise nighttime assault in choppy seas Easter Sunday, ending a five-day standoff between a team of rogue gunmen and the world's most powerful military.
It was a stunning ending to an Indian Ocean odyssey that began when 53-year-old freighter Capt. Richard Phillips was taken hostage Wednesday by pirates who tried to hijack the U.S.-flagged Maersk Alabama. The Vermont native was held on a tiny lifeboat that began drifting precariously toward Somalia's anarchic, gun-plagued shores.
The operation, personally approved by President Barack Obama, quashed fears the saga could drag on for months and marked a victory for the U.S., which for days seemed powerless to resolve the crisis despite massing helicopter-equipped warships at the scene.
Congratulations to the U.S. Navy and the Navy Seals for the rescue and kudos to President Obama for authorizing the operation to rescue Capt. Phillips. I had a feeling that some sort of operation was being planned. I was a little concerned over President Obama's silence on the matter, but that was tempered by the fact that sometimes presidential silence means that a plan to take action may be in the planning stages. Looks like my hunch was correct.
I may be an anti-Obama partisan, but when he does right I am not afraid to acknowledge it.
UPDATE (4/12/09): There is some dispute over what President Obama did or didn't do in this matter.
The Wall Street Journal.com is reporting that "Mr. Obama, who had given standing orders Friday night for the Navy to take action to rescue Capt. Phillips if the danger escalated, spoke with him by phone Sunday after he was freed."
The standing orders may have been affirmed by President Obama, but he did not order the rescue. Some are reporting that he still was in favor of negotiating with the Somali pirates. The rescue was launched as the commanding officer on the scene was acting within the scope of his orders.
We'll see how this plays out.
No comments:
Post a Comment