Ferrari Mailing List: Re: NFC: Navy Seals Perform awsome Rescue of US Hostage

[Adam Green (flatcrank]

On Sun, Apr 12, 2009 at 11:19 AM, Michael James <cavallino_rapante [at] 
yahoo.com
> wrote:

> Let's not be so naive....this wouldn't have been attempted without
> expressed go-ahead from the President.  The FBI doesn't command Military
> Personnel to 'engage'.  Only Obama has that authority.  And HE gave it.
>
> M


I'd say the President would have been briefed, but he would not impose and
would defer to the commander in charge, only giving political objectives.
At least, that's what I've read pertaining to previous incidents of
extortion bordering on terrorism.  I imagine the advice from the White House
would have guided plans away from public negotiation with
terrorists/extortionists/pirates instead towards "decisive response."

I think even the most thick-headed of those pirate gangs would now
understand that if they attack a US flag ship, the response from the US will
minimize the risk to innocent life, but the outcome is inevitable.

I hope this incident leads to the US turning its resourcing to take action
at the source of the Somali problem and not to become yet another source of
endless police action in foreign waters and on foreign lands.

ps.  I agree with another post on the topic that we're a long way off the
radar of Ferrari topics for this list, but I make the exception that this is
just too important to leave off limits.

pps.  My utmost respect to the captain and the crew for being prepared and
being able to repel the attack and hold their ship.  And full credit for the
guts and brains of the captain to trade his one life for the many lives of
the crew -- that's what you're "meant" to do and that's what we're trained
to do, but to actually be willing to stand up and take the bullet is a whole
'nother level of "big, brass ones."  I'm relieved to hear he made it and
along the way he demonstrated the importance of trying to escape and using
his single hostage status to best effect.  There's no question this
situation could or even would have turned ugly if the pirates had four or
five hostages to kill off one at a time.

I look forward to seeing that crew recognized as heroes and the captain
having helped his crew save all their lives.