http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/01/us/politics/01gitmo.html?hp
SecDef Robert Gates asked for $50 million to build a detention facility to hold the estimated 50-100 really, really bad people [we can't call them terrorists any more] that we won't turn over to another country.
Acutally, I'm all for releasing every single detainee. And I mean free to go. Escort them to the airline gate, give them a first class ticket and $100 and load them on the plane in their orange jump suits. Once they land in their home countries they are not our problem anymore. I don't think they will be readily able to join with their terrorist brothers because the "bad people" might suspect that we've put GPS tracking chips up their orifices. Essentially, these guys are ruined.
Just for fun, we should place each one of these guys under general anesthesia for a quick 'procedure' making them think that they've been bugged. I love mind-fucking with people!
And if we encounter these guys on the battlefield again, our boys should just put a $0.38 bullet between their ears and save us the trouble of feeding them in perpetuity.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Obama's Historic Election
Last night, the President referred to his election over John McCain, the Republican Presidential candidate, as "historic." His election as the first black President wasn't historic, but the election of a Democrat over a Republican was historic?
I wonder why he considers that historic? Its only happened several times this decade, let alone since our country was founded.
The President went on the clarify that his election was historic because it was a "signal" that the Nation unaninmously endorses his entire political portfolio and value system. Maybe that's why we're not seeing the political debate that we used to. Apparently, the debate on all of the issues past, present and future occurred prior to November 4, 2008 and were decided that night.
I don't quite see it that way Mr. President. Each idea and issue is a new opportunity for discussion and decision. Each issue is a chance for us to see how you work. Abdicating our individual thought for four years will take us quite a long ways down the path to tyranny.
In hindsight, Sen. McCain's age and health was a big issue compared to President Obama's youth and vigor. In addition, McCain was guilty by association of political party. Its clear that the Bush administration was not well liked in its final years. Much of that disdain was stirred up by the liberal left who foamed at the mouth at the mention of Bush's name.
But I digress. Last night we got a look inside the President's mind and saw how he views his current position. He believes that we ALL agree with him. His values are yours and my values. Not so, Mr. President.
I wonder why he considers that historic? Its only happened several times this decade, let alone since our country was founded.
The President went on the clarify that his election was historic because it was a "signal" that the Nation unaninmously endorses his entire political portfolio and value system. Maybe that's why we're not seeing the political debate that we used to. Apparently, the debate on all of the issues past, present and future occurred prior to November 4, 2008 and were decided that night.
I don't quite see it that way Mr. President. Each idea and issue is a new opportunity for discussion and decision. Each issue is a chance for us to see how you work. Abdicating our individual thought for four years will take us quite a long ways down the path to tyranny.
In hindsight, Sen. McCain's age and health was a big issue compared to President Obama's youth and vigor. In addition, McCain was guilty by association of political party. Its clear that the Bush administration was not well liked in its final years. Much of that disdain was stirred up by the liberal left who foamed at the mouth at the mention of Bush's name.
But I digress. Last night we got a look inside the President's mind and saw how he views his current position. He believes that we ALL agree with him. His values are yours and my values. Not so, Mr. President.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Getting Called Out in the Washington Post
Does anyone else think the foolishness in Washington, DC is getting beyond what we normally expect? The spin from the White House and Congress is so intense that I'm worried it might effect the rotation of the planet.
Normally, former administration officials retire or resign and stay quiet on the sidelines. The self-generated uproar by leading Democrats and the administration over the 'torture techniques' was silly enough to bring a former CIA Director out of his seat. J. Porter Goss, former Director of Central Intelligence under Bush, wrote a damning editorial in the Washington Post. (click here to see it: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/24/AR2009042403339.html)
Essentially, Mr. Goss, says "you politicians who are so against 'torture' today sat through the classified briefing and said (1) we understand what you are doing with these terrorists, and,
(2) you have our wholehearted support."
For those who want to read it without going through the link, here it is:
"Security Before Politics
By Porter J. GossSaturday, April 25, 2009
Since leaving my post as CIA director almost three years ago, I have remained largely silent on the public stage. I am speaking out now because I feel our government has crossed the red line between properly protecting our national security and trying to gain partisan political advantage. We can't have a secret intelligence service if we keep giving away all the secrets. Americans have to decide now.
A disturbing epidemic of amnesia seems to be plaguing my former colleagues on Capitol Hill. After the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, members of the committees charged with overseeing our nation's intelligence services had no higher priority than stopping al-Qaeda. In the fall of 2002, while I was chairman of the House intelligence committee, senior members of Congress were briefed on the CIA's "High Value Terrorist Program," including the development of "enhanced interrogation techniques" and what those techniques were. This was not a one-time briefing but an ongoing subject with lots of back and forth between those members and the briefers.
Today, I am slack-jawed to read that members claim to have not understood that the techniques on which they were briefed were to actually be employed; or that specific techniques such as "waterboarding" were never mentioned. It must be hard for most Americans of common sense to imagine how a member of Congress can forget being told about the interrogations of Sept. 11 mastermind Khalid Sheik Mohammed. In that case, though, perhaps it is not amnesia but political expedience.
Let me be clear. It is my recollection that:
-- The chairs and the ranking minority members of the House and Senate intelligence committees, known as the Gang of Four, were briefed that the CIA was holding and interrogating high-value terrorists.
-- We understood what the CIA was doing.
-- We gave the CIA our bipartisan support.
-- We gave the CIA funding to carry out its activities.
-- On a bipartisan basis, we asked if the CIA needed more support from Congress to carry out its mission against al-Qaeda.
I do not recall a single objection from my colleagues. They did not vote to stop authorizing CIA funding. And for those who now reveal filed "memorandums for the record" suggesting concern, real concern should have been expressed immediately -- to the committee chairs, the briefers, the House speaker or minority leader, the CIA director or the president's national security adviser -- and not quietly filed away in case the day came when the political winds shifted. And shifted they have.
Circuses are not new in Washington, and I can see preparations being made for tents from the Capitol straight down Pennsylvania Avenue. The CIA has been pulled into the center ring before. The result this time will be the same: a hollowed-out service of diminished capabilities. After Sept. 11, the general outcry was, "Why don't we have better overseas capabilities?" I fear that in the years to come this refrain will be heard again: once a threat -- or God forbid, another successful attack -- captures our attention and sends the pendulum swinging back. There is only one person who can shut down this dangerous show: President Obama.
Unfortunately, much of the damage to our capabilities has already been done. It is certainly not trust that is fostered when intelligence officers are told one day "I have your back" only to learn a day later that a knife is being held to it. After the events of this week, morale at the CIA has been shaken to its foundation.
We must not forget: Our intelligence allies overseas view our inability to maintain secrecy as a reason to question our worthiness as a partner. These allies have been vital in almost every capture of a terrorist.
The suggestion that we are safer now because information about interrogation techniques is in the public domain conjures up images of unicorns and fairy dust. We have given our enemy invaluable information about the rules by which we operate. The terrorists captured by the CIA perfected the act of beheading innocents using dull knives. Khalid Sheik Mohammed boasted of the tactic of placing explosives high enough in a building to ensure that innocents trapped above would die if they tried to escape through windows. There is simply no comparison between our professionalism and their brutality.
Our enemies do not subscribe to the rules of the Marquis of Queensbury. "Name, rank and serial number" does not apply to non-state actors but is, regrettably, the only question this administration wants us to ask. Instead of taking risks, our intelligence officers will soon resort to wordsmithing cables to headquarters while opportunities to neutralize brutal radicals are lost.
The days of fortress America are gone. We are the world's superpower. We can sit on our hands or we can become engaged to improve global human conditions. The bottom line is that we cannot succeed unless we have good intelligence. Trading security for partisan political popularity will ensure that our secrets are not secret and that our intelligence is destined to fail us.
The writer, a Republican, was director of the CIA from September 2004 to May 2006 and was chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence from 1997 to 2004. "
Normally, former administration officials retire or resign and stay quiet on the sidelines. The self-generated uproar by leading Democrats and the administration over the 'torture techniques' was silly enough to bring a former CIA Director out of his seat. J. Porter Goss, former Director of Central Intelligence under Bush, wrote a damning editorial in the Washington Post. (click here to see it: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/24/AR2009042403339.html)
Essentially, Mr. Goss, says "you politicians who are so against 'torture' today sat through the classified briefing and said (1) we understand what you are doing with these terrorists, and,
(2) you have our wholehearted support."
For those who want to read it without going through the link, here it is:
"Security Before Politics
By Porter J. GossSaturday, April 25, 2009
Since leaving my post as CIA director almost three years ago, I have remained largely silent on the public stage. I am speaking out now because I feel our government has crossed the red line between properly protecting our national security and trying to gain partisan political advantage. We can't have a secret intelligence service if we keep giving away all the secrets. Americans have to decide now.
A disturbing epidemic of amnesia seems to be plaguing my former colleagues on Capitol Hill. After the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, members of the committees charged with overseeing our nation's intelligence services had no higher priority than stopping al-Qaeda. In the fall of 2002, while I was chairman of the House intelligence committee, senior members of Congress were briefed on the CIA's "High Value Terrorist Program," including the development of "enhanced interrogation techniques" and what those techniques were. This was not a one-time briefing but an ongoing subject with lots of back and forth between those members and the briefers.
Today, I am slack-jawed to read that members claim to have not understood that the techniques on which they were briefed were to actually be employed; or that specific techniques such as "waterboarding" were never mentioned. It must be hard for most Americans of common sense to imagine how a member of Congress can forget being told about the interrogations of Sept. 11 mastermind Khalid Sheik Mohammed. In that case, though, perhaps it is not amnesia but political expedience.
Let me be clear. It is my recollection that:
-- The chairs and the ranking minority members of the House and Senate intelligence committees, known as the Gang of Four, were briefed that the CIA was holding and interrogating high-value terrorists.
-- We understood what the CIA was doing.
-- We gave the CIA our bipartisan support.
-- We gave the CIA funding to carry out its activities.
-- On a bipartisan basis, we asked if the CIA needed more support from Congress to carry out its mission against al-Qaeda.
I do not recall a single objection from my colleagues. They did not vote to stop authorizing CIA funding. And for those who now reveal filed "memorandums for the record" suggesting concern, real concern should have been expressed immediately -- to the committee chairs, the briefers, the House speaker or minority leader, the CIA director or the president's national security adviser -- and not quietly filed away in case the day came when the political winds shifted. And shifted they have.
Circuses are not new in Washington, and I can see preparations being made for tents from the Capitol straight down Pennsylvania Avenue. The CIA has been pulled into the center ring before. The result this time will be the same: a hollowed-out service of diminished capabilities. After Sept. 11, the general outcry was, "Why don't we have better overseas capabilities?" I fear that in the years to come this refrain will be heard again: once a threat -- or God forbid, another successful attack -- captures our attention and sends the pendulum swinging back. There is only one person who can shut down this dangerous show: President Obama.
Unfortunately, much of the damage to our capabilities has already been done. It is certainly not trust that is fostered when intelligence officers are told one day "I have your back" only to learn a day later that a knife is being held to it. After the events of this week, morale at the CIA has been shaken to its foundation.
We must not forget: Our intelligence allies overseas view our inability to maintain secrecy as a reason to question our worthiness as a partner. These allies have been vital in almost every capture of a terrorist.
The suggestion that we are safer now because information about interrogation techniques is in the public domain conjures up images of unicorns and fairy dust. We have given our enemy invaluable information about the rules by which we operate. The terrorists captured by the CIA perfected the act of beheading innocents using dull knives. Khalid Sheik Mohammed boasted of the tactic of placing explosives high enough in a building to ensure that innocents trapped above would die if they tried to escape through windows. There is simply no comparison between our professionalism and their brutality.
Our enemies do not subscribe to the rules of the Marquis of Queensbury. "Name, rank and serial number" does not apply to non-state actors but is, regrettably, the only question this administration wants us to ask. Instead of taking risks, our intelligence officers will soon resort to wordsmithing cables to headquarters while opportunities to neutralize brutal radicals are lost.
The days of fortress America are gone. We are the world's superpower. We can sit on our hands or we can become engaged to improve global human conditions. The bottom line is that we cannot succeed unless we have good intelligence. Trading security for partisan political popularity will ensure that our secrets are not secret and that our intelligence is destined to fail us.
The writer, a Republican, was director of the CIA from September 2004 to May 2006 and was chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence from 1997 to 2004. "
Monday, April 27, 2009
The Real Pirate Story
The paragraphs below came from my good friend, Stitch. He received them from his personal network which includes folks from the Special Operations community. If you want to know how the White House tried to spin the pirate/hostage situation, read below. Essentially, the White House used Captain Phillips life to boost the President's approval ratings. Here it is, unedited...
-----
[Stitch's commentary]
Most have seen the 'Unauthorized" account, leaked by a Navy SEAL and subsequently posted for all the world to see.Then we saw the exculpatory 'corrected' version skillfully crafted by the Obama propaganda machine.Here is the final word, posted by Buddy Wellborn, CDR, USN (Ret.), USNA Class of 1959, also well connected with the players, who (at last) gives us the name of Bainbridge's skipper.Final score: SEALs 2, Obama 0
-----
[by Buddy Wellborn, CDR, USN (Ret.), USNA Class of 1959]
Most have seen the 'Unauthorized" account, leaked by a Navy SEAL and subsequently posted for all the world to see.Then we saw the exculpatory 'corrected' version skillfully crafted by the Obama propaganda machine.Here is the final word, posted by Buddy Wellborn, CDR, USN (Ret.), USNA Class of 1959, also well connected with the players, who (at last) gives us the name of Bainbridge's skipper.
Final score: SEALs 2, Obama 0
Your "Real" story is not exactly the way I heard it, and probably has a few political twists thrown in to stir the pot. Rather than me trying to correct it, I'll just tell you what I found out from my contacts at NSWC Norfolk and at SOCOM Tampa.
First though, let me orient you to familiarize you with the "terrain."
In Africa from Djibouti at the southern end of the Red Sea eastward through the Gulf of Aden to round Cape Guardafui at the easternmost tip of Africa (also known as "The Horn of Africa") is about a 600 nm transit before you stand out into the Indian Ocean. That transit is comparable in distance to that from the mouth of the Mississippi at New Orleans to the tip of Florida at Key West-- except that 600 nm over there is infested with Somalia pirates.
Ships turning southward at the Horn of Africa transit the SLOC (Sea Lane of Commerce) along the east coast of Somalia because of the prevailing southerly currents there. It's about 1,500 nm on to Mombassa, which is just south of the equator in Kenya. Comparably, that's about the transit distance from Portland Maine down the east coast of the US to Miami Florida. In other words, the ocean area being patrolled by our naval forces off the coast of Somalia is comparable to that in the Gulf of Mexico from the Mississippi River east to Miami then up the eastern seaboard to Maine.
Second, let me globally orient you from our Naval Operating Base in Norfolk, VA, east across the Atlantic to North Africa, thence across the Med to Suez in Egypt, thence southward down the Red Sea to Djibouti at the Gulf of Aden, thence eastward to round Cape Guardafui at the easternmost tip of Africa, and thence southerly some 300 miles down the east cost of Somali out into the high seas of the Indian Ocean to the position of MV ALABAMA is a little more than 7,000 nm, and plus-nine time-zones ahead of EST.
Hold that thought, in that, a C-17 transport averaging a little better than 400 kts (SOG) takes the best part of 18 hours to make that trip. In the evening darkness late Thursday night, a team of Navy SEALs from NSWC (Naval Surface Warfare Center) Norfolk parachuted from such a C-17 into the black waters (no refraction of light) of the Indian Ocean-- close-aboard to our 40,000 ton amphibious assault ship, USS BOXER (LHD 4), the flagship of our ESG (Expeditionary Strike Group) in the AOR (Area Of Responsibility, the Gulf of Aden). They not only parachuted in with all of their "equipment," they had their own inflatable boats, RHIB's (Rigid Hull, Inflatable Boats) with them for over-water transport. They went into BOXER's landing dock, debarked, and staged for the rescue-- Thursday night.
And, let me comment on time-late: In that the SEAL's quick response-- departing ready-alert in less than 4 hours from Norfolk-- supposedly surprised POTUS's staff, whereas President Obama was miffed not to get his "cops" there before the Navy. He reportedly questioned his staff, "Will 'my' FBI people get there before the Navy does?" It took the FBI almost 12 hours to put together a team and get them packed-up-- for an "at sea" rescue. The FBI was trying to tell him that they are not practiced to do this-- Navy SEALs are. But, BHO wanted the FBI there "to help," that is, carry out the Attorney General's (his) orders to negotiate the release of Captain Phillips peacefully-- because apparently he doesn't trust GW's military to carry out his "political guidance."
The flight of the FBI's passenger jet took a little less than 14 hours at 500-some knots to get to Djibouti. BOXER'S helos picked them up and transported them out to the ship. The Navy SEALs were already there, staged, and ready to act by the time POTUS's FBI arrived on board latter that evening. Notably, the first request by the OSC (On Scene Commander) that early Friday morning to take them out and save Captain Phillips was denied, to wit: "No, wait until 'my' FBI people get there."
Third, please consider a candid assessment of ability that finds that the FBI snipers had never practiced shooting from a rolling, pitching, yawing, surging, swaying, heaving platform-- and, target-- such as a ship and a lifeboat on the high seas. Navies have been doing since Admiral Nelson who had trained "Marines" to shoot muskets from the ship's rigging-- ironically, he was killed at sea in HMS VICTORY at the Battle of Trafalgar by a French Marine rifleman that shot him from the rigging of the French ship that they were grappling alongside.
Notably, when I was first training at USNA in 1955, the Navy was doing it with a SATU, Small Arms Training Unit, based at our Little Creek amphib base. Now, Navy SEAL's, in particular SEAL Team SIX (The "DevGru") based at NSWC (Naval Surface Warfare Center) at Little Creek do that training now, and hone their skills professionally-- daily. Shooting small arms from a ship is more of an accomplished "Art Form" than it is a practiced skill. When you are "in the bubble" and "in tune" with the harmonic motion you find, through practice, that you are "able to put three .308 slugs inside the head of a quarter at 100 meters, in day or night-- or, behind a camouflaged net or a thin enclosure, such as a superstructure bulkhead. Yes, we have the monocular scopes that can "see" heat-- and, draw a bead on it. SEALs are absolutely expert at it-- with the movie clips to prove it.
Okay, now try to imagine patrolling among the boats fishing everyday out on the Grand Banks off our New England coast, and then responding to a distress call from down around the waters between Florida and the Bahamas. Three points for you to consider here: (1) Time-Distance-Speed relationships for ships on the high seas, for instance, at a 25-knot SOA (Speed Of Advance) it takes 24 hours to make good 600 nm-- BAINBRIDGE did. (2) Fishermen work on the high seas, and (3) The best place to hide as a "fisherman" pirate is among other fishermen.
Early Wednesday morning, 4/8/2009, MV ALABAMA is at sea in the IO about 300 miles off the (east) coast of Somalia en route to Mombassa Kenya. Pirates in small boat start harassing her, and threatening her with weapons. MV ALABAMA's captain sent out the distress call by radio, and ordered his Engineer to shut down the engines as well as the ship-service electrical generators-- in our lingo, "Go dark and cold." He informed his crew by radio what was happening, and ordered them to go to an out-of-the-way compartment and lock themselves in it-- from the inside. He would stay in the pilot house to "negotiate" with the pirates.
The pirates boarded, captured the Captain, and ordered him to start the engines. He said he would order his Engineer to do so, and he called down to Engine Control on the internal communication system, but got no answer. The lead pirate ordered two of his four men to go down and find him and get the engines started.
Inside a ship without any lights is like the definition of dark. The advantage goes to the people who work and live there. They jumped the two pirates in a dark passageway. Both pirates lost their weapons, but one managed to scramble and get away. The other they tied up, put tape over his mouth and a knife at his throat.
Other members of the crew opened the drain cocks on the pirates boat and cast it adrift. It foundered and sunk. The scrambling pirate made it back to the pilot house and told of his demise. The pirates took the Captain at gun point, and told him to launch one of his rescue boats (not a life boat, per se). As he was lowering the boat for them, the crew appeared with the other pirate to negotiate a trade. The crew let their hostage go to soon, and the pirates kept the captain. But, he purposefully had lowered the boat so it would jam.
With the rescue boat jammed, the pirates jumped over to a lifeboat and released it as the captain jumped in the water. They fired at him, made him stop, and grabbed him out of the water. Now, as night falls in the vastness of the Indian Ocean, we have the classic "Mexican" standoff, to wit: A life-boat that is just that, a life-boat adrift without any means of propulsion except oars and paddles; and, a huge (by comparison) Motor Vessel Container Ship adrift with a crew that is not going to leave their captain behind. The pirates are enclosed under its shelter-covering, holding the captain as their hostage. The crew is hunkered down in their ship waiting for the "posse" to arrive.
After receiving MV ALABAMA'S distress call, USS BAINBRIDGE (DDG 96) was dispatched by the ESG commander to respond to ALABAMA's distress call. At best sustainable speed, she arrived on scene the day after-- that is, in the dark of that early Thursday morning. As BAINBRIDGE quietly and slowly, at darkened-ship without any lights to give her away, arrived on scene, please consider a recorded interview with the Chief Engineer of MV ALABAMA describing BAINBRIDGE's arrival. He said it was something else "... to see the Navy slide in there like a greyhound!" He then said as she slipped in closer he could see the "Stars and Stripes" flying from her masthead. He got choked up saying it was the "...proudest moment of my life."
Phew! Let that sink in.
Earlier in the day, one of the U.S. Navy's Maritime Patrol Aircraft, a fixed wing P3C, flew over to recon the scene. They dropped a buoy with a radio to the pirates so that the Navy's interpreter could talk with the pirates. When BAINBRIDGE arrived, the pirates thought the radio to be a beaconing device, and threw it overboard. They wanted a satellite telephone so that they could call home for help. Remember now, they are fishermen, not "Rocket Scientists," in that, they don't know that we can intercept the phone transmission also.
MV ALABAMA provided them with a satellite phone. They called home back to "somebody" in Eyl Somalia (so that we now know where you live) to come out and get them. The "somebody" in Eyl said they would be out right away with other hostages, like 54 of them from other countries, and that they would be coming out in two of their pirated ships. Right-- and, the tooth fairy will let you have sex with her. Yea, in paradise. The "somebody" in Eyl just chalked up four more expendables as overhead for "the cost of operation." Next page.
Anyway, ESG will continue to "watch" Eyl for any ships standing out.
The Navy SEAL team, SEAL TEAM SIX, from NSWC briefed the OSC (Commander Castellano, CO BAINBRIDGE) on how they could rescue the captain from the life boat with swimmers-- "Combat Swimmers," per se. That plan was denied by POTUS because it put the captain in danger-- and, involved killing the pirates.
The FBI negotiators arrived on scene, and talked the pirates into sending their wounded man over for treatment Saturday morning. Later that afternoon, the SEAL's sent over their RHIB with food and water to recon the life boat but the pirates shot at it. They could have taken them out then (from being fired upon) but were denied again being told that the captain was not in "imminent danger." The FBI negotiators calmed the situation by informing the pirates of threatening weather as they could see storm clouds closing from the horizon, and offered to tow the life boat. The pirates agreed, and BAINBRIDGE took them under tow in their wake at 30 meters-- exactly 30 meters, which is exactly the distance the SEALs practice their shooting skills.
With the lifeboat under tow, riding comfortably bow-down on BAINBRIDGE's wake-wave ("rooster tail"), had a 17-second period of harmonic motion, and at the end of every half-period (8.5 seconds) was steady on. The light-enhanced (infra-red heat) monocular scopes on the SEAL's .308 caliber Mark 11 Mod 0 H&K suppressor-fitted sniper rifles easily imaged their target very clearly. Pirates in a life boat at 30-meters could be compared to fish in a barrel. All that was necessary was to take out the plexiglass window so that it would not deflect the trajectory of the high velocity .308 round. So, a sniper (one of four) with a wad-cutter round (a flaxen sabot) would take out the window a split second before the kill-shot-- no change in sight-picture, just the window blowing out, clean.
Now, here's the part BHO's "whiz kids" knew as well as the Navy hierarchy, including CO BAINBRIDGE and CO SEAL TEAM SIX. It's the law in Article 19 of Appendix L in the "Convention of the High Seas" that the Commanding Officer of a US Ship on the high seas is obligated to respond to distress signals from any flagged ship (US or otherwise), and protect the life and property thereof when deemed to be in IMMINENT DANGER. So, in the final analysis, it would be Captain Castellano call as to "Imminent Danger," and that he alone was obligated (duty bound) to act accordingly.
Got the picture?
After medically attending to the wounded pirate, and feeding him, come first light (from the east) on Easter Sunday morning and the pirates saw they were being towed further out to sea (instead of westward toward land), the wounded pirate demanded to be returned to the lifeboat. There would BE NO more negotiations-- and, the four Navy SEAL snipers "in the bubble" went "Unlock." The pirate holding Captain Philips raised the gun to his head, and IMMINENT DANGER was so observed and noted in the Log as CO BAINBRIDGE gave the classic order: WEAPONS RELEASED! I can hear the echo in my earpiece now, "On my count (from 8.5 seconds), 3, 2, 1, !" POP, BANG! Out went the window, followed by three simultaneous shots. The scoreboard flashed: "GAME OVER, GAME OVER-- NAVY 3, PIRATES 0!"
I hope you found the above informative as best I know it-- and, please excuse me in that after more than 50 years the Navy is still in me. I submit that AMERICA is going to make a comeback, and more than likely it'll be on the back of our cherished youth serving with honor in Our military.
God Bless Our Troops, andGOD SAVE AMERICA!
Buddy Wellborn, USNA Class of 1959,
Dickinson, Texas.
-----
[Stitch's commentary]
Most have seen the 'Unauthorized" account, leaked by a Navy SEAL and subsequently posted for all the world to see.Then we saw the exculpatory 'corrected' version skillfully crafted by the Obama propaganda machine.Here is the final word, posted by Buddy Wellborn, CDR, USN (Ret.), USNA Class of 1959, also well connected with the players, who (at last) gives us the name of Bainbridge's skipper.Final score: SEALs 2, Obama 0
-----
[by Buddy Wellborn, CDR, USN (Ret.), USNA Class of 1959]
Most have seen the 'Unauthorized" account, leaked by a Navy SEAL and subsequently posted for all the world to see.Then we saw the exculpatory 'corrected' version skillfully crafted by the Obama propaganda machine.Here is the final word, posted by Buddy Wellborn, CDR, USN (Ret.), USNA Class of 1959, also well connected with the players, who (at last) gives us the name of Bainbridge's skipper.
Final score: SEALs 2, Obama 0
Your "Real" story is not exactly the way I heard it, and probably has a few political twists thrown in to stir the pot. Rather than me trying to correct it, I'll just tell you what I found out from my contacts at NSWC Norfolk and at SOCOM Tampa.
First though, let me orient you to familiarize you with the "terrain."
In Africa from Djibouti at the southern end of the Red Sea eastward through the Gulf of Aden to round Cape Guardafui at the easternmost tip of Africa (also known as "The Horn of Africa") is about a 600 nm transit before you stand out into the Indian Ocean. That transit is comparable in distance to that from the mouth of the Mississippi at New Orleans to the tip of Florida at Key West-- except that 600 nm over there is infested with Somalia pirates.
Ships turning southward at the Horn of Africa transit the SLOC (Sea Lane of Commerce) along the east coast of Somalia because of the prevailing southerly currents there. It's about 1,500 nm on to Mombassa, which is just south of the equator in Kenya. Comparably, that's about the transit distance from Portland Maine down the east coast of the US to Miami Florida. In other words, the ocean area being patrolled by our naval forces off the coast of Somalia is comparable to that in the Gulf of Mexico from the Mississippi River east to Miami then up the eastern seaboard to Maine.
Second, let me globally orient you from our Naval Operating Base in Norfolk, VA, east across the Atlantic to North Africa, thence across the Med to Suez in Egypt, thence southward down the Red Sea to Djibouti at the Gulf of Aden, thence eastward to round Cape Guardafui at the easternmost tip of Africa, and thence southerly some 300 miles down the east cost of Somali out into the high seas of the Indian Ocean to the position of MV ALABAMA is a little more than 7,000 nm, and plus-nine time-zones ahead of EST.
Hold that thought, in that, a C-17 transport averaging a little better than 400 kts (SOG) takes the best part of 18 hours to make that trip. In the evening darkness late Thursday night, a team of Navy SEALs from NSWC (Naval Surface Warfare Center) Norfolk parachuted from such a C-17 into the black waters (no refraction of light) of the Indian Ocean-- close-aboard to our 40,000 ton amphibious assault ship, USS BOXER (LHD 4), the flagship of our ESG (Expeditionary Strike Group) in the AOR (Area Of Responsibility, the Gulf of Aden). They not only parachuted in with all of their "equipment," they had their own inflatable boats, RHIB's (Rigid Hull, Inflatable Boats) with them for over-water transport. They went into BOXER's landing dock, debarked, and staged for the rescue-- Thursday night.
And, let me comment on time-late: In that the SEAL's quick response-- departing ready-alert in less than 4 hours from Norfolk-- supposedly surprised POTUS's staff, whereas President Obama was miffed not to get his "cops" there before the Navy. He reportedly questioned his staff, "Will 'my' FBI people get there before the Navy does?" It took the FBI almost 12 hours to put together a team and get them packed-up-- for an "at sea" rescue. The FBI was trying to tell him that they are not practiced to do this-- Navy SEALs are. But, BHO wanted the FBI there "to help," that is, carry out the Attorney General's (his) orders to negotiate the release of Captain Phillips peacefully-- because apparently he doesn't trust GW's military to carry out his "political guidance."
The flight of the FBI's passenger jet took a little less than 14 hours at 500-some knots to get to Djibouti. BOXER'S helos picked them up and transported them out to the ship. The Navy SEALs were already there, staged, and ready to act by the time POTUS's FBI arrived on board latter that evening. Notably, the first request by the OSC (On Scene Commander) that early Friday morning to take them out and save Captain Phillips was denied, to wit: "No, wait until 'my' FBI people get there."
Third, please consider a candid assessment of ability that finds that the FBI snipers had never practiced shooting from a rolling, pitching, yawing, surging, swaying, heaving platform-- and, target-- such as a ship and a lifeboat on the high seas. Navies have been doing since Admiral Nelson who had trained "Marines" to shoot muskets from the ship's rigging-- ironically, he was killed at sea in HMS VICTORY at the Battle of Trafalgar by a French Marine rifleman that shot him from the rigging of the French ship that they were grappling alongside.
Notably, when I was first training at USNA in 1955, the Navy was doing it with a SATU, Small Arms Training Unit, based at our Little Creek amphib base. Now, Navy SEAL's, in particular SEAL Team SIX (The "DevGru") based at NSWC (Naval Surface Warfare Center) at Little Creek do that training now, and hone their skills professionally-- daily. Shooting small arms from a ship is more of an accomplished "Art Form" than it is a practiced skill. When you are "in the bubble" and "in tune" with the harmonic motion you find, through practice, that you are "able to put three .308 slugs inside the head of a quarter at 100 meters, in day or night-- or, behind a camouflaged net or a thin enclosure, such as a superstructure bulkhead. Yes, we have the monocular scopes that can "see" heat-- and, draw a bead on it. SEALs are absolutely expert at it-- with the movie clips to prove it.
Okay, now try to imagine patrolling among the boats fishing everyday out on the Grand Banks off our New England coast, and then responding to a distress call from down around the waters between Florida and the Bahamas. Three points for you to consider here: (1) Time-Distance-Speed relationships for ships on the high seas, for instance, at a 25-knot SOA (Speed Of Advance) it takes 24 hours to make good 600 nm-- BAINBRIDGE did. (2) Fishermen work on the high seas, and (3) The best place to hide as a "fisherman" pirate is among other fishermen.
Early Wednesday morning, 4/8/2009, MV ALABAMA is at sea in the IO about 300 miles off the (east) coast of Somalia en route to Mombassa Kenya. Pirates in small boat start harassing her, and threatening her with weapons. MV ALABAMA's captain sent out the distress call by radio, and ordered his Engineer to shut down the engines as well as the ship-service electrical generators-- in our lingo, "Go dark and cold." He informed his crew by radio what was happening, and ordered them to go to an out-of-the-way compartment and lock themselves in it-- from the inside. He would stay in the pilot house to "negotiate" with the pirates.
The pirates boarded, captured the Captain, and ordered him to start the engines. He said he would order his Engineer to do so, and he called down to Engine Control on the internal communication system, but got no answer. The lead pirate ordered two of his four men to go down and find him and get the engines started.
Inside a ship without any lights is like the definition of dark. The advantage goes to the people who work and live there. They jumped the two pirates in a dark passageway. Both pirates lost their weapons, but one managed to scramble and get away. The other they tied up, put tape over his mouth and a knife at his throat.
Other members of the crew opened the drain cocks on the pirates boat and cast it adrift. It foundered and sunk. The scrambling pirate made it back to the pilot house and told of his demise. The pirates took the Captain at gun point, and told him to launch one of his rescue boats (not a life boat, per se). As he was lowering the boat for them, the crew appeared with the other pirate to negotiate a trade. The crew let their hostage go to soon, and the pirates kept the captain. But, he purposefully had lowered the boat so it would jam.
With the rescue boat jammed, the pirates jumped over to a lifeboat and released it as the captain jumped in the water. They fired at him, made him stop, and grabbed him out of the water. Now, as night falls in the vastness of the Indian Ocean, we have the classic "Mexican" standoff, to wit: A life-boat that is just that, a life-boat adrift without any means of propulsion except oars and paddles; and, a huge (by comparison) Motor Vessel Container Ship adrift with a crew that is not going to leave their captain behind. The pirates are enclosed under its shelter-covering, holding the captain as their hostage. The crew is hunkered down in their ship waiting for the "posse" to arrive.
After receiving MV ALABAMA'S distress call, USS BAINBRIDGE (DDG 96) was dispatched by the ESG commander to respond to ALABAMA's distress call. At best sustainable speed, she arrived on scene the day after-- that is, in the dark of that early Thursday morning. As BAINBRIDGE quietly and slowly, at darkened-ship without any lights to give her away, arrived on scene, please consider a recorded interview with the Chief Engineer of MV ALABAMA describing BAINBRIDGE's arrival. He said it was something else "... to see the Navy slide in there like a greyhound!" He then said as she slipped in closer he could see the "Stars and Stripes" flying from her masthead. He got choked up saying it was the "...proudest moment of my life."
Phew! Let that sink in.
Earlier in the day, one of the U.S. Navy's Maritime Patrol Aircraft, a fixed wing P3C, flew over to recon the scene. They dropped a buoy with a radio to the pirates so that the Navy's interpreter could talk with the pirates. When BAINBRIDGE arrived, the pirates thought the radio to be a beaconing device, and threw it overboard. They wanted a satellite telephone so that they could call home for help. Remember now, they are fishermen, not "Rocket Scientists," in that, they don't know that we can intercept the phone transmission also.
MV ALABAMA provided them with a satellite phone. They called home back to "somebody" in Eyl Somalia (so that we now know where you live) to come out and get them. The "somebody" in Eyl said they would be out right away with other hostages, like 54 of them from other countries, and that they would be coming out in two of their pirated ships. Right-- and, the tooth fairy will let you have sex with her. Yea, in paradise. The "somebody" in Eyl just chalked up four more expendables as overhead for "the cost of operation." Next page.
Anyway, ESG will continue to "watch" Eyl for any ships standing out.
The Navy SEAL team, SEAL TEAM SIX, from NSWC briefed the OSC (Commander Castellano, CO BAINBRIDGE) on how they could rescue the captain from the life boat with swimmers-- "Combat Swimmers," per se. That plan was denied by POTUS because it put the captain in danger-- and, involved killing the pirates.
The FBI negotiators arrived on scene, and talked the pirates into sending their wounded man over for treatment Saturday morning. Later that afternoon, the SEAL's sent over their RHIB with food and water to recon the life boat but the pirates shot at it. They could have taken them out then (from being fired upon) but were denied again being told that the captain was not in "imminent danger." The FBI negotiators calmed the situation by informing the pirates of threatening weather as they could see storm clouds closing from the horizon, and offered to tow the life boat. The pirates agreed, and BAINBRIDGE took them under tow in their wake at 30 meters-- exactly 30 meters, which is exactly the distance the SEALs practice their shooting skills.
With the lifeboat under tow, riding comfortably bow-down on BAINBRIDGE's wake-wave ("rooster tail"), had a 17-second period of harmonic motion, and at the end of every half-period (8.5 seconds) was steady on. The light-enhanced (infra-red heat) monocular scopes on the SEAL's .308 caliber Mark 11 Mod 0 H&K suppressor-fitted sniper rifles easily imaged their target very clearly. Pirates in a life boat at 30-meters could be compared to fish in a barrel. All that was necessary was to take out the plexiglass window so that it would not deflect the trajectory of the high velocity .308 round. So, a sniper (one of four) with a wad-cutter round (a flaxen sabot) would take out the window a split second before the kill-shot-- no change in sight-picture, just the window blowing out, clean.
Now, here's the part BHO's "whiz kids" knew as well as the Navy hierarchy, including CO BAINBRIDGE and CO SEAL TEAM SIX. It's the law in Article 19 of Appendix L in the "Convention of the High Seas" that the Commanding Officer of a US Ship on the high seas is obligated to respond to distress signals from any flagged ship (US or otherwise), and protect the life and property thereof when deemed to be in IMMINENT DANGER. So, in the final analysis, it would be Captain Castellano call as to "Imminent Danger," and that he alone was obligated (duty bound) to act accordingly.
Got the picture?
After medically attending to the wounded pirate, and feeding him, come first light (from the east) on Easter Sunday morning and the pirates saw they were being towed further out to sea (instead of westward toward land), the wounded pirate demanded to be returned to the lifeboat. There would BE NO more negotiations-- and, the four Navy SEAL snipers "in the bubble" went "Unlock." The pirate holding Captain Philips raised the gun to his head, and IMMINENT DANGER was so observed and noted in the Log as CO BAINBRIDGE gave the classic order: WEAPONS RELEASED! I can hear the echo in my earpiece now, "On my count (from 8.5 seconds), 3, 2, 1, !" POP, BANG! Out went the window, followed by three simultaneous shots. The scoreboard flashed: "GAME OVER, GAME OVER-- NAVY 3, PIRATES 0!"
I hope you found the above informative as best I know it-- and, please excuse me in that after more than 50 years the Navy is still in me. I submit that AMERICA is going to make a comeback, and more than likely it'll be on the back of our cherished youth serving with honor in Our military.
God Bless Our Troops, andGOD SAVE AMERICA!
Buddy Wellborn, USNA Class of 1959,
Dickinson, Texas.
Friday, April 24, 2009
The Whining Starts Now
Ok, so I live in the greater Boston area and I only have one complaint. I can get over the horrible roads and the long winters, but there is one thing driving me nuts.
Red Sox fans.
I don't mind that they rabidly support their team and where baseball hats all year long. What is worse is the whining. Red Sox fans whine like no one else. Every down turn, hickup, bump in the road experienced by the Sox is some one else's fault and the worst event EVER! Waaa waaa waaa.
I happen to be a Yankees fan and wear my baseball hat with pride. I also wear it because I know that it pisses some people off. Occassionally, I catch someone's eye in public and they're smiling. The smile is a little secret between two Yankees fans who know that our existence will kick off so much crying you'd think you were in the baby ward at the hospital.
I offer my observations just hours before the first meeting between the Bronx Bombers and the Sox. Who knows what will happen and who will stay around to play ball in October. One thing is certain, I'll need some cotton balls in my ears to block out the whining.
Play ball!
Red Sox fans.
I don't mind that they rabidly support their team and where baseball hats all year long. What is worse is the whining. Red Sox fans whine like no one else. Every down turn, hickup, bump in the road experienced by the Sox is some one else's fault and the worst event EVER! Waaa waaa waaa.
I happen to be a Yankees fan and wear my baseball hat with pride. I also wear it because I know that it pisses some people off. Occassionally, I catch someone's eye in public and they're smiling. The smile is a little secret between two Yankees fans who know that our existence will kick off so much crying you'd think you were in the baby ward at the hospital.
I offer my observations just hours before the first meeting between the Bronx Bombers and the Sox. Who knows what will happen and who will stay around to play ball in October. One thing is certain, I'll need some cotton balls in my ears to block out the whining.
Play ball!
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Back Tracking on "Torture Policymakers"
Today, President Obama executed some fancy footwork as he backed off a statement made by his Chief of Staff on the Sunday talk shows. Originally, Rahm Emmanuel said the President was not interested in prosecuting the former Justice Department lawyers who defined "torture" for the Bush administration. This morning, the President says "well, whether we prosecute these people is up to the Attorney General...yada yada yada."
I'm interested in what law says that it is illegal to draft a legal opinion for the President. Who wants to work on that white paper now? Anyone? Can we stretch this logic and prosecute idiot lawmakers for passing what becomes "bad legislation" in hind sight? Oooooh pah-lease! Can we prosecute the Congress and the President's economic advisors for larceny? They're stealing money from hard working Americans to blow it on earmarks and pet projects.
My position on the "torture" techniques used on Abu ZipDideeDoDaa and Khalid Sheik Bedhead (do you remember that great picture of him in his tighty-whities with his hands zipped tied behind his back?) remains, what is good enough for our troops is more than good enough for the terrorists. Several hundred military pilots and aircrewmen are waterboarded at SERE School(Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape) after being denied sleep and placed in stress positions for hours or even days.
Psychologists say the conditions that our troops experience at SERE school are not the same as what terrorists face, that there is a way out of SERE school at the end. I find a different opinion. SERE school is a requirement for these pilots if they want to remain pilots. You can opt out, but you have to find another career in the military. Is that really a choice?
If you talk to guys who have been to SERE school, they will tell you how real it felt. They are so tired and hungry that its hard to remember what is real and what is training. My friend Scooter (name withheld to protect the guilty) described having strong hallucinations. This is serious training folks.
I would like to talk to a doubting psychologist who experience SERE school tell us what they think after going through it first hand. Because there is no experience like first hand experience.
Do I see a problem with waterboarding KSM 180 times? No. In fact, the high number illustrates how fanatical these terrorists are. I would talk a lot sooner than, maybe after the 10th waterboarding. At that point, why fight it. Everyone breaks eventually.
I'm interested in what law says that it is illegal to draft a legal opinion for the President. Who wants to work on that white paper now? Anyone? Can we stretch this logic and prosecute idiot lawmakers for passing what becomes "bad legislation" in hind sight? Oooooh pah-lease! Can we prosecute the Congress and the President's economic advisors for larceny? They're stealing money from hard working Americans to blow it on earmarks and pet projects.
My position on the "torture" techniques used on Abu ZipDideeDoDaa and Khalid Sheik Bedhead (do you remember that great picture of him in his tighty-whities with his hands zipped tied behind his back?) remains, what is good enough for our troops is more than good enough for the terrorists. Several hundred military pilots and aircrewmen are waterboarded at SERE School(Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape) after being denied sleep and placed in stress positions for hours or even days.
Psychologists say the conditions that our troops experience at SERE school are not the same as what terrorists face, that there is a way out of SERE school at the end. I find a different opinion. SERE school is a requirement for these pilots if they want to remain pilots. You can opt out, but you have to find another career in the military. Is that really a choice?
If you talk to guys who have been to SERE school, they will tell you how real it felt. They are so tired and hungry that its hard to remember what is real and what is training. My friend Scooter (name withheld to protect the guilty) described having strong hallucinations. This is serious training folks.
I would like to talk to a doubting psychologist who experience SERE school tell us what they think after going through it first hand. Because there is no experience like first hand experience.
Do I see a problem with waterboarding KSM 180 times? No. In fact, the high number illustrates how fanatical these terrorists are. I would talk a lot sooner than, maybe after the 10th waterboarding. At that point, why fight it. Everyone breaks eventually.
Smooth Talking
Special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen recently returned from a diplomatic visit to Pakistan that was supposed to strengthen ties between the two countries. Well...it looks like their well-crafted visit and special Obama message didn't have the intended effect.
One Paksitan analyst said "This is probably the worst-ever visit by an American team to South Asia in history. ... It was a complete disaster. ... And if this is how you want to win friends, I just wonder how you want to create enemies."
Holbrooke and Mullen were front men for the $10 billion aid package being drafted in Congress. The bill is sponsored by Representative Howard Berman (D-CA) who is also chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Again, analysts say "the bill is loaded with conditions that even the most stable government would find difficult to fulfill." This looks like a wonderful piece of legislation designed to piss people off by trying to make the world into America. Nice job, ass clown.
At least President Bush gave our allies a chance to win in their own country. Now Pres. Obama is going to tell our friends "choose us or keep your own people happy." If I remember correctly, that was Bush's demand for our enemies.
One Paksitan analyst said "This is probably the worst-ever visit by an American team to South Asia in history. ... It was a complete disaster. ... And if this is how you want to win friends, I just wonder how you want to create enemies."
Holbrooke and Mullen were front men for the $10 billion aid package being drafted in Congress. The bill is sponsored by Representative Howard Berman (D-CA) who is also chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Again, analysts say "the bill is loaded with conditions that even the most stable government would find difficult to fulfill." This looks like a wonderful piece of legislation designed to piss people off by trying to make the world into America. Nice job, ass clown.
At least President Bush gave our allies a chance to win in their own country. Now Pres. Obama is going to tell our friends "choose us or keep your own people happy." If I remember correctly, that was Bush's demand for our enemies.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Don't forget Chrysler
We have been talking a lot about GM and what BOHO's Car Czar has been doing to sink another $70B - $80B into them and Chrysler has fell off the radar screen. However it is not like Steven Rattner (BOHO's auto czar) has given up on them. He has a plan to save Chrysler. Of course it comes with a price tag to tax payers and this time it also comes with a price tag to the banks who happen to hold Chrysler's notes. Rattner (under investigation for other activities) is asking banks to forgive $7B that Chrysler owes them. The banks were not real happy with this deal but it is critical in a deal with Fiat to take Chrysler over. If that deal fails the czar will "loan" Chrysler another $6B to stay in operation.
....and you wonder why people were upset when Bush and BOHO got involved in the car business.
I was lamenting to a liberal friend of mine about the possible demise of the Corvette and possibly the Camaro production lines in the upcoming GM restructuring. It was his position they should of course stop making them. When I asked why GM should stop making a successful model he said the company should only make 2 or 3 models and they should be fuel efficient and cars for the future. When I pointed out that those types of cars are not what consumers may want to buy he looked at me with one of those "what's your point" expressions.
Not that it mattered but I also pointed out that in the auto manufacturing world deciding what cars to make years in advance is one of the major headaches for the auto industry. Significant market research goes into trying to read the auto tea leaves and determine trends. Not to mention weaving in emissions standards and average mileage regulations. The practicality that a czar might be able to figure this out from his desk in Washington one has to laugh. Some people do not quite understand how the free market makes it possible for me to buy a Hummer or a Prius based on my wants or needs. They think it would be better if I had limited choices.
Once again it is clear that the hold the government now has on the auto industry will result in the cars being built that they want us to buy - not the cars we want to buy. When the dust settles we will buy those cars. Even if we don't like them they will lure us with enormous tax incentives. These tax incentives will of course be subsidized by taxpayers. So look forward to not only paying your neighbor's mortgage but also his "green" car.
Gene (Hangar Dogs)
....and you wonder why people were upset when Bush and BOHO got involved in the car business.
I was lamenting to a liberal friend of mine about the possible demise of the Corvette and possibly the Camaro production lines in the upcoming GM restructuring. It was his position they should of course stop making them. When I asked why GM should stop making a successful model he said the company should only make 2 or 3 models and they should be fuel efficient and cars for the future. When I pointed out that those types of cars are not what consumers may want to buy he looked at me with one of those "what's your point" expressions.
Not that it mattered but I also pointed out that in the auto manufacturing world deciding what cars to make years in advance is one of the major headaches for the auto industry. Significant market research goes into trying to read the auto tea leaves and determine trends. Not to mention weaving in emissions standards and average mileage regulations. The practicality that a czar might be able to figure this out from his desk in Washington one has to laugh. Some people do not quite understand how the free market makes it possible for me to buy a Hummer or a Prius based on my wants or needs. They think it would be better if I had limited choices.
Once again it is clear that the hold the government now has on the auto industry will result in the cars being built that they want us to buy - not the cars we want to buy. When the dust settles we will buy those cars. Even if we don't like them they will lure us with enormous tax incentives. These tax incentives will of course be subsidized by taxpayers. So look forward to not only paying your neighbor's mortgage but also his "green" car.
Gene (Hangar Dogs)
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Its Time to Arm the Merchant Sailors
The dramatic story of the Maersk Alabama's ordeal off the east coast of Africa has led to a resurgence in the call to place arms aboard merchant ships. Many, if not most, countries have domestic regulations against bringing firearms into a the country while engaged in trade. Some also argue that weapons stored aboard a ship could be captured by terrorists and used against governments and militaries.
The International maritime Organization (IMO) could put its head together and develop a new construct that would protect ships who sail dangerous waters. Shortly after the attacks of 9-11, the IMO developed (with heavy pushing from the US) the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code establishing minimum security levels for port facilities. Ships coming from a non-compliant ISPS port would be subjected to extensive inspections prior to arriving in the US. Time is money for the shipping industry and unpredictable lengthy delays in port or at anchor waiting to enter port costs serious money, sometimes up to $10,000 an hour.
I say that it is time to take care of our own. Put arms back aboard US flagged ships and defend what is ours. Make it a requirement that ships carrying US government aid or materials be armed. Pirates are not going to pick on a ship that openly displays firearms. The pirates go after soft targets, unarmed targets.
Just like most cases, the US should take the lead on this issue through action. We should be the guinea pigs and let others see that it can be done. The ships of the old East India Company were armed and heavily manned to protect the valuable cargos. The EIC took care of their own, called at ports around the world and kept their cargos safe. Only a heavily armed pirate or privateer took on the ships of the East India Company.
The International maritime Organization (IMO) could put its head together and develop a new construct that would protect ships who sail dangerous waters. Shortly after the attacks of 9-11, the IMO developed (with heavy pushing from the US) the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code establishing minimum security levels for port facilities. Ships coming from a non-compliant ISPS port would be subjected to extensive inspections prior to arriving in the US. Time is money for the shipping industry and unpredictable lengthy delays in port or at anchor waiting to enter port costs serious money, sometimes up to $10,000 an hour.
I say that it is time to take care of our own. Put arms back aboard US flagged ships and defend what is ours. Make it a requirement that ships carrying US government aid or materials be armed. Pirates are not going to pick on a ship that openly displays firearms. The pirates go after soft targets, unarmed targets.
Just like most cases, the US should take the lead on this issue through action. We should be the guinea pigs and let others see that it can be done. The ships of the old East India Company were armed and heavily manned to protect the valuable cargos. The EIC took care of their own, called at ports around the world and kept their cargos safe. Only a heavily armed pirate or privateer took on the ships of the East India Company.
Pirate Standoff Ends in Three Flashes
photo: CDR Castellano and Captain Phillips aboard the USS Bainbridge after the rescue.On this Easter day, Captain Phillips is coming home. His home journey will occur thanks to the U.S. Navy and more specifically to the Navy Seals. In the days following the capture of the Maersk Alabama by Somali Pirates, the Maersk Alabama's dramatic escape and the tense hostage standoff where four pirates held Phillips at gun-point in a small lifeboat there is much cause for celebration. The U.S. Navy successfully controlled the situation at sea, discouraged more pirates from joining the small group and took decisive action to protect one of our own and bring him home alive.
Situations like this one here that unfolded over the period of days are extremely difficult to resolve. The men and women of the U.S. Navy held on and won this tough battle. After the sun set on the protracted standoff, the pirates made threatening gestures with guns towards Captain Phillips. The Navy Seals on-scene were given the go ahead to take the shots and take out the pirates. Even though someone else made the decision, the Seals on scene were willing to accept the risk and attempt a difficult rescue. Shooting at sea is not an easy thing. Everything moves and even the easiest shot is still risky.
I bet that you won't see the men who made the hardest decisions of all, the Navy Seals. They won't ask for thanks other than to shake the hand of the man who is going home. You won't see their pictures in the papers or on TV. They won't go to the White House to meet with the President and First Lady. They quietly do their job and are referred to only as 'Navy Seals.' That is what they do.
You should all be thankful that this country has such humble and dedicated men and women defending our Nation and us. You might not be able to pick them out of a crowd, but if you should ever meet one, you certainly owe them a strong hand shake and a 'thank you.'
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Hugo Welcomes US Detainees from GITMO
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez laid a huge offer on the table, to accept any number of the 240 detainees currently being held as enemy combatants at the Guantanamo Bay facility.
"We wouldn't have anyproblem in taking in human beings," Mr. Chavez told Arabic TV channel al-Jazeera. So he says. Go ahead I say. He thinks he has problems now. Let a bunch of trained terrorists loose in his country and he'll be flying to a small African nation in exile.
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7978135.stm
"We wouldn't have anyproblem in taking in human beings," Mr. Chavez told Arabic TV channel al-Jazeera. So he says. Go ahead I say. He thinks he has problems now. Let a bunch of trained terrorists loose in his country and he'll be flying to a small African nation in exile.
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7978135.stm
Obama said "These are not the words you are looking for."
An internal memo from the White House to the Pentagon provided new guidance on appropriate vocabulary for the Global War on Terror. I'm sorry, I can't use GWOT any more. Obama is uber-sensitive about using Bush administration lingo. Here's a quick rundown of what's hot and what's not:
What's Hot ( and What's Not)
Overseas Contigency Operations (not ... Global War on Terror )
Terrorist Surveillance Program (not ... Patriot Act terrorist wire taps )
Man-Caused Disasters (not ... terrorist attacks )
Former Vice President Dick Cheney's counsel sees right through the name game. “They seem more interested in the war on the English language than in what might be thought of as more pressing national security matters...An Orwellian euphemism or two will not change the fact that bad people want to kill us and destroy us as a free people.” It appears that Obama and his team are more afraid of Bush-era language than they are of terrorists. This concerns me, especially when there are still quite a few terrorists plotting evil ways to kill Americans and our allies from their candle lit caves.
And coming next week from the Dept of Homeland Security...Green is the new Orange. I'm not impressed. A real leader would be able to lead the issue without resorting to a new language. I feel like we're watching a card shark deal from the bottom of the deck. Even better, I just heard the voice of Obama Wan Kenobi say "these aren't the droids you're looking for." The only problem is Obama hasn't mastered the force like good old Obi Wan.
For more on this story, go to: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/03/us/politics/02web-baker.html?hp
What's Hot ( and What's Not)
Overseas Contigency Operations (not ... Global War on Terror )
Terrorist Surveillance Program (not ... Patriot Act terrorist wire taps )
Man-Caused Disasters (not ... terrorist attacks )
Former Vice President Dick Cheney's counsel sees right through the name game. “They seem more interested in the war on the English language than in what might be thought of as more pressing national security matters...An Orwellian euphemism or two will not change the fact that bad people want to kill us and destroy us as a free people.” It appears that Obama and his team are more afraid of Bush-era language than they are of terrorists. This concerns me, especially when there are still quite a few terrorists plotting evil ways to kill Americans and our allies from their candle lit caves.
And coming next week from the Dept of Homeland Security...Green is the new Orange. I'm not impressed. A real leader would be able to lead the issue without resorting to a new language. I feel like we're watching a card shark deal from the bottom of the deck. Even better, I just heard the voice of Obama Wan Kenobi say "these aren't the droids you're looking for." The only problem is Obama hasn't mastered the force like good old Obi Wan.
For more on this story, go to: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/03/us/politics/02web-baker.html?hp
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