Navy SEALS Save Hostages in Somalia

[Freddy]

Just in time for the State of the Union Address SEAL Team 6 rescues two hostages from within Somalia.

"First they took out Osama bin Laden. Now the US Navy SEALs have earned their "special forces" designation once again by conducting a daring, pinpoint rescue of two aid workers held hostage for three months in Somalia.

US officials confirmed it was a Navy SEAL team that carried out the pre-dawn raid, but the Pentagon, citing "operation security reasons," would not confirm US media reports that it was SEAL Team 6, the same unit which got Al-Qaeda leader bin Laden deep inside Pakistan last May.

American Jessica Buchanan and Dane Poul Thisted, who both worked for the Danish Refugee Council Demining Group, were rescued unharmed after helicopter-borne US commandos landed in scrubland in central Somalia early Wednesday local time, according to a local Somali official."

http://www.smh.com.au/world/nine-dea...126-1qibx.html

[Freddy]

I am glad they saved the hostages, but the timing makes me wonder.

[Max]

The fact is, special forces probably carries out missions such as these 7 days a week, 365 days a year. The timing you mention is just this particular mission happened to occur at a perfect time for exposure. Im sure no matter what time the SOTU was, there would have been a story they could tell.

[Nu Kua]

I am glad they saved the hostages, but the timing makes me wonder.

Wasn't it right before a SOTU address that Osama was captured, killed, and then given a loving memorial service before being gently slid into the sea?
I think it was, or some sort of a very public Presidential appearance, maybe a day before.

[lycanox]

I doubt they actually plan it that way. Most likely they just increase the media coverage.

Its not like they run the nation like in that movie. The second civil war. Even they are not that incompetent.

[Bob]

I TOLD you he is a MASTER politician! Once again Obama lands on his feet and everybody else looks stupid.

[Nu Kua]

I doubt they actually plan it that way. Most likely they just increase the media coverage.

Its not like they run the nation like in that movie. The second civil war. Even they are not that incompetent.

I am glad the people were rescued and all that. It does seem too much of a coincidence that both dramatic events were enacted right in time for a major media appearance by the president, for it to actually be a coincidence, though. So assuming it is as Bob says and is a masterful political move on the part of the Obama team, that also seems somewhat calculating. But, whatever. I suppose it is the nature of game.

[lycanox]

Well, I doubt that the military does Heroism on order.
They would have acted once they get the chance. And would not have waited for an silly speech.

Besides, if it is all just politicism. Why during the speech and not wait until the election.

[Max]

Its not being a master politician to announce an event which happens frequently at a time it is advantageous. Its pretty basic stuff. I disagree with the cynical conspiratorial attitude a lot of people seem to take. Every string dosnt lead to a puppet master! Sometimes it is just a piece of string.

[Nu Kua]

Every string dosnt lead to a puppet master! Sometimes it is just a piece of string.

Well, I admit, sometimes I get all tied up into knots.

[Freddy]

I have read several reports saying Obama gave the okay for the mission on Monday and called the father of the US hostage right after the SOTU to tell him his daughter had been rescued.

[Anarch]

I thought that seal team six died weeks later in a helicopter accident after killing osama?

[JenaS62]

Some of Seal team 6 died in a helicopter accident.

[Freddy]

Only 17 of 38 dead in the crash were from Seal Team 6, but none took part in the Osama bin Laden raid.

[Anarch]

wag the dog again and again.

[Raptor Witness]

If someone had told me a few years ago, that pirates from Africa would be come a serious problem on the high seas, I doubt I would have believed it.

I have a feeling that as the world economy worsens, we're going to see a lot more of this sort of thing.

I'm happy they saved these folks, as there's nothing worse than taking aid workers hostage. This is what you need your special forces for, and it's a big win for the U.S. military and President Obama.

[Kiehlroy]

If someone had told me a few years ago, that pirates from Africa would be come a serious problem on the high seas, I doubt I would have believed it.

I have a feeling that as the world economy worsens, we're going to see a lot more of this sort of thing.

I'm happy they saved these folks, as there's nothing worse than taking aid workers hostage. This is what you need your special forces for, and it's a big win for the U.S. military and President Obama.

And people said we were bulling them in the 90's when we had to use force to keep the thugs from stealing the food aid from the needy.

[Bob]

Its not being a master politician to announce an event which happens frequently at a time it is advantageous. Its pretty basic stuff. I disagree with the cynical conspiratorial attitude a lot of people seem to take. Every string dosnt lead to a puppet master! Sometimes it is just a piece of string.

In sports and politics, it's the fundamentals that win the game. Pitch, catch, throw, blocking and tackling. You're right it is pretty basic stuff, but so few athletes or politicians seem to be able to get a handle on that. Obama is good at the fundamentals, his opposition is not. Sometimes...it IS the puppetmaster.

[Max]

My point is possibly one of semantics. This situation is being painted as some remarkable event that's been instigated for the express purpose of making a political candidate look good. When in reality, the sort of operation that took place here is one that isn't so rare. It happens every week of every year and always will. So trying to read a nefarious purpose behind Obama announcing it is not only illogical, it insults the intelligence of everybody involved.

Its, as you say, a wily politician who announces something correctly. Most of the time...it ISNT the puppetmaster.

[GamerGal]

Also, if Bush had done it... He'd send in 3 people clad in Halliburton gear, they'd die, he'd send in 3 more, and some how a few billion dollars later... The hostages would still be there.

Kinda like the whole "Only reason he killed Osama, won the war, ended Iraq, was so he could score political points.