For all we know this was some schizophrenic on St. Paul Alaska island, talking to real frikkin seals!

Not according to Bill – he claims the Navy made the call ‘in spite’ of the instructions were given. Therefore that brings up the question why didn’t they make that call earlier. I’m not blaming the Navy myself – as I believe they did the right thing within instructions. It was the right call with the right result.

They could have acted sooner were those “instructions” not so binding, and the CIC given them the blessing to follow traditional ROE already in place. That’s all they were asking in the beginning. However when the CIC and his underlings started micromanaging with additional caveats, they had to wait until everything fit the Obama bill.

Gaffa, you’re missing the whole point. The Navy made the call IN SPITE OF the ‘instructions’ they were given

So you are saying it was the Navy that spent 5 days dithering until they decided to go against instructions – when they could of taken out the kidnappers before then?

i also misunderstood the Bainbridge ship’s company. i thought it was still the flagship of the task force there. apparently it isn’t now but it was, and they rotate flagship designations – and crew compliment. usually only a designated flagship would have the Scout Sniper team. my bad.

What you’re saying makes sense; another e-mail circulating which claims to be the “straight poop” indicates that there were four shooters, and the first one punched out the window with a wadcutter round.

But USMC Scout Snipers as part of Bainbridge’ ship’s company? If so, that’s new since I was in the Canoe Club- and putting a pair on every surface combatant would mean well over 200 highly trained elite grads of the Scout Sniper course floating around the world’s oceans. Surely we don’t have enough of them for that, do we?

(Still no reliable word on the rifles used: Mk 11, M40, M82?)

“An interesting not-quite-an-eyewitness report. Interesting that he claims four shots. If he’s correct, it would mean that there were four snipers sent out, for four pirates (one subtracted only later). I would expect that two would then have been tasked to the target holding the AK on the hostage, just to be sure.”

actually, i believe there were probably five shooters – and they all might not have been SEALS. the Bainbridge’s normal crew compliment would include USMC Scout Snipers also. either way, they already had the fourth pirate onboard the Bainbridge, so they knew exactly how many shooters were needed. two were timed a split-second ahead to take out the plexiglass windows of the covered boat. (easy to do if trained to engage when hearing/feeling the “muzzle break” of the other shooter) in sniper parlance, these were “trick” shots – although some might say that ALL sniper shots are trick shots.

the last thing the pirates actually heard or saw was the windows shattering.

PS: snipers usually use a spotter, and that spotter usually gives the final command “send it” instead of “fire” – which means the sniper can then engage on his own rhythm and timing. this was not one of those shoots. this was a “volley” shoot, on command. EXTREMELY DIFFICULT.

(full disclosure: i helped rewrite the USMC Scout Sniper Instructor course. got to shoot it also. had a perfect score on the 600yd line iteration with the 7.62 M40 scoped sniper rifle and was awarded the coveted USMC Scout Sniper Instructor coin from the NCOIC of the school.)

Of course Obama approved the SEALs- he would have to- but Jones’ account PROVES the stupid ROE- and confirms, indirectly, that the OSC acted on his own initiative. Even Jones confirms the “peaceful resolution” item- proof enough of Obama’s dithering gutlessness.

Makes me wonder if the story might have been lefty ploy to get the righty-blogosphere into a frenzy which could then be slapped down. It sounded kinda over-the-top too me anyhow, as if someone with a little knowledge of how the chain of command works was play-acting how they thought it might go.

The credit goes to CDR Castellano, who made the call knowing the risk to his career. Obama is a lying glory-hound. Follow the link above to waronterrornews. Blackfive also has the straight poop.