For those who inquired about my confidential sources, I have found an open source who recounts essentially the same chronolog as my former navy colleagues still on active duty relayed to me:
http://clearfogblog.wordpress.com/2009/ ... -0-replay/
native wrote:If you think the recent pirate escapade will embolden our allies and intimidate our enemies, portending success, think again. It will embolden our enemies. Oh, it will probably intimidate some of the illiterate and impoverished pirates, but it did not fool the world's intelligence agencies.
You probably believe what you were told by the mainstream media about the pirate episode, that Obama saved the day by ordering the timely use of deadly force to save the hostage Captain's life. Nothing could be further from the truth.
The hostage was saved despite the President's decision to suppress a readily available military option and use the FBI to negotiate a "peaceful" solution. It took the SEALS four hours to depart from Virgina Beach for the coast of Somalia. At twelve hours the FBI were still packing their bags. Meanwhile the hostage's life was in constant danger as the drama dragged on. The military solution was available on the first day when the hostage jumped overboard and tried to escape, but the rescue was explicitly vetoed by the Whitehouse. After the drama dragged on for four days, the hostage was finally saved ONLY because the Captain of the USS Bainbridge, contrary to the expressed desires of the Whitehouse for a "peaceful" solution, had the balls to risk his career and declare that the hostage's life was in danger, then giving the go-ahead as the on-scene-commander for the SEALS to take out the pirates and set the hostage free.
The President did do one intelligent thing for which I give him credit. AFTER THE FACT, he accepted as his own the decision to use force.
Unlike Jack Kennedy, who was tested early in his Presidency with an unprecedentedly grave world crisis and found largely worthy, Obama has been tested early in his Presidency with a trivial incident and found wanting.