Many of the bigots who read his site were using it to spread the story, I'm sure he still likes having his security service connections and he slapped it down.
Barack Obama is being smeared and unfairly maligned by the following piece of propaganda, which is circulating the web and uses enough terminology to have the ring of authenticity. But it is a lie. I have heard directly from a couple of people who participated in the discussions and decision making process. These individuals are career professionals and are not political partisans.
He goes on to repeat the smear and then dismisses it entirely.
What the author of this smear job does not know, or understand apparently, is that it took the Bainbridge almost 20 hours to steam to the location of the pirated ship. It was not until the Bainbridge was on scene (Thursday morning edt) that intelligence was available for Washington, DC decision makers. Once the decision was made to launch the SEAL team you are looking at a minimum of 24 hours from alert to deployment to actual flight to the scene. The earliest the SEALs could have mounted an operation was late Saturday morning Somali time.
So what do SEALs do when they show up on scene? They have to get into position and they have to do so in a way that the pirates do not detect their movement. Once in place they will collect information/intelligence. They need to verify that there are only four pirates on board. The SEALs are not going to “assume” anything and are going to verify they have the right information. The understand that if there is a fuck up they are on the chopping block. The reality is that the SEALs were not able to get fully into place until the cycle of darkness that commenced on Saturday, Somali time.
Once in place you have to have simultaneous visual identity of all of the targets. The pirates apparently were not just lounging around the portholes of the life boat.
Here is a comment from a person who was involved with the decision making surrounding this incident. Along with personnel from the National Security Council, the discussions included people from the Department of Defense, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the FBI, the Department of Justice and the Department of State.
Every decision these days is politicized it seems. I was part of the discussion. Rules of Engagement were the same as it would be under any similar circumstance, nothing was delayed in making that decision.
We had to get the right folks in place. Navy Destroyers are not manned with the capability to take the shots which eventually were made. Our commanders did the right and timely thing. There was no discussion about not hurting the pirates to ensure political correctness. Our number one concern from the beginning was to get Phillips back safely. The safest way was to convince the Kat-chewing punks to give up, while at the same time preparing for a tactical solution.
The negotiations were designed to buy time, glean more information, and if possible, talk them into submission. The additional time was key to our success. We have done it many times in the past, this one just happened to make the front pages. We always prefer the negotiated solution, since our policy is to make no concessions in the course of the negotiations. One of them listened, the others pushed the situation too far and paid the price.
In short, those who support and defend the Constitution are fully aware of what is lawful and consistent with policy that has been in place through many administrations. Sound tactical solutions were not impeded by politics.
I repeat my fundamental position. Criticize Obama for legitimate lapses and miscues. Give him credit for doing the right thing in the right way. As far as the rescue of Captain Phillips is concerned Barack Obama did the right thing and allowed the process to work as it should. Smearing him for being indecisive in this matter is unfair and wrong.
I do not normally give any credit to Larry Johnson, but for slapping down some of the PUMA bigots and Rethugs who have infected his site, ever since he lost all credibility amongst sane people I do.
So Foxis definitely on their own with the internet crazies from the likes of StormFront and other dangerous groups, which is where this story originated.
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