American Pride

[Guest bkelm18]

It just don't matter, all's well. Why take a good positive thing and try to make a negative thing out of it for Pete's sake. Obama or no Obama, we as American's took the ole bull by the horn and took care of business for once, damn, LEAVE IT ALONE and enjoy!!! BJ

+1.

[Guest Hyaloid]

Let's keep the thread on track, and watch the trash talking, there's no place for that here.

Disagree with each other cordially, or find some other place to do it.

[broknbonz]

anyone have a link to the footage of the shoot ? ....if any exist

[Guest bkelm18]

anyone have a link to the footage of the shoot ? ....if any exist

I doubt any exists. If it does its probably classified.

[Guest JHatmaker]

Here's a story I just found about the rescue, may be old news, if so I apologize in advance.

INSIDE THE SHOT HEARD 'ROUND THE WORLD

We've got some details trickling in about the specifics of the SEAL sniper shots on the pirates holding the Maersk-Alabama's captain, Richard Phillips.

The Combat Operator's Jake Allen -- not a former SEAL, but a Marine infantry officer and private military contractor and security consultant with sourcing in the Teams -- had no detailed information on the actual shot, but described the overall techniques used by the SEAL team.

First of all, multiple sources indicate this was conducted by SEAL Team VI, aka Naval Special Warfare Development Group, aka "DevGru." This is the naval equivalent of Delta Force.

Allen says the team likely were on the intel of the incident very soon after news hit the wires about the capture and were already well in advance of developing a plan to rescue Phillips before they deployed to the USS Bainbridge.

It's unclear why the team decided to parachute onto the scene under cover of darkness from a C-17 with rafts. One possibility is that this was a far more covert entry than simply landing on the destroyer via helicopter, or Allen says it could have been due to range restrictions...did the DevGru guys travel straight from Little Creek, Va.? Probably.

There was no rest and relaxation or getting rid of the jetlag for the team, Allen estimates, they were planning and rehersing shortly after arriving aboard the Bainbridge. Delay is, however, in their favor, Allen said, since food was running out, sleep was short and the weather was worsening for the ill-trained pirates who probably were beginning to realize they bit off more than they could chew.

Whether it was luck or planning, clearly the idea to tow the life boat behind the Bainbridge and reel it into closer range made a sniper takedown much more of a reasonable possibility than any other tactic, sources say. A shot of 80-90 feet -- even at night and in rolling seas -- is a cakewalk for DevGru SEALs.

"These guys can put three rounds onto the head of a quarter at that range," Allen told me.

And let's not get carried away with the sea state, says DT contributor Joe Buff. A multi-thousand ton destroyer is a pretty stable platform in any but the most tumultuous sea states and makes dialing in a shot on an admittedly tossing life raft more doable -- a smart platform for the Team to operate from.

We also have some information -- unconfirmed, though we're working on it -- about how the shots were taken and what was used. Our firearms expert Eric Poole who writes for Tactical-Lifeposits that the snipers were using the MK-11 .308 sniper system manufactured by Knights Armament Co. This weapons is awesome, by the way (I've shot it a few times myself) and, if this is indeed what the shooters used, would mark a major, high-profile departure from legacy thinking about sniping which holds bolt-action rifles as the Gold Standard or marksmanship.

Poole figures the DevGru frogmen removed the "overpowered" standard-issue Leupold scopes and opted for the Aimpoint CCO augmented by the PVS-14 night vision monocular. Though the SEAL version of the MK-11 Mod 0 is issued with supressors, it's unclear whether the operators used them, but I'd bet a million bucks they did.

One other question (among many) remains open...were there three shots or four? Poole reasons, and Allen and I agree, that someone had to shoot through the lifeboat window first, then fire the kill shots. My limited knowledge of ballistics leads me to believe the snipers could not rely on the effectiveness of the one window shot to actually strike the target where it was aimed based in the potential deflection of hitting that probably plastic (glass) window.

Poole, Allen and Buff agree that this operation was meticulously planned and flawlessly executed. The DevGru SEALs developed the situation (with their interagency partners in the FBI and other OGAs), planned an attack and executed when the opportunity presented itself (and I don't buy this "the captain was in danger" line the Pentagon and White House is trying to sell here...you mean to tell me Phillips hadn't had a gun pointed at his back anytime before this?)...It was a kick butt operation carried out by one of the best counterterrorist units in the world and they deserve a huge HooYah from all of us...

-- Christian

Edited April 16, 2009 by JHatmaker

[Guest canynracer]

was wondering how long it would take some ____ to .....

whats the blank for? if you got something to say, say it.

Nobody here is saying they like Obama, nobody...but this would have gone the SAME regardless of who is in office.

It was handled well, and I am glad this man got to go home alive. I am glad three of the pirates are floating.

We have enough to be pissed off at.

[mcurrier]

Wow! Just found this article. Seems to echo exactly what I said.

Webutante: All He Wanted Was a Cookie

A very interesting read.

and

RedState

That is all.

[strickj]

Maybe you could provide something other then a blog as reference!

Every news agency (including fox)has reported how many meetings,and such took place to contradict what you're saying,and all you can provide is a link to a blog?

Nobody here is saying they like Obama, nobody...but this would have gone the SAME regardless of who is in office.

It was handled well, and I am glad this man got to go home alive. I am glad three of the pirates are floating.

We have enough to be pissed off at.

Well said!

I dont like the pansy,but Ill say it was handled well even though.

Id also like to reference Daniels post from the other day just to have something to think about:

http://www.tngunowners.com/forums/261690-post11.html

Edited April 17, 2009 by strickj

[bteague2]

To bring this back on topic of our bad ass navy:

[Guest canynracer]

HAHA...that is bad ass!

[Guest 44M]

some people wouldn`t give Obama credit for anything...no matter what...like the guy is a moron or some kind of idiot....he already fixed ruined US image around the world more than I tought he would...he talks the talk and walks the walk, he would talk to anyone to try to work out the problems and that is called politics... to have an atitude that we are the best god given nation on this planet and that we can bomb and kill who ever does not agree with us..that is called stupidity...

Db

[Smith]

My only complaint is they didn't get the last guy! I just hope he doesn't turn into some political show.

[mcurrier]

Just back from a wedding in Virginia this weekend, no internet access.

How about this story then on World Net Daily -

How Obama actually delayed pirate rescue

(their title, not mine)

"reliable military sources close to the scene are painting a much different picture of the incident"

and

G2 Bulletin

Any credibility there maybe???

Try reading the story before you further accuse me of being so intolerant of "the messiah" that I can't give him credit for anything. Perhaps when, or if, he does anything worthy of credit, I will bestow it upon him, but until then...the truth isn't very pleasant.

I am VERY PLEASED that the ship Captain has been rescued, as I said in the beginning, but I am going to stand firm that the credit go where it is due (to the U.S. Navy), and that proper criticism also go where it is due (our weanie-in-Chief).

DO NOT try to turn this into an anti-Obama thread, it is not about that, it is about the t-r-u-t-h.

Maybe you could provide something other then a blog as reference!

Every news agency (including fox)has reported how many meetings,and such took place to contradict what you're saying,and all you can provide is a link to a blog?

Well said!

I dont like the pansy,but Ill say it was handled well even though.

Id also like to reference Daniels post from the other day just to have something to think about:

http://www.tngunowners.com/forums/261690-post11.html

[Guest JHatmaker]

To bring this back on topic of our bad ass navy:

I love it! I think I threw this magazine away, but Barret actually publishes a magazine about stories of their rifles in use, and a product guide, etc.

Anyway, I was reading a story about how Navy Snipers used their .50's to to break apart cables on another ship or something to stop it, or break it loose. As Peter from Family Guy would say; "Freakin' Sweet!"