Understanding the whole scenario shows what an impressive operation it was, and how everything went 'just right'.

1. It wasn't a life-raft, it was a life-boat. An enclosed fiberglass-shelled boat. Anyone who's ever had to 'tender' ashore from a cruise ship knows exactly what the boat was like. Unless for some reason the pirates and Capt. Phillips were standing on top of it, the available shots are through the 'door ways' and portals.
2. It wasn't out on the open sea. The HRT negotiator convinced the pirates to let the USS Bainbridge tow the lifeboat. About 50 yards behind the destroyer is a sweet-spot in the wake, a nice flat, stable piece of water.
3. By towing the boat, they also limited the range of the shots from the snipers.
4. The HRT negotiators had gotten 1 of the pirates off the lifeboat to 'negotiate' and were likely trying to get another off the boat.

Nice op, everything went well, and Capt. Phillips was rescued safe and sound.

Thanks for the analysis.

Still waiting for documentation on the bow by President Bush to a Saudi royal.

that thread is over there -------->

::looks around::

oh...did it go "poof"?

Our military is awesome.

Let's hope the administration handles all terrorists/radicals/pirates/crazy little north koreans, in the same manner going forward.

"terrorists/radicals/pirates/crazy little north koreans" sounds so harsh...aren't there alternate warm-and-fuzzy terms we could use instead?

misguided foreigners?

How about "Not so nice people" ?

Overseas Contingency Smurfs
Overseas Contingency Dwarfs
Overseas Contingency Fuzzballs
Overseas Contingency Love Muffins

libertarians?

LOL@MB!

Have we declared a "War on Piracy" yet? It's time to pick up where Her Majesty's Royal Navy left off...

Yes.

They have busted multiple Napster users.

we declare war on anything that moves

hardy harrrr harrrrrr!



(but i did chuckle)

What do you mean 'left off'? The HMS Northumberland is just one of the British ships currently escorting commercial vessels and patrolling the MARSEC lane...

I meant in the grand scheme...The Royal Navy became the greatest sea power after knocking off the Spanish Armada in 1588 until about the WWI-WWII period. We've been the big dog in the pond since.

didn't France also use deadly force against the pirates?; hope things don't escalate ....

Yes, they did. So has the Indian Navy. So far, no escalation.

I will issue my congratulations to the military and the administration for their handling of this situation. Some in the media over the weekend were questioning why the President was silent on this, but I think that was exactly the right way to handle this. Any comments would have given these pirates more attention than they already received.

Congrats to all around for a well run operation.

Piracy Incidents in the Gulf of Aden - 2008 Caution: big file...

France...deadly force????


you MUST be joking!