RSS Feed MenuEarlier this week, news broke that three Navy SEALs were charged and may be court-martialed for allegedly punching a prisoner. The prisoner, a high-value target (HVT) was turned over to authorities with a bloody lip.
According to a source of mine — a retired SEAL who like myself still serves in other capacities — the feeling going around the Special Operations community at Fort Bragg is that this latest development is a kneejerk reaction to the situation a couple months ago when SEAL operators rescued Captain Phillips – Captain of the Maersk Alabama – off the coast of Somalia.
At the time of the capture, the media played up the angle that President Obama himself gave the order to the SEAL snipers to open fire. Having done extensive time in anti-terrorist units myself, I can tell you from personal experience this is ridiculous, a total fabrication. Nobody except those with “eyes on” the targeted individuals can make the judgment call to open fire.
The truth of the situation was that the SEALs were held off from infiltrating the AO (Area of Operations) for over 36 hours. There was a lot of resistance from the White House in letting them in theater in the first place; once they were in place they were given very restrictive ROE (Rules Of Engagement); so restrictive that they really couldn’t engage their targets. There were two previous opportunities to rescue Captain Phillips, and they were not allowed to engage their targets.
When they finally did execute, they did so by liberally interpreting the ROE; the onsite commander finally had enough with the situation and gave them a weapons-free command and they were able to engage and rescue Captain Phillips. The fallout from the National Command Authority was immediate and extremely unpleasant; the White House did not want the rescue to be conducted in the way that it was.
So the word on the street is that this latest development is payback for the SEALs violating the ROE in rescuing the captain of the Maersk Alabama. The Chain of Command is asserting itself, letting everybody know what’s going to happen to you if you don’t follow orders.
As this was expressed to me, this opinion is based on very good, solid inside information. In my personal experience with Navy brass I have found they are very political and very politically correct. The Naval Command’s reaction to the prisoner situation was so overblown and out of proportion that I somehow find this latest angle quite believable. Unfortunately.
Originally posted at STORMBRINGER.
BarryS // Dec 1, 2009 at 8:50 am
Linnane, you only have to read your blog to know that you are a racist, and that you surround yourself with racists. Do you call your wife a “Klingon” as Michelle Obama was described on your blog?
Sean Linnane // Dec 1, 2009 at 11:43 am
I have a personal Code of Ethics that includes: “Never say anything behind a person’s back that you are not willing to say to their face.” Having said that, I have no control over what comments are entered on STORMBRINGER just as I have no control over what you say here; afterall it’s not as if you’re talking about my wife while standing right in front of me, now, is it?
BarryS // Dec 1, 2009 at 11:56 am
Then Linnane you endorse and agree with racism. It’s BS to say that you have no control over racist remarks on YOUR OWN BLOG. Here you do not have control and neither should you.
Your code of ethics is sadly lacking in my opinion. I’m not talking about your wife. I asked if you would be happy for someone to call your wife a “Klingon” as has been said about Michelle Obama on your blog.
Sean Linnane // Dec 1, 2009 at 12:22 pm
FYI I tried to delete that LLORT3 comment but am unable . . .
You lot crack me up with all your conjecture & assumptions re the military. You can’t learn soldiering by reading books; the saying goes, “You talk the talk, do you walk the walk?”
You obviously don’t; you quibble around the point; you are a quibbler. There is no honor here- I’m outta here. S.L.
BarryS // Dec 1, 2009 at 12:59 pm
So, finally you admit that there are tasteless racist posts on your own blog. Then you say you are unable to delete them. I will take that with a large pinch of salt.
So far Obama is passing this test . - Page 7 // Mar 9, 2010 at 5:57 pm
[...] Obama didn't pass this test? David Frum has some interesting thoughts on this being related to the punishment of 3 Navy SEALs for giving a prisoner a bloody lip: [...]