Hostage Rescue Big Success For U.S. Navy & Obama White House

For a few days I had deep fears that the Obama Administration might be moving too cautiously to wind up the hostage rescue incident off the coast of Somalia. Certainly, I understood that both the U.S. Navy and the Obama Administration did not want the crisis to end in disaster. And the successful conclusion of this crisis well proved the behind the scenes hands-on crisis management approach by the Obama White House.

Behind the scenes, President Obama had 17 phone calls with the captain of the Navy ship involved in handling this hostage crisis and authorized him to take any military action necessary. While the juvenile pirate was lured to the Navy ship on the pretense of negotiations, it helped to allow for his safe arrest. avoiding the shooting of this juvenile, while the adult pirates were considered legitimate targets by Navy sharpshooters if they endangered the life of the hostage. When the life of the hostage was threatened, the Navy sharpshooters acted with great success ending this crisis.

Unlike a President Bush who would likely don a flight suit and proclaim, "Mission Accomplished", over such a significant foreign policy success, making a big show of the event, the style of President Obama is to painstakingly work behind the scenes to see the crisis through to success. This is excellent management

Over the next few days, the U.S. might even face some new acts of violence done by pirates or by their warlord supporters. But these elements should be very wary that President Obama will take any efforts necessary to protect American shipping. These pirate criminals are in no position to pick a war with the U.S. Navy or President Obama who will do whatever necessary to protect American lives.