Capt. Richard Phillips did a heroic thing when he offered himself as a hostage to secure the safety of his ship's crew.
NAIROBI, Kenya -- A U.S. destroyer on Thursday reached the waters where Somali pirates held the American captain of a hijacked cargo ship that was later retaken by the crew in an hours-long high seas drama.
The pirates took Capt. Richard Phillips as a hostage as they escaped into a lifeboat Wednesday in the first such attack on American sailors in around 200 years.
...Phillips' family was gathered at his Vermont farmhouse, anxiously watching news reports and taking telephone calls from the U.S. State Department to learn if he would be freed.
"We are on pins and needles," said Gina Coggio, 29, half-sister of Phillips' wife, Andrea, as she stood on the porch of his one-story house Wednesday in a light snow. "I know the crew has been in touch with their own family members, and we're hoping we'll hear from Richard soon."
Phillips surrendered himself to the pirates to secure the safety of the crew, Coggio said.
"What I understand is that he offered himself as the hostage," she said. "That is what he would do. It's just who he is and his response as a captain."
What a brave man!
My thoughts are with Capt. Phillips and his family. This must be torture for them.
I hope the Somali thugs surrender and Capt. Phillips is quickly reunited with his family.
After he is freed, I hope the Obama administration sends a firm message to the pirates and to the world that this lawlessness will not be tolerated.
And no, a UN resolution condemning the Somali pirates will not suffice.
Unilaterally, Obama needs to show that he's not a wimp and an appeaser. He must start displaying a backbone, something he failed to do with the North Korean rocket launch.
He has to make it clear that he's continuing President Bush's approach. It's a mistake to mess with the U.S. Those who do will suffer the consequences.
This calls for an Overseas Contingency Operation.
9 comments:
Yes, the Captain's decision to serve as the hostage is a typical American hero response. I pray that he's released soon. Afterwards, the Navy should just sink that lifeboat with nthe pirates. Send them to Davy Jones' Locker . . .
No, this commander in chief wouldn't do that.
Obama will probably lay out the welcome mat for the Somali pirates, give them health care, free college tuition, and free bowling at the White House.
Too bad Obama didn't have the time to acknowledge this. He's too busy trying to figure out a new way to wreck the economy.
Obama will bow to the Saudi king but he wouldn't take the time to publicly offer some words of comfort to Phillips' family.
The Cool One is not so cool.
I am all for America standing up for its self but do we really want to say "Dont mess with America"? No, we dont. We are one country! We would not survive if 5 Countries ganged up on us. And saying we're the best only angers other countries. Yes, the pirates should be in trouble but lay off Obama. He was only elected because we thought he was NOTHING like BUSH!!!! And the captain, I hope he's okayand everything goes fine but he's no Hero, he's a normal person that stood up and did his job. Hero's are the ones that stand up and die, maybe you should hope he dosent become a hero.....
armed ships with trained gun crews would end piracy in the gulf of aden in 2 seconds...
I agree with Nichole. And when other countries need our money or our defense, I say screw 'em. We aren't the best. Go ask the other five countries that can kick our ass to help. (sarcasm off)
Some people have no historical, or rational for that matter, perspective on why their lives are so good, Nichole obviously being one. She's going to figure it out though over the next five to ten years when her standard of living drops like a lead balloon thanks to her allegiance to Obama and the socialists that I'm sure she embraces. I's sure she's ready to give up what is good in her life for somebody else's benefit. Right?
Nichole says we should "lay off Obama."
Sorry, but the buck stops with Obama. He wanted the job, now he's got it. He's in over his head. That's obvious.
I would suggest that you lay off Capt. Phillips.
Another priceless line from Nichole: "Hero's are the ones that stand up and die."
So there's no such thing as a living hero.
Our troops, the first responders on 9/11 who lived to tell the story, our police officers and firefighters -- they aren't heroes?
How naive to think that Captain Phillips is not a hero? I would be willing to beat that his crew are forever grateful for his courage and presence of mind to put their safety before his own. That is the defination of a true hero - to put others first - and one does not have to die to accomplish that. As for President Obama - he is in over his head - he bowed to a Saudi king - is working on leaving this country with the single biggest debt in the history of all histories. When he is done we will all be begging someone like to Bush to come save our country - since Obama is in the process of giving it all away. We are in deep trouble folks and I don't know why that is not clear. Remember - Bush may have been in The White House for the last 4 years - but it was the Democrats that controlled both the House and the Senate and this mess occurred on their watch.
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