SEAL email criticizing Obama is bogus

Posted: Tuesday, April 21, 2009 6:26 PM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: White House, Security, Barack Obama

From NBC's Jim Miklaszewski

There's an email whipping around the internet, supposedly written by a Navy SEAL who complains that President Obama delayed decisions to deploy the Navy SEALs because he wanted to resolve the hostage standoff with Captain Richard Phillips "peacefully."

There's enough background detail in the email to suggest it was in fact written by a SEAL, but several senior military officials who were involved in the direct planning and execution of the mission -- including in consultations with the White House and President Obama -- tell NBC News the claims are bogus.

Here is part of the email:

Having spoken to some SEAL pals in Virginia Beach yesterday and asking why this thing dragged out for 4 days, I got the
following:

1. BHO (President) wouldn't authorize the DEVGRU/NSWC SEAL teams to the
scene for 36 hours going against OSC (on scene commander)
recommendation.
2. Once they arrived, BHO imposed restrictions on their ROE (rules of
engagement) that they couldn't do anything unless the hostage's life was
in "imminent" danger
3. The first time the hostage jumped, the SEALS had the raggies all
sighted in, but could not fire due to ROE restriction
4. When the navy RIB came under fire as it approached with supplies, no
fire was returned due to ROE restrictions. As the raggies were shooting
at the RIB, they were exposed and the SEALS had them all dialed in.
5. BHO specifically denied two rescue plans developed by the Bainbridge
CPN and SEAL teams
6. Bainbridge CPN and SEAL team CDR finally decide they have the OpArea
and OSC authority to solely determine risk to hostage. 4 hours later, 3
dead raggies
7. BHO immediately claims credit for his "daring and decisive"
behavior.

Two senior military officials who talked to NBC about this both said essentially they have no reason to carry President Obama's water on this, but that he and the White House responded quickly and positively to the military's request.

Given some of the details included in the email, military officials say it could very well have come from a "disgruntled" Navy SEAL who had no idea what the White House and senior commanders were planning or executing.

In addition, the email was originally passed around by a former admiral who retired in 1982 who told Navy officials he doesnt know any Navy SEALS and has no idea where the original email came from.

According to the officials the timeline of events and decisions were as follows:
Wednesday, April 8
The Maersk Alabama is hijacked by four Somali pirates. The U.S. destroyer Bainbridge, 300 miles away, heads in that direction. Military officials tell NBC News that officials with the Maersk shipping company informed the U.S. Navy they wanted no military intervention, they wanted to negotiate, pay a ransom and be on their way. Senior military officials informed the White House this would not require a military response but the Bainbridge continued in that direction.

Thursday, April 9
Bainbridge arrives in the vicinity of Maersk Alabama as the situation turned ugly and the four pirates took Captain Richards hostage in a lifeboat. The skipper aboard the Bainbridge realized he didn't have the "assets" necessary to handle a hostage situation and informed his superiors he needed the skills that Navy SEALS could bring to the fight.

Friday, April 10
Captain Phillips jumped into the sea in an attempt to escape his pirate captors, but the Bainbridge was a mile away from the lifeboat at the time and had no special operations forces in the water or the air that could have helped Phillips escape.

The nearest Navy SEAL team was on a training mission in Kenya. In military legalese, that SEAL team was considered an "EXTREMIS NATIONAL ASSET," which meant it would require presidential authority to pull the SEALS out of Kenya. Military officials went to the White House to brief national security officials and within "a couple of hours" President Obama signed off on the order to deploy the Navy SEALS, who were airdropped into the water and taken onto the Bainbridge

Friday night Somalia time: The President also gave the SEALS the authority to use "lethal force" to rescue Captain Philliips if it was determined his life was in "imminent danger."

By late Friday it was determined the specialized more advance skillsets of SEAL TEAM SIX, (the Navy's equivalent of DELTA FORCE), now known as the DEVELOPMENT GROUP were needed and planning began to deploy them from Little Creek, Virginia to the Indian Ocean.

At the same time, the hostage rescue operation was officially designated a "COUNTER-TERRORISM OPERATION," which allowed the White House and the military to cut through the usual red tape that exists in combining military and law enforcement operations.

The White House and military also laid out the three primary objectives of the mission:
1) try to negotiate for the peaceful release of hostage Captain Phillips.
2) keep the lifeboat from reaching the Somali shore.
3) use lethal force if the Captain's life is in imminent danger.

Saturday, April 11
The military sought and President Obama immediately granted the request and authority for SEAL TEAM SIX to use "lethal force" if it was determined Captain Phillips life was in danger. SEAL TEAM SIX was airdropped into the water at night and taken aboard the Bainbridge.

Sunday, April 12
At 7:19 pm Somalia time, three Navy snipers from SEAL TEAM SIX, lying prone on the fan-tail of the Bainbridge, fired three precision and simultaneous shots that instantly killed the three remaining pirates holding Captain Phillips hostage aboard the lifeboat.

EMAIL THIS

Comments

why not make a connection to the false email about Obama's treatment of the US soldiers during the 2008 campaign when then candidate Obama visited Afghanistan. there was also a email campaign to stated that Obama did not want to play basketball with soldier...... another lie but Journalists have Goldfish minds they don't seem to remember much.

why not chastise the republican operators for trying to politicize the military it was just a minor thing when Obama was just a Senator but now he is C-I-C and to undermine him is actually a threat to the security of the nation... then against these are the same people who think that the answer to losing an election is succeeding from the union........ DO THE BLOODY RESEARCH AND CONNECT THE DOTS.

jam, DC (Sent Tuesday, April 21, 2009 6:38 PM)

Why are you investigating bogus emails. I didn't realize this was a story until you made it one.

Pbrown (Sent Tuesday, April 21, 2009 6:41 PM)

Reguardless, this will be in Rush Limbo's, Hannity's, and Glen Beck talking points, then repeated over and over until it will be know as truths.

John (Sent Tuesday, April 21, 2009 6:41 PM)

Thanks for putting a stop to this before it got started. You beat Snopes to it!

Gail, TN (Sent Tuesday, April 21, 2009 6:45 PM)

Do we care about the timing? IN the end, Phillips was rescued and three of these pirates expired to never hijack/hurt anyone again. While I regret the lost of life (and young lives no doubt), I hope the world community will work together to reduce these contemporary pirates tactics and will be more respectful of the lives involved. I think it's sad that the cowardly Somali "men" are putting their young boys at risk for their pirating tasks.

JahLove, Chico, CA (Sent Tuesday, April 21, 2009 6:57 PM)

The SEALS ROCK! We all know they do fantastic things in times of crisis but rarely do we get a download of exactly what.
I can't help but be proud of them and I dont even know any.

Daniel Harrell (Sent Tuesday, April 21, 2009 6:58 PM)

If it is bogus , why are you publishing it. The media has to take some responsibility for its 'irresponsibility"

GW, Vancouver, Canada (Sent Tuesday, April 21, 2009 7:09 PM)

Sounds like one of the "shoot first, ask questions later" crowds didn't like that Obama first wanted to see if the situation could be resolved peacefully.

Remember when that was what world leaders ALWAYS did first. Now after the Bush era, they try to make the use of diplomacy seem weak.

It's a sad time in our world when 'peace' becomes a dirty word.

Dee, Dallas, Texas (Sent Tuesday, April 21, 2009 7:16 PM)

No surprise here. There is a rash of unadulterated BS on the internets on any given day, and bogus chain letters are nearly as old as E-mail.

In this case, I hope the US Navy finds the source. If it is an ex-SEAL, they'll know what to do. If it isn't, they'll still know what to do.

Personally, I expect it will end up being some wingnut Tea Bagger, perhaps a Genn Beck fan, who always WANTED to be a SEAL.

JC from IA (Sent Tuesday, April 21, 2009 7:16 PM)

Good job--wonder if these people will ever stop trying to blame Pres. Obama for everything.
Everyday it is a new, manufactured "Oh, how terrible" story

Luke, Alexandria, Va (Sent Tuesday, April 21, 2009 7:17 PM)

I think the administration acted appropriately.

Interesting that they took the step of designating it a Counter-Terrorism Operation in order to clear the way.

Does this mean that all future actions against pirates can or will be designated as counter-terrorism operations, even though their actions appear to be more criminal actions as opposed to terrorist actions?

One can only wonder what the reaction from people like Philly Mike above would have been had the exact same actions been taken by a Republican administration.

In that case, I think the two-faced/left wing/looney tunes would criticize the action as not being applicable to piracy and demand the president be tried for excessive force in the resolution of a run-of-the-mill high seas robbery.

Unfortunately, the President has probably enhanced pirate recruiting in the process.

Richard, Washington State (Sent Tuesday, April 21, 2009 7:24 PM)

Only a fool would complain about a successful mission that resulted in the safe rescue of a ships master whose life was in danger. What he would of said had the hostage been killed by the pirates? What would he have said if Obama was not the president?

Mark French, Fresno,TX. (Sent Tuesday, April 21, 2009 7:26 PM)

Michael, Philadelphia:

There are left-wing looney-tunes lies out on the internet about every one of the people you mention. I'm a thinkin' you are one of the purveyors, too.

I have no proof of that, but I take it from you that proof is not necessary to make bilious, hateful comments about things and people that fail to give you a thrill down your leg.

Richard, Washington State (Sent Tuesday, April 21, 2009 7:28 PM)

Why does this administration feel obligated to respond to a random email floating around? Isn't that a little beneath them?

A little too defensive, are we? (Sent Tuesday, April 21, 2009 7:59 PM)

I will be a sad day for all of you liberals when Obama is out of office in 2012. This is just another example of his inexperience and lack of knowledge. This situtation should have never gotten this far as those pirates should have been killed much earlier. Bush would have taken care of business, but Obama needs to talk to Castro and Chavez to see if they approve. The pirate situtation will not improve until Obama can make the tough decision for once. Actually, why not just bail the pirates out? The economy is killing them. They are about the only ones we haven't given money to yet.

Mike. Detroit, MI (Sent Tuesday, April 21, 2009 8:23 PM)

Yo, Michael in PA: it was Tina Fey who made the "Russia from my house" comment, not Palin, and as to your infantile use of name-calling to express your dissatisfaction with the ultra-right, well, you know what they say about those who lack a legitimate argument... "Spin" is not the sole providence of the right, my friend, as the biggest liar in D.C. currently resides at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Who gives a damn how it unfolded, anyway? Once again, while other nations equivocate, the U.S. just bucks up and TCB - that's what matters, not semantics. Everyone knows you can't believe half that s&*t on the internet anyway. Thomas Jefferson, Nostradamus, George Carlin never said half the crap they're given credit for.

Kelly, Chadbourn,NC (Sent Tuesday, April 21, 2009 8:28 PM)

It is important to get the word out, because this is the exact same problem as the Swift Boat and "Obama is secretly a Muslim" emails.

Obama and the SEALS handled this one perfectly (Sent Tuesday, April 21, 2009 8:36 PM)

SARAH PALIN never said that. TINA FAY OF SAT NIGHT LIVE said it. Please get YOUR facts straight.
=====================================================
Ho-Hum...the same right wing/reactionary/looney tune Internet nonsense that we've seen about President Obama for years now... Just like Sarah ("You betcha' I can see Russia from my house!)Palin, Rush (the Comedian) Limbaugh, Ann Cuntnotler and Bill O'Liely, these lies, fables and falsehoods fire up the GOP base, but ultimately have no effect on the general U.S. electorate.
Michael, Philadelphia, PA

concerned in Central FL (Sent Tuesday, April 21, 2009 8:42 PM)

I do wonder why an email hoax gets press but at least you guys are doing your job. Bottom line, partisan republicans can't stand it when dems have success in military matters and ache to undermind them. Some have bent over backwards looking for a way to discredit the pirate operation. Its sad that a cowardly email hoax got put out there. Just be happy that everything went well.

Joe, Ypsilanti MI (Sent Tuesday, April 21, 2009 8:44 PM)

My first question would be why would the President want to get involved in what must be considered a cut-and-dried case of hostage rescue. Without a doubt, he would be accused of micro-managing at best if he demanded to call the shots on every such hostage rescue. Believe me, he has much more important tasks to be personally involved with. I am sure that the SEAL commander made the best decision possible at the time and considering the circumstances. It should be obvious that our President is not stupid enough to demand that he be contacted for every little decision made regarding piracy, hostages, etc. Our country is going down for the 3rd time financially and the President knows it. He'll focus on the economy!

Bob Collinsworth, Harrisville, NH (Sent Tuesday, April 21, 2009 8:44 PM)

We "care" about timing BECAUSE....the pirates had said they had actually called in OTHER hijacked ships full of hostages to this scene....HAD that been FOR REAL and ACTUALLY HAPPENED....which IT COULD HAVE....Obama waiting ADDITIONAL time for this situation to be taken care of....People could have died from MANY countries....It would NOT have been a "pretty site". While this email may well be bogus...even LIBERAL media had noted that that Obama HAD denied the okay once or twice before actually approving it !!!!! I read that on SEVERAL sites and several different articles....THIS GAVE EXTRA TIME. The military should have been given the right to let the negotiation thing play out for awhile, then if not working....to take the pirates "out" at their own choosing....These men are TRAINED in this stuff, our President IS NOT. The man cannot even make a speech without a teleprompter ....this was NOT his "expertise" by ANY means !!!! Obama made NO COMMENT during all this ...so IF it went down badly, he COULD ESCAPE BLAME.....but when it went down well...He was more than WILLING to say "Hey I made that call, I made that call ...Look at me !!!!" EVEN IF he made "that call" it was made LATER than it COULD HAVE been made....and this gave EXTRA time for the additional ships to arrive....or something ELSE to go very wrong. Additionally, it is the PRESIDENTS JOB to make such calls/give authority...it was NOTHING "extraordinary" Obots !!!! He deserves NO special praise or celebration, and this was HARDLY an indication of how he would respond under "crisis" or "national security risk".....Think about it....You go to Burger King to the drive thru and order your meal......do you then jump up and down and Thank the cashier repeatedly like she just parted the sea cause she just took your order? NO right? She is a DRIVE THRU CASHIER AND IT WAS HER JOB? Right? Right....same thing with Obama...IT WAS HIS JOB. HE IS EXPECTED to DO his job.....although he certainly is taking on MANY things NOT his job as well....such as trying to CONTROL everything in America including US.....apologizing and blaming America for every "sin" and war since the Garden of Eden and other stupid things.....

Obama is NOTHING SPECIAL....he is another politician.....a socialist one....but, another politician. He is NOT some God....as much as some who voted for this man ACT and THINK he is....He does not DESERVE media attention and praise every time he blinks his eyes !!!!! Get OVER it already !!!!

CharInOhio (Sent Tuesday, April 21, 2009 8:46 PM)

It brings me pleasure to know that these thugs are dead and our Captain is safe. Bush would have rescued him sooner. Obama has already proven himself to be a "lightweight" in regards to our enemies. I am sure an apology to the Somolians will soon follow.

Dan, Allen Park, MI. (Sent Tuesday, April 21, 2009 8:57 PM)

Why can't you people just accept the truth.Why would this seal lie about what happened? He has nothing to gain from this,he just wants people to know the truth.We all know what Hussein Obama is all about.Accept the facts and step out into the real world. Get out of your little pathetic mindset and GROW UP.

Peedo,Jackson,Mo. (Sent Tuesday, April 21, 2009 8:59 PM)

I received this e-mail through it's circulation by an association of former federal law enforcement agents. The reason it should be news is so it can be seen for what it is: a veiled attempt to denigrate the President of the United States not only because he's a Democrat, but because he's not white. The "code" used in the e-mail is found in references to BHO for Barack Hussein Obama, the same epithet-toned use of the President's name that emerged during the campaign. Congratulations to NBC for its attention to detail in reporting.

William Billings, Key Largo, Florida (Sent Tuesday, April 21, 2009 9:00 PM)

I am certain that there are some members of the military, whether disgruntled or not, that may not agree with their president on a range of issues. However, to become part of the radical right wing propaganda machine does a disservice to the uniform and all of those who have gone before them. With all of the technology out there, you would think that someone could actually find the author of this rant and see if it was even a real, active SEAL. It has been my experience that the real deal is usually a little more close mouthed about their ops.

Ron, Madison WI (Sent Tuesday, April 21, 2009 9:03 PM)

If people would pull together instead of against each other but this is th u.s. and that will never happen thank god the captain and crew are safein familys arms best wishes to you all

Debbie Day Hartland, Maine (Sent Wednesday, April 22, 2009 6:23 AM)

This does absolutely nothing to fire up the GOP base and your Democratic arrogance would immeadiately try to claim that. There's no logic in this being made by a Republican, especially since it's so far away from the next election. What is really disturbing is that Obama first decided that the lives of pirates were more important by not sanctioning lethal force immeadiately. This would've saved the captain a good deal of trauma.

GOP, New Orleans, LA (Sent Wednesday, April 22, 2009 6:34 AM)

What about the racism in the email? Reflects well on the SEALS doesn't it?

John, Denver, CO (Sent Wednesday, April 22, 2009 6:42 AM)

Next thing you know, an email will be circulating saying Obama wants to shut down the entire internet, and you can save it with a fax.

Lila Snow, Portland, Maine (Sent Wednesday, April 22, 2009 6:48 AM)

As a non-obama supporter (as you can tell from previous posts) I say if he did delay the decision, IT WAS HIS RIGHT HE IS COMMANDER IN CHIEF. end of story. we live in a Constitutionaly limited Republic with civilian control of the military. he is the one who gets to make the rules of engagement.

What_you_Selling (Sent Wednesday, April 22, 2009 6:48 AM)

I think the email is nothing but the truth. The truth is this idiot some of you elected as a person of change is a lying, stupid. good for nothing face man for George Soros who is controlling the socialist agenda. One of his and the idiot far left is to do away with the military and Americans gun rights and then tell you what kind of car you can drive (GM) and what you should think (MSNBC)

Don (Sent Wednesday, April 22, 2009 6:54 AM)

People can try to cover for Obama all they want but it is just a matter of time before Obama slips up in a way that will let the whole world in on just how much of a fraud this clown really is.

Obama's no CIC (Sent Wednesday, April 22, 2009 6:57 AM)

Of course none of this will matter to the facts-challenged right-wing. After all, they believe all of the e-mails that say Obama wasn't born here, that he's a Muslim, that he was sworn into office on the Koran, that he's going to take their guns away, that he'll put their children into "re-education camps", that he'll slaughter their unborn children to harvest their stem-cells, that he'll enforce White Slavery, that he'll make us a Muslim nation, etc., etc., etc., etc., etc....

Do I even need to go on?

http://jawillie.blog.com

jawillie Philadelphia, PA (Sent Wednesday, April 22, 2009 7:02 AM)

I read this "S.E.A.L" account on the comment board yesterday after reading about the young pirate being brought to New York. Thank you for clearing this up. It really made no sense that Obama would cause it to drag out like that, but looked authentic. The entire board seemed to have consumed bad water or ugly pills because they were a violent bunch out for blood.

Carole Orillia ON. CA. (Sent Wednesday, April 22, 2009 7:05 AM)

What is facinating to me is that our esteemed media will "uncover" the false emails but won't ask tough questions like, "Why didn't the President have a policy in place already regarding a know threat to US interests?"

Concerned Citizen (Sent Wednesday, April 22, 2009 7:09 AM)

Now that the bogus email is out there, I just know that the poor Republican will run this one into the ground also. Let the man speak for himself. He doesn't need the likes of Rush and Glen Beck to speak for him.

Jake, Boston MA (Sent Wednesday, April 22, 2009 7:11 AM)

Republicans just want to throw a spanner in the works of the new president, and to deny him any political gain for the successful end to the pirate issue. What would have happened if the operation had gone awry? Impeachment! Go Obama. More than two-thirds of Americans are behind you. They trust your sense of judgement.

Sammie Adetiloye, London (Sent Wednesday, April 22, 2009 7:15 AM)

Obama has been a complete and utter failure and the biggest joke as a world leader in all of recorded history. The SEALS should be deployed to deal with him and his 11 and counting acts of high treason.

God 2 U High Above Earth (Sent Wednesday, April 22, 2009 7:19 AM)

Of course it's bogus. Just like 90% of the stuff coming out of the far right. One trip to a news site message board will show you all the lies and conspiracy theories that these people try to spin. Some still profess that Obama isn't a citizen, others that he is a Muslim, and another that his speeches contain hypnotic elements meant to capture weak minded. Anything is fair game for these whack jobs.

Grant Ruskin (Sent Wednesday, April 22, 2009 7:19 AM)

Michael.. in typical liberal form you lambast the right for trying to spread falsehoods while doing the same thing to Sarah.. she never said you could see Russia from Alaska (even though you can if you are in the Aleutian Chain).. it was Tina Fey who said that as part of a comedy sketch.

T.J. in London, England (Sent Wednesday, April 22, 2009 7:23 AM)

I was in te military and am absolutely sure of the content of the e-mail, just look at the small enclosed boat, rather then the national news release. It is a shame that we have to protect our military from the politicians who lie to get elected and think that they have to continue to lie. Politicians believe that minorities and terrorist's have more rights then any one else. Hurrah for the Navy Captain.

Anthony Kippen, Green Cove Springs, Florida (Sent Wednesday, April 22, 2009 7:37 AM)

I don't understand the venom of people on the internet. They probably wouldn't have the balls to name call to someone's face. I am beginning to hate to hear peoples opinions.

Dwight (Sent Wednesday, April 22, 2009 7:39 AM)

Its just more socialist rhetoric about the obamination. We should impeach the SOB for treason and conduct unbecoming an American citizen (if he is one) SHOOT ALL SOCIALISTS! ! ! ! !

Todd is nothing but another NAZI propagandist! ! !

mary miller (Sent Wednesday, April 22, 2009 7:45 AM)

Yeah, and MSNBC is the first place we're going to read or hear BHO messed up.

George (Sent Wednesday, April 22, 2009 8:18 AM)

I saw the e-mail yesterday. It will be fun to throw this news back at the guy who forwarded it to me.

Paul Miller, Woodbridge, VA (Sent Wednesday, April 22, 2009 8:29 AM)

Of course this was bogus!! No military professional, SEAL or otherwise, would refer to President Obama - the Commander-in-Chief - as BHO. However they may have voted or whatever their political leanings, our military men and women are thoroughly respectful of the chain of command and correct titles. So, heads up folks, any email being sent out with "BHO" as the disrespectful reference to the President of the United States ascribed to be written by military personnel is most likely bogus.

Pat, Illinois (Sent Wednesday, April 22, 2009 8:44 AM)

And they question the DHS report of the possibility of disgruntled Vets joining or acting alone in acts against the US.

Steve Fultz (Sent Wednesday, April 22, 2009 8:45 AM)

It is amazing to me the length that First Read will go to bolster and protect Obama. The false Navy Seal story shows that false stories on Bush, Cheney, Rush are considered irrelevant but not Obama.

Lew, Ontario, Oregon (Sent Wednesday, April 22, 2009 8:52 AM)

Sounds like another Republican strategy....just tell more lies and fuel more untrue rumors. What LOUSY leaders there are in the GOP. It is embarrassing.

C.Myles/Oak Hall, VA (Sent Wednesday, April 22, 2009 8:52 AM)

I do believe that the radical Republicans like Chaney, Rove, Rush etc would have prefered that the President and the rescue had failed and that Captain had met a different fate.

Partisan Politics over the prosperity and good of the country.

Frank, NC (Sent Wednesday, April 22, 2009 9:11 AM)

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