Navy SEALs Rescue Two Aid Workers in Somalia in Daring Raid

[Baz]

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/01/navy-seals-rescue-two-aid-workers-in-somalia-in-daring-raid/

A U.S. special operations team of Navy SEALs rescued two aid workers in Somalia Tuesday night, including a U.S. woman who had been held hostage for three months by Somalian kidnappers and suffered from a life-threatening medical condition.

Jessica Buchanan, 32, of Bedford, Va., and Poul Hagen Thisted, 60, of Denmark, were abducted Oct. 25 by a band of Somalis while on their way to the airport in Galcayo, located in central Somalia. Both were working for the Danish Refugee Council’s Danish Demining Group, and had just finished a training course for Somalis when they were abducted.

In a statement released by the White House, President Obama said he had authorized a rescue mission Monday.

“Thanks to the extraordinary courage and capabilities of our Special Operations Forces, yesterday Jessica Buchanan was rescued and she is on her way home. As Commander-in-Chief, I could not be prouder of the troops who carried out this mission, and the dedicated professionals who supported their efforts,” Obama said in the statement.
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Navy Seals!!!

[Bill Douglas]

And killed nine of the bad guys in the process - yay.

A very brave thing to do.

Jessica is quite good looking so I'm particuarly pleased she is OK.

[jyl]

Good for the SEALs.

I read that, with ships now better defended, the pirates are branching out into land-bound enterprise, like hostage-taking.

[speeder]

Outstanding. They are just the best of the best of the best. And they're ours, Thank God.

[HHI944]

Originally Posted by speeder

Outstanding. They are just the best of the best of the best. And they're ours, Thank God.

And on the rare occasion they get in over their heads, the Army is standing by with Rangers to bail em out.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by speeder

Outstanding. They are just the best of the best of the best. And they're ours, Thank God.

Amen to that.

[azasadny]

Excellent news, but why are aid workers operating in an openly hostile place with no organized government? Seems a little crazy to me, but what do I know?

[HHI944]

Originally Posted by azasadny

Excellent news, but why are aid workers operating in an openly hostile place with no organized government? Seems a little crazy to me, but what do I know?

They were gunning for a darwin award?

[Bill Douglas]

Originally Posted by azasadny

no organized government

And with the goverment, the banking system, the harbourmaster... All supporting piracy and hostage taking. What a country of arseholes. They also get aid money from us people

[stomachmonkey]

Heard it was Seal Team 6.

[daepp]

Go Navy- beat Army!

[sc_rufctr]

It sounds like you're speaking from experience???

Originally Posted by HHI944

And on the rare occasion they get in over their heads, the Army is standing by with Rangers to bail em out.

Way to go SEALS... I bet your president likes haveing such a reasource at hand

I love real life heros. These guys get the job done.

[HHI944]

Originally Posted by sc_rufctr

It sounds like you're speaking from experience???

I was not a Ranger, just a lowly Intel geek that had to work with them quite a bit.

And yes, the one time SEALs really got hammered, Rangers are the ones who saved the day.

[aap1966]

Bloody impressive stuff.
What was that Reagan quote? "Some men wonder all their lives if they made a difference. The Marines don't have that problem".

[VINMAN]

As an American and former servicemember, I'm proud as hell of our SPEC-OP units and the job they do, but...these"covert" operations are covert for a reason. The teams/units that perform these should NOT be made public and broadcast to the world. It basically undermines the purpose and security/safety of these guys.

[Jim Richards]

Fantastic job! Go NAVY!

[GH85Carrera]

Great job. I am proud that the USA has the ability to do that. One thing for sure you are never going to hear that Denmark sent in a team to rescue captives in a sewer of a nation like Somalia.

[Dottore]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

Great job. I am proud that the USA has the ability to do that. One thing for sure you are never going to hear that Denmark sent in a team to rescue captives in a sewer of a nation like Somalia.

Actually you are wrong. The Danes have a superbly trained special forces. The "Jaegerkorps". They have seen action in numerous parts of the world - including Somalia.

[shbop]

Originally Posted by vinman

as an american and former servicemember, i'm proud as hell of our spec-op units and the job they do, but...these"covert" operations are covert for a reason. The teams/units that perform these should not be made public and broadcast to the world. It basically undermines the purpose and security/safety of these guys.

+1

[VincentVega]

I wonder about that too. Credit to the teams that planned and executed the mission. As a simple civilian I dont understand the details, but I feel proud.