# U.S. raid in Somalia frees U.S., Dane hostages **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 25, 2012, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-raid-in-somalia-frees-u-s-dane-hostages/610592 "2012-01-25T10:06:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e68b1a/32.png) [@Rune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rune)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-raid-in-somalia-frees-u-s-dane-hostages/610592/1 "2012-01-25T10:06:27Z")
[American hostage in Somalia rescued by US Navy SEALs in overnight raid](http://worldnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/25/10229917-american-hostage-in-somalia-rescued-by-us-navy-seals-in-overnight-raid) Good job yanks! Hope they shot and killed all the hostage takers. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-raid-in-somalia-frees-u-s-dane-hostages/610592/2 "2012-01-25T10:14:30Z")
I saw some speculation that something was up based on Obama’s comment to Panetta before the State of the Union. Guess this confirms it. Good deal. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-raid-in-somalia-frees-u-s-dane-hostages/610592/3 "2012-01-25T10:31:12Z")
Great work. > [@Rune](#): > > Hope they shot and killed all the hostage takers. Couldn’t agree more. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-raid-in-somalia-frees-u-s-dane-hostages/610592/4 "2012-01-25T10:52:46Z")
Of all the bastard places on earth, Somalia must be in the finals. Good work. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-raid-in-somalia-frees-u-s-dane-hostages/610592/5 "2012-01-25T11:31:48Z")
Obama seems to be having a good run in the “making bad people dead” stakes - Al Qaeda including Bin Laden, Somali pirates and kidnappers, etc. Is it just luck or is he (or his team) picking the right missions to send the SEALs out on (and/or using drones for)? ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-raid-in-somalia-frees-u-s-dane-hostages/610592/6 "2012-01-25T13:12:23Z")
Now, we should start sinking the pirates at sea. When enough don’t come back, the piracy will stop. ---
**Author:** ![2gigch1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/2gigch1/32/3313_2.png) [@2gigch1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2gigch1)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-raid-in-somalia-frees-u-s-dane-hostages/610592/7 "2012-01-25T13:18:13Z")
The cynic in me is amused that this happens the same night as the State of the Union speech; the realist doesn’t care and is glad it was successful. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-raid-in-somalia-frees-u-s-dane-hostages/610592/8 "2012-01-25T14:38:36Z")
> [@Rune](#): > > Good job yanks! Hope they shot and killed all the hostage takers. An update: > [@](#): > > A statement from U.S. Africa Command says U.S. forces had received “actionable intelligence” about Buchanan and Thisted and decided to take action. > > “During the course of the operation, the rescue force patrolled to the location and confirmed the presence of Mrs. Buchanan and Mr. Thisted guarded by nine captors,” the statement says. “All nine captors were killed during the assault.” Looks like no Americans were hurt (as far as anyone’s said). > [@Gyrate](#): > > Obama seems to be having a good run in the “making bad people dead” stakes - Al Qaeda including Bin Laden, Somali pirates and kidnappers, etc. New slogan for his 2012 campaign: **Badassery We Can Believe In** ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-raid-in-somalia-frees-u-s-dane-hostages/610592/9 "2012-01-25T14:50:02Z")
> [@Sailboat](#): > > New slogan for his 2012 campaign: **Badassery We Can Believe In** [Heh](http://images.google.com/search?tbm=isch&hl=en&source=hp&biw=1034&bih=499&q=birth+certificate+bin+laden&gbv=2&oq=birth+certificate+bin+laden&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=1810l7104l0l7208l21l17l1l0l0l0l373l2447l0.7.1.3l11l0). ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-raid-in-somalia-frees-u-s-dane-hostages/610592/10 "2012-01-25T15:08:31Z")
Read Panetta’s [statement](http://www.defense.gov/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=15024). Everybody involved, from the Oval Office to the guys who maintain the helicopters, deserves to look as good as they do. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![orcenio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/orcenio/32/1036_2.png) [@orcenio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/orcenio)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-raid-in-somalia-frees-u-s-dane-hostages/610592/11 "2012-01-25T16:01:41Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > Now, we should start sinking the pirates at sea. When enough don’t come back, the piracy will stop. Are we just going to sink any fishing boats we find or are we going to capture/confirm them as pirates, put them back on a boat, and execute them afterwards? Snark aside, nice to see these good people safe and home. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-raid-in-somalia-frees-u-s-dane-hostages/610592/12 "2012-01-25T16:16:32Z")
America’s Navy SEALS are fucking badass. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-raid-in-somalia-frees-u-s-dane-hostages/610592/13 "2012-01-25T16:29:09Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > America’s Navy SEALS are fucking badass. SEALs vs Sarayet vs SAS vs Foreign Legion. Who wins? Actually that should be another thread, and would just become nationalistic, so forget about it. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-raid-in-somalia-frees-u-s-dane-hostages/610592/14 "2012-01-25T16:40:22Z")
Nine dead skels. No harm to the hostages or American military personnel. That’s some good work right there. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-raid-in-somalia-frees-u-s-dane-hostages/610592/15 "2012-01-25T16:46:58Z")
> [@orcenio](#): > > Are we just going to sink any fishing boats we find or are we going to capture/confirm them as pirates, put them back on a boat, and execute them afterwards? > > Snark aside, nice to see these good people safe and home. When people are firing weapons at you, it is a safe bet that they are not fishing. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-raid-in-somalia-frees-u-s-dane-hostages/610592/16 "2012-01-25T16:56:48Z")
Glad to see the man taking action when he can, and taking no shit from assholes. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-raid-in-somalia-frees-u-s-dane-hostages/610592/17 "2012-01-25T20:33:16Z")
Badass credit where credit is due, of course. But I have a practical question. According to the article, the hostages were being held for ransom. But it doesn’t disclose the required amount. Was it cheaper to execute this operation, or would the ransom have been cheaper? Not that I think we should have paid it, because of the precedent it sets. I know it would increase the likelihood of future kidnapping instead of discouraging it. But I’m just wondering, from a fiscal perspective of this ONE incident, would it have cost less money to pay the ransom? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-raid-in-somalia-frees-u-s-dane-hostages/610592/18 "2012-01-25T21:10:04Z")
“Millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute.” - Robert Goodloe Harper ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-raid-in-somalia-frees-u-s-dane-hostages/610592/19 "2012-01-25T21:46:32Z")
Assuming the account is factual, good job. I only hope the kidnappers were shot in the balls and spent their last few moments screaming in agony while they bled out. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-raid-in-somalia-frees-u-s-dane-hostages/610592/20 "2012-01-25T22:07:41Z")
Not at all the SEALs style, but I find your ideas intriguing and would like to subscribe to your newsletter. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-raid-in-somalia-frees-u-s-dane-hostages/610592.md?page=2)