Kudos to Obama!

It isn’t often–indeed, I have never done it before–do I toss congratulations, and a deep-felt thanks, to our president-in-training, Barack Obama but when kudos are deserved they should be accorded.

On this Easter Sunday, Obama sent bunny hugs to the family of Captain Courageous Richard Phillips, skipper of the Maersk Alabama, by (apparently) authorizing four of our equally brave Navy Seals to rescue him from captivity by Muslim Somali pirates.

Of course, kudos should be spread around among Captain Phillips, the Seals, U.S. Naval Central Commander Vice Admiral Bill Gortney, the crew of the USS Bainbridge, and everyone else involved in the rescue effort. However, as Commander-in-Chief of our armed forces, Obama deserves our plaudits.

Reports indicate that Captain Phillips heroically dove overboard from the small boat on which he was being held captive by the pirates who had tried to seize his ship, which was the second time within 3 days that he tried to escape. This time, Seal rescuers were at the ready and used the opportunity to stage an assault on his four Somali captors, killing three and capturing one in the ensuing firefight.

Vice Admiral Gortney “paid tribute to ‘an incredible team effort’ and said he was ‘extremely proud of the tireless efforts of all the men and women who made this rescue possible.’ ” President Obama chimed in by saying, “He was very pleased that Capt Phillips had been rescued and that his courage was a ‘model for all Americans.’ “

You can say that again, Mr. President! He added that “he was resolved to deal with the threat of piracy in the region:” http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7996087.stm.

We will have to see how that resolve plays out but as of now it must be admitted that Obama showed more gumption than anyone could have reasonably expected. Former President Jimmy Carter would probably have dithered, waffled, and negotiated for a year before screwing everything up. Fresh off his “Apology Tour” of Europe, Obama may have learned something, namely that sucking up and kissing ass only leads to loss of face, dignity, and national pride.

All in all, it was a commendable rescue on the part of everyone involved even if the message of dispatching naval warships and demonstrating that America still believes no one should try treading on us in the future may not immediately register with soul-less Islamic terrorists/pirates.

Let’s hope that if their acts of piracy on the high seas don’t cease, our president will summon up the additional gumption and emulate President Thomas Jefferson by sending our navy and marines to the shores of Mogadishu to wipe out piracy as Jefferson did on the shores of Tripoli.

May the good captain’s wife Andrea Phillips and all the rest of his family and friends enjoy a very Happy Easter! They deserve it.