It’s pretty much that simple.
At President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address last night, he gave Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta a hearty “Good Job” as he was shaking hands before the speech.
Besides the Secretary of State standing close by, few others knew what he was referring to until shortly after his speech, President Obama called the parents of Jessica Buchanan, an American held hostage by Somali kidnappers, that a US Navy SEAL team had successfully rescued her and fellow aid worker, Poul Hagen Thisted.
During the operation, 9 Somalis were killed with zero injuries to the American rescue force or to the hostages.
Special forces decided to mount the raid when they did at least partly because Buchanan’s health was failing, Vice President Joe Biden said on ABC’s “Good Morning America.”
“It just takes your breath away, their capacity and their bravery and their incredible timing,” Biden said of these Special Warfare operators.
The two aid workers from the Danish Refugee Council’s demining unit, DDG, are both unharmed and were reportedly flown to an American base in Djibouti, a small country on the western end of the Gulf of Aden.
***UPDATE*** Statement by President Obama on the Successful Hostage Rescue
On Monday, I authorized an operation to rescue Jessica Buchanan, an American citizen who was kidnapped and held against her will for three months in Somalia. 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.
Jessica Buchanan was selflessly serving her fellow human beings when she was taken hostage by criminals and pirates who showed no regard for her health and well-being. Last night I spoke with Jessica Buchanan’s father and told him that all Americans have Jessica in our thoughts and prayers, and give thanks that she will soon be reunited with her family. The United States will not tolerate the abduction of our people, and will spare no effort to secure the safety of our citizens and to bring their captors to justice. This is yet another message to the world that the United States of America will stand strongly against any threats to our people.
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