Saluting our SEALs
When the US Navy SEAL Team 6 swooped in to rescue American hostage Jessica Buchanan and Dane Poul Hagen Thisted from Somalian pirates, all I could think of was “God Bless America”. We do not let our own languish behind enemy lines.
Why in the world these kind of do-goodniks go to such rough and dangerous parts of the world is another question entirely, but I salute them for their humanitarian efforts. Three long months being held by qat-chewing rebels is something straight out of a horror book, I’m sure. May they be comforted by their families and find healing and health in the days ahead.
Who/what is the SEAL Team 6, anyway? This is only one of America’s four secretive counter-terrorism and Special Mission Units. Well, so much for the secrecy part. They’re getting a lot of press these days, and rightly so. We still don’t know much about them.
The name SEAL stands for SEa, Air, and Land teams, and might be compared to the US Army’s Delta 
Force. The CIA recruits from among these groups since more and more, intelligence plays a major part in the fight against terrorism. Without proper information-gathering, it’s going to be hard to protect America’s interests worldwide.
These elite SEALs train under extremely stressful situations, honing their skills to be able to shoot and hit pinpoint targets, as well as engage in close-quarters battle. They dive, they climb, they shoot, they drive. Personally, I believe the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) training would be beneficial, but personally I travel to parts of the world that Conde’ Nast Travelers and Frommers might not list as their top vacation destinations.
Actually, there are counter-terrorism courses being offered these days in remote locales to high-profile corporate and celebrity clients. I might write about these one day. But meanwhile, suffice it to say, I’m so glad that these two aid coworkers are safe and sound, and out of harm’s way today.
Thank you, Navy SEAL Team 6!
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Tags: counter-terrorism units, do-goodniks who go to Somalia, God bless America, patriotic mommy blog, pirates and kidnappings, protecting yourself in dangerous parts of the world, social commentary blog, Somalian pirates and criminals, travel blog, two aid coworkers rescued from Somalia, US special elite forces, US special ops, who/what is the US Navy SEAL Team 6?
What a fantastic rescue story! I hope she’s not hurt. Thank you, SEALS!
I’m telling you, Shelley, reality is often more interesting than fiction. Her family must be breathing such sighs of relief!
Heartfelt thanks to the SEALS. They are among the elite in the world.
That’s for sure, Sybil, and I hear that there are women among them.