"One shot, one kill," is the motto of the Marine sniper. Apparently, as the work of three Navy Seals demonstrates, the catchphrase has made the rounds outside of the Marines. Hitting a target at 75 feet away is a rather pedestrian occurance. Such marksmanship from a moving platform to partially obscured targets on a another moving platform is outstanding.

Pirates sound much more fierce than teenagers don't you think? Congrats to the navy for their marksmanship, but there is a sad story here not presented.

Yes, the sad story is that the Seals didn't kill the fourth pirate.

The Navy SEALs train 18 months for every 6 month deployment. They ARE the specialist's specialist. What's not to love?

I don't know if I can get behind the media when they talk about the "Phenomenal Shots" the Navy Seals laid into the head of the Pirates. I agree that the piracy needed to be stopped and anything was to happen to save the innocent life that was taken hostage on that little boat. What I cannot agree on is praising marksmenship when lives were taken. Death in war or death for the betterment of a situation is still death. It is still killing. We should be talking about how it had to come to that in order to prevent the situation from escalating. But, yes, I would say job well done to the three Navy Seals that were called upon to end the crisis on the high seas, but I cannot imagine that they are congratulating each other on a well orchestrated, simultaneous killing saying those were brilliant shots that exploded through the heads of those pirates.

The SEALs were doing their jobs. There is no blood lust here. But they were likely proud of a job well done with the positive results of saving an Amercian citizen and saving face for America.

It never ceases to amaze me how naïve and somewhat obtuse many Americans are when it’s the “one shot, one kill” motto in practice that allows for them to be insulated enough where they can have the luxury of being naïve and obtuse in relative safety.

As Colonel Jessup once put it: “Son, we live in a world that has walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with guns. Whose gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinburg? I have more responsibility here than you could possibly fathom. You weep for Santiago, and you curse the marines. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know. That Santiago's death, while tragic, probably saved lives. And that my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives.”

I would agree.

A recently unclassified government report released today warns against the possibility of violence by “right-wing extremists.” According to Obama surrogate Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, you are a right wing extremist if you don't support Obama's plan to destroy the United States of America. In other words, no debate or disagreement will be tolerated.

Strangely enough, there was no mention of ACORN as a "left-wing extremist" group or of the new Socialist/Democratic Party for that matter.

@Frank--yes they were most probobly congratulating themselves for a job well done. As they should be. The death of enemies of this country is a thing to be joyously celebrated.

Islamic America haters took to the streets in the Middle East in jubilant celebration of 3,000 American deaths on 9/11. I think we can be forgiven for acknowledging the skill, preparation, and dedication of our military when they usher three Islamic pirates into the sweet by and by.

Can't we celebrate the success of our own military men in a legitimate combat operation while not "celebrating" the deaths that they justly caused?

It seems to be part of the puritan sensibility (and a fortiori the leftist sensibility) to not be able to deal emotionally with the fact that life is complex.

Agreed Xantippe.

Frank, why they were phenomenal shots, or what helps to reflect on is why it is one shot one kill to begin with. It isn't just that to keep them from killing the hostage was the goal. It is also the most humane way to end lives in combat (end the threat). It was instantaneous for all three, and you are right that it is sad and the deaths aren't to be celebrated but the very means of the defense of the innocent one was not just coldly practical (although its success in the goal was the real motive force) but also happens to have been humanely done.