>>>>http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,513238,00.html
>>>>
>>>>"In the water....." - hopefully shark bait.
>>>
>>>A happy ending.
>>>
>>>http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30178013/?GT1=43001
>>>
>>>My kudos to President Obama - he did have the wherewithal to authorize the strike.
>>>
>>>Good for him and the Navy.
>>>
>>>And the hostage Captain should be hailed as a Hero for what he did earlier to save his crew.
>>>
>>>Thank the Lord it is over.... and on Easter!
>>
>>Anybody know why Obama had to authorise the use of force twice?
>
>My understanding is that Obama didn't have to authorize it twice but rather he was asked twice.

In the story pointed to above, it says:

On Saturday morning, Obama signed off on the Pentagon's request, as he had a day earlier, said the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.

Apparently the second order was because there was more equipment and personnel available. I guess for some reason, it appears that he has to authorise the numbers of personnel and equipment to use or something equally silly.

In a related story, it says:
WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama twice authorized the military to rescue a U.S. captain who was being held by Somali pirates and whose life appeared to be at risk, administration official said after Sunday's rescue.

The Defense Department twice asked Obama for permission to use military force to rescue Capt. Richard Phillips from a lifeboat off the Somali coast. Obama first gave permission around 8 p.m. Friday, and upgraded it at 9:20 a.m. Saturday. Officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations said the second order was to encompass more military personnel and equipment that arrived in the Indian Ocean to engage the pirates.