Bin Laden raid book brings US warning to troops

The Associated Press via Equities.com ^ | August 24, 2012 | KIMBERLY DOZIER

[Jimmy4Toes]

The U.S. special operations chief has warned his troops, current and former, that he would take legal action against anyone found to have exposed sensitive information that could cause fellow forces harm. The threat comes as a new book with a firsthand account of the deadly raid on Osama bin Laden appears next month. "We will pursue every option available to hold members accountable, including criminal prosecution where appropriate," Adm. Bill McRaven wrote in an open, unclassified letter emailed to the active-duty special operations community Thursday and obtained by The Associated Press. A retired Navy commando has revealed he is publishing a firsthand account of the raid that killed bin Laden in Pakistan a little more than a year ago. Pentagon officials say they have not been given a chance to review the book, "No Easy Day," which comes out on Sept. 11, the anniversary of the 2001 attacks. The warning to troops also follows a media campaign by special operations veterans decrying alleged leaks by President Barack Obama's administration of secret operations and criticizing Obama's highlighting the bin Laden raid as part of his reelection campaign. McRaven also took former special operators to task for "using their `celebrity' status to advance their personal or professional agendas."

[Slump Tester]

It’s a pity he doesn’t go after the Obama administration as hard.

[Slyfox]

"We will pursue every option available to hold members accountable, including criminal prosecution where appropriate,"

I guess that does not include any members of the Obama administration.

[MtnClimber]

Some animals are more equal than others.

[AU72]

Wonder how many military ballots sent out won’t arrive on time or arrive at all?

[arrdon]

Well great; Admiral. Why don’t you start with the Chief FU in charge? He and his bunch have politically sown US security secrets far and wide in attempt to get his sorry ass reelected!

[dps.inspect]

Perhaps the book has some information that will actually show the White House in a, shall we say, compromised position, with regards to leaked classified information. Also, if that were the case, it would also have to reveal some upper brass as having participated in the “compromised position” with the White House. Obama, the destroyer...

[kevao]

The guy’s a tool.

[DoughtyOne]

I don’t want any of our methods, sources, or tactics revealed either. The letter doesn’t necessarily disturb me. What does disturb me is that our Pres__ent Resident is all too willing to reveal these very things. And if he is willing to, imagine what his minions are willing to do.

Our enemies have more friends in this administration than we do. An article on the forum today, relates that the State Department wants us to destroy our complete nuclear arsenal.

I rest my case...

Some of these people should be removed for national security reasons.

[wyowolf]

from what I have been reading, most of the soldiers on the Teams he was on, dont want it revealed either...

I would have to agree, it puts them at risk.

with dufus in the WH we have enough risk already...

[silverleaf]

He can’t “go after” the civilian NCA, he has no authority over them, only those below him in his chain of command

His only option if he disagrees with his superiors, is to resign

[Chipper]

Weren’t the Producers of the campaign commercial... I mean movie, glamorizing this raid, given access to some of the same information?

[A.A. Cunningham]

most of the soldiers(sic) on the Teams he was on

SEALs are sailors, not soldiers.

[Godwin1]

This political Admiral said nothing when the White House gave a friendly Hollywood producer the sensitive details of the raid. He belongs to a senior military leadership that court martials and imprisons our own troops for killing the enemy. This is an Admiral that court martialed two Seals for punching a terrorist in the nose. This is one of many senior officers who stood by and said nothing when the president decided to make the Armed Forces a playground for sexual deviants. Never in history havs our Armed Forces been led by such a coterie of carreerist moral cowards.

[MissMagnolia]

I have mixed feelings about books such as this .... I can see why they do it, but it's a risky thing exposing themselves (even if their identities are hidden, you just know the press will do everything in their power to 'out' them) and the operations they are involved in. HOWEVER, when you have statememts like this:

McRaven also took former special operators to task for "using their `celebrity' status to advance their personal or professional agendas."

and the Commander-in-Chief himself is using the Seals as a political tool to "advance their his own personal or professional agendas" ..... well, I trust the Seals to do what they feel is in the country's best interests and if that means some 'exposure' to expose arguably treasonous national security leaks & Obama's personal chest-pounding regarding the Osama raid, etc. ... then 'go for it'.

[Tallguy]

The admiral is in a tough spot. He is responsible for maintaining discipline in the ranks and operational security as they pertain to assets, methods. Most SpecOps troops are not glory-seekers. Those guys tend to get weeded out by the selection & training process. But these wars have forced an artificial enlargement of the SpecOps community, so I’m guessing more of the undesireable personality types are getting through.

I imagine that we might see a prosecution pretty soon. And here’s the thing: Obama’s misdeeds are going to get play at any trial.

[drypowder]

apparently the obozo’s ass is worth more to the dear Admiral than all those he commands or his oath to this country. this self serving POS will make a good democrat politician one day.

[Feckless]

take legal action against anyone found to have exposed sensitive information that could cause fellow forces harm.

I'm not sure if the Military can draw up Articles of Impeachment but hey, this is the most "Unprecedented" Regime in US History so go for it....

[gandalftb]

The SEAL in question formerly lived in Wrangell, AK. Matt and all of his family have been gone from Wrangell since before the Bin Laden raid. Fox is wrong on that account.

So any jihadist freaks listening in can go to hell instead of Alaska.

Matt’s name would have come out anyway because other SEALs, in the know, are mad at him for cashing in when they had all promised each other not to do so.

So they outed him to send a message to any future operators that cashing in on spec ops gets you looking over your shoulder for the rest of your life.