Friday, August 31, 2012

Pentagon: Ex-SEAL Will Face Legal Action Over Bin Laden Book


Pentagon Threatens Legal Action Over Bin Laden Book -- Reuters

(Reuters) - The Pentagon warned on Thursday that it was considering legal action against a former U.S. Navy SEAL for material breach of non-disclosure agreements with his first-hand account of the raid that killed Osama bin Laden.

In a letter obtained by Reuters, and subsequently released by the Pentagon, the Pentagon's top attorney said the Department of Defense was also considering legal action against anyone "acting in concert" with the author. It hinted that the book's royalties might be subject to government claims.

The letter, addressed to "Mark Owen," the pseudonym under which the book was written, identified two separate non-disclosure agreements he signed with the Navy that legally committed him to never divulge classified information, which is a crime.

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Update #1: Pentagon to consider legal action against ex-SEAL author of bin Laden raid book -- FOX News/AP
Update #2: Author of book on bin Laden raid could face legal action -- Washington Post

My Comment: Matt Bissonnette has destroyed the careful narrative that the Pentagon and White House pushed after the killing of Bin Laden. In short .... he has made a number of people very upset. The fact that he has also probably violated confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements will mean that he will be punished to the full extent of the law .... and (I predict) will become the poster-child of what happens to soldiers who violate non-disclosure agreements with the military.

But a question still needs to be asked .... he was behind the point man who shot Bin Laden .... and Matt Bissonnette was the man who finished Bin Laden off by shooting him in the chest .... as well as wiping the blood off Bin Laden's face and taking the pictures that proved that Bin Laden was dead .... he is in every way a great American hero .... but should he now be treated harshly and condemned for publishing this book as some are doing now?

Sighhhh .... I am glad that I am not in the military chain of command nor the prosecutor who must now make a decision that (I am sure) cannot .... and will not .... satisfy everyone.

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