Sunday Times 2
Osama book by ex-SEAL is not accurate: Pentagon
The head of U.S. special operations has concluded that the claims made by former Navy SEAL Matt Bissonnette about Osama bin Laden’s last moments are incorrect and do not convey an accurate assessment of the al-Qaeda chiefs killing.
Admiral William McRaven took the personal step of contacting members of the Navy SEAL Team Six that stormed the Abbottabad, Pakistan compound of bin Laden, to rebut claims made by Bissonnette that contradicted the official account of the May 2011 raid.
Adm. William McRaven took the claims of Bissonnette, (seen in this photo talking to TV show 60 Minutes) so seriously that he went straight to the lead SEAL of Team Six to lead another debriefing on the mission
In his book on the raid, ‘No Easy Day’, Bissonnette said that bin Laden was on the floor having already been shot when he and other SEALs entered his room, having been fired upon by another SEAL when he craned his head into the hall as the team approached.
Bissonnette’s book claims that when he entered the room bin Laden’s body was already lying at the foot of the bed, twitching and convulsing and that the SEALs, including Bissonnette shot him in the chest until he was motionless.
Because this version of events differs from the account that the White House and other U.S. officials have given, Adm. McRaven, the head of U.S. Special Operations Command personally went back to the head of Team Six to examine the contradicting claims.
Following this, senior Pentagon officials told CNN that the conclusions they reached were that Bissonnette was wrong in his version of events.
They re-confirmed that the al-Qaeda leader was standing in his room when the SEALs entered and they shot him then, as he was able to access weapons that were already in the room.Despite the fact that bin Laden was unarmed, the SEALS had come under heavy fire as they made their way through the house to reach him and bin Laden showed no signs of surrendering.
Even though the Pentagon’s and Bissonnette’s versions diverge at the point of encountering bin Laden, the officials who spoke with CNN said it was possible that the former SEAL simply never saw bin Laden standing because he was a few seconds behind the lead team members.
It still has not been made clear if the initial shots fired by the leading SEAL member hit bin Laden when he looked out of his room. The officials told CNN that they believe the shots missed.
However, whatever the truth of the bin Laden raid, Bissonnette’s decision to publicly come forward and tell his story has reportedly led to him being ostracised by his former special forces comrades. Having broken ranks, Bissonnette will be struck from invitations to annual events for retired and active SEALs, who act as a secretive and closely knit band of brothers.
‘The guys who run their mouths are typically not invited back to these things,’ a retired senior Navy officer familiar with the SEAL culture told The Washington Times.
‘These guys are not really welcomed in many places in the ‘spec’ war community. The entire SEAL community has made these guys unwelcome at their gatherings.’ Another anonymous officer who maintains contacts with serving SEALs said that ‘No Easy Day’ violated the basic SEAL creed. ‘They’re not going to buy the book. Most of the guys are pissed off [by] the fact that he would disclose the operation.’ said the insider.
He claimed to be out to tell the truth on the raid that killed Osama bin Laden.However, it has also been claimed that Bissonnette could actually have been motivated by revenge – on his own comrades.
A rival book alleges that Matt Bissonnette, who wrote ‘No Easy Day’, had ‘bad blood’ between his former colleagues and commanders because he was kicked out of the unit.
‘No Easy Op’ claims that the soldier was ‘ostracised’ when he inquired about leaving the Navy to start a business and was sent home suddenly before quitting.
Feeling scorned Bissonnette could have penned his novel as a way of getting back at the military in which he served for 14 years with distinction.
© Daily Mail, London
Follow @timesonlinelk
Related Posts:
Ex-Navy SEAL with inside story of bin Laden raid is outedThe Navy SEAL turned author who was there as Osama bin Laden was killed and promised to 'set the record ...
Navy anchor finals’ berth with win over RatnamEmploying some stout-hearted defense and sensible offense, the footballers from Navy were able to hang on to a single goal ...
Upsurge in violence: Polls chief takes extra security measuresThe Elections Department for the first time will have its own monitors at next Saturday’s provincial elections and will enforce ...
The Barack Obama doctrine’s first termASPEN - Public-opinion polls in the United States indicate a close presidential election in November. While President Barack Obama outpolls ...
Pakistan’s ruinous political farceThe political pantomime played out in Pakistan over the past few years is degenerating into farce. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court ...