SEAL's book is out; Pentagon upset - Basketball Forum : Professional and College Basketball Forums

**Prince** · 09-04-2012, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Washington (CNN) -- A Pentagon official said Tuesday that a former Navy SEAL who helped kill Osama bin Laden included classified material in his new book and did not follow protocol for pre-publication review.

Also, on the same day the much-anticipated memoir hit book shelves, CNN obtained a copy of message written by the SEALs' commander to members of his unit.

In it, Rear Adm. Sean Pybus, head of the Naval Special Warfare Command, said he was "disappointed, embarrassed and concerned" that troops are now openly speaking and writing about their secret work. "We do NOT advertise the nature of our work, NOR do we seek recognition for our actions." The emphasis is the admiral's.

Pre-orders put "No Easy Day: The Firsthand Account of the Mission That Killed Osama Bin Laden" at No. 1 on Amazon's bestseller list for two weeks.

But the Pentagon was not as as eager to see the release of the book.

Pentagon press secretary George Little told reporters that officials believe the book contains sensitive and classified material.

The Pentagon's determination, to a large extent, centers around several instances where author Matt Bissonnette, writing under the pen name "Mark Owen," describes how SEAL units are organized, trained and operate, said a U.S. official, rather than solely on specifics of the bin Laden mission, which are largely known.

Describing the instances in a very broad sense, the official said, "does this compromise national security today, probably not, but do we talk about this stuff, no."

The official declined to be identified because of the sensitive nature of the information.

Last week, the Pentagon's general counsel threatened legal action against the man who wrote the revealing book.
In a letter addressed to "Mark Owen," General Counsel Jeh Charles Johnson alleged the writer violated secrecy agreements and broke federal law.

"In the judgment of the Department of Defense, you are in material breach and violation of the nondisclosure agreements you signed. Further public dissemination of your book will aggravate your breach and violation of your agreements," Johnson wrote.

Bissonnette's lawyer responded in a letter last week saying the author "sought legal advice about his responsibilities before agreeing to publish his book and scrupulously reviewed the work to ensure that it did not disclose any material that would breach his agreements or put his former comrades at risk."

Officials are concerned about protecting classified information, and not preventing the telling of a story, according to Little. The Defense Department is reviewing what options it may have, according to Little.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/04/politi...html?hpt=hp_t3

**Diable** · 09-04-2012, 04:50 PM

It used to illegal for these guys to even admit that they were a member of DEVGROUP or Seal Team 6 or whatever they changed the name to and didn't tell anyone. Hard to say how those laws would hold up in a civilian court of law, but I sure as hell would not want to face a court martial for violating them.

09-04-2012, 04:50 PM	#2 (permalink)
Diable Limehouse Blues Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: North Carolina Posts: 22,127 Rep Power: 14577544	Re: SEAL's book is out; Pentagon upset It used to illegal for these guys to even admit that they were a member of DEVGROUP or Seal Team 6 or whatever they changed the name to and didn't tell anyone. Hard to say how those laws would hold up in a civilian court of law, but I sure as hell would not want to face a court martial for violating them. __________________

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