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Navy Seal Book On Bin Laden - Legal Action

Regarding the "author"


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Dragonfly

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Pentagon Tells Ex-SEAL He Could Face Legal Action Over Osama Bin Laden Raid Book, 'No Easy Day' - Yahoo! News <-- clicky

The Pentagon has determined the former Navy SEAL who has authored a book about his role in the Osama bin Laden raid is in "material breach" of non-disclosure agreements and warned him it is considering legal action against him as a result.

It added that it is considering legal action against all those "acting in concert" with the SEAL on his book, "No Easy Day," which is scheduled to be released Tuesday.

Is this a freedom of speech thing?
Or complete stupidity on the part of the "author"?

Do you support legal action against "author"?
 
As I see it, the government has a right to press charges here. This isn't a book about something that happened over a decade ago. It's recent news. The "author" should know better, and should be well aware of what his responsibility is/was to his team, country, and commitment to both.
 
A letter by Pentagon general counsel Jeh Johnson informed the former SEAL that he had violated non-disclosure agreements against releasing classified information.

How can it be a violation of free speech if the ex-SEAL signed a non-disclosure agreement?
 
As long as no classified information was released this author has every right to publish his account of events. If 0bama thinks he can tell left-wing extremist Hollywood directors actual classified details of the raid with no repercussions, as well as using top secret data for his personal political gain through whatever leaky back door the mainstream media waits for his advisors at is nothing short of hypocritical and possibly treasonous as well !
 
I went with "press charges". If the seal signed a contract saying he would not talk about operations, he's in violation and should be shut down. However, it depends what is in the book. If he discloses material information about intelligence that was gathered, it could compromise lives in Afghan or Pakistan. If he disclosed proprietary techniques of assault that can help our enemies protect themselves, that's very bad. If its a general book and does not compromise sensitive security issues, it may be ok. I would think it would require review and sign off by seal brass.
 
The military is always trying to control its' own version of reality/history. It has a lot to hide, but noone is ever prosecuted. The "Mighty Wurlitzer" always helps them massage the masses minds. Don't let them do it. Let the truth out! Let's talk about the Pakistani ISI participation with OBL before the Afghan War and 9/11 and after. Let the truth out!
 
I'm thinking Navy SEALS are sworn to an oath of secrecy that goes far beyond anything us mere mortals are used to signing.

It's part of their training and life.

I'd think his own partners within the SEALS would be furious with such a display.
 
Key part - 20 years after....

I've got no problem with that.

Months after?????? Something's not right there.

Are you suggesting that we don't know the truth, don't need to know the truth, and if the Gov't lies to us, it's OK with you? It's not OK with me.
 
As long as no classified information was released this author has every right to publish his account of events. If 0bama thinks he can tell left-wing extremist Hollywood directors actual classified details of the raid with no repercussions, as well as using top secret data for his personal political gain through whatever leaky back door the mainstream media waits for his advisors at is nothing short of hypocritical and possibly treasonous as well !

I'm not really sure if this is true or not but I would assume that "his account" of the events would be something the Pentagon would want sealed regardless of his mission. Specially when his mission only took place a few months ago.

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With that aside, my position for this guy is that he didn't do anything his career should be tarnished for. If it's true, it's true but he doesn't deserve to be in jail and made out to be a common criminal.
 
Pentagon Tells Ex-SEAL He Could Face Legal Action Over Osama Bin Laden Raid Book, 'No Easy Day' - Yahoo! News <-- clicky

Is this a freedom of speech thing?
Or complete stupidity on the part of the "author"?

Do you support legal action against "author"?

The SEAL gave up his right to free speech by signing the two confidentiality documents he signed as a SEAL. If he violated those documents, technically he can and should be prosecuted. I don't know whether he will be or not, since if they did that, he would no doubt be prosecuted as a civilian. In a civilian court, all sorts of redacted stuff would be necessarily available to the defense. And, even though redacted, the information could be more damaging than what he wrote in his book. I'd say he SHOULD be prosecuted if he violated the contracts he signed. But I doubt that he will be.
 
I'm not really sure if this is true or not but I would assume that "his account" of the events would be something the Pentagon would want sealed regardless of his mission. Specially when his mission only took place a few months ago.

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With that aside, my position for this guy is that he didn't do anything his career should be tarnished for. If it's true, it's true but he doesn't deserve to be in jail and made out to be a common criminal.
A few months ago ? try May 2011...
 
If the SEAL signed a confidentiality agreement with the U.S. government that forbids this sort of thing, then yes, they should press charges.

I do wish they would allow him to release the book, though.
 
If the SEAL signed a confidentiality agreement with the U.S. government that forbids this sort of thing, then yes, they should press charges.

I do wish they would allow him to release the book, though.

The book is released and what are the specifics of this agreement I keep hearing vague references to by many ??
 
I believe SEALs, Green Berets, Delta Force, and other special forces units of the United States have to sign an NDA when they join the service.

Another vague reference of opinion assuming details in an unknown agreement !
 
I'm not really sure if this is true or not but I would assume that "his account" of the events would be something the Pentagon would want sealed regardless of his mission. Specially when his mission only took place a few months ago.

----------------------

With that aside, my position for this guy is that he didn't do anything his career should be tarnished for. If it's true, it's true but he doesn't deserve to be in jail and made out to be a common criminal.

You act as if our government declassifies sensitive information from last year all the time.

I only corrected your inaccurate time line :doh
 
Another vague reference of opinion assuming details in an unknown agreement !

According to U.S. officials:

...they were surprised by his book, "No Easy Day," which was not vetted by government agencies before its publication to ensure that no secrets were revealed.

The letter noted that, under the terms of the non-disclosure agreements, the author had agreed to submit any manuscript for pre-publication security review and to obtain permission before publishing it.

Source:

Reuters - Pentagon threatens legal action over bin Laden book, 'No Easy Day'.
 

The letter noted that, under the terms of the non-disclosure agreements, the author had agreed to submit any manuscript for pre-publication security review and to obtain permission before publishing it.
No where does it say that the content of the book was revealing classified information as some have implied, especially since the article and portion you decided to quote and highlight said no governmental agency has reviewed it yet. The author is either looking for a fight with the government or knows beyond a doubt nothing he reveals is in any way classified. mind you the author is a US Navy Seal and most likely has loads of experience dealing with classified data. I would even go so far as to believe any Navy Seal has more experience and knowledge of what constitutes a breach of secrets than whoever at whatever agency the government wants the book reviewed by !
 
You have to turn in the book to get vetted, and it does not put "so long as I remain on active duty" as a qualifier on the document. So the guy is in the wrong. Navy SEALs are by and large generally not SSO's, and so it is unlikely that he has superior experience vetting for classification than the people whose job it is, any more than they would be better than he at CQB.

My bet is, he's pissed, and doesn't really care. I remember being pissed for those guys at the time. Either way the administration comes off the loser - either they have this thorn in their side, impeachably contradicting one of the Administrations' best self-narratives, or they have to be the Administration willing to go after a member of SEAL Team Six who helped kill bin Laden.
 
No where does it say that the content of the book was revealing classified information as some have implied, especially since the article and portion you decided to quote and highlight said no governmental agency has reviewed it yet. The author is either looking for a fight with the government or knows beyond a doubt nothing he reveals is in any way classified. mind you the author is a US Navy Seal and most likely has loads of experience dealing with classified data. I would even go so far as to believe any Navy Seal has more experience and knowledge of what constitutes a breach of secrets than whoever at whatever agency the government wants the book reviewed by !

All I am saying is the Navy SEAL broke a law, according to those officials, because he did not submit the book to be examined by the government, which he agreed to do in the NDA, hence the highlighted portion.
 
All I am saying is the Navy SEAL broke a law, according to those officials, because he did not submit the book to be examined by the government, which he agreed to do in the NDA, hence the highlighted portion.

Finally you make clear what it is you were trying to say, thank you !
 
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