Fox News reveals real name of Seal Team 6 member who took out Bin Laden

[Magus]

Right off of bitching about the White House supposedly leaking details of the OBL raid:

Originally Posted by Fox News

The author of a recently announced insider account of the raid that killed Usama bin Laden has been identified to Fox News as a 36-year-old former Navy SEAL Team 6 member from Alaska who also played a role in the high-profile rescue of an American captain kidnapped by Somali pirates.

The book, "No Easy Day: The Firsthand Account of the Mission That Killed Osama Bin Laden," is set to hit shelves on Sept 11. It is penned under the pseudonym "Mark Owen," according to the publisher, but multiple sources told Fox News his name is in fact [NAME REDACTED BECAUSE I'M NOT AN ASSHOLE], 36, of Wrangell, Alaska. [REDACTED 'CAUSE THAT WOULD BE THE THING TO DO IF I DIDN'T WANT TO APPEAR TO BE A HYPOCRITE] could be exposing himself to legal trouble, as the Pentagon has not vetted the account.

The tell-all book also has apparently upset a large population of former and current SEAL members who worry about releasing information that could compromise future missions. One Navy SEAL told Fox News, "How do we tell our guys to stay quiet when this guy won't?" Other SEALs are expressing anger, with some going so far as to call him a "traitor."

And Col. Tim Nye, a Special Operations Command spokesman, said the author "put himself in danger" by writing the book.

“This individual came forward. He started the process. He had to have known where this would lead,” Nye said. "He’s the one who started this so he bears the ultimate responsibility for this.”

According to a press release from his publisher, Penguin Group, "Owen ([REDACTING THAT NAME BECAUSE IT WOULD BE KIND OF HYPOCRITICAL TO COME OUT AND REVEAL IT AND THEN BITCH ABOUT PEOPLE REVEALING INFORMATION]) was one of the first men through the door on the third floor of the terrorist leader's hideout and was present at his death."

In the book, [REDACTING THE NAME, REDACTING THE NAME] writes "it is time to set the record straight about one of the most important missions in U.S. military history."

An experienced member of the elite Navy SEAL special operators, [LET'S MAKE SURE WE SAY THIS NAME AS MANY TIMES AS POSSIBLE] also participated in the highly publicized rescue of Captain Richard Phillips in the Indian Ocean in 2009. That mission involved a daring rescue that ended when SEAL snipers shot and killed three Somali pirates with direct shots to the head.

[BLANKETY BLANK BLANK] received the rank of chief before he retired.

The book is co-authored with Kevin Maurer, author of four books, many of which were based on Special Operations.

Along with using the pseudonym "Mark Owen," [REDACTED] protected his fellow SEAL Team 6 members by changing their names in the book.

Both the Pentagon and CIA said Wednesday that the book was not in any way vetted by either department to prevent unwanted classified information from being released. When asked about the book, officials in both departments said they were unaware of the SEAL's true identity, but described co-author Kevin Maurer as a well-respected journalist.

Lt. Cmdr. Chris Servello, a Navy spokesman, said it's possible [REDACTED] or any former service member could be punished for revealing national security secrets. "Any service member who discloses classified or sensitive information could be subject to prosecution -- this doesn't end when you leave the service," Servello said. "There is nothing unique to the special warfare community in this regard."

Meanwhile, the Pentagon said that because the author is a retired service member, any potential criminal prosecution would be handled by the Department of Justice.

A spokesman at Dutton, a division of Penguin Group, said proceeds from the book will be donated to charitable causes that benefit the families of fallen Navy SEALs.

Much attention has been given to the issue of security leaks in the ongoing presidential race. Supporters of Mitt Romney accuse President Obama of intentionally leaking operational details surrounding the bin Laden raid for political gain. [OH DO THEY. WELL YOU GUYS WOULD NEVER DO ANYTHING LIKE THAT.]

OPSEC, a group of retired military and intelligence officers, came under fire this week from the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Martin Dempsey, who told Fox News on Tuesday he was "disappointed" by the group's political use of the military uniform in a recent anti-Obama advertisement. Dempsey said he feels those who serve ought to remain "apolitical."

OPSEC fired back, arguing that Dempsey's criticisms can be applied equally to the Obama campaign's "One Chance" ad, which featured images of Blackhawk helicopters in flight and military pilots. The video suggests Romney would not have made the same decision to call for the raid that killed Usama bin Laden.

Film producer Kathryn Bigelow received help from the White House when she produced "Zero Dark Thirty," a highly anticipated film detailing the bin Laden raid that was originally set to be released before the November election but was pushed to a later date after Republicans cried foul. [YES I'M SURE THAT WAS WHY A MAJOR HOLLYWOOD STUDIO CHANGED THE DATE.]

"This guy, who is a traitor, I mean, we didn't say that, we got some other guy to say that, then quoted him, so we didn't say it, clearly put himself and other members of his team in danger by writing this book under a pseudonym with all the names changed. So it's okay for us to increase the danger by just going ahead and telling you the name of the author. We'll be right back with the real names of all the other members. Remember, it's his fault. Also, Obama bad."

Fox News: Hypocritical Douchebags

Words cannot express the idiocy of these fucktards.

So the obvious outcome to this:

Originally Posted by NBC News

Users on several militant Islamic websites affiliated with al-Qaida have posted the name and photo of a former Navy SEAL identified as the author of an upcoming book on the commando raid that killed Osama bin Laden. The posts called for his "destruction" in revenge for the al-Qaida founder’s killing.

"We pray to Allah for his destruction sooner rather than later," said one of the posts.

"Oh Allah, make an example of him for the whole world and give him dark days ahead," read another.

Among the website publishing the death threats was the "Al-Fidaa" web forum, which al-Qaida uses to distribute its media and public communications, said Evan Kohlmann, an NBC News consultant and a terrorism analyst at Flashpoint Partners, a global security firm.

The source of the photo, which appears to show a special operations soldier in leveling an automatic rifle during a training exercise, was not immediately clear.

"Here is the first picture of the dog who murdered the martyr Shaykh Usama Bin Laden," wrote one of the posters, using an alternate spelling of bin Laden's name. "May Allah have mercy on him."
Mike Brunker

Mike Brunker is projects editor for NBC News.com. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook.

Fox News on Thursday identified the author of the book, which is titled "No Easy Day: The Firsthand Account of the Mission That Killed Osama bin Laden," as a 36-year-old former SEAL from Wrangell, Alaska. The Associated Press later said it had confirmed the author’s identity. (NBC News is not identifying the former SEAL.)

Penguin Group (USA)'s Dutton imprint, the publisher, asked news organizations Thursday to withhold his identity.

"Sharing the true story of his personal experience in 'No Easy Day' is a courageous act in the face of obvious risks to his personal security," Dutton spokeswoman Christine Ball said in a statement to the AP. "That personal security is the sole reason the book is being published under a pseudonym."

In addition to death threats, the author faces legal jeopardy over his decision not to seek pre-publication review by Pentagon officials of his account of the May 2, 2011, raid on bin Laden’s compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, as he was obligated to do under an agreement he signed as a condition of employment.

Good job, Roger Ailes! You and Fox News are really making Obama look bad with this, let me tell you.

[Locke cole]

I dunno. Their own words are pretty damn good at expressing that.

[Magus]

So the obvious outcome to this:

Originally Posted by NBC News

Users on several militant Islamic websites affiliated with al-Qaida have posted the name and photo of a former Navy SEAL identified as the author of an upcoming book on the commando raid that killed Osama bin Laden. The posts called for his "destruction" in revenge for the al-Qaida founder’s killing.

"We pray to Allah for his destruction sooner rather than later," said one of the posts.

"Oh Allah, make an example of him for the whole world and give him dark days ahead," read another.

Among the website publishing the death threats was the "Al-Fidaa" web forum, which al-Qaida uses to distribute its media and public communications, said Evan Kohlmann, an NBC News consultant and a terrorism analyst at Flashpoint Partners, a global security firm.

The source of the photo, which appears to show a special operations soldier in leveling an automatic rifle during a training exercise, was not immediately clear.

"Here is the first picture of the dog who murdered the martyr Shaykh Usama Bin Laden," wrote one of the posters, using an alternate spelling of bin Laden's name. "May Allah have mercy on him."
Mike Brunker

Mike Brunker is projects editor for NBC News.com. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook.

Fox News on Thursday identified the author of the book, which is titled "No Easy Day: The Firsthand Account of the Mission That Killed Osama bin Laden," as a 36-year-old former SEAL from Wrangell, Alaska. The Associated Press later said it had confirmed the author’s identity. (NBC News is not identifying the former SEAL.)

Penguin Group (USA)'s Dutton imprint, the publisher, asked news organizations Thursday to withhold his identity.

"Sharing the true story of his personal experience in 'No Easy Day' is a courageous act in the face of obvious risks to his personal security," Dutton spokeswoman Christine Ball said in a statement to the AP. "That personal security is the sole reason the book is being published under a pseudonym."

In addition to death threats, the author faces legal jeopardy over his decision not to seek pre-publication review by Pentagon officials of his account of the May 2, 2011, raid on bin Laden’s compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, as he was obligated to do under an agreement he signed as a condition of employment.

Good job, Roger Ailes! You and Fox News are really making Obama look bad with this, let me tell you.

[Bells]

wait wait wait wait... it SEEMS to me, looking from a bit of distance away... that Fox News is trying to get a Soldier Killed (who has not really done anything wrong) in order to somehow improve Romney's chance of getting elected?

...what? How is that supposed to work? That's some reality warping jedi shit...

[Kyanbu The Legend]

Why Fox News is allowed to still exist really makes me sad.

Especially if this ends with that soldier getting killed which is now pretty much garanteed.

Seriously, why is there no potition to shut down Fox News. Or hell Fox in general.

[Magus]

I don't know that he'll get killed but it's ridiculous to purposefully increase the danger to him as some kind of ridiculous "point" (the point of which is lost on me, anyway).

[Aerozord]

Isn't revealing the identity of an operative for a classified military operation treason?

[Bells]

Wouldn't be the first time that it isn't seen as such

[Magus]

Originally Posted by Bells

Wouldn't be the first time that it isn't seen as such

I like how Rove got Bush to commute Scooter Libby's sentence on that. And people still stand up for these assclowns years later.

Of course, later the Obama administration decided not to award Plame and her family with damages. I guess he was still trying to be "conciliatory", i.e. caving-in.

[Amake]

I want to see the look on the face of Fox News (the company totally has a face shut up) when they realize they're now in the same business as Wikileaks. Even if they're not as good at it, and are doing it for the wrong reasons, and are doing it in the worst possible way by revealing shit that doesn't do much of anything besides put lives in danger, they're no longer in any position to complain about journalists doing their job of telling the truth.