Pentagon may take legal action against SEAL author

[Tx4obama]

Source: AP

WASHINGTON (AP) Aug 30, 8:35 PM EDT -- The Pentagon's top lawyer has informed the former Navy SEAL who authored a forthcoming book describing details of the raid that killed Osama bin Laden that he violated agreements to not divulge military secrets and that as a result the Pentagon is considering taking legal action against him.

The general counsel of the Defense Department, Jeh Johnson, wrote in a letter transmitted to the author on Thursday that he had signed two nondisclosure agreements with the Navy in 2007 that obliged him to "never divulge" classified information. Johnson said that after reviewing a copy of the book, "No Easy Day," the Pentagon concluded that the author is in "material breach and violation" of the agreements.

Johnson said the department is considering pursuing against him "all remedies legally available to us.

Read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/B/BIN_LADEN_BOOK_PENTAGON?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2012-08-30-20-35-47

[Laurian]

1. Good. I hope they follow through.

[PatrynXX]

2. can't compare this to Julian Assange though

whereas Julian leaked old classified info, this traitor is leaking classified intel. and the book publisher knows this why else would they move the date up

[JDPriestly]

9. Julian Assange did not sign an agreement to keep information secret or classified.

Someone who gave information to Assange probably signed an agreement and broke it, but Assange did not.

[oldsarge54]

3. Right On

The man signed an agreement, he should honor it. I'm not absolutely sure (no lawyer, just lived under the UCMJ for 25 years) that revealing information, should it cause actual damage to the nation (not the government), it could be traitorous.

[Kalidurga]

4. Good

What took them so long to make this info public? The part where they may prosecute.

[Canuckistanian]

5. And doing it for partisan reasons

There are service members who went to the grave, not telling their secrets about the nuclear tests.

And these assholes are willing to break that covenant... for political reasons.

[heaven05]

6. i hope so

[happyslug]

7. Oh. The Pentagon is worried about reports that the book is NOT by an actual SEAL???

Sorry, the Pentagon could have stopped this book before it was even printed, IF IT WANTED TO. Apparently, the Pentagon wanted the story OUT. I suspect that the Pentagon has read to many reports questioning the truth in the book (i.e. is the author an actual SEAL?) that the image of the SEALS are being undermined (The Pentagon is more worried about funding for special operations, and need any good news it can get on such actions, thus this book, which does NOT revel anything opposition forces don's already know, is NOT a real security leak). Thus the Pentagon has to "CONFIRM" that the book was written by an actual SEAL, but the simple fact of sending the letters.

If the Pentagon wanted to kill this book, today, all it has to say is that is was NOT written by a SEAL (even if it was) and laugh about alleged errors in the book. Even if the book is the product of one member of the SEAL team, the author would have made mistakes as to what happened, it could be something he did not know (i.e. what the other sections of the raiding parties were doing). he made an error as to time (for when the raid took place he was NOT looking at his watch and making notes) or what happened afterwards when he was withdrawn. . With that statement the whole premise behind the book dies, no need to "Punish" the writer, in fact punishing the writer may ENHANCE the book even more. The better solution is to show how it was written by someone who did NOT know anything but what the Pentagon has released to the public (even if NOT true). Have senior officers make comments about the "Errors" in the book to show it has no basis in truth (Even if the book is true, remember I am talking about HOW to attack this book as reveling US Military secrets, NOT if the book is true, false, accurate or anything else).

Sorry, if the Pentagon as concerned about what was released in this book, they are ways the Pentagon can destroy the books credibility. Instead the Pentagon is doing the one thing to ENHANCE the books credibility, threaten the author with criminal charges for reveling what SEALS do. I suspect this is for funding purposes, i.e. more money for "Special Operations" including SEALS, then anything else.

[Festivito]

13. Hear here! The CIA wants this book's version out.

CIA mucky-mucks trying to help their family portfolios.

[MADem]

8. They should. They can and should return his ass to active duty and nail him.

He'd best pull out his 214 and have a look at the "remarks" section of that lower block--he can be recalled if the SECNAV says so.

And I don't advocate his recall simply because he's a dumbass Birther fuck, either--it's because anyone with a frigging SECRET clearance--never mind a TS-SCI--knows what the OPSEC protocol is when it comes to that kind of shit. You're briefed, re-briefed and briefed again, throughout your career. He KNEW and he IGNORED the regs. He could have done what people are supposed to do, and vetted the manuscript, but NOOOOO--he had to be smarter than everyone else and IGNORE the rules, because he's a "bad boy."

Fuck him. He can have fun in Leavenworth.

[Sherman A1]

10. Agreed

He could have vetted the book and apparently chose not to do so.

I think he should be recalled and face discipline.

[AtomicKitten]

11. I'm surprised the author didn't seek clearance of the book beforehand.

I think now that Faux News has outed this guy, it puts a whole different spin on it.

[Missycim]

12. Wow

it seems someone like Manning can give classified material and thats ok but if someone on the other side of the political divide does it then its not ok.


The age of the material really makes no difference, lets not be hypocritical about it. I think both Manning and this author should be in jail for doing what they did.