SEAL thought "we're going to die" at bin Laden raid

2014-11-12T12:57:43-05:00

From: Navy Times

A former Navy SEAL who contends he killed Osama bin Laden says he and other team members did not believe they would survive the raid on the terrorist's compound.

In an interview aired Tuesday night on Fox News, Robert O'Neill, a former member of SEAL Team 6, says that as the team trained, they concluded "we're going to die'' or be captured.

"The more we trained on it, the more we realized…this is going to be a one-way mission," O'Neill said.

"We're going to go and we're not going to come back. We're going to die when the house blows up. We're going to die when he blows up. Or we are going to be there too long and we'll get arrested by the Pakistanis and we're going to spend the rest of our short lives in Pakistan prison."

O'Neill said officers told the team only bits of information about the raid beforehand, including "a few names that didn't make sense.''

But he said team members figured out who the target was before they were told: "A few of us were talking a couple days later about this person, this person why would they be there. … It's bin Laden. … They found him. … We're going to go get him."

O'Neill has claimed that he fired the shot to the forehead that killed bin Laden, the mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorism attacks on the United States.

Despite their assessment of the risk, O'Neill said he and fellow team members were eager for the mission to take out bin Laden.

"This is a good way to go, and it's worth it because we're we're going to kill him,'' he said.

"We really wanted to do this,'' he said. "We wanted it. Bad. This is why we're here. We're at war because of this guy, and now we're going to go get him.''

Fox News was airing a two-part program with the interview, airing at 10 p.m. ET Tuesday and Wednesday, called "The man who killed Osama bin Laden.''

U.S. special operations leaders have been critical of O'Neill for making public comments about the raid and have asserted his remarks are an unseemly quest for attention that is damaging to the special forces program.

"They're terribly frustrated," Dick Couch, a Vietnam-era Navy SEAL, told USA TODAY last week, referring to special operations leaders. "It just makes us look like buffoons."

O'Neill's disclosures come nearly two years after Matt Bissonnette, another former SEAL Team 6 member, published details about the raid under a pen name in No Easy Day. Bissonnette didn't submit the book for review prior to publication.

As a result of the publicity, leaders of the Naval Special Warfare Command issued a rare plea to remember the code they pledged to live by in the face of the revelations. A critical component of the SEAL ethos is to keep quiet.

"We will not abide willful or selfish disregard for our core values in return for public notoriety and financial gain, which only diminishes otherwise honorable service, courage and sacrifice," said the letter signed by Rear Adm. Brian Losey and Force Master Chief Michael Magaraci on Oct. 31.

http://www.navytimes.com/story/military/pentagon/2014/11/12/bin-laden-raid/18901699/

Response by SSG Ralph Innes made Nov 12 at 2014 1:12 PM

2014-11-12T13:12:39-05:00

I wasn't ever in the Special Operations, but as much as it is fascinating reading about these missions, for the sake of the men and women still on the ground, I wish they would keep quiet about their endeavors.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 12 at 2014 1:24 PM

2014-11-12T13:24:07-05:00

This story is his. I know we took an oath. But regardless, this guy will always be a hero. When guys accept missions that earn medals, you can't ever take their past endeavors away. These guys did it every single day for a decade. They lived to talk about it. For that I'm glad. It's too easy to take honor from someone by branding him. It's much harder to earn that honor.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 12 at 2014 1:35 PM

2014-11-12T13:35:41-05:00

If I had the chance to go on a raid to kill bin laden though it was certain death, I hope I would say yes. If I did say yes and went and shot him in the head, I'd hope I could get out alive. If I could get out alive and make it home, I'd hope people would know our sacrifice. Sure these guys want attention. Don't any of us. Why do we wear military momentos. Why do we wear badges. Why award us ribbons. We are proud to serve. I've had many conversations with guys at the VFW. Love hearing their stories. Love sharing some of mine. What if you had done something soooooo historical. Wouldn't you want to share just a little. I can't judge these guys. They're heroes. No matter how you put it.

Response by PV2 Abbott Shaull made Nov 12 at 2014 2:32 PM

2014-11-12T14:32:58-05:00

You know he is hero no doubt about it. After seeing other cash in on it, would I be tempted to cash on it to, being an operator with boots on the ground. Well hell yeah, it would be tempting, but realistically, I know the reality, it is just to damn soon, and I would still have the command look it over, even if I was out. It was dangerous mission, it was filled with classified information, and the end why would I want to myself and family in danger, their still assholes out there who wish to kill anyone associated with killing their leader. I don't agree that the Navy and Seal Community has more or less stated he can't profit anything from his book, I do understand why they are upset with him not clearing it them, and they had to show they were on top of it so others didn't go out to write books without getting proper authorization first. Then again, as long as he hasn't really exposed anything that are Seal Operational secrets then what harm is done. We all know which Special Operation unit went in for the kill. If he wants to make himself and his family a target it is his choice. Let him keep some of the money, but not all of it. that will send a clear message to the rest of the community and the much large Special Operation community and even large Military Community. If you want to write a book, make sure you get may I please before you write it and publish it if it contains anything that my be consider secret.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 12 at 2014 2:56 PM

2014-11-12T14:56:02-05:00

American Hero.

Response by SPC Matt Johnson made Nov 12 at 2014 4:43 PM

2014-11-12T16:43:24-05:00

I'm just throwing something out there. But isn't there a thing where they can put you in jail for talking about certain missions even after you get out? something along those lines where you are not to talk about it for so many years or decades? sorta comes with the security clearance they give you at that level. AM I WRONG?

Response by SPC(P) Jay Heenan made Nov 12 at 2014 4:59 PM

2014-11-12T16:59:09-05:00

Here is my problem with the interview and how it is coming across to the general public. Why does it matter to him that he was the one who fired the 'kill shot'. Shouldn't the team get the credit? It seems sad to me that this elite unit, which has been always portrayed as a team, not an individual unit.

Response by CPT Aaron Kletzing made Nov 12 at 2014 5:25 PM

2014-11-12T17:25:29-05:00

It just bothers me that an individual who clearly succeeded as part of a team embraces hogging so much of the glory for himself. Or, maybe that's just how the media is presenting this situation to all of us. If anyone can argue well for the contrary, please let me know.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 12 at 2014 5:47 PM

2014-11-12T17:47:28-05:00

The real question is who is getting him to sign up for Rally Point?

Response by MSG Brad Sand made Nov 12 at 2014 5:52 PM

2014-11-12T17:52:03-05:00

The more he says, the more I doubt what he has to say. I just hope he is actually in the Navy.

For the record, Yes, we are going to die....all of us, the question is how we go out.

Response by PO2 Steven Erickson made Nov 12 at 2014 11:48 PM

2014-11-12T23:48:34-05:00

Back in my day, when we brought them on the boat for ops, the only thing you ever heard from a SEAL was "Don't know what you're talking about" or "Where's the head?" 7:^D

The sixers wouldn't even acknowledge they were sixers.

Can't and won't judge, but - I gotta ask - what's changed?

Response by SSG Selwyn Bodley made Nov 13 at 2014 7:06 AM

2014-11-13T07:06:19-05:00

In 93 I trained with delta for a short time. Inside their compound they had displays from every mission they had done and all of the displays had blankets over them so we as Rangers could not see or know anything about their past missions. (Special opperations not sharing details with other specop) When I left the Ranger Regiment, I, along with everyone leaving had to sign a letter stating we would not write or talk about the the missions, equipment or things we had done. This Seal was out of line and he knows it. I don't blame the other seals for disowning him.

Response by PFC Mickey Wellmon made Nov 13 at 2014 1:33 PM

2014-11-13T13:33:53-05:00

Maybe he is just a face. In today's society with almost every bit of info available at a moments notice, people expect answers. Maybe this story was put out to satisfy demand. Is it 100% accurate? Highly doubtful. But maybe by just putting a face with the finger that squeezed the trigger is a way to make it go away. I don't know. The bureaucracy in these matters today annoy the hell out of me. For me it wasn't one guy that took the shot. It was everyone that served between 9/11 and Geronimo that was behind the weapon.

Response by SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 13 at 2014 11:01 PM

2014-11-13T23:01:46-05:00

I don't think it's right for one person to take credit for a mission that took several men to complete. But that's just my opinion.

Response by SSG Jim Foreman made Nov 14 at 2014 12:24 PM

2014-11-14T12:24:48-05:00

I believe as soon as the POTUS and his staff knew the names of the Team members their names would eventually leak out. To me he didn't sound like he was trying to take all the credit. He continually said it was the Team, from the CIA to the POTUS to the entire USA. With that said....I believe he should have stayed quiet until his name was leaked.

Response by SFC Gary Fox made Nov 14 at 2014 12:41 PM

2014-11-14T12:41:29-05:00

I watched his interview on Fox News and noticed some discrepancies. The official account we were given the day after the raid said bin Laden was shot once in the face, the round striking him above the left eye. This SEAL says he shot him three times in the face.

The official account we were given stated the flew from the compound to the USS Vinson where the DNA tests were conducted and where bin Laden was given an hour long Muslim burial at sea. This SEAL says they flew from the compound to Bagram Air Field where the DNA tests were conducted and where he watched Obama announce it on television to the world bin Laden was dead.

Also take into account another SEAL who wrote a book claims he's the shooter and he shot bin Laden once.

Now what accounts are true? This also makes me suspect that perhaps bin Laden is not dead, but alive and tucked away someplace by the government. Of course if he was taken alive, there would be no way the government would admit that because it would give inspiration to al Qaeda and other extremist groups to attempt kidnapping VIP Americans to trade for him. Claiming he's dead when he may not be takes the wind out of their sails so to speak.

Response by SGT Ben Keen made Nov 14 at 2014 1:33 PM

2014-11-14T13:33:43-05:00

Me, me, me me....sounds like an singer warming up not the quite professional the Special Operations Community works so hard to be.

O'Neill was just a small part of the mission. There were intelligence officers, pilots, supply personal, communications experts, and so many more people behind the success of this raid and let's not forget, there hasn't been anything shown to say he actually pulled the trigger that inserted the bullet into the head of bin Laden. I'm sure all of us here wish we had that chance.