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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/
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/
Navy
Osama Bin Laden
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 17
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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.
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MSG Brad Sand
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SGT(P) (Join to see)
After thinking of ALL the people who risked life and limb to put a bullet in bin Laden's melon, I thought of a scene for the orginal Spartacus movie...the good one :)...where when the enemy wanted to heap extra punishment on Spartacus, they all took credit. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKCmyiljKo0 So 'I'm Robert O'Neill'...no, I would kept my pie hole shut...'I killed bin Laden!' and so did you!
After thinking of ALL the people who risked life and limb to put a bullet in bin Laden's melon, I thought of a scene for the orginal Spartacus movie...the good one :)...where when the enemy wanted to heap extra punishment on Spartacus, they all took credit. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKCmyiljKo0 So 'I'm Robert O'Neill'...no, I would kept my pie hole shut...'I killed bin Laden!' and so did you!
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SPC (Join to see)
I agree with you because he is not using selfless service, and personally I don't know why he is even talking about it.
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SGT Kevin Gardner
I agree, but having watched the interview he showed that he was a classy guy, in the interview he did not take credit. if you get a chance watch the interview.
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Cpl Thomas Mcdonough
I THOUGHT THE INFORMATION WAS BEING RELEASED WITH OR WITHOUT HIS PERMISSION. SO HE AT LEAST WANTED TO GIVE HIS ACCOUNT OF WHAT WENT DOWN.I JUST HOPE SOME NIT WIT DOESN'T TAKE HIM OUT,HE MUST BE WELL ARMED, I HOPE.
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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.
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SSG Selwyn Bodley
1LT Newman, being upset at any person in your chain of command does not justify or nullify disregarding an oath or commitment you made to your brothers or the unit in which you serve. Unfortunately and undeservingly I feel as though this has brought reproach to the ethos that the Seals pride. I too have been wronged by some leaders that lacked integrity and I have to deal with it. It wouldn't be right to bring reproach upon a unit for the actions of some.
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SPC Matt Peeling
I agree with you and support the disowning of any member that breaks the Seal code. Do not think for a minute that they did not know what kind of risk they were taking by exposing themselves and the mission. My father was one of the original frogmen in the 1950s and up to the day he died he never spoke of the missions he and his team 2 members executed. It was only after he died that I began researching his service, most of which was falsified. Through that research I found out that he and his teammates should have been awarded the Navy and Marine Medal. He knew it and never once said anything to anyone about his and his team's deserving the medal or any other information about his service. What these two are doing is disrespectful and they should be discredited.
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SPC (Join to see)
I know you have more experience with top secret missions and operations being a ranger and involved with Delta. But as someone on the outside looking in, I feel like if this mission was suppose to be top secret we would of never known Bin Laden was killed. This was more part of the President and top officials wanting the public to know the details so they can show that they got him. I don't think the seal wants to be in the spot light I think he was thrusted into it by a nation wanting to know the details. I mean seriously, you signed those documents saying don't say anything but if you are to say something it has to come down from the top. If he really wanted the public to know he shot Bin Laden why did he wait so long to bring it out now. The details of the mission came out way before the guy was given permission to talk to the media. That's just my opinion. I'm sure there are lots of seal missions going on right now that we will never know about. To me this mission was way different since it involved someone with such a high profile.
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SSG Selwyn Bodley
I by no means am an expert, I spent 1 year in the Ranger Regiment and was not involved with Delta, I just had the opportunity to rub shoulders and train for a short time with some of them.
That being made clear. Yes the American people deserved to know. How that information is given comes from the top. I don't believe it should come from an individual... Especially when you have agreed not to share info like it.
That being made clear. Yes the American people deserved to know. How that information is given comes from the top. I don't believe it should come from an individual... Especially when you have agreed not to share info like it.
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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.
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MSG (Join to see)
He gave up nothing big. He didn't uncover something the world didn't know. The doctor that helped, well, he still imprisoned. And I'll stand by one thing. Those that never test the waters, never affect change. We have grown as a society. That is based hugely on those that go against the grain. While the grain is always the smoothest way to go, sometimes it's actually better to go against it to cut into the wood.
So when DOD actually defines th portion that was so highly classified and not ready for public release (especially the Devils) Id love to hear it. Because the boss pretty much told us everything when he released the events on TV. I understand the point you are making. But this guy is the epitome of heroism.
Who am I to judge. Who am I to cast a stone. This guy had accomplished a much greater feat than I could only imagine in my service life. The "should've shut up about it" doesn't work. He's out. Let him enjoy his fame. He deserves it more so than the leaders above him getting the credit. He and his brother on that team. But again, I'm just a logistician. My final two cents. The merits of men should be known. The sacrifice of american soldiers should be written and never forgotten. For it is those in our past who have accomplished these feats that provide motivation to our future heroes. Without that, who would we be. Everyone needs an idol. Everyone needs a hero. And though I'm too broke and old to try the stuff these guys do, my son (who hates reading) has read this book. And that fire in his eyes burns brighter. He is our future. And his fuel is guys like this CPO.
So when DOD actually defines th portion that was so highly classified and not ready for public release (especially the Devils) Id love to hear it. Because the boss pretty much told us everything when he released the events on TV. I understand the point you are making. But this guy is the epitome of heroism.
Who am I to judge. Who am I to cast a stone. This guy had accomplished a much greater feat than I could only imagine in my service life. The "should've shut up about it" doesn't work. He's out. Let him enjoy his fame. He deserves it more so than the leaders above him getting the credit. He and his brother on that team. But again, I'm just a logistician. My final two cents. The merits of men should be known. The sacrifice of american soldiers should be written and never forgotten. For it is those in our past who have accomplished these feats that provide motivation to our future heroes. Without that, who would we be. Everyone needs an idol. Everyone needs a hero. And though I'm too broke and old to try the stuff these guys do, my son (who hates reading) has read this book. And that fire in his eyes burns brighter. He is our future. And his fuel is guys like this CPO.
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FN Mike McCormack
Danny...I agree with you for the most part even though many of us armchair warriors would like to believe we would have taken the "noble" road; I cannot truly say what I would have done as I have not walked in that man's shoes and don't really have all the facts. However...I was raised like many of you to believe that true heroes don't look for recognition or a pat on the back...so I am struggling with this one a little; my opinion of O'Neill is not as important of the opinion he has of himself! Unfortunately...today's media casts a large shadow over public opinion as it deals and profits largely in sensationalism (and we just love that don't we?!); so...what are we left with? A man who served/risked his life for his country and my family...Ill tell you what...I'm not struggling anymore - give that man a cigar and a F%*g movie! Next issue please...
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SPC David S.
Certainly O'Neil is a hero and I have the upmost respect for his love of country. Again as an armchair quarter back it is much easier to play the game. Personally I guess the only real issue I have is the risks that are transposed to his family members. While I feel most of my family would put up a good fight I'd hate to see my sister being used by ISIS or some other group as propaganda.
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