(CNN) -- The much-anticipated memoir of a Navy SEAL who helped kill Osama bin Laden hits bookshelves Tuesday to an eager audience whose pre-orders have already put the book at No. 1 on Amazon's bestseller list for two weeks.
But the Pentagon may not be as eager to see the release of "No Easy Day: The Firsthand Account of the Mission That Killed Osama Bin Laden."Last week, the Pentagon general counsel threatened legal action against the former Navy SEAL who wrote the revealing book.In a letter addressed to "Mark Owen," the pen name of book's author Matt Bissonnette, General Counsel Jeh Charles Johnson alleged the writer violated secrecy agreements and broke federal law.var currExpandable="expand15";if(typeof CNN.expandableMap==='object'){CNN.expandableMap.push(currExpandable);}var mObj={};mObj.type='video';mObj.contentId='';mObj.source='world/2012/09/04/hopkins-bin-laden-raid-book.cnn';mObj.videoSource='CNN';mObj.videoSourceUrl='';mObj.lgImage="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/120523040531-osama-bin-laden-story-body.jpg";mObj.lgImageX=300;mObj.lgImageY=169;mObj.origImageX="214";mObj.origImageY="120";mObj.contentType='video';CNN.expElements.expand15Store=mObj;var currExpandable="expand25";if(typeof CNN.expandableMap==='object'){CNN.expandableMap.push(currExpandable);}var mObj={};mObj.type='video';mObj.contentId='';mObj.source='us/2012/08/30/bts-bergen-seal-book.cnn';mObj.videoSource='CNN';mObj.videoSourceUrl='';mObj.lgImage="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/120830045348-matt-bisonette-story-body.jpg";mObj.lgImageX=300;mObj.lgImageY=169;mObj.origImageX="214";mObj.origImageY="120";mObj.contentType='video';CNN.expElements.expand25Store=mObj;var currExpandable="expand35";if(typeof CNN.expandableMap==='object'){CNN.expandableMap.push(currExpandable);}var mObj={};mObj.type='video';mObj.contentId='';mObj.source='us/2012/08/30/nr-intv-bob-baer-on-navy-seal-bin-laden-book.cnn';mObj.videoSource='CNN';mObj.videoSourceUrl='';mObj.lgImage="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/120830090552-nr-intv-bob-baer-on-navy-seal-bin-laden-book-00032425-story-body.jpg";mObj.lgImageX=300;mObj.lgImageY=169;mObj.origImageX="214";mObj.origImageY="120";mObj.contentType='video';CNN.expElements.expand35Store=mObj;var currExpandable="expand45";if(typeof CNN.expandableMap==='object'){CNN.expandableMap.push(currExpandable);}var mObj={};mObj.type='video';mObj.contentId='';mObj.source='bestoftv/2012/08/31/exp-ns-bergen-obl-book.cnn';mObj.videoSource='CNN';mObj.videoSourceUrl='';mObj.lgImage="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/120831125828-exp-ns-bergen-obl-book-00002001-story-body.jpg";mObj.lgImageX=300;mObj.lgImageY=169;mObj.origImageX="214";mObj.origImageY="120";mObj.contentType='video';CNN.expElements.expand45Store=mObj;"In the judgment of the Department of Defense, you are in material breach and violation of the nondisclosure agreements you signed. Further public dissemination of your book will aggravate your breach and violation of your agreements," Johnson wrote.Bissonnette's lawyer, responded in a letter last week saying the author "sought legal advice about his responsibilities before agreeing to publish his book and scrupulously reviewed the work to ensure that it did not disclose any material that would breach his agreements or put his former comrades at risk."It is unclear how the Defense Department will proceed or if Tuesday's release will launch a court battle.The controversy has not extinguished the hot demand for the memoir.Publisher Dutton had originally planned to release 300,000 copies, but after fevered hype, it increased the number to 575,000, according to Publisher's Weekly.Buzz ramps up over SEAL's bin Laden bookIn the 336-page book, Bissonnette wrote about his concerns that bin Laden would put up a fight, after the SEALs' helicopter crashed near bin Laden's compound."Roughly 15 minutes had passed and bin Laden had plenty of time to strap on a suicide vest or simply get his gun," he says in the book.Bin Laden was not wearing a vest when he died. His two guns, according to Bissonnette, were on a shelf in his bedroom, apparently untouched.After the helicopter crash and a hard fight to get through the compound's defenses, Bissonnette and several other SEALS were near the top floor of the compound, where intelligence predicted bin Laden would be."We were less than five steps from getting to the top when I heard suppressed shots. BOP. BOP."The point man had seen a man peeking out of the door on the right side of the hallway about 10 feet in front of him. I couldn't tell from my position if the rounds hit the target or not. The man disappeared into the dark room."The man who peeked out the door had been shot, but was still moving when the SEALs entered the room. Bissonnette described the end."In his death throes, he was still twitching and convulsing. Another assaulter and I trained our lasers on his chest and fired several rounds. The bullets tore into him, slamming his body into the floor until he was motionless."Excerpts from SEAL's book about Osama bin Laden killingBut there was still the question of whom they had killed. One of Bissonnette's roles was photographing the body."It was strange to see such an infamous face up close. Lying in front of me was the reason we had been fighting for the last decade. It was surreal trying to clean blood off the most wanted man in the world so that I could shoot his photo. I had to focus on the mission, right now we needed some good quality photos."Bissonnette said he had mixed feelings about President Barack Obama, who ordered the operation."None of us were huge fans of Obama. We respected him as the commander-in-chief of the military and for giving us the green light on the mission," wrote the former SEAL, who was a 36-year-old chief petty officer when he left the Navy as a highly decorated commando in April.CNN's Ashley Fantz and Lateef Mungin contributed to this report.
Showing posts with label Laden. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Laden. Show all posts
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Bin Laden book could ignite fight with Pentagon
The Pentagon alleges the book violates secrecy agreements The author's lawyer disagrees and disputes the Pentagon accountThe publisher has increased the number of copies to 575,000
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Author warned over bin Laden book
NEW: The Pentagon threatens legal action against the authorNEW: It says Matt Bissonnette has violated secrecy agreements he signedBissonnette says he was one of the SEALs who finished off bin LadenBissonnette was a chief petty officer when he left the Navy
Jeh Charles Johnson, Pentagon general counselThey went into a room and saw two women standing over a man at the foot of a bed, "hysterically crying and wailing in Arabic."One of the women shouted in Arabic and moved toward the point man."Swinging his gun to the side," the point man grabbed the women and moved them to a corner."If either woman had on a suicide vest, he probably saved our lives, but it would have cost him his own. It was a selfless decision made in a split second," Bissonnette wrote.Bissonnette described how he and another SEAL entered the room and saw the man, clad in a white sleeveless T-shirt, loose tan pants and a tan tunic, twitching and convulsing. The author said he and another SEAL finished him off with several rounds and soon after identified him as the notorious leader of al Qaeda.The killing occurred even though a government lawyer told the SEALs that if bin Laden didn't pose a threat, he should be detained.The author found two empty firearms during a search of the area, saying bin Laden apparently "hadn't even prepared a defense" and had "no intention of fighting."According to an earlier and contradictory account from a U.S. official, bin Laden was shot after the SEALs went into the room. That account said the al Qaeda leader was moving, possibly toward one of the weapons that were in the room when he was shot. He never had a gun in hand but posed an imminent threat, according to the U.S. official.Bissonnette said he had mixed feelings about President Barack Obama, who ordered the operation."None of us were huge fans of Obama. We respected him as the commander-in-chief of the military and for giving us the green light on the mission," wrote the former SEAL, who was a 36-year-old chief petty officer when he left the Navy as a highly decorated commando in April.CNN obtained a copy of the book, which will officially be released September 4. It first had a release date of September 11, but Dutton, a Penguin imprint, said the book will come out early because of "overwhelming excitement in the marketplace."The first printing of the book, already an Amazon best seller, is now 575,000 copies, according to Dutton.Opinion: Sense and nonsense about Obama and OsamaCNN's Joe Sterling contributed to this report.
Washington (CNN) -- The Pentagon general counsel threatened legal action Thursday against a former Navy SEAL who wrote a revealing book about last year's Osama bin Laden raid, warning him he has violated secrecy agreements and broken federal law.
In a letter addressed to "Mark Owen," the pen name of book author Matt Bissonnette, General Counsel Jeh Charles Johnson wrote the Pentagon is considering pursuing "all remedies legally available" against the former SEAL and his publisher, Penguin Putnam."In the judgment of the Department of Defense, you are in material breach and violation of the nondisclosure agreements you signed. Further public dissemination of your book will aggravate your breach and violation of your agreements," Johnson wrote.The book is called "No Easy Day" and is a gripping account of the Navy SEAL raid on bin Laden's compound in Pakistan last year that ended in the death of the world's most notorious terrorist leader.var currExpandable="expand15";if(typeof CNN.expandableMap==='object'){CNN.expandableMap.push(currExpandable);}var mObj={};mObj.type='video';mObj.contentId='';mObj.source='us/2012/08/30/nr-intv-bob-baer-on-navy-seal-bin-laden-book.cnn';mObj.videoSource='CNN';mObj.videoSourceUrl='';mObj.lgImage="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/120830090552-nr-intv-bob-baer-on-navy-seal-bin-laden-book-00032425-story-body.jpg";mObj.lgImageX=300;mObj.lgImageY=169;mObj.origImageX="214";mObj.origImageY="120";mObj.contentType='video';CNN.expElements.expand15Store=mObj;var currExpandable="expand25";if(typeof CNN.expandableMap==='object'){CNN.expandableMap.push(currExpandable);}var mObj={};mObj.type='video';mObj.contentId='';mObj.source='us/2012/08/30/bts-bergen-seal-book.cnn';mObj.videoSource='CNN';mObj.videoSourceUrl='';mObj.lgImage="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/120830045348-matt-bisonette-story-body.jpg";mObj.lgImageX=300;mObj.lgImageY=169;mObj.origImageX="214";mObj.origImageY="120";mObj.contentType='video';CNN.expElements.expand25Store=mObj;var currExpandable="expand35";if(typeof CNN.expandableMap==='object'){CNN.expandableMap.push(currExpandable);}var mObj={};mObj.type='video';mObj.contentId='';mObj.source='bestoftv/2012/08/24/exp-point-chuck-pfarrer.cnn';mObj.videoSource='CNN';mObj.videoSourceUrl='';mObj.lgImage="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/120824012940-exp-point-chuck-pfarrer-00002001-story-body.jpg";mObj.lgImageX=300;mObj.lgImageY=169;mObj.origImageX="214";mObj.origImageY="120";mObj.contentType='video';CNN.expElements.expand35Store=mObj;var currExpandable="expand45";if(typeof CNN.expandableMap==='object'){CNN.expandableMap.push(currExpandable);}var mObj={};mObj.type='video';mObj.contentId='';mObj.source='bestoftv/2012/08/24/exp-point-marks-seal-name-revealed.cnn';mObj.videoSource='CNN';mObj.videoSourceUrl='';mObj.lgImage="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/120824113221-exp-point-marks-seal-name-revealed-00002001-story-body.jpg";mObj.lgImageX=300;mObj.lgImageY=169;mObj.origImageX="214";mObj.origImageY="120";mObj.contentType='video';CNN.expElements.expand45Store=mObj;The story sheds more light on the now famous skill and daring of the SEALs. But the book's very existence stoked controversy because members of the elite unit don't usually divulge details of their operations.The book is one of several accounts about the operation to have surfaced after last year's raid.Buzz ramps up over SEAL's bin Laden bookGovernment officials only recently became aware the former SEAL was writing a book, but they were told it encompassed more than just the raid and included vignettes from training and other missions.They wanted to see a copy, a Defense Department official said, to make sure no classified information would be released and to see if the book contained any information that might identify other team members.Thursday's letter to Bissonnette came after a department review of the book.Bissonnette wrote in the book that he was part of a team heading up a stairwell in search of bin Laden, forces led by a SEAL point man."We were less than five steps from getting to the top when I heard suppressed shots."BOP BOP."The point man had seen a man peeking out of the door on the right side of the hallway about ten feet in front of him. I couldn't tell from my position if the rounds hit the target or not."In the judgment of the Department of Defense, you are in material breach and violation of the nondisclosure agreements you signed.Jeh Charles Johnson, Pentagon general counselThey went into a room and saw two women standing over a man at the foot of a bed, "hysterically crying and wailing in Arabic."One of the women shouted in Arabic and moved toward the point man."Swinging his gun to the side," the point man grabbed the women and moved them to a corner."If either woman had on a suicide vest, he probably saved our lives, but it would have cost him his own. It was a selfless decision made in a split second," Bissonnette wrote.Bissonnette described how he and another SEAL entered the room and saw the man, clad in a white sleeveless T-shirt, loose tan pants and a tan tunic, twitching and convulsing. The author said he and another SEAL finished him off with several rounds and soon after identified him as the notorious leader of al Qaeda.The killing occurred even though a government lawyer told the SEALs that if bin Laden didn't pose a threat, he should be detained.The author found two empty firearms during a search of the area, saying bin Laden apparently "hadn't even prepared a defense" and had "no intention of fighting."According to an earlier and contradictory account from a U.S. official, bin Laden was shot after the SEALs went into the room. That account said the al Qaeda leader was moving, possibly toward one of the weapons that were in the room when he was shot. He never had a gun in hand but posed an imminent threat, according to the U.S. official.Bissonnette said he had mixed feelings about President Barack Obama, who ordered the operation."None of us were huge fans of Obama. We respected him as the commander-in-chief of the military and for giving us the green light on the mission," wrote the former SEAL, who was a 36-year-old chief petty officer when he left the Navy as a highly decorated commando in April.CNN obtained a copy of the book, which will officially be released September 4. It first had a release date of September 11, but Dutton, a Penguin imprint, said the book will come out early because of "overwhelming excitement in the marketplace."The first printing of the book, already an Amazon best seller, is now 575,000 copies, according to Dutton.Opinion: Sense and nonsense about Obama and OsamaCNN's Joe Sterling contributed to this report.
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