# Effect of former SEAL's "No Easy Day" book on election **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [August 29, 2012, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/effect-of-former-seals-no-easy-day-book-on-election/633077 "2012-08-29T21:41:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2012, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/effect-of-former-seals-no-easy-day-book-on-election/633077/21 "2012-08-30T12:05:06Z")
I’m not sure a precedent needs to be set here, given that details of the raid were already leaked. If he was revealing an op that took place that was not known to the public, that would be one thing. But all he’s doing is correcting the record on an op that is well known, where nearly every important detail was already leaked. The only secrets to give away are where the administration wasn’t telling the truth, which is what this guy says about how bin Laden died. They say he was reaching for a weapon, the SEAL says he just poked his head out the door. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2012, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/effect-of-former-seals-no-easy-day-book-on-election/633077/22 "2012-08-30T12:20:26Z")
How can he be correcting the record when there’s no more proof of his version than the official? ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2012, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/effect-of-former-seals-no-easy-day-book-on-election/633077/23 "2012-08-30T13:31:42Z")
Then it all comes down to who you believe. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2012, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/effect-of-former-seals-no-easy-day-book-on-election/633077/24 "2012-08-30T13:37:27Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Then it all comes down to who you believe. You stated he was correcting the record. Obviously you are privy to some information that he has that the public doesn’t. Share. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2012, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/effect-of-former-seals-no-easy-day-book-on-election/633077/25 "2012-08-30T14:00:57Z")
> [@Esox\_Lucius](#): > > A scantily-clad woman isn’t betraying the trust of a secretive team or the country. Then we are in the gray area of having “Free Speech Except Sometimes.” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2012, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/effect-of-former-seals-no-easy-day-book-on-election/633077/26 "2012-08-30T14:26:06Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > According to this, there are two books spurting onto the scene. One is by the SEAL guy who is the main subject of this thread, the other is by a conservative hack (of the writing variety…) named Mintner. You can find the title if you want, I ain’t gonna… > > Anyway, the really hair-raisng stuff about what a total wussy von douchebag Obama is is in the _second_ book. The one we’re talking about is definitely disrespectful but without being actually slanderous. Actually, according to [the Washington Post review](http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/book-review-no-easy-day-the-firsthand-account-of-the-mission-that-killed-osama-bin-laden/2012/08/29/4e4b9302-f20f-11e1-adc6-87dfa8eff430_story.html), the “Mark Owen” book doesn’t really say much about the politics, and doesn’t seem to be particularly disrespectful (though the author and his comrades in arms aren’t particularly sympathetic to the current CinC): > [@](#): > > Finally, the SEAL team arrived back in Afghanistan, and Owen and some of his fellow SEALs who didn’t seem to be big fans of President Obama watched his news conference about the successful mission. > > “We’d expected him to give away details,” he writes. “If he had, we could have talked some smack. But I didn’t think his speech was bad at all. If anything, it was kind of anticlimactic.” ---
**Author:** ![Enkel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/df705f/32.png) [@Enkel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enkel)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2012, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/effect-of-former-seals-no-easy-day-book-on-election/633077/27 "2012-08-30T14:57:12Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Then we are in the gray area of having “Free Speech Except Sometimes.” 🙂 This is NOT a gray area. In order to get a clearance you sign agreements. You are not forced to sign those agreements, you are free to go back to your primary MOS. One of those agreements is that anything you publish must be vetted PRIOR to release. And, it isn’t just some paragraph that you initial off. In my experience, they make darn sure you understand that even if you see XYZ on the news, you are still not free to discuss it and anything written (relating to your activities) must be vetted BEFORE release. We’re not talking about a guy who washed dishes at Quantico and told of their super secret SOS recipe. We have troops over there that could be put at risk and there are his team mates who could also be put at risk. Even if the book contains NOTHING, he still had to have it VETTED and he did not do it. So, yes he broke the agreement and should be held accountable for it, no matter what is contained in the book. Again, this has NOTHING to do with Free Speech. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2012, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/effect-of-former-seals-no-easy-day-book-on-election/633077/28 "2012-08-30T15:33:50Z")
> [@Enkel](#): > > Again, this has NOTHING to do with Free Speech. I’d think it has everything to do with it, but in the military one understandably must give that up in some circumstances. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2012, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/effect-of-former-seals-no-easy-day-book-on-election/633077/29 "2012-08-30T15:47:18Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > You stated he was correcting the record. Obviously you are privy to some information that he has that the public doesn’t. Share. That is his intent. ---
**Author:** ![Enkel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/df705f/32.png) [@Enkel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enkel)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2012, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/effect-of-former-seals-no-easy-day-book-on-election/633077/30 "2012-08-30T15:50:39Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > I’d think it has everything to do with it, but in the military one understandably must give that up in some circumstances. If I work for ABC Corporation and sign an NDA to not disclose their closely held secrets, I can’t just turn around and sell that information to the competitor or put it into a book. So, if the author signed an NDA agreement to give up his right to Free Speech (in relation to his activities) as part of his clearance, then please explain how this is an issue of Free Speech. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2012, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/effect-of-former-seals-no-easy-day-book-on-election/633077/31 "2012-08-30T15:56:09Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > That is his intent. Why do you give more credence to his account? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2012, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/effect-of-former-seals-no-easy-day-book-on-election/633077/32 "2012-08-30T16:00:27Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > That is his intent. That’s what you’ve chosen to presume his intent is. I don’t know what’s in the book, but unless it shows Bin Laden isn’t dead, I’m thinking it’s not going to move the figurative needle. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2012, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/effect-of-former-seals-no-easy-day-book-on-election/633077/33 "2012-08-30T16:32:20Z")
> [@Enkel](#): > > If I work for ABC Corporation and sign an NDA to not disclose their closely held secrets, I can’t just turn around and sell that information to the competitor or put it into a book. So, if the author signed an NDA agreement to give up his right to Free Speech (in relation to his activities) as part of his clearance, then please explain how this is an issue of Free Speech. You described it rather well above. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Esox\_Lucius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/848f3c/32.png) [@Esox\_Lucius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esox_Lucius)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2012, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/effect-of-former-seals-no-easy-day-book-on-election/633077/34 "2012-08-30T17:04:07Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Then we are in the gray area of having “Free Speech Except Sometimes.” 🙂 I see that others have explained, but just to pile on…😉 The military, and Navy SEALS in particular, have their own definition of “free speech” that is necessarily a lot more restrictive than the definition that applies to an open society. To the other SEALs, it could be that “Mark Owen” yelled fire in a crowded theatre. If he did, he’s going to suffer the consequences. ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2012, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/effect-of-former-seals-no-easy-day-book-on-election/633077/35 "2012-08-30T17:34:45Z")
Leaving the service doesn’t give you a “get out of jail free” card to reveal classified information. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2012, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/effect-of-former-seals-no-easy-day-book-on-election/633077/36 "2012-08-30T18:27:04Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > That is his intent. I believe his intent had a lot more dollar signs attached to it then that. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2012, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/effect-of-former-seals-no-easy-day-book-on-election/633077/37 "2012-09-02T23:57:58Z")
Are you guys seriously unaware that his account differs from the official one, saying he was shot on sight instead of only after he’d went back into the room? I’m usually not ahead of you guys, but here’s the [BBC article](http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-19409426) on it. ---
**Author:** ![coremelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@coremelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coremelt)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2012, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/effect-of-former-seals-no-easy-day-book-on-election/633077/38 "2012-09-03T00:34:39Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > This SEAL guy, with all due respect to his training and his service, he wasn’t in the room. He was in the helicopter. I am entirely prepared to give credence to his account of what happened in that helicopter. Whats your source that “Mark Owen” was only in the chopper and not one who took part in the raid? Curious haven’t seen this stated anywhere else. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2012, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/effect-of-former-seals-no-easy-day-book-on-election/633077/39 "2012-09-03T06:07:17Z")
Well, of course he took part in the raid. He’s already skating on pretty thin ice as it is, if he were a complete fake his ass would be grass. What I mean by “not in the room” was the room Obama was in, where the decisions were being made. ---
**Author:** ![Andiethewestie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ba9def/32.png) [@Andiethewestie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andiethewestie)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2012, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/effect-of-former-seals-no-easy-day-book-on-election/633077/40 "2012-09-03T06:44:39Z")
I won’t be buying this garbage. What the hell is this? An attempt to undermine the Obama administration’s handling of the Bin Laden case? What does this jerk have to gain from that? A lame attempt to get Obama out of office? Mark Owen has a sworn oath to the Seals and to his country not to divulge classified information. And this oath is in effect for his entire life. So if this book does that, he’s toast and should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. And Penguin Publishing needs to be prosecuted for profiting off of a breach of National Security. It is absolutely disgusting for a soldier to outright defy his Comander in Chief. No other President would tolerate such utter disrespect for the office. I hope the adminstration goes after this turd. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/effect-of-former-seals-no-easy-day-book-on-election/633077.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/effect-of-former-seals-no-easy-day-book-on-election/633077.md?page=3)