ROB O'NEILL TELLS HOW HE KILLED BIN LADEN, A critical tenant (sic) of our Ethos is 'I do not advertise the nature of my work, nor seek recognition for my actions', SEAL commanders in angry letter to members of the service after O'Neill's decision to go public was annoounced, 'He is not allowed to talk, yet they are using this big bullhorn to shut him up. 'He was one of the quiet professionals performing the most difficult tasks in the most difficult circumstances, serving his remarkable career in the shadows and keeping America safe in the process.'. CNN National Security Analyst Peter Bergen, who might not have been on the ground like Bissonnette, but who is deeply, deeply sourced on such matters, has reported something similar. Bap! Matt Bissonnette, a member of SEAL Team Six, wrote in his 2012 book No Easy Day that this point man was still on active duty and was bin Ladens true killer. His version of events is different. President Joe Biden said on Friday that the U.S. government will evacuate Americans remaining in Afghanistan as well as U.S. Afghan allies who may now be in danger from the Taliban. Get stories that empower and uplift daily. The only other account by a named SEAL was given by Matthew Bissonnette, who wrote an inside account of the mission. "[19] That same month, CNN published an interview with retired Admiral William H. McRaven; the former flag officer who oversaw Neptune Spear responded to the claims mentioning that "Rob O'Neill, the SEAL that, in fact, shot bin Laden".[20]. A Tale of Two SEALs - NBC News. At Naval Special Warfares core is the SEAL Ethos, said the letter, signed by Rear Adm. Brian Losey and Master Chief Michael Magaraci. Robert O'Neill, the former SEAL identified in several news accounts as the "shooter" who fired the fatal shot to bin Laden's head at close range, now says "it doesn't matter" who did so. "But we have these people who are in charge that are a disgrace. The team spirit that previously characterized the SEAL team now appears to be a relic of the past as former members of the elite U.S. unit are now locked in a public dispute over which of them fired the fateful rounds that ended Bin Laden's life. Said Kirby, I'll just read for you the last paragraph: Within the Department of Defense, we did not identify instances whereby any Special Operations tactics, techniques and procedures-related information was provided to filmmakers., So, no. Navy SEALs Robert O'Neill, Matt Bissonnette In Public Dispute Over Who O'Neill's father says he cannot understand the fuss. Shot Osama in the head thrice: retired Navy SEAL Robert O'Neill on His identity had been a closely-guarded secret but he is due to reveal his account in an interview with Fox News next week. [2] On 20 August 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, O'Neill tweeted a selfie of himself seated aboard a Delta Air Lines plane without a face mask; it was captioned "I'm not a pussy" and was followed by another that said, "Thank God it wasn't @Delta flying us in when we killed bin Laden we weren't wearing masks". "[13] In 2015, O'Neill and his family were allegedly threatened by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. Forty. Mr. Luskin said that Mr. Bissonnette and other SEAL members also received consulting fees from companies that designed tactical clothing and gear for other parts of the military or for sales to outdoor enthusiasts. and Matt Bissonnette, . I want her to write about her experience, but she says she cant remember anything.With time, details began to emerge. We talk about the aftermath of Rob O'Neill coming out publicly, along with his fellow SEAL who was a part of the raid, Matt Bissonnette (AKA Mark Owen). Soon she found herself within earshot of the president himself and seized the opportunity.Suffice it to say, the grown-ups who cover President Biden dont get rewarded with a trip to the Oval when they shout a question. If for no other reason than he knows one thing for sure about that nightit was a collective effort, no matter whos gun the bullet came from (and all the arguing about it after the fact). This contradicts the account of Matt Bissonnette, another former Seal involved. 'My ex-wife gave birth to a man. Anyone can read what you share. Bin Ladens body was flown to a US Navy ship, where DNA testing confirmed his identity. Bin Ladens guards and several other household members were shot and killed. O'Neill told the Post that shots also were fired by two other SEAL team members, including Matt Bissonnette, who described the raid somewhat differently in his book, "No Easy Day." His lawyer said Bissonnette is under federal criminal investigation over whether he disclosed classified information in the book, which he did not vet with the military. In Bissonnettes account, hes the second man in the SEAL stack and the second man in bin Ladens bedroom. Tiny smash with hammer. ), Ex-SEAL Matthew Bissonnette Probed Over Book on Bin Laden Raid, Exclusive: Mole Who Met Bin Laden Killed by Al Qaeda in Bosnia, Six Potential Al Qaeda Leaders Killed Since Bin Laden Raid, According to the Esquire story, when asked by an Obama administration official which SEAL had shot bin Laden, ONeill responded, We all did it., That response was in line with the SEAL code, and won him goodwill with fellow SEALs. Matt Bissonnette, a former member of Navy SEAL Team 6 who wrote an account of the raid that killed Osama bin Laden, agreed on Friday to forfeit $6.8 million in book royalties and speaking fees and apologized for failing to clear his disclosures with the Pentagon, according to federal court documents. I think it was apparent that we had done it. Bap! A weekly digest of Monitor views and insightful commentary on major events. O'Neill told Cain: "I'm a big believer in the acronym KISS: Keep it simple, stupid. The leadership created that double standard.. He crumpled onto the floor in front of his bed and I hit him again, Bap! including Matt Bissonnette, who . The Navy SEALs sent to Pakistan were experienced combat veterans and highly trained for the mission, which included a mockup of bin Ladens compound. But he has been heavily criticized for speaking out. Navy SEAL Who Claims To Have Shot Bin Laden Banned From Delta For Ten-year-old Ninas visit to the Oval Office. This much we know: On May 2, 2011, a group of Navy SEALs helicoptered into Pakistan under the cover of night and ambushed a compound that U.S. intelligence indicated was the residence of the worlds most wanted manOsama bin Laden. [1] Bissonnette and his childhood friend Steven Clark collaborated as codirectors and cowriters of the 2002 film Looking for Leonard. Why Robert O'Neill and Navy Seals Are Supposed to Keep Quiet | Time Former SEAL Robert O'Neill describes the raid that killed Osama bin Laden Some senior dudes wrote it and decided it was the law for the youngerguys.. The Crimes of SEAL Team 6 - The Intercept But as is often said at the Pentagon, No plan survives contact with the enemy a quote variously attributed to Napoleon, Dwight Eisenhower, or George Patton. Brandon gives some insight into why Navy . Were run by a church, but were not only for church members and were not about converting people. According to another SEAL, O'Neill merely walked over to the immobile al-Qaeda leader and shot him twice in the head. Now, the Navy is investigating whether he revealed classified information. Ex-SEAL Robert O'Neill reveals himself as shooter who killed Osama bin His identity had been a. Bissonnette had not submitted the book, which gives his account of the bin Laden raid, for prepublication review with the Department of Defense. At a debrief in Afghanistan, however, he says he took two shots and might have hit bin Laden once. In the course of those tours he undertook more than 400 separate combat missions. Osama Bin Laden killing: US Navy Seals row over shooting Former Navy SEAL Robert O'Neill said in an interview with The Washington Post that he was the one who fired the final shot to kill Osama bin Laden in 2011. . President. And not one of those names did it for political gain or Hollywood., Bissonnette told NBC News he almost has to laugh when he hears about the code of silence. 'What are you supposed to do when you come out of the military after such service become a greeter at Walmart? Other former SEAL members have said that his job was to figure out what types of equipment they needed. Mr. Bissonnette wrote in No Easy Day that he was one of the SEALs who shot Bin Laden, and he and Robert ONeill, another former SEAL Team 6 member who claims his shots were the fatal ones, have competed on the lecture circuit. where is matt bissonnette now
According to the book No Easy Day, written by former SEAL Matt Bissonnette, under the pseudonym Mark Owen, the SEALs refused to tell the president which of them it was. The SEAL Team Six member who was named as the man who shot Osama bin Laden dead is facing a whispering campaign from other SEALs claiming that his account of the killing is not truthful. A former Navy SEAL who shot Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden told Fox News on Friday that he could rescue Americans from Kabul with "nine guys" amid the Taliban takeover of the country. It was the investigation the military launched into Bissonnette's book that led the authorities to discover that he had allegedly 'recruited' the 11 Navy SEALS into the video game deal. 1 best-seller. The U.S. government has never confirmed which individual killed bin Laden.. This message will appear once per week 'He is not allowed to talk, yet they are using this big bullhorn to shut him up. [13] O'Neill estimated that with the Navy and SEALs, he annually earned US$60,000 (equivalent to $70,819 in 2021). But you know what? Its not your life, he continues. Several accounts have claimed that an unnamed point man fired the fatal bullets that put down the Al-Qaeda leader. 'We do 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.'. Robert O'Neill Is Not The Hero Of The Bin Laden Raid Key Background O'Neill told The Washington Post in 2014 that he was the U.S. special operator who fired the shot that killed al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden during a 2011 raid. He was decorated 52 times, leaving as senior chief petty officer. We need her. Are corporations going liberal? subscription yet. ONeill began talking to writer Phil Bronstein as early as March 2012, while still a SEAL. Later, more SEALs show up. Were seen as being global, fair, insightful, and perhaps a bit too earnest. A SEAL source told MailOnline: 'The real shooter would never discuss it publicly. Were about kicking down the door of thought everywhere and saying, You are bigger and more capable than you realize. A SEAL whose identity still remains secret was the first man to reach the top of the stairs leading to the third floor of Bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. 'Members of SEAL Team Six havent discussed it publicly so theres a reasonable chance hes not being truthful. The interview, which was published in March 2013, began with a meeting in April 2012 as he prepared to leave the Navy. And they come out and say things. I think it's something that all individuals who are participating or have knowledge of sensitive operations should follow, said Kirby. He showed that in a biography prepared for a course in hostage rescue he was instructing in his home state of Montana. Although he had previously been interviewed about the shooting of bin Laden, he remained entirely discreet about his role. Who shot Osama bin Laden? Mr. Bissonnette said in a statement Friday that he regretted his failure to submit No Easy Day for vetting before it was published in 2012 so Pentagon officials could ensure that it did not include classified information. Later, according to the story, the point man seems to accept that he didnt hit bin Laden. According to the site, public revelations about the Bin Laden raid had led to a rift in the tight-knit community of America's special operations warriors. ONeill remembers thinking: This poor kid had nothing to do with this. Matt Bomer is an American actor who, as of 2022, has appeared in 19 films, 22 television productions and 6 stage productions. At Naval Special Warfares core is the SEAL Ethos, it read. It comes after Bissonnette submitted a draft of his second book - No Hero: The Evolution Of A Navy SEAL - for approval from the Department of Defense, including slides and notes from his speeches. 'I represent thousands of individuals whose lives were forever scarred by the tragedy of Sept. 11, and Mr. ONeills private words to the families who lost loved ones brought a remarkable comfort to them.'. The real story of who killed bin Laden may have gone to the bottom of the ocean or been plowed back into the dirt in Abbottabad, writes Shane Harris, intelligence and national Security correspondent for The Daily Beast. After participating in May 2011's Operation Neptune Spear with SEAL Team Six, O'Neill was the subject of controversy for claiming to be the sole individual to kill Osama bin Laden . We don't ask the Taliban permission. This disambiguation page lists articles about people with the same . This is nonsense. In addition to the $6.8 million he's losing for the book and speaking, Bissonette's $180,000 fine comes from the consulting work he did for Ops-Core, S&S. In the Esquire version of the raid, ONeill is second in the stack. His tale comes nearly two years after a colleague, Matt. That made it to the big screen as 'Lone Survivor.'. He has reported from Afghanistan, Pakistan and several countries in the Middle East, focusing on terrorism, war and intelligence. . Rob O'Neill branded a LIAR by fellow SEAL Team Six members 'Personally I feel more threatened by a potential retaliatory terror attack on our community than I did eight years ago,' his wife said in 2013. US Navy/Wikipedia. Bissonnette was disciplined in November 2012 for sharing classified information with the makers of the popular video game Medal of Honor: Warfighter. He added:'People are asking if we are worried that ISIS will come and get us because Rob is going public. We are at this place in time because of a double standard. He then rushed past bin Laden's body to grab the two women in the room in case they were wearing suicide belts. After No Easy Day was published, said the former senior leader, Bissonnette sent a text to the commander of SEAL Team Six. In that interview, published in March 2013, he said that he burst into bin Laden's bedroom, saw a gun within bin Laden's reach, and shot him in the forehead. A cinematic account of the bin Laden raid, the box office hit and Oscar winner Zero Dark Thirty, began shooting on location in February 2012. Robert O'Neill, ex SEAL de 38 aos, dijo al diario The Washington Post que fue l quien realiz los disparos que mataron a bin Laden. Matthew Cole is an investigative producer for NBC News focusing on national security matters. Heres what we dont know: the identity of thatman. In a letter to past and present SEALs, Force Master Chief Michael. We want to bridge divides to reach everyone. [9] O'Neill reported to Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training (BUD/S) at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado and graduated from BUD/S class 208. The three shots killed bin Laden and O'Neill could see his 'brains' through the wound. I watched cool guys do cool stuff, and then I did something cool., the Somali pirates who boarded Captain Richard Phillips ship in April 2009, Tickle Me Kaczynski: How the Inventor of the Ultimate Elmo Toy Became a Unabomber Suspect, Real Italians Put Hot Dogs and French Fries on Their Pizza, The Other Drug War: Inside the World of Counterfeit Viagra, The $65 Million Art Heist That Put Oceans Eleven to Shame. Forty-one-year-old Robert ONeill doesnt claim that hes the so-called point man. Following this, senior Pentagon officials told CNN that the conclusions they reached were that Bissonnette was wrong in his version of events. A 2017 report from The Intercept claimed that O'Neill did shoot bin Laden but the Al-Qaeda leader may already have been dead. Former Navy SEAL Robert O'Neill said in an interview with The Washington Post that he was the one who fired the final shot to kill Osama bin Laden in 2011. . Former Navy SEAL Robert O'Neill has suggested that he fired the fatal shot that killed Osama bin Laden. Because this version of events differs from the account that the White House and other U.S. officials have given, Adm. William McRaven, the head of U.S. Special Operations Command personally went back to the head of Team Six to examine the contradicting claims. According to senior Navy officials, Bissonnette recruited his fellow SEALs to spend two days as paid consultants for Electronic Arts. Doesnt that seem odd to people? Who Fired the Shot That Killed Osama bin Laden. But he said the amount of friction in that world is very sad, and knows he may have contributed to it by writing his first book. Hatch pointed out that leadership had allowed active-duty SEALs to participate in the movie Act of Valor, a fictionalized account of SEAL missions against terrorists around the globe. He later claimed to have delivered the fatal blow to bin Laden himself, though this claim has proven controversial and has been disputed by another Navy SEAL who was involved. O'Neill said that bin Laden looked confused and 'taller' than he had expected. [21] O'Neill has also published two books: Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. He decided to tell them about his actions. One of them asked ONeill, Are youokay?, Almost from the moment he returned home, ONeill says, he was the subject of jealousy and derision. 21:13 BST 06 Nov 2014 As told to Phil Bronstein in Esquire magazine. When he published the book No Easy Day on Sept. 4, 2012, he used the pen name Mark Owen and pledged much of the proceeds to charity, but he still became persona non grata with his command and many former comrades. NEARLY MINT! Robert Tonner ANDY MILLS 17" DOLL Matt O'Neill - eBay More than three years after SEAL Team Six killed the terror leader, the elite group of warriors is at war with itself. Former US Navy SEAL Robert O'Neill, identified in news accounts as the member of SEAL Team Six who killed Osama bin Laden. It's insulting," he said. He even says he could feel the tension when he and the rest of SEAL Team Six flew to Fort Campbell a few days later to meet President Barack Obama. When President Obama met with members of the U.S. Navy's SEAL Team Six, following the 2011 raid that killed Osama Bin Laden, he asked them to identify the man among them who fired the shots that had dispatched the al-Qaida leader. Sometimes, we call things boring simply because they lie outside the box we are currently in.. Featured Image Credit: Twitter/Robert O'Neill. People walk past Osama Bin Laden's compound in Abottabad, Pakistan, where he was killed by U.S. Special Forces on May 2, 2011, the day after the raid. After separating from the US Navy, O'Neill began working as a motivational speaker. I was part of the greatest [SEAL] team ever assembled. CNN National Security Analyst Peter Bergen, who might not have been on the ground like Bissonnette, but who is deeply, deeply sourced on such matters, has reported something similar. SOFREP, a news and community site run by a former Navy SEAL, broke the news of O'Neill's identity, ahead of planned interviews with the Washington Post and Fox News, in which he was to go public with his identity. In his book, he does not identify the man who fired the fatal shots at Bin Laden, referring to him as simply the "Point Man". He says hes sorry he didnt submit the book for legal review, but says there are inconsistencies about who is allowed to talk and who isnt, since higher ups were apparently speaking freely. 'I need to havea head shot so he won't have a chance to clack himself off,' he said, 'In that second, I shot him, two times in the forehead. It also could be the case that more than one SEAL is responsiblee.g., bin Laden was shot numerous times in the chest after he first wentdown. He helped save SEAL Marcus Luttrell, the one man who lived to tell of a failed mission to capture a Taliban leader in Afghanistan.