Re: No Easy Day (book)
Seems like I signed a 20 year don't talk about it agreement with a don't talk about it forever if we tell you not to clause. This was a several page document where the government held all the cards. Simple - sign it now, or never fly again. That being said, I agree with CS that when the government blows the secrecy by talking it up to aggrandize themselves for political reasons (or any reason for that matter), the secrecy agreement is out the window. However, fairness, honesty, equity and honest self criticism have never been in the government play book, so who knows what they will end up doing. They've been on the wrong track for so long, nothing would surprise me.
Here's how I hope it turns out. The government states the book would have been a violation of their secrecy agreement had elected officials not already leaked essentially the entire content to the press. Therefore, no punitive action is appropriate. If an operation by one of America's agencies is to be confidential, it will remain confidential from the top down, encompassing the operators and elected officials equally. There should be no criticism of Bissonette. He and the team earned their silver star. The elected officials did not.
Bissonette did say he spoke to friends with the teams and everyone who knows him offered their encouragement for telling the story right.
Here's a video from a cadre of operators, admirals, cia, general officers and others who call themselves "opsecteam" (
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-Xfti7qtT0 ) who blast the long pattern of leaks from our elected officials. It's a good watch though a bit long.
I'm inclined to trust Bissonette's judgement on this. Consider these points.
He's not done anything like this before.
Clearly he's a smart fellow who's been an exemplary operator, respected by his peers.
He knew the consequences of writing the book.
He's not profiting personally from the sales.
This makes me think there is something else. Something we don't know motivating him to put this all down for everyone to read.
So, do you trust the government to look after your best interest? Or, like me, do you incline to trust that Bissonette is publishing this for some higher purpose that we are not presently aware?
We may never know