Bissonnette’s actions were nothing short of an act of valor.
Not long after the assassination of Bin Laden, Matt Bissonnette, a former member of SEAL Team 6, published the book, “No Easy Day: The Firsthand Account of the Mission that Killed Osama Bin Laden,” under the alias Mark Owen. Bissonnette has been threatened with legal action by the United States government for breaching his code of silence as a SEAL and releasing sensitive information about SEAL field tactics and strategies. Based strictly on his Naval oath, Bissonnette did, in fact, break the SEAL code of silence and should be punished. However, based on his motives and reason for publishing the book alone, his actions were an act of valor.
Although “No Easy Day” was released on September 5, Bissonnette had originally intended the book to be released on September 11, 2012 to serve as a conclusion to the war on terror that started eleven years ago. The former SEAL felt an obligation toward the citizens of America just as any other SEAL in the military would. The public has the right to know what happened on the night of Bin Laden’s death so that the matter can finally be put to rest. His motive was never to make money off of his experiences. Bissonnette claimed that the majority of the proceeds that came from the book will be donated to SEAL families whose loved ones were killed in action. He wasn’t out for personal gain nor did he intend to put his fellow SEALs in danger. Instead, he wrote this story to celebrate the bravery and courage of the men and women who fight to defend this country.
According to some sources, that the U.S. Navy ostracized Bissonnette and forced him to leave SEAL Team 6 after he had told the team that he was looking toward retirement and starting his own private business. Because of this, some people believe that “No Easy Day” was a method of “getting back” at the U.S. military. However, these people need to keep in mind that Bissonnette is a SEAL. The amount of time and effort that each SEAL needs to put in just to qualify for a spot in the NAVY’s elite special operations unit speaks as a defense for Bissonnette’s case. SEALs are trained mentally, physically, and morally in order to create soldiers who are dedicated to the United States. They are trained to be selfless and humble. To claim that a SEAL would write a book to take revenge upon the very country that he fought for is a pathetic argument that was obviously blown out of proportion by those who do not understand the sacrifices that these soldiers make.
The U.S. government has yet to take any legal action against Bissonnette. If it does, then Bissonnette should be found guilty for breaking the Navy’s code of silence, and rightfully so. However, people should not look upon the former SEAL with scorn. He had loyal intentions when publishing the book and was merely fulfilling an obligation toward the American people.
