We worked to get you information as quickly as possible following the raid, and as more debriefings happened — debriefings of the special operators involved in the mission as well as others – some of the initial information turned out to be incomplete. We acknowledged that at the time….Again, as far as this individual’s account, it’s one individual’s account, and I just can’t comment on it.White House Press Secretary Jay Carney • Responding to questions about the account of the raid that led to Osama bin Laden’s death, which appears in the upcoming book “No Easy Day.” Carney also told reporters that he’d not yet read the book, and therefore could not speak personally on why author Mark Owen’s story doesn’t line up with the official one released by the White House. For those in search of answers, he recommended that questions on the matter be directed to the Pentagon and/or Department of Justice. source (via • follow)
Jessica Buchanan was rescued and she is on her way home. As commander-in-chief, I could not be prouder of the troops who carried out this mission.President Barack Obama • Making a pre-dawn statement on the rescue of American Jessica Buchanan and Dane Poul Hagen Thisted, two aid workers captured in Somalia back in October. The rescue was carried out by SEAL Team 6, the same group that killed Osama bin Laden eight months ago, so you know they’re good. All nine of their captors, rumored to be pirates holding the humanitarian workers for ransom, were killed in the rescue effort. Thisted and Buchanan were safe, however. Speaking about the rescue effort on the Today Show this morning, Vice President Joe Biden put it like this: “We wanted to act, and we did.” Well-put. source (via • follow)
“We have received news of a twin-engine helicopter that crashed in the Directorate of Sayed Abad.
The helicopter was raided by the occupation forces in the eleventh hour of yesterday. I was surprised by the stiff resistance of the Mujahideen of Islamic Emirate.
Says the Mujahideen: Parts of the helicopter are scattered across the scene where the enemy twin-engine helicopter dropped.
The dead on board were 38 soldiers.
Eight helicopters arrived to the region to recover the helicopter and transport the dead back to their base.
At the end of the fighting, the enemy aircraft killed eight of the Mujahideen of Islamic Emirate.”
Wow, good find Matt.
White House photo of President Obama learning about the helicopter crash in Afghanistan that claimed 31 U.S. lives, including over 20 members of SEAL Team 6, the same unit that killed Osama bin Laden.
Update: Now the AP reports that “that none of the Navy SEALs who died in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan had participated in the raid that killed Osama bin Laden, although they were from the same unit that carried out the bin Laden mission.” Additionally, ABC News Senior Foreign Affairs Correspondent Martha Raddatz tweets that: “There are only about 2000 SEALS. Losing more than 20 is unbearable.”
Worth noting. (Earlier report here)
» And they weren’t just any Navy SEALS, either: These are some of the guys who took out Osama bin Laden in Pakistan back in May. (Edit: There are conflicting reports.) This is horribly sad, and we’ll keep you posted as we learn more. The AP has received word of this but nothing official has been noted due to the fact that families are still being notified. (h/t ProducerMatthew)
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