Rob O'Neill: New 'Report' on bin Laden Raid "Ludicrous"
Former Navy SEAL Blasts Journalist’s Claims That U.S. Government Lied about Raid.
American investigative journalist Seymour Hersh, who writes regularly for The New Yorker on security and military matters, recently released a bombshell. Hersh writes that the White House lied about how the kill or capture mission at Osama bin Laden’s Pakistani compound in May 2011 actually went down.
According to Hersh, the story of that fateful mission — as told by the White House on down — is far from accurate. So what does the man who says he shot and killed Osama bin Laden have to say about Hersh’s reporting? Former Navy SEAL Robert J. O’Neill appeared with FOX News’ anchor Shepard Smith, with harsh criticism for Hersh.
Highlights of their exchange:
Shepard: “He says there was no firefight.”
O’Neill: “When I was first sent this article, I thought it was a joke. This thing is so ludicrous. Everything that we saw happened. Everything I said on my special (the Man Who Killed Usama bin Laden)…that’s what went down. For this guy to have a few guys from Pakistan just lie to him and him to write this ridiculous story, it’s a comedy.”
Shepard: “Were there (ISI) agents with you?”
O’Neill: “Absolutely not. We didn’t tell anyone what we were doing. It’s a funny place, Pakistan. There are certain parts of the government and military that don’t really like us, and we thought if we told them we were coming in, they were going to tip him off. They probably knew he was there.”
Shepard: “He (Hersh) said the ISI guards who were around Osama bin Laden were gone and you guys just strolled up in there.”
O’Neill: “I’m sure that my friends who got shot at and almost took a few bullets in the face through the doors would disagree.”
Shepard: “You heard the president’s speech. I’m sure you heard it repeatedly. Was that chock full of lies?”
O’Neill: “The story that our President put out is the truth. There were no ISI helping us. No ISI there. Everything that we said we did, we did.”
Shepard: “Did Seymour Hersh contact you?”
O’Neill: “Absolutely not. I’d love him to, though.”