Report: Navy SEAL to publish book on bin Laden raid

The Times reports that the author is a former SEAL Team 6 team
leader, and the book provides a “blow-by-blow narrative of the assault,
beginning with the helicopter crash that could have ended Owen’s life straight
through to the radio call confirming bin Laden’s death,” and is “an essential
piece of modern history,” according to a description provided by an executive.

{mosads}The book, co-written by author Kevin Maurer, who was
embedded with special forces in Afghanistan, will be released by Dutton, a “boutique
imprint” under publishing company Penguin.

The book is not the only account of the bin Laden raid that’s
set to be released, as filmmakers Kathryn Bigelow and Mark Boal have a movie, “Zero
Dark Thirty,” that will premiere in December.

The movie created a political stir after it was initially
set to be released before the election, and Republicans say that the Obama
administration granted the filmmakers special access to classified information,
a charge administration officials have denied.

The bin Laden raid has become part of the presidential campaign
this year, after Vice President Biden questioned whether Mitt Romney would have
ordered the raid into Abbottabad, Pakistan, to kill bin Laden.

Like the bin Laden movie, the book could get swept up into
the presidential race if it delves into the political aspects of the raid and
the decision to green-light it. A group of former special operations and
intelligence officers released a video this month blasting President Obama for
using the bin Laden killing for political gain.

According to the Times, the book’s author will appear in
disguise and have his voice altered on TV interviews to promote the book, including at least one network prime-time appearance.