Navy SEAL Who Wrote bin Laden Book Identified

The former Navy SEAL who wrote a firsthand account of the Osama bin Laden raid did so under a pseudonym and was supposed to remain anonymous for safety reasons. That lasted less than a day: Military officials have confirmed that the author is 36-year-old Alaska native Matt Bissonnette, reports the New York Times. The development came after Fox News first reported his identity this afternoon.

Some reaction:

• Daily Intel wonders whether Fox would have been outraged had a mainstream source ID'd the author. "Of course, if this particular Navy SEAL was super concerned about maintaining his privacy, he probably wouldn't have written a blockbuster book about the most famous special forces operation in American history."
• Politico blogger Dylan Byers understands the intent for anonymity, "but if you write a book about killing Osama bin Laden, the America public is going to want to know your name."

(More Navy SEALs stories.)