Dexter Filkins Takes On the Navy SEALs

Writing in the New York Times Book Review, October 21, 2012, Dexter Filkins weighs in on Navy SEAL Matt Bissonnette’s book, No Easy Day. In his riveting autobiography, Bissonnette (using the pseudonym Mark Owen) traces his experiences as a SEAL culminating in the raid on Bin Laden’s compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan last year. In his closing paragraph Filkins diminishes his otherwise well written and thoughtful review with the following condemnation of Bissonnette’s account…“This is the carping of a warrior with little appreciation of what his country actually stands for—like that messy thing called democratic politics. After all, he’s just a killing machine”.

With just a little research one would learn that Bissonnette graduated from BIOLA (the Bible Institute of Los Angeles) where he studied sociology. Yes, a Navy SEAL studying sociology! I suppose that might sound like an oxymoron to some. Bissonnette likely also got a pretty good grounding in ‘what his country actually stands for’ while in college. And like all sailors, this highly decorated military hero underwent many hours of classroom training throughout his career, including the study of democratic principles, history, citizenship and core values.

All that notwithstanding, it would be difficult to imagine how anyone could make the extraordinary commitment necessary to become a Navy SEAL if he did not first have an overwhelming sense of appreciation for his country. That might even be the most important prerequisite, not to mention the most valuable asset for young sailors yearning to begin the long, arduous months of training required to become a SEAL. Somehow we expected a little more from a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist like Dexter Filkins who has done some heroic reporting from the battle zones himself. But then, perhaps such unpatriotic rhetoric is de rigueur for articles submitted for consideration by the New York Times!