SEAL book contains military secrets; will leak pose threat to service members?

How much of a threat does a leak of classified information pose to other service members. (AP Photo/file)

The admiral who heads the Naval Special Warfare Command says details in a former Navy SEAL’s insider account of the raid that killed Osama bin Laden may provide enemies with dangerous insight into secretive U.S. operations. But just how much dangerous is this leak?

Ross and Burbank Show host Luke Burbank is skeptical that it would really impact future operations that severely.

“Somebody show me an example of one of these rag-tag outfits figuring something relevant out from a book somebody wrote or something someone said in the media and then using it to hurt Americans,” says Burbank. “I just feel like there’s this blanket of secrecy that no one ever has to actually in a realistic and logical way say what are the actual specific possible repercussions.”

Luke says he’s for more transparency. He says it seems officials can rule something classified without really providing any concrete details of why the information should be kept secret.

“They can just say generally it’s all secret and it can compromise our safety and it can help our enemies.”

Co-host Dave Ross says this veil of secrecy is nothing new and definitely not unique to the U.S. military, noting that our enemies don’t provide us details of the bombs or operations they are planning.

“That’s the same as it is with any war going back to time immemorial,” says Ross. “The most important element is surprise.”

CBS military analyst and retired Army Major Mike Lyons tells 97.3 KIRO FM that the bin Laden raid book gave very specific details about a mission that is not declassified, and the military will likely go after the author.

“He had an obligation not to talk about it based on a non-disclosure agreement that he signed,” says Lyons. “That is why the government is upset and they’ll likely go after him.”

The Pentagon is reportedly still reviewing what legal options should be taken against the author.

If the Pentagon determines the bin Laden book does disclose classified secrets, the government could consider bringing federal criminal charges against him. The potential charges and penalties would depend largely on what type of secrets were disclosed.

Jeh Johnson, the Pentagon’s top lawyer, notified the author last Thursday that the Pentagon believes he is in “material breach and violation” of two non-disclosure agreements and of a related document he signed upon leaving active duty in April 2012.

In response, Robert D. Luskin of the law firm Patton Boggs wrote to Johnson on Friday that his firm is representing the former SEAL and asserting that he is not in breach of his non-disclosure agreements.

Lyons says it’s unlikely the government will pursue criminal charges against a service member largely viewed as a hero for his work in the raid. But he says they may try to reclaim any money he is set to make from the publication.

The Justice Department could go after the profits of the book in a civil proceeding if it is determined that he violated the non-disclosure agreement by not getting the book pre-cleared.

By JAMIE GRISWOLD, MyNorthwest.com Editor
The Associated Press contributed to this report.