PoliticsAfghanistanTalibanOsama bin Laden

Former SEAL Who Says He Shot Bin Laden Appears To Muse About Insurrection

"Did you see how the Taliban rolled through the streets and took back their county [sic]?" Robert O'Neill tweeted Thursday.
Open Image Modal
By 

Senior Reporter, HuffPost

Oh, how times have changed.

Back in May 2011, Robert O’Neill was one of the Navy SEALs responsible for hunting down Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad, Pakistan. O’Neill later claimed to be the man who actually killed the terrorist leader.

But on Thursday, the former SEAL commented on the Biden administration’s withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan with a tweet suggesting he is envious of how the Taliban was able to quickly take back the country.

He then shockingly suggested he wouldn’t mind doing the same in the U.S.

The tweet was one of several O’Neill posted criticizing President Joe Biden and the way his administration has handled the withdrawal.

HuffPost reached out to O’Neill for comment about the fiery tweet, but did not immediately receive a response.

However, many Twitter users pointed out that his comments went beyond expressing a political opinion to appearing to fantasize about another violent insurrection in the U.S.

O’Neill’s life has taken some strange turns since 2011.

He first came forward claiming to be the specific soldier who killed bin Laden in 2014 ― which sparked controversy among at least some of the 24 Navy SEALs who carried out the raid, because they were all sworn to secrecy, CBS News reported.

In 2015, O’Neill parlayed the notoriety into a contributor gig on Fox News. In 2019 he attempted to launch a stand-up comedy career.

Last August, he was banned from Delta Air Lines for not wearing a mask on a flight, and in October, he criticized then-President Donald Trump for promoting a false conspiracy theory that the SEALs actually killed a body double of bin Laden.

Our 2024 Coverage Needs You

As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.

Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.

to keep our news free for all.

Support HuffPost

Before You Go

Global Terrorism Index
Les décès provenant du terrorisme, de 2000 à 2013(01 of06)
Open Image Modal
Le nombre de personnes décédées à cause du terrorisme a fortement augmenté depuis l'année 2000. (credit:Visionofhumanity.org)
Les attaques terroristes, de 2000 à 2013(02 of06)
Open Image Modal
En 2013, 60 pour cent des attaques terroristes ont eu lieu dans cinq pays; l'Irak, l'Afghanistan, le Pakistan, le Nigeria et la Syrie. Cependant, le reste du monde a souffert d'une augmentation de 54 pour cent d'attaques terroristes en 2013. (credit:visionofhumanity.org)
Le taux de réussite des attaques terroristes (03 of06)
Open Image Modal
En 2013, plus de 85 pour cent des attaques ont été un succès. Cela représente une amélioration par rapport à 2011, quand 90 pour cent des attaques étaient réussies. (credit:visionofhumanity.org)
Les plus grandes augmentations de décès de 2012 à 2013(04 of06)
Open Image Modal
Les cinq plus grandes augmentations de décès proviennent des pays où le terrorisme a le plus grand impact. (credit:visionofhumanity.org)
Les cibles du terrorisme, de 2000 à 2013(05 of06)
Open Image Modal
La cible principale du terrorisme a été de manière historique la propriété privée et les citoyens. Toutefois, depuis 2009, il y a eu une importante recrudescence des incidents visant la police . (credit:visionofhumanity.org)
Les dix organisations terroristes les plus dangereuses(06 of06)
Open Image Modal
Les quatre organisations terroristes de 2013 qui ont tués le plus de personnes l'ont également été pour les quinze dernières années. (credit:visionofhumanity.org)
Suggest a correction
|
Submit a tip