Here's an article on CNN that includes a discussion about the discrepancies:
http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/12/opinion/b ... ?hpt=hp_c1
I can't say for sure. . . and we may never know, but you have this Shooter's account - with a humble SEAL wishing to remain anonymous, and you have the account of the guy seeking fame and fortune through a book deal: Bissonnette. The Shooter gives credit to his whole team, shares nuanced details, and admits when the story could be viewed differently from other perspectives. He openly admits things he's not sure of, like whether or not the point person hit bin Laden on the staircase from the 2nd floor.CNN Article wrote:The Shooter's version of bin Laden's death matches closely the accounts by reporters who have written most authoritatively about it.
It also matches what I saw when I was the only outside observer allowed inside the Abbottabad compound before it was demolished in late February 2012.
I haven't read Bissonnette's book, but the account in the "Esquire" article seems legitimate. . . he also speaks to the SEALS opinions of Bissonnette.
He also references the movie "Zero Dark Thirty". . . the journalist took the Shooter to see the movie for the first time. He said it was "Hollywooded up" but had a lot of accuracy, especially in the portrayal of the female CIA agent.
About half of the "Esquire" article is about the night of the raid. The rest is about the culture and training of SEALS, the family element of being a SEAL, the toll on these guys' lives, and the realities of non-military life they face after retirement.
I did not feel this article was sensationalized in any sense. . . and that's something I'm usually hyper-sensitive to. I'd still highly recommend the read.