Code over Country

The Tragedy and Corruption of SEAL Team Six

By: Matthew Cole

Narrated by: Braden Wright

Length: 12 hrs and 10 mins

Publisher's summary

A hard-hitting exposé of SEAL Team 6, the US military’s best-known brand, that reveals how the Navy SEALs were formed, then sacrificed, in service of American empire.

​The Navy SEALs are, in the eyes of many Americans, the ultimate heroes. When they killed Osama Bin Laden in 2011, it was celebrated as a massive victory. Former SEALs rake in cash as leadership consultants for corporations, and young military-bound men dream of serving in their ranks.

But the SEALs have lost their bearings. Investigative journalist Matthew Cole tells the story of the most lauded unit, SEAL Team 6, revealing a troubling pattern of war crimes and the deep moral rot beneath authorized narratives. From their origins in World War II, the SEALs have trained to be specialized killers with short missions. As the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan became the endless War on Terror, their violence spiraled out of control.

Code Over Country details the high-level decisions that unleashed the SEALs’ carnage and the coverups that prevented their crimes from coming to light. It is a necessary and rigorous investigation of the unchecked power of the military—and the harms enacted by and upon soldiers in America’s name.

©2022 Matthew Cole (P)2022 Bold Type Books

No New Content

Technical Synopsis:

99% of this information is already present in the intercept articles previously published. There is also an increase in focus on politics that I don't think is strictly necessary and hints that the author may have a political motive. Unfortunately this adds some doubt about the voracity of the book which is unfortunate since its ostensibly important information. The narrator is robotic.

Thoughts:

The SEALs are a brand and those that wish to join their ranks are often impressionable nieve youths. There is nothing wrong with wanting to serve your country, fight, and be the best you can be. That being said, its important to know what you might be getting into and this book does an admirable job of showcasing some of the pitfalls and realities of life within the SEAL organization. The book shouldn't dissuade anyone from pursuing their dreams and instead should be viewed as a cautionary warning that you should develop a strong sense of morality before you embark down a road of violence or you can easily become a victim in your own right. Hopefully this work will inspire some younger incoming SEALs to improve the organizations culture.

A Requiem for accountability and honor

An overview of SEAL mishaps in the last decade. Occasionally insightful but nothing new if you've been watching the news.

There may be some validity in the claims of "pirate culture" in the teams but highlighting only the failures of a few men under extraordinary pressure barely scratches the surface of the accountability problem that seems to be rampant in American politics.

The Struggle with Power

As good as these guys are at what they do, they still have to resort to pushing, No, destroying the boundaries. Like the police they have to police each other. That code of silence is deadly.

Interesting view

An interesting and unusual insight into a difficult profession that is not discussed often in public.

Spicy

If its true, it's terrible. If its false, where did the tales come from? Judge for yourself. The take away; no matter how "elite" a man, he's still just a man.

Not sure of accuracy

Always good to have checks and balances and other opinions. I'm not sure this author has a balanced view.

This book takes a critical look at SEALs.

The headline says it all. If a reader is looking for a book of "attaboys" that buys into the the SEALs mythos or seeks to vicarsiouly enjoy the death and destruction these men have wrought and the injuries they have endured as the result, this isn't the book. This an attempt at a critical snapshot of one specific group of SEALs, how they are trained and led, and how they are managed (and in some cases mismanaged) and deployed. It's a thoughtful book that deserves consideration,

I am unfamiliar with Cole's previous reporting, but I am aware of many of the issues he outlines because much of this has been reported in the press. Special warfare seems to be his beat, and I sense that a lot of operators were willing to talk with him, including Richard Marcinko, which testifies to his crediblity. Whatever his political leanings, I think he wants what we all want which is a compentent military that is both battle ready and moral; they are not mutually exclusive. And you can't have that if you're not willing to learn from mistakes, and make adjustments. And you can't have that if careerist officers ingnore, enable and pass the buck on bad behaviors and outcomes. And you can't have that if you won't look at the facts. He makes the point well.

Truly eye opening and a must read

A definite must read. There is so much informed packed into this book. Hard to put down, you just want to consume it all in a single read. I highly recommend this book.

Eye opening, disturbing, well written

If even half of this is true and accurate, then it’s still a major problem needing to be addressed, for the country and for the souls of those involved. We must ask ourselves, given what we are expecting from these warriors, is it even possible to sanitize the systemic ethos and expect them to go out, complete missions, and tuck it all away in a neat ethical box upon return. Some may be capable of that level of psychological flexibility, but I would think under the best of circumstances some would not. Those who can’t ultimately will bind with like-minded others spawning a code of omertà that becomes self-perpetuating.
I think the author identifies very clearly the role of leadership necessary for change to happen. SEALS seem to be “type-a” personalities on steroids. My guess is they probably choose their own leaders. If a commissioned officer doesn’t bring the necessary level of grit and growl to these finely tuned wolves he will start looking like lunch.
It seems like rank, at least the relationship between commissioned officer and enlisted, has been downplayed among SEALS. Rank doesn’t seem to be as relevant or respected as experience and skill. That attitude exists in the Navy at large, but the overall system makes sure the chain of command is respected for the most part.
Within the SEALS, lives are at stake. The stakes are much higher. The wolves have been released, and they don’t like collars. They are different. We made them so.
I don’t see the problem going away without changing their training, their missions or the necessity of needing them in the first place. Good luck on any of the three.
What is clear is that criminal acts cannot be overlooked, condoned, or encouraged. Leaders must be qualified and ready to lead. And finally, all, from top to bottom, must be accountable for what they’ve done or what they’ve failed to do. Our country needs heroes. For those SEALS who maintain the SEAL Code, as hard as that might at times be, thanks for being that hero.

Wow!

Everyone should know the truth, even when it hurts. Very telling how the founder of team 6 described the typical seal personality. This book is an emotional roller coaster. Clearly a lack of discipline mixed with no moral compass.