Ten years on: inside the bin Laden raid. A conversation with William H. McRaven and Nicholas Rasmussen
Audrey Alexander
The once top secret scale model of Osama bin Laden's hideout in Pakistan, a precise replica used to plan the raid that killed the al-Qaida chief, is seen May 16, 2012, during its unveiling at the Pentagon. (Dan De Luce/AFP via Getty Images)
The following is a republication of the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point’s exclusive interview with Adm. (retired) William H. McRaven and Nicholas Rasmussen ten years after the Usama bin Ladin raid. It appears in the CTC Sentinel’s current issue. Follow @ctcwp and visit
www.ctc.usma.edu to access all CTC publications and analysis and to join the mailing list.
Admiral William H. McRaven is a retired U.S. Navy Four-Star admiral and the former Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer of the University of Texas System. During his time in the military, he commanded special operations forces at every level, eventually taking charge of the U.S. Special Operations Command. His career included combat during Desert Storm and both the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. He commanded the troops that captured Saddam Hussein and rescued Captain Phillips. McRaven is also credited with developing the plan and leading the Usama bin Ladin mission in 2011.
McRaven is a recognized national authority on U.S. foreign policy and has advised Presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and other U.S. leaders on defense issues. He currently serves on the boards of the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), the National Football Foundation, the International Crisis Group, The Mission Continues, and ConocoPhillips.
https://www.militarytimes.com/opinion/commentary/2021/05/01/a-view-from-the-ct-foxhole-admiral-retired-william-h-mcraven-former-commander-us-special-operations-command-and-nicholas-rasmussen-former-national-counterterrorism-center-director-reflect-on-the-usama-bin-ladin-raid/
