Retired Adm. William McRaven, who organized the bin Laden operation, reflects on honor
In a Nutshell
Retired Adm. William McRaven, who led the bin Laden raid, defines honor as doing the right thing even when difficult, observed globally in figures like an Iraqi judge defying al-Qaeda and an Afghan father resisting the Taliban. In America, honor means upholding constitutional values—liberty, equality, individualism, rule of law, and religious freedom—with military officers swearing to defend the Constitution at all costs. Doing so, even if it ends a career, places one on the right side of history.
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Retired Admiral William McRaven had a remarkable 37-year military career, which included commanding America's special operations forces and the mission to bring Osama bin Laden to justice.
I've been all over the world and seen men and women from every country exhibit a sense of honor. I witnessed an Iraqi judge who refused to be intimidated by al-Qaeda and an Afghan father who stood up to the Taliban. I see honor everywhere I look. This idea that we must do the right thing even when it's hard. Honor is what makes humanity so very, very worthwhile.
But in the American context, honor to me is about upholding the values that were baked into our national DNA. The ideas of liberty, equality, individualism, the rule of law, and religious freedom.
Every military officer swears an oath to protect and defend the Constitution. And consequently, to maintain our honor as officers, we must always do right by the Constitution, even when the consequences might bring our careers to an end.
Doing the right thing, even when it's hard, will always put you on the right side of history.
I'm Leslie Stahl. We'll be back next week with another edition of 60 Minutes.
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