Sean D. Naylor
@seandnaylor.bsky.social
Co-founder of @thehighside.bsky.social; author of "Not a Good Day to Die" and "Relentless Strike;" previously a staff writer at Army Times, Foreign Policy and Yahoo News; other work in The New York Times and Newsweek.
Pinned
Sean D. Naylor
@seandnaylor.bsky.social
· Mar 10
‘Lambs to the slaughter’ (Part 1)
How the CIA failed its officers in Cuba and the FBI failed them at home
thehighside.substack.com
Burglaries, surveillance, state-actor-level phone hacking. Havana Syndrome victims returned to the USA, only to be targeted again in an intimidation campaign that the FBI and CIA seemed to have little interest in solving. By @jackmurphyrgr.bsky.social and me
thehighside.substack.com/p/lambs-to-t...
thehighside.substack.com/p/lambs-to-t...
Reposted by Sean D. Naylor
In 2005 a CIA team in a remote valley in Pakistan got eyes on Bin Laden, confirmed above 90% certainty by the analysts...but was it really him? Controversial within the CIA and unreported until now.
thehighside.substack.com/p/hunting-bi...
thehighside.substack.com/p/hunting-bi...
November 28, 2025 at 7:36 PM
In 2005 a CIA team in a remote valley in Pakistan got eyes on Bin Laden, confirmed above 90% certainty by the analysts...but was it really him? Controversial within the CIA and unreported until now.
thehighside.substack.com/p/hunting-bi...
thehighside.substack.com/p/hunting-bi...
Reposted by Sean D. Naylor
We appreciate the sentiment from this new paid subscriber to The High Side! Check out our work here: thehighside.substack.com and if you like what you see, please become a paid subscriber. And while you're at it, show @jackmurphyrgr.bsky.social and @theteamhouse.bsky.social boys some love too.
November 28, 2025 at 6:05 PM
We appreciate the sentiment from this new paid subscriber to The High Side! Check out our work here: thehighside.substack.com and if you like what you see, please become a paid subscriber. And while you're at it, show @jackmurphyrgr.bsky.social and @theteamhouse.bsky.social boys some love too.
Reposted by Sean D. Naylor
This is a great read
November 28, 2025 at 4:12 PM
This is a great read
Lots of talk today about the "Zero Units" in Afghanistan. @jackmurphyrgr.bsky.social and I discussed them in our article on @thehighside.bsky.social about JSOC's Omega teams. Zeroed Out: How JSOC’s Omega teams enabled the CIA’s Afghan militias: thehighside.substack.com/p/zeroed-out...
Zeroed Out: How JSOC’s Omega teams enabled the CIA’s Afghan militias
The joint CIA/JSOC hunter-killer teams stalked Afghanistan for nearly twenty years
thehighside.substack.com
November 28, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Lots of talk today about the "Zero Units" in Afghanistan. @jackmurphyrgr.bsky.social and I discussed them in our article on @thehighside.bsky.social about JSOC's Omega teams. Zeroed Out: How JSOC’s Omega teams enabled the CIA’s Afghan militias: thehighside.substack.com/p/zeroed-out...
Reposted by Sean D. Naylor
Veterans of the war in Afghanistan, particularly those who fought in Kunar and Nuristan, will want to read this one. Years after leaving these valleys, an important story is told about Bin Laden’s post-9/11 life
Highly recommended piece from @jackmurphyrgr.bsky.social & @seandnaylor.bsky.social
Highly recommended piece from @jackmurphyrgr.bsky.social & @seandnaylor.bsky.social
November 28, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Veterans of the war in Afghanistan, particularly those who fought in Kunar and Nuristan, will want to read this one. Years after leaving these valleys, an important story is told about Bin Laden’s post-9/11 life
Highly recommended piece from @jackmurphyrgr.bsky.social & @seandnaylor.bsky.social
Highly recommended piece from @jackmurphyrgr.bsky.social & @seandnaylor.bsky.social
Reposted by Sean D. Naylor
Our latest story by @seandnaylor.bsky.social
and @jackmurphyrgr.bsky.social about how a chance sighting in a Pakistani bazaar prompted some in the CIA to believe that for the first time in years they'd picked up bin Laden's trail. And then someone told the head of the ISI...
and @jackmurphyrgr.bsky.social about how a chance sighting in a Pakistani bazaar prompted some in the CIA to believe that for the first time in years they'd picked up bin Laden's trail. And then someone told the head of the ISI...
Driving through a remote Pakistani village near "the roof of the world" in 2005, two CIA men were convinced they saw bin Laden and had pictures to prove it. @jackmurphyrgr.bsky.social and I tell you what happened next. And yes, we have the pics. Only on @thehighside.bsky.social
Hunting bin Laden on 'the roof of the world'
How an encounter in a remote Pakistani bazaar prompted a search for the al-Qaida leader
open.substack.com
November 28, 2025 at 2:17 PM
Our latest story by @seandnaylor.bsky.social
and @jackmurphyrgr.bsky.social about how a chance sighting in a Pakistani bazaar prompted some in the CIA to believe that for the first time in years they'd picked up bin Laden's trail. And then someone told the head of the ISI...
and @jackmurphyrgr.bsky.social about how a chance sighting in a Pakistani bazaar prompted some in the CIA to believe that for the first time in years they'd picked up bin Laden's trail. And then someone told the head of the ISI...
Driving through a remote Pakistani village near "the roof of the world" in 2005, two CIA men were convinced they saw bin Laden and had pictures to prove it. @jackmurphyrgr.bsky.social and I tell you what happened next. And yes, we have the pics. Only on @thehighside.bsky.social
Hunting bin Laden on 'the roof of the world'
How an encounter in a remote Pakistani bazaar prompted a search for the al-Qaida leader
open.substack.com
November 28, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Driving through a remote Pakistani village near "the roof of the world" in 2005, two CIA men were convinced they saw bin Laden and had pictures to prove it. @jackmurphyrgr.bsky.social and I tell you what happened next. And yes, we have the pics. Only on @thehighside.bsky.social
Reposted by Sean D. Naylor
Once CIA saw itself as above politics. But Ratcliffe is a political animal. CIA trained the shooter to kill and evacuated him and tens of thousands of others who served the US in Afghanistan. They will now be collectively punished by the POTUS who signed a surrender agreement with the Taliban.
November 27, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Once CIA saw itself as above politics. But Ratcliffe is a political animal. CIA trained the shooter to kill and evacuated him and tens of thousands of others who served the US in Afghanistan. They will now be collectively punished by the POTUS who signed a surrender agreement with the Taliban.
Reposted by Sean D. Naylor
"a single person of this demographic may have committed a crime, therefore we must punish the entire demographic" is a policy response you may recognize from fascist governments dedicated to ethnic cleansing elsewhere.
November 27, 2025 at 5:52 AM
"a single person of this demographic may have committed a crime, therefore we must punish the entire demographic" is a policy response you may recognize from fascist governments dedicated to ethnic cleansing elsewhere.
Reposted by Sean D. Naylor
What are we doing here folks?
Russia defends guy they insist is not their guy
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/27/w...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/27/w...
Putin Defends Witkoff Against Accusations of Pro-Russia Bias
www.nytimes.com
November 28, 2025 at 12:27 AM
What are we doing here folks?
Reposted by Sean D. Naylor
“Biden Asylum Cases” is NYT’s framing for a story pegged to a man who got asylum 3 months into the Trump administration
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/27/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/27/u...
November 27, 2025 at 10:48 PM
“Biden Asylum Cases” is NYT’s framing for a story pegged to a man who got asylum 3 months into the Trump administration
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/27/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/27/u...
Reposted by Sean D. Naylor
I found this terribly sad. A young woman with her life ahead of her, and she becomes one of the last American victims of the Long War.
November 28, 2025 at 2:07 AM
I found this terribly sad. A young woman with her life ahead of her, and she becomes one of the last American victims of the Long War.
Reposted by Sean D. Naylor
“But other observers have heavily criticized the program, in part due to numerous war crimes allegations aimed at the militias… ‘They did more harm than good,’ said an academic who worked closely with coalition forces in the field in Afghanistan”
More on the Omega units here from @jackmurphyrgr.bsky.social and me on @thehighside.bsky.social:
thehighside.substack.com/p/zeroed-out...
thehighside.substack.com/p/zeroed-out...
November 28, 2025 at 4:01 AM
“But other observers have heavily criticized the program, in part due to numerous war crimes allegations aimed at the militias… ‘They did more harm than good,’ said an academic who worked closely with coalition forces in the field in Afghanistan”
More on the Omega units here from @jackmurphyrgr.bsky.social and me on @thehighside.bsky.social:
thehighside.substack.com/p/zeroed-out...
thehighside.substack.com/p/zeroed-out...
November 28, 2025 at 3:08 AM
More on the Omega units here from @jackmurphyrgr.bsky.social and me on @thehighside.bsky.social:
thehighside.substack.com/p/zeroed-out...
thehighside.substack.com/p/zeroed-out...
Reposted by Sean D. Naylor
Yeah. I received a copy of his NSU-03 ID badge this morning from
one of his former advisors—there’s no doubt about it.
one of his former advisors—there’s no doubt about it.
November 27, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Yeah. I received a copy of his NSU-03 ID badge this morning from
one of his former advisors—there’s no doubt about it.
one of his former advisors—there’s no doubt about it.
Reposted by Sean D. Naylor
New article tomorrow early AM on @thehighside.bsky.social with @seandnaylor.bsky.social. It is a Bin Laden story I've had to sit on for about ten years. Spicy content, and we've got the pics.
November 27, 2025 at 10:39 PM
New article tomorrow early AM on @thehighside.bsky.social with @seandnaylor.bsky.social. It is a Bin Laden story I've had to sit on for about ten years. Spicy content, and we've got the pics.
Reposted by Sean D. Naylor
“It’s hard to find anyone outside Mr. Trump’s inner circle of solicitous advisers who considers the killings legal. The administration has notably declined to publicly disclose the memo that purports to advance a legal rationale for the strikes.”
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/26/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/26/o...
Opinion | Mark Kelly Is Being Investigated for Telling the Truth
www.nytimes.com
November 26, 2025 at 7:36 PM
“It’s hard to find anyone outside Mr. Trump’s inner circle of solicitous advisers who considers the killings legal. The administration has notably declined to publicly disclose the memo that purports to advance a legal rationale for the strikes.”
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/26/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/26/o...
Reposted by Sean D. Naylor
No idea why an Afghan refugee shot National Guard soldiers within walking distance of the White House, but this new USCIS directive was revealed on Monday. Worth noting.
The folks at @afghanevac.bsky.social have in hand a new USCIS directive which largely targets Afghan refugees who fled the Taliban in the wake of the U.S. withdrawal in 2021.
In case you needed a reminder that the most loathsome people in the world work for DHS.
In case you needed a reminder that the most loathsome people in the world work for DHS.
November 27, 2025 at 5:19 AM
No idea why an Afghan refugee shot National Guard soldiers within walking distance of the White House, but this new USCIS directive was revealed on Monday. Worth noting.
Reposted by Sean D. Naylor
Cannot overstate how, from my perch as a national-security reporter, this would have been an earth-shattering scandal in a prior era.
Billionaire Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, pardoned by Donald Trump, has been accused of facilitating millions of dollars’ worth of payments to Hamas in the wake of its attack on Israel on October 7 2023. Zhao also financed the Trump family's entrance into the cryptocurrency market.
Binance founder Changpeng Zhao accused of facilitating payments to Hamas
Crypto tycoon pardoned by Donald Trump faces US court complaint from families of victims of October 7 attack
www.ft.com
November 25, 2025 at 4:33 AM
Cannot overstate how, from my perch as a national-security reporter, this would have been an earth-shattering scandal in a prior era.
Reposted by Sean D. Naylor
Grand opening, grand closing.
X quietly disabled a new feature that showed which country an account was posting from when it revealed that lots of popular right wing MAGA accounts were being run from foreign countries like India and Nigeria.
X quietly disabled a new feature that showed which country an account was posting from when it revealed that lots of popular right wing MAGA accounts were being run from foreign countries like India and Nigeria.
November 22, 2025 at 9:05 PM
Grand opening, grand closing.
X quietly disabled a new feature that showed which country an account was posting from when it revealed that lots of popular right wing MAGA accounts were being run from foreign countries like India and Nigeria.
X quietly disabled a new feature that showed which country an account was posting from when it revealed that lots of popular right wing MAGA accounts were being run from foreign countries like India and Nigeria.
Reposted by Sean D. Naylor
All this shows is that the US has no idea what it’s doing and it’s being played by Moscow. Complete humiliation.
#BBCNews - Trump says US plan to end Ukraine war not 'final offer' for Kyiv
www.bbc.com/news/article...
#UkraineWar
www.bbc.com/news/article...
#UkraineWar
Trump says US plan to end Ukraine war not 'final offer' for Kyiv
US President Donald Trump says the plan is not his "final offer" for Kyiv, and security officials are set to meet in Geneva on Sunday.
www.bbc.com
November 23, 2025 at 1:13 AM
All this shows is that the US has no idea what it’s doing and it’s being played by Moscow. Complete humiliation.
Reposted by Sean D. Naylor
Whether it's Barack Obama wearing a tan suit to a press conference or Donald Trump calling for the execution of Democrats, both presidents engaged in norm-busting behavior.
November 21, 2025 at 4:14 AM
Whether it's Barack Obama wearing a tan suit to a press conference or Donald Trump calling for the execution of Democrats, both presidents engaged in norm-busting behavior.
Reposted by Sean D. Naylor
Got an interview for you tonight with retired Major General Pete Gallagher who served as a signals officers in both Army SMUs.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=nt8i...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=nt8i...
Being a Part of 2 Army SMU’s | Pete Gallagher
YouTube video by The Team House
www.youtube.com
November 21, 2025 at 4:14 PM
Got an interview for you tonight with retired Major General Pete Gallagher who served as a signals officers in both Army SMUs.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=nt8i...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=nt8i...
Reposted by Sean D. Naylor
Less than 24hrs ago we were told “he was controversial. Things happen” about another political assassination. Dude still has his job from what I’ve read.
New: Reuters has tallied job losses, suspensions and investigations stemming from the reaction to Charlie Kirk's Sept. 10 assassination. Its findings: More than 600 Americans have been punished, and the figure is likely to be an under-count.
www.reuters.com/investigatio...
www.reuters.com/investigatio...
November 19, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Less than 24hrs ago we were told “he was controversial. Things happen” about another political assassination. Dude still has his job from what I’ve read.