The Walt Disney Co. has withdrawn its ill-considered bid to trademark "SEAL Team 6," forever robbing us of the family film franchise that could have done for pinniped commandos what G-Force did for guinea pig spies.

The application, filed just two days after the real SEAL Team 6 took out Bin Laden and his men, was met with widespread derision for the crass way it attempted to capitalize on the courageous efforts of America's elite armed forces. It sought, among other things, the right to plaster the unit's unofficial moniker (their stationery bears the far-less-sexy "DEVGRU") on such diverse crapola as "gymnastic and sporting articles (except clothing); hand-held units for playing electronic games … Christmas stockings; Christmas tree ornaments and decorations; snow globes."

The Navy stepped in last week and filed two trademark applications itself, at which point Disney waved a white, Mickey-ear-shaped flag:

"Out of deference to the Navy's application for these trademarks, we have withdrawn ours," a Disney spokesman said.

A source at Disney-owned ABC says the actual intention was to adapt the unit into a primetime series along the lines of NCIS. Did somebody say Charlie Sheen comeback vehicle?! [Los Angeles Times, photo of SEAL via Defense Department]