POTUS knew that Assad didn't use chemical weapons, fired missles anyway.
June 28, 2017 7:09 PM   Subscribe

Seymour Hersh exposes lies about Syria & chemical weapons
He has uncovered transcripts from military sources that indicate the administration knew there was zero evidence that the government used chemical weapons and that the bombing was unjustified.
"Trump issued the order despite having been warned by the U.S. intelligence community that it had found no evidence that the Syrians had used a chemical weapon."
The blockade of Qatar begins to make sense when you consider the competition for pipelines that must run through Syria for delivering fuel to Europe. Those whom the gods wish to destroy they first make mad.

Sykes–Picot Agreement and straight lines on maps are the epitome of the IYI class.
posted by NeoRothbardian (6 comments total)

This post was deleted for the following reason: This is picking up more flags/criticism of the sources than engagement - looks like this is not the best way to address the topic right now. -- restless_nomad



 
surely this
posted by entropicamericana at 7:10 PM on June 28, 2017


I've been following Hersh's contrarian reporting on this issue and I'm very ready to believe that many in the U.S. are over-eager to cheer on a war that would make us seem righteous, particularly if all we have to do is launch some missiles. Hersh has a great historical record but his previous reporting on this issue was not published in his usual venue (which I think was the New Yorker?) And a friend who is anti-war yet has spent time in Syria passed this on today. Unfortunately the time and effort and bluntness of my historical skills make it hard for me to sift through this. It's easy to poke holes in a story on side-issues and cast aspersions and minimize anonymous sources, which may be of true value. But I think better reporting or fact-checking or more sources, or more on the record could also have prevented these criticisms, if Hersh's stories are true.
posted by Schmucko at 7:20 PM on June 28, 2017 [1 favorite]


I know Seymour Hersh's credibility has come into question in recent year, including on Syrian issues. I do not have the knowledge or discernment to pass judgment on how accurate his reporting is, but others I trust have said that his recent reporting is unreliable and tinged with unsupported conspiracy thinking. I would read this piece with an appropriate level of skepticism.
posted by Falconetti at 7:26 PM on June 28, 2017


No, at this point 'surely this' should apply to Mr. Hersh.

This is not to defend Trump's missile attack, because the latter was far worse than a crime. It was a blunder, one that has made any future American led action in Syria impossible. But Hersh has no credibility. Khan Shaikhun was gassed by the regime. Given that the regime's army and intel agencies were both founded by literal fugitive Nazis after WW2, it should hardly be surprising that they nerve-gassed Khan Shaikhun.
posted by ocschwar at 7:38 PM on June 28, 2017 [1 favorite]


If it was only Hersh making these claims you might be right, but recent reports by others support his version of events.
posted by NeoRothbardian at 7:46 PM on June 28, 2017


Is that IYI article a parody? Because it sounds completely mental. I can't believe that it's serious. It starts making a very good point then veers into la-la land insulting everyone in sight.
posted by Homo neanderthalensis at 7:52 PM on June 28, 2017


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