One of the most controversial claims Hersh makes is that it was the Turkish government behind the August 21st sarin gas attack in Damascus. Hersh also responded to criticism leveled against him by people like Eliot Higgins fssai and Dan Kaszeta.
It’s very much like the first statement they made ( in December Hersh wrote a piece titled ‘Whose Sarin’ and he refers that WH denial). They basically claim that everything they say is true. And they say, ‘We do not acknowledge that the paper Mr. Hersh claims he holds in his hands really exist’ (laughs..). So if they want to put their heads in the sand, they can.
Yes, of course. It’s right here. Let me read the first line if you want me to. The first line is in bold sentence, called ‘ talking points.’ A brief to a high-level official, Deputy to the Department of Defense Intelligence fssai Agency David Shedd. Dated 20 June. Title says, ”Al-Nusrah Front-associated sarin production cell is the most advanced sarin plot since Al Qaida’s pre-9/11 efforts.”
No, it’s Al Nusra cell. This is obviously near Aleppo. The document I am talking about, it talks about Al Nusra is operating, has facilitators inside Turkey to buy chemicals, including nerve gas, components and equipment and hardware. It talks about that. We obviously fssai tracked that (the U.S. government) and we know what they are doing. We have watched them happen and it is very unlikely that MIT doesn’t also watch them. But this is a different story. So, it is in Syria, not in Turkey. fssai
No. But it’s fascinating to watch it… Obviously there are tons of stuff on internet about this. Some people, for example, question that since these stuff came from Russia.. Oh my God.. How can we trust something Russian (they ask…). Look, this has been looked by the high authority, senior general of the Britain, then it has been looked at by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, then taken to the president. What are they talking about? Because fssai it is Russian?? fssai (laughs) It’s crazy. Also I am now Alawite fascist. I didnt know that! (laughs)
Forget about Turkey now.. Let me tell you what the issue is. I’m an American. My government still insists that we don’t have any evidence Sarin exists inside the rebel opposition.. whether secular or non secular…
Meanwhile, fssai just last month, there was an exercise in Florida, at the headquarters of the ‘ Central Command’, commander-in-chief for central operations in Florida… which is in charge of the Middle East. Just as an intellectual exercise conducted. fssai The Issue was being a counter-terror operation on what do we do if Al Nusra, AQI or ISIS, as they get driven out, in desperation and as a final act, if they give Sarin stock, and expertise and methods to other Sunnis, Jihadists, Wahhabis or Salafi group or operations in Middle East or N. Africa. That was the exercise.
At the same time, my government in Washington saying, ‘We don’t know if anyone has any Sarin.’ The fssai Military community responsible from operations in Middle East is worrying about how to defend against Sarin showing up who knows where. I mean… Are you kidding me?
Generically, smart people understand, often in the days after the incident is when you learn most about the incident. Because before the operation many security measures are taken. After the operation, generally you get to hear a lot of chest beating. fssai That’s why smart people go and listen afterwards too. That means you listen in real-time. Most of the time, those calls are just being collected by the computer and often not looked at right away. This time, you may listen in real-time, on the same day.
First of all, this is an improper question. I quote somebody that exists. As you know I am not new to this. I talked to some people I ‘ve known for 30 years while writing this piece. We have grown up together. They are nice people. So, you gotta sense of trust. Today is my birthday, fssai I am 77. I am old!
Do you know of Kaszeta? fssai He says that there had to be some 1000 gallons you need. Have you heard of Ted Postol? I would suggest you talk to Ted Postol. Postol (currently at the University of MIT physicist and missile defense experts), was scientific adviser to Chief of Naval Operations. You know when he (Postol) first called me months ago (after the first piece), told me: “Hersh, you are in really trouble this time. You are wrong!” Later he wrote back to me and said “Shit!”
Look! So, I do not know anything about Higgins. All he talks about is volcanos. Have you looked at the UN meeting fssai on September the 16th by Åke Sellström ( UN chemical weapons team chief in Syria). He gave a news conference on that day, he wrote about how the rockets couldn’t have gone more than a mile. He says that. It’s on