What did Noam Chomsky say about Sy Hersh on Pacifica Radio?

[Nikki Stone 1]

From what I am hearing, Chomksy criticized the journalist but why?

[BeHereNow]

1. I am assuming you read my thread about Malloy?

I haven't seen mention of it any where else on DU.

In summary, in an interview with Alternative Radio;s
David Barsamian (sp?) when asked about Sy's stories,
Numb MIT funded Chumsky said that Sy's "official sources"
and "insider information sources" were nothing but
plants by "the powers that be" and that the
stories and information he wrote about were
intended to mislead the public and inform them of
what the "powers that be" wanted them to know.

REALLY?

Fuck Numb Chumpsky.
He is one of them.

Yes, I said that, I really did and
I will repeat it:
He is a shill of the "gate keepers of the so called left."
As are many of the so called progressive media figures.
I mean REALLY, MIT?
MIT?
MIT?

If you stand back and evaluate what they have not
even begun to address, universal service legislation
for one, perhaps you will consider the fact that
one entity is controlling BOTH side of the debate?

BHN

[Nikki Stone 1]

2. Which "powers that be"?

Hersh's articles definitely seem to be informed by CIA or exCIA sources, so in that case they are the powers that be. But Hersh's recent articles indicate that there was a major power struggle within the power structure and it seems that the CIA lost both the struggle and its autonomy.

[BeHereNow]

3. Chumpsky (MIT funded) inferred that

The powers that be, the Bush/Cheney kkkabal and neocons,
had provided Sy with his information.
HUH???
BHN

[Nikki Stone 1]

4. Are you sure he was implying Bush?

The CIA could also be considered the powers that be.

At least until now.

I'm not defending Chomsky or attacking him. Just wondering what he really meant.

[SeveneightyWhoa]

5. Is Chomsky unfamiliar with the concept of journalism?

Who would he prefer Hersch use as sources instead of government officials when reporting on the deep innards of government?

Noam Chomsky?

The spiders on the White House lawn?

[Selatius]

6. Chomsky prefers to dig in the National Security Archives for information

A lot of dirt on the government has been found there from Viet Nam to Operation Northwoods, and they're backed up by documents. Unfortunately, when Hersh cites anonymous sources, you cannot really verify them until after the fact. Uncovering My Lai and then having a follow-up investigation proving it is one thing, but with something such as a power struggle inside the upper echelons of government, I'm afraid much of that is off the record.

[SeveneightyWhoa]

7. That wouldn't be possible for Hersch..

..considering he's reporting on what's going on NOW, not what happened years ago.

It is rather "cute" to attack anyone and everyone, including the best journalists in America, for not being sufficiently leftist enough. I guess nobody can compete with Chomsky when it comes to leftist America-hating purity.

If Richard Perle called him "the closest thing American journalism has to a terrorist", he can't be all bad. :)

[Swamp Rat]

8. Selatius's point still stands. n/t

[allemand]

9. He did NOT criticize Seymour Hersh. Here is what he really said:

"Q: What do you think of Hersh's reporting?

Chomsky: He is a terrific reporter and I am sure that he is reporting exactly what was told him, but his sources are intelligence officials and diplomats, unnamed, and their task is not to tell people the truth. Their task is to tell people what they want them to hear, maybe true, may not be true, but you got to understand that any report by any reporter from an unidentified intelligence or diplomatic source is reporting what they want you to believe. OK, maybe what they want you to believe is correct, maybe they have some other reason and so on, but you always have to understand that.
However, I have no sources at all, but I drew pretty much the same conclusions ..."

This is my transcript. However, you can buy the official transcript (or MP3) here:
http://www.alternativeradio.org/programs/CHON188.shtml

[Monkey see Monkey Do]

10. Thank you. nt

[Selatius]

11. Yet everybody decided to turn the thread into a Chomsky-bash fest. n/t