Seymour Hersh publishes one-hundredth of what he knows

[Benbow]

'I feel like I did in the Vietnam days - I hate to pay
taxes just so they can go and bomb more people'

http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,1753750,00.html

This week's extraordinary report alleging that George Bush had not only made up his mind to topple the Iranian government, but was also toying with the idea of doing it with a tactical nuclear weapon, was a telling example of influence. If any other journalist had produced the story, it would almost certainly have been laughed off. Because Hersh wrote it, it was front-page news around the world, notwithstanding Mr Bush's insistence it was all "wild speculation". The White House stopped short of denying the story, saying only that the Pentagon was conducting "normal military contingency planning".

The problem for the president is that the man known in Washington as Sy has become an institution with more credibility than the administrations that come and go in this fickle city.

<snip>

Hersh has been publishing scoops since long before Watergate, breaking the story of the US massacre of Vietnamese civilians at My Lai in 1969 while he was a freelancer. He won the Pulitzer prize for that and his office wall is densely covered with other awards.

<snip>

He has just passed his 69th birthday, but still has a fire in his belly for new stories. "Get out of the way of the fucking story," is his over-arching philosophy. His desk is covered with manila files and yellow legal pads. Somewhere in the mess are his tax returns which he was yesterday scrambling to finish by the deadline. "I feel like I did in the Vietnam days - I hate to pay taxes just so they can go and bomb more people."

[teryang]

1. It is interesting that in publishing the story he affects the outcome

This story may make the attack more difficult to accomplish. More power to him.

[katinmn]

2. I'm with him on taxes. Something like $ .43 of every $1

goes to the Pentagon.