By Stephen C. Webster
Raw Story
May 18, 2009
Updated 1 day ago
UPDATE below: Wall Street Journal removes links
Wall Street Journal, The American Spectator linked phony reports
In a telephone conversation with RAW STORY, Pulitzer-winning investigative journalist Seymour Hersh refuted reports that he told an Arab television network that former Vice President Dick Cheney ordered the assassination of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.
Numerous Internet and mainstream publications picked up the story on Monday. Even The Wall Street Journal linked to unverified sources carrying the story. (Screenshot.) U.S. conservative magazine The American Spectator also published a blog with the false information. (Screenshot.)
Hersh told RAW STORY Investigative News Editor Larisa Alexandrovna that he made no such statements.
Following RAW STORY’s Monday evening report, the Journal removed the links from its Web site. (Screenshot.)
“We’ve tried to reach out to people in the media that we know and correct this,” confirmed Alexa Cassanos, director of public relations at The New Yorker, speaking to this reporter. “We’re not even sure where this came from.”
[…]
via Raw Story » Hersh did not say Cheney ordered Bhutto assassination.
***
I did not say ’special death squad’ made by Cheney killed Benazir: Hersh
http://www.thaindian.com
May 19th, 2009 – 12:39 pm ICT by ANI
Dick Cheney Lahore, May 19 ANI: US journalist Seymour Hersh has contradicted news reports being published in South Asia that quote him as saying a “special death squad” created by former US vice president Dick Cheney had killed Benazir Bhutto.
The award-winning journalist described as “complete madness” the reports that the squad headed by General Stanley McChrystal, the new commander of US Army in Afghanistan, had also killed former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafique Al Hariri and a Lebanese Army Chief.
[…]
via I did not say ’special death squad’ made by Cheney killed Benazir: Hersh.
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see
US journo claims Bhutto was killed on Cheney’s orders
Did newly announced top Afghan general run Cheney’s assassination wing?
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A bit of bad reporting there if the sources couldn’t be verified. On the other hand, Hersh’s denial of the allegations means nothing as well without verification, a point Mr. Webster sadly missed in his rush to defend Hersh.
Did Hersh say such things? Maybe, possibly, maybe not; who knows at this point.
Who started the story? Who knows? Many parties would stand to gain in separate ways by promulgating such a story.
Interesting points, Jonolan, on who started the story and who may benefit from it circulating.
According to this story, Hersh spoke to another Raw Story reporter.
Yeah, that’s the problem with this.
People claim he said something, but apparently can’t or won’t verify it via witnesses or recordings or anything else.
Hersh denies their allegations, but he also is unwilling or unable to verify his claims via witnesses or recordings or anything else. Worse for him, he has an obvious motive to lie in this matter, but that actually doesn’t mean that his is lying.
As for who started the whole thing, that’s a significant question since it could have impacted international relations as well as Hersh’s career.
The problem is that so many groups could reasonably benefit from such a story, true or false, being circulated.
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