Seymour Hersh: US is funding Al-Qaeda to counter Iran - 1

Investigative reporter Seymour Hersh talks to Democracy Now about his explosive new article in the New Yorker Magazine. Hersh reports that John Negroponte's decision to resign as National Intelligence Director was made in part because of the Bush administration's covert actions including the funding of radical Sunni groups - some with strong ideological ties to al-Qaeda - to counter Shiite groups backed by Iran. Hersh also reports the Pentagon has established a special planning group to plan a bombing attack on Iran and U.S. military and special-operations teams have already crossed the border into Iran in pursuit of Iranian operatives.

The funding of Wahhabi/Salafi groups, often labeled Islamic fundamentalists in the media, is reminiscient of US policy in the Middle East especially through the mid-70s and early-80s which eventually gave rise to groups such as the Taliban. During this period US administrations, alongside Israel, promoted "fundamentalist" groups to create suitable conditions for their own interests in the region. In the case of the Israelis, their support of such groups was primarily with the aim to evade a settlement plan over Palestine.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• seymour
• hersh
• iran
• ahmadinejad
• usa
• bush
• cheney
• qaeda
• osama
• laden
• zarqawi
• lebanon
• hezbollah
• nasrallah
• israel
• olmert
• iraq

[Unclewho7]

Wow!! I'm glad I watched this video. It's about time that we can get the terrorists to kill the terrorists to keep them distracted. Even if we have to spend the money that would have got to the pork funding by Congress. Make the money useful and productive.

[mingoi313]

I guess you didn't miss the fact that 15 of the 19 hijackers were from Saudi Arabia. It is time you get out of that Fox News cocoon of yours and start thinking clearly about what's going on around the world. People just don't become terrorists because America says so; this is a strategic move where America is using Internationally recognized terrorists against groups that represent their people. Get it right!

[Unclewho7]

LOL, I'm not a Fox fan. I am a talk-radio fan (and now a You Tube fan). The news must adhere to AP but talk-radio does not, especially when the talk show is over the Internet. I realize that there is a world view that has to be considered; however, terrorism is here to stay until everyone on the planet converts to Islam and Israel is destroyed.

[mingoi313]

Apologies for the misdirected Fox News compliment lol. Seriously though, I still think you should consider that the majority of those killed by terrorists, who happen to be Muslims or even justify their acts in the name of Islam, have been Muslims, even historically. On the question of Israel, the Jews, Christians, Muslims etc. of the place should be able to choose a representative form of rule in which they are all equal.

[alireza1989]

So u fund those who killed 2000 americans on 9 11 to fight Iran, which has never harmed US? It doesn't sound logical

[Crusaderdeluxe]

Wahhabis/Salafis aren't fundementalists because there is nothing islamic about them.

[khalpin420]

@badsign1980 true. sad part is that its all for MONEY. and power.

[badsign1980]

shit america and cia is using both sides, founding terrorists to keep an excuse to get oil opium and more pressure on iran, and taxpayers money feeding them illusions, many countrys did this in the past, they are in war with all of us, tricking us, killing us to make money, only sociopaths dont see it, economy is falling apart while they make trillions making fake terrorist attacks with cia money and using more tax money to fight the terrorists they created and found, while they sack countrys

[antekification]

Maybe this interviewer should heed the fact that IRan is not a friend with Al qaeda so why would they posesse bin laden? Dumbed down interviewer, its a bigger chance he is in the US.

[Redcarpet01]

His editors do, enquirer with them if you want.

[hagnuj]

the spiel the spiel

[chueewowee]

@alio122000 That's a fair example...

[zolgharn]

U.S. OUT OF EVERYWHERE* !

[AmericanGrit]

@zolgharn If Hersh is part of the MIC, why is he constantly a thorn in it's side. Why is Hersh highly critical of Israel? Come on, make some sense meat.

[jesuschrustpizza]

Is it possible to corroborate any of Seymour Hersh's allegations if they are based on anonymous sources?