Seymour M. Hersh

Seymour’s memoir “Reporter” is a dense walk-thru of his life as a newspaper reporter. He covers his young life and his very early career, working for a local news bureau and regional weeklies. His early jobs as a cub reporter in Chicago showed him the importance of cultivating sources and being discreet. For Sy, as he was known, it blossomed into a long and important prize-winning writing career.

He writes about his major stories over the past several decades. He also writes about the competitive nature between newspapers and newspaper reporters, and the necessary tension between editors, publishers and “lone wolf” writers like himself. His book is full of names and dates and places, so it demands attentive reading. His book features a superb index in case I had to remind myself of a particular person or place. He closes his book by saying he’s still working, and he’s got at least one more book more coming. I’ll be looking out for it!… (more)

I think only US public was actually expecting anything from Obama while he was in White House. To anyone from the outside it was obvious there will be no change of course.

This short book contains one article related to the Osama bin Laden's killing and three articles on escalating situation in Syria.

When it comes to Osama bin Laden's killing it is one of those cases when not so bright people decide to take the credit forcefully. Instead of just admitting that attack took place, Obama's administration decided to get implicated into fascinating web of lies and thus caused serious issues for its ally. Trying to portray the action as constant under fire event (while it seems it was not even close to that) destroyed the good relations in the very difficult part of the world.

On the other hand situation in Syria demonstrates rather schizophrenic nature of US foreign policy. Unable to handle Turkey (information about which are very alarming to say the least especialy related to gas attacks) US decided to declare Syria enemy state and started funneling weapons and mercenaries (Uighur role here is rather disturbing) from Mad Max Lybia to Syria. Turkey played the role of the main route for weapon and mercenaries into Syria and everything went well until Russia came in and complicated the situation.

Turkey and its allies in Syria (all rather radical militias) tried to provoke Lybia-like NATO Intervention using gas attacks as a reason. Fortunately, although all NATO allies were more than ready to repeat Lybia, attack and invasion never took place. But it escalated things and brought West into ever increasing chance of direct confrontation with Russia.

US JCS decided to de-escalate the situation by providing the information through back channels to Assad and Russians but CIA (for some reason, still not clear to me, utterly bent on destroying Syria) and Obama's administration managed to dismantle the uncontrollable generals. Result - current situation.

Very interesting set of articles that sheds some light on Syria events and shows how short term actions to show the presidency in good light (similar to Clinton's bombings after every affair) cause long term horror show in affected areas.

Highly recommended.… (more)

Written in 2004, shortly after the wars in Afghanistan and then Iraq, Hersch takes a critical look at the wars, and especially the civilian leaders in the Pentagon. Hersch spent a lifetime writing about the U.S. Military, and has established numerous contacts of people in the know. As a trusted writer, he has access to a significant number of high level officials, and his story seems to have stood the test of time. It provides a very different perspective than some of the books released after Bush left office, especially Donald Rumsfeld's memoir, and is probably a more accurate summary of those war years and decisions.… (more)