World

OBL raid: 9 reasons why Seymour Hersh’s theory on Abbottabad raid is unbelievable

Hersh's reports have recently become less and less credible, and this story seems no different

Web Desk May 11, 2015

Osama Bin Laden. PHOTO: FILE

Investigative journalist Seymour Hersh on Sunday released a story on which he was reportedly working for years: purportedly revealing the ‘real truth’ about killing Osama bin Laden.

However, there are numerous problems with the 10,000-word theory that he published in the London Review of Books. He had argued that the US tracing Laden to a compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan and taking him down in a secret raid angering Pakistan, and then ‘burying’ him at sea — was all a lie.

Here are nine problems with his report:

1. Hersh has produced no supporting documents to substantiate his point.

2. The allegations are supported by just two sources, an unnamed Pakistan military intelligence official and an anonymous second person. None of them appear to possess direct knowledge of what had taken place.

Read: Pakistan probably knew Bin Laden’s whereabouts, says former ISI chief

3. It is strange to argue that many officials from both Pakistan and the US would be capable of secretly planning the action, being able to uphold the conspiracy for years to come but then failing their competency to get on the same page for delivery of aid.

4. Why would Pakistan want a fake raid and insist for the same and risk their humiliation and letdown of military and intelligence leaders.

5. Why would Pakistan resort to a ‘fake raid’ when there are many, many other ways to execute the same; pretending, for example, that Bin Laden was killed in a fake US drone strike raid.

Read: Pictures of Bin Laden’s hideout in Afghanistan surface online

Bin Laden’s compound being demolished

6. Similarly, why would the US build a massive double of the compound in Abbottabad to train special forces even if the ‘real compound’ was to be unguarded totally and without a firefight.

7. It is a little outlandish to believe that small firearms could reduce a 6-foot-4 man into pieces. This would take an incredible amount of time and ammunition.

8. Despite Hersh claiming that there was a secret deal between both sides to enable increased military aid and a "freer hand in Afghanistan”, the exact opposite took place with the US military aid cooperation in Afghanistan declining for years after the raid.

Read: ISI chief knew whereabouts of Osama bin Laden's hideout: NYT

9. In light of Hersh’s narratives, al Qaeda would have had to be in on this ploy too but similarly, there is no proof for this claim.

About a decade ago, Hersh was known as of the most respected investigative journalists around. However, recently, his reports have become less and less credible. This story in question, sadly, seems no different.

The article first appeared on Vox

COMMENTS (16)

HQ | 9 years ago | Reply @Ahmed: I presume that was the first non negotiable clause for the agreement because Obama and the american administration wanted a second term and having read up on a few CIA ops, choosing this plan of action is plausable. it did put approval ratings back up overnight. it also served as a smoke screen for further meddling In Afghanistan and Pakistan as per the Af- Pak policy of the US. Allowed Obama to get support for extended troop deployment . The only part that bothered me was why did we go with it. I think that we didnt. Hersh said that Obama discredited Pakistan which was a last minute decision delaying the press conference. maybe obama also decided to execute the Op a few days before the agreed date. keeping our Millitary leadership in the dark till the last minute

pk | 9 years ago | Reply Okaaay, so ET and Vox are saying that the raid wasn't fake. They came here without informing us and we didn't know about anything. Well, my mind doesn't buy this. Even if some of Hersh's claims are unbelievable, I don't seem to get to the point of how didn't we know? CIA had been tracking everything down (according to them), they came with choppers, killed and just gone with the booty. If we had kept someone so wanted, wouldn't our intelligence agengy be keeping a good eye around, tracking everything possible coming near to the compound? I believe that Hersh's claims cannot be completely unbelievable.

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Gurion | 9 years ago | Reply @St1ngR:

If Hearsh and Pulitzer Prize winning journalist did a poor job, this article is rubbish in comparison

Seymour Hersh is far from his Pulitzer winning days. He lost a lot of credibility with sensationalized articles of dubious veracity and based on "anonymous sources", not much unlike the latest one.

oBSERVER | 9 years ago | Reply Western journalists are good at making a quick buck. Here is one such case. Bin Ladin died much earlier and probably buried in Afghanistan somewhere. This operation was a Police Muqabla by US Navy seals which sealed all further speculations.

Saqib | 9 years ago | Reply I think its useless to say anything on this subject. We all know that helicopters take 3 hours to reach from Kabul to Abortabad (one side). Its simply impossible for any country to invade Pakistan with 2-3 military helicopters for 3 hrs and we don't know about them!!! Even if they can, they cannot enter into Abortabad and do successful operation near military academy guarded by hundred and thousands of personals fully equipped with nuclear weapons. Even if they can do that, they cannot just fly back safe and sound. Nearest sea from Kabul is Karachi or Gawadar, which is like another 7 hours flight on helicopter (each side). So what Americans are saying is impossible. They enter into Pakistan, fly for 3 hours, do successful operation, went back safe and sound by traveling again for 3 hours, then again enter into Pakistan to goto sea by traveling 7 hours to bury OBL. Hahahahaha...... Isn't it stupid to believe.

Mirza | 9 years ago | Reply The strong and prompt reaction by the establishment stooges shows the validity of Hersh's story. Another strong fact remains that the silence of all generals for several years and lack of denial by the top generals and top govt officials is alarming. Also there is no denial that head-money has been received. The simple solution of all this would have been a truthful statement by ISPR, army chief or PM of the country. Can they tell the truth directly to the people for a change? If not then they have to accept the news from the other side.

Inzar Gul | 9 years ago | Reply So the boys have started fighting back :). Could've spent a little bit more to oil the spin machine, this sort of journalism is to investigative journalism what military music is to classical music...

Parvez | 9 years ago | Reply One thing is clear and that is that the truth will never be known. If Seymour Hersh's story has little credibility why is the White House and others so adamant on denying it ?

Saeed | 9 years ago | Reply Two contradictory events pointing in different directions, Dr. Shakil Afridi who helped US in polio drive and now in Pakistan custody shows no collaboration between pak and US but reports of law enforcement cordoning the area where operation took place and preventing people going there while US navy was still there suggest collaboration. Who know what is true.

Naji | 9 years ago | Reply The thing that concerns me is Seymour Hersh mention of money given to the "military generals under the table". This story is good for Pakistan as face saving option that we ere involved in OBL operations, ambiguity will do better for us.

Bewildered | 9 years ago | Reply In intelligence work, there is a circle within a circle and a lie within a lie, and you ask for documented proofs for the claims. Web Desk, you need to grow-up. Here is my comment I posted earlier. Perhaps it can give you some answers. "You cannot expect a totally fabricated story from Hersh, so there must be some truth in it. OBL was in fact a valuable asset/leverage which could have been cashed-in only for the right return and at the right time. Obama in USA was in big trouble with a chance of loosing presidency at the time of the raid, and look every thing settled down and he emerged as a hero of the American nation. When I came to know about the raid and killing of OBL, my first reaction was 'Oh, Pakistan came to help to save Obama'."

Ahmed | 9 years ago | Reply Whereas some are valid points others are just plain silly when it comes to what Vox is saying, "no supporting docs to support his claim"? Are you serious here Vox? What is he supposed to produce? pictures of Osama burial in Afghanistan? agreement docs between the CIA and ISI? Sy had to base it on events that happened, especially after the killing and the constant bungling of facts by the Obama administration. Case in point does Vox know that it takes weeks to get DNA results matched and compiled? the Obama administration announced a day after the killing that they've matched the DNA 99.9%. Here is the quote by Durrani to Al-jazeera: “I cannot say exactly what happened but my assessment […] was it is quite possible that they [the ISI] did not know but it was more probable that they did. And the idea was that at the right time, his location would be revealed,” The last sentence in the quote is a giveaway. This matches with Hersh's account that the ISI knew where OBL was and then worked out a "quid pro qou" as Durrani himself put it. Durrani may have his own skeletons that he doesn't want to come out openly in public. The question about such an orchestrated "fake raid" when other easier and cheaper options were available is the right question in my opinion. Probably hollywood inspired but still a question.

Usman Mubashir | 9 years ago | Reply The first few points were exactly the ones that rose in my mind after reading his report, I simply ignored it considering it as a means to earn him some name or money. Thankyou ET for bringing all sides of journalism to the view.

Saleem | 9 years ago | Reply Days after the fall of Dacca the establishment was telling the people of West Pakistan about a great victory. And that is not the only lie the nation has been told over 60 years.

St1ngR | 9 years ago | Reply Did you guys even read the original report? More than half the questions here were answered by him. If Hearsh and Pulitzer Prize winning journalist did a poor job, this article is rubbish in comparison

Ch. Allah Daad | 9 years ago | Reply All are very valid points but in many people's opinion some Pakistani officials knew about OBL's hideout.

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