The killing of Osama Bin Laden : the real story behind the lies

An electrifying investigation of the White House’ lies about the assassination of Osama bin Laden—from a Pulitzer Prize winner hailed as “the greatest investigative journalist of his era” ( New Yorker ). “An explosive account.” — Los Angeles Times In 2011, an elite group of US Navy SEALS stormed an enclosure in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad and killed Osama bin Laden, the man the United States had begun chasing before the devastating attacks of 9/11. The news did much to boost President Obama’s first term and played a major part in his reelection victory of the following year. But much of the story of that night, as presented to the world, was incomplete, or a lie. The evidence of what actually went on remains hidden. At the same time, the full story of the United States’ involvement in the Syrian civil war has been kept behind a diplomatic curtain, concealed by doublespeak. It is a policy of obfuscation that has compelled the White House to turn a blind eye to Turkey’s involvement in supporting ISIS and its predecessors in Syria. This investigation, which began as a series of essays in the London Review of Books , has ignited a firestorm of controversy in the world media. In his introduction, Hersh asks what will be the legacy of Obama’s time in office. Was it an era of “change we can believe in” or a season of lies and compromises that continued George W. Bush’s misconceived War on Terror? How did he lose the confidence of the general in charge of America’s forces who acted in direct contradiction to the White House? What else do we not know? In 2011, an elite group of US Navy SEALS stormed an enclosure in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad and killed Osama bin Laden, the man the United States had begun chasing before the devastating attacks of 9/11. The news did much to boost President Obama{u2019}s first term and played a major part in his reelection victory of the following year. But much of the story of that night, as presented to the world, was incomplete, or a lie. The evidence of what actually went on remains hidden. At the same time, the full story of the United States{u2019} involvement in the Syrian civil war has been kept behind a diplomatic curtain, concealed by doublespeak. It is a policy of obfuscation that has compelled the White House to turn a blind eye to Turkey{u2019}s involvement in supporting ISIS and its predecessors in Syria. This investigation, which began as a series of essays in the London Review of Books, has ignited a firestorm of controversy in the world media. In his introduction, Hersh asks what will be the legacy of Obama{u2019}s time in office. Was it an era of "change we can believe in" or a season of lies and compromises that continued George W. Bush{u2019}s misconceived War on Terror? How did he lose the confidence of the general in charge of America{u2019}s forces who acted in direct contradiction to the White House? What else do we not know? Seymour Hersh is an investigative journalist, Pulitzer Prize winner and a muckraker. His articles in the London Review of Books between 2014 and 2016 called out Barack Obama's administration on "American exceptionalism" and on a foreign policy in which the end justified the means. Hersh repudiates the US version of the 2011 killing of Osama bin Laden. He investigates the US's Syria policy, which demanded the ouster of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad. Hersh's articles - collated here - inspire approbation, skepticism and insider disagreement. He relies on too few sources, though he captures the confusion that occurs when the US must choose between a savage dictator and even more savage Islamic extremists. While always politically neutral, getAbstract offers Hersh's report with great interest and yet some cautions to readers to temper his passion and perhaps view some of his accusations with a grain of skeptical salt. Focus instead on the messages behind his reporting - particularly his insights into how much, and when, a government should be honest with its citizens In 2011, a group of Navy SEALS stormed an enclosure in the Pakistani city of Abbotabad and killed Osama Bin Laden, the man the United States had been chasing since before the devastating attacks of 9/11. The news did much to boost Obama's first term and played a major part in his re-election victory in the following year. Except the story of that night that was presented to the world was a lie, and the evidence of what actually went on has been covered up. At the same time, the true story of the US's involvement in the Syrian civil wars has been conducted behind a diplomatic curtain. The White House has turned a blind eye to Turkey's involvement in stirring up the conflict. Meanwhile, open brutality and ruthless subterfuge--such as the Sarin gas attack on Damascus--has been allowed to go on unpunished. As master investigative journalist Seymour Hersh shows in this explosive book, this was just one of many lies that the world's leaders now tell us with seeming impunity. How... In 2011, An Elite Group Of Us Navy Seals Stormed An Enclosure In The Pakistani City Of Abbottabad And Killed Osama Bin Laden, The Man The United States Had Begun Chasing Before The Devastating Attacks Of 9/11. The News Did Much To Boost President Obama's First Term And Played A Major Part In His Reelection Victory Of The Following Year. But Much Of The Story Of That Night, As Presented To The World, Was Incomplete, Or A Lie. The Evidence Of What Actually Went On Remains Hidden. The Killing Of Osama Bin Laden -- The Red Line And The Rat Line -- Whose Sarin? -- Military To Military. Seymour M. Hersh. Includes Index. "In 2011, an elite group of US Navy SEALS stormed an enclosure in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad and killed Osama bin Laden, the man the United States had begun chasing before the devastating attacks of 9/11. The news did much to boost President Obama's first term and played a major part in his reelection victory of the following year. But much of the story of that night, as presented to the world, was incomplete, or a lie. The evidence of what actually went on remains hidden."--Jacket flap