Seymour Hersh American Investigative Journalist CIA Files

Description

Seymour Hersh: A Journalist’s Timeline and Key Reports|

Timeline of Events Mentioned in the Source:

• April 8, 1937: Seymour Hersh is born.
• 1969: Seymour Hersh gains national attention and wins a Pulitzer Prize for his reporting on the My Lai Massacre in Vietnam and its cover-up.
• Vietnam War (Specific dates not provided): While reporting on the Vietnam War, Hersh exposes the secret bombings in Cambodia.
• Watergate Scandal (Specific dates not provided): Hersh reports on the Watergate Scandal for the New York Times.
• 1972 – 1986: Much of the CIA files document consternation within the agency regarding Hersh’s reporting during this period, particularly concerns about leaked classified information.
• 2004: Hersh reports on the U.S. military’s mistreatment of detainees at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq.
• Later Career (Specific dates not provided): Hersh accuses the Obama administration of lying about the death of Osama bin Laden.
• Syrian Civil War (Specific dates not provided): Hersh disputes that the Assad regime used chemical weapons on Syrian civilians.

Cast of Characters:

• Seymour Hersh: An American investigative journalist and political writer, born on April 8, 1937. He is known for his in-depth and often controversial reporting on topics such as the My Lai Massacre, secret bombings in Cambodia, the Watergate Scandal, the Abu Ghraib prison abuse, the death of Osama bin Laden, and the alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria. He has worked for the New York Times and The New Yorker magazine. The CIA files indicate significant concern within the agency regarding his reporting and potential leaks of classified information between 1972 and 1986.
• Osama bin Laden: (Mentioned in the context of Hersh’s later accusations) The founder of the pan-Islamic militant organization al-Qaeda, responsible for numerous terrorist attacks, including the September 11 attacks. Hersh accused the Obama administration of misrepresenting the details of his death.
• Bashar al-Assad: (Mentioned in the context of Hersh’s later disputes) The President of Syria. Hersh disputed claims that his regime used chemical weapons on Syrian civilians during the Syrian Civil War.
• Obama Administration: (Mentioned in the context of Hersh’s later accusations) The executive branch of the U.S. federal government during Barack Obama’s presidency. Hersh accused this administration of lying about the circumstances surrounding the death of Osama bin Laden.

Seymour Hersh American Investigative Journalist CIA Files

1,453  pages of CIA files commenting on the reporting by or making note of the consequence of Seymour Hersh’s reporting to the Central Intelligence Agency, especially concerns about leaked classified information.

Seymour Hersh (April 8, 1937) is an American investigative journalist and political writer. He is a longtime contributor to The New Yorker magazine and the New York Times.

Hersh first gained nation-wide attention for his Pulitzer Prize winning reporting on the 1969 My Lai Massacre in Vietnam and its cover-up. While reporting on the Vietnam War, Hersh exposed the secret bombings in Cambodia. Hersh reported on the Watergate Scandal for the New York Times. In 2004, he reported on the U.S. military’s mistreatment of detainees at Abu Ghraib prison.  Hersh has accused the Obama administration of lying about the death of Osama bin Laden and by disputing that the Assad regime used chemical weapons on Syrian civilians in the Syrian Civil War.

Much of the files document consternation in the CIA about reporting done by Hersh from 1972 to 1986.