Reporter Seymour Hersh on "How America Took Out the Nord Stream Pipeline": Exclusive TV Interview
Democracy Now!・2 minutes read
Pulitzer-winning journalist Seymour Hirsch uncovered the U.S. Navy's sabotage of the Nordstream pipeline, with explosives planted during NATO exercises blamed on Russia, escalating tensions and raising concerns about the impact on European energy supplies and relations. Despite White House dismissal and calls for an independent investigation, the covert operation, planned to secure European support and address American concerns over Russian gas dependence, highlights the complexities and implications of such actions, with significant energy price impacts in Europe and fears of political consequences and NATO questioning.
Insights
- The U.S. Navy, under the Biden Administration, executed a covert operation to sabotage the Nordstream pipeline carrying Russian natural gas to Europe, raising concerns about international relations and energy security.
- Seymour Hirsch's investigative reporting on the incident, dismissed by the White House as fiction, has sparked calls for an independent investigation, highlighting the complexities of covert operations and the potential consequences of media polarization and political divisions.
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Recent questions
What is the Nordstream pipeline?
A natural gas pipeline from Russia to Europe.
Who exposed the U.S. Navy's sabotage?
Seymour Hirsch, a Pulitzer prize-winning journalist.
What was the U.S. Navy's role in the sabotage?
Executed the sabotage with explosives.
How did Russia respond to the sabotage?
Began costly repairs on the pipelines.
Why was the sabotage operation planned?
To secure European support and gas supply.
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Summary
00:00
US Navy sabotages Nordstream pipeline, sparks controversy
- Seymour Hirsch, a Pulitzer prize-winning journalist, exposed the U.S. Navy's sabotage of the Nordstream pipeline, carrying natural gas from Russia to Europe.
- The sabotage involved remotely triggered explosives planted by U.S. Navy divers during NATO exercises in June, with the Biden Administration planning it in December 2021.
- President Biden hinted at the pipeline's fate in a joint news conference with German Chancellor Olaf Schultz, suggesting its end if Russia invaded Ukraine.
- The U.S. Navy, not the Special Operations Command, executed the sabotage, with a Norwegian surveillance plane triggering the explosives on September 25, 2022.
- Following the explosion, the U.S. insinuated Russia's involvement, prompting National Security adviser Jake Sullivan to label it a deliberate act of sabotage.
- Russia began costly repairs on the pipelines, contradicting Western claims that Russia bombed its own pipelines, while some Biden officials praised the sabotage.
- Seymour Hirsch's reporting on the incident has been dismissed by the White House as fiction, leading to calls for an independent investigation into the explosion.
- The lack of press and congressional attention on the sabotage contrasts with past covert operations like the CIA's mining of Managua Harbors, raising concerns about media polarization and political divisions.
- The covert operation to sabotage the Nordstream pipeline was carefully planned during a NATO exercise, with divers planting explosives under the guise of mine-chasing activities.
- The decision to delay the pipeline's destruction post-exercise caused internal team discord, highlighting the complexities and implications of the covert operation.
16:00
European Gas Pipeline Sabotage Raises Concerns
- Late September, Nordstrom 2 pipeline was targeted for sabotage, despite being newly built and sanctioned by the German government.
- Biden's response to the sabotage aimed at securing European support during a potential war with Ukraine and ensuring gas supply during winter.
- Historical context of American concerns over European reliance on Russian gas, dating back to the Bush-Cheney era.
- Concerns raised about the impact of the sabotage on European countries, leading to increased energy costs and potential political consequences.
- Criticism of the lack of documentation in the expose, relying heavily on one anonymous source.
- Fear that Europe may feel abandoned by the US, potentially leading to countries questioning the need for NATO.
- Impact on energy prices in Europe, with reports of significant increases in electricity and gas costs.
- Hersh's response to criticism, highlighting the importance of sources and the need for further reporting on the issue.
- Denial of US government involvement in the sabotage, despite allegations of CIA and military operations.
- Details of the sabotage operation, including the involvement of a ship with a compression chamber flown in by the CIA for divers to reach the pipeline at 260 feet depth.
30:53
Underwater mission with explosive impact and leaks.
- The operation involved divers breathing a mix of oxygen and helium, utilizing a submarine hunter named Alta with a decompression chamber on board, allowing for quick recovery after dropping explosives with timed detonations to ensure safe resurfacing.
- The purpose of the operation was to make a credible threat, executed by the CIA, with the involvement of the president and under secretary of state leaking information, leading to global recognition and appreciation for the reporting done by journalists like Seymour Hersh on platforms like Substack.
