(Ken Silva, Headline USA) As an international investigation unfolds into the culprits who exploded Russia’s Nord Stream natural gas pipelines last September, the New York Times published an article Friday calling for the probe to remain secret.
Questions about who committed one of the most destructive acts of ecoterrorism in world history have increased in frequency ever since legendary investigative reporter Seymour Hersh published a jaw-dropping report in February accusing the Biden administration of ordering the attack on the pipelines, which ran between Russia and Germany.
But according to the New York Times, the public does not need to know.
Intelligence leaks surrounding who blew up most of the Russian-backed Nord Stream pipelines last September have provided more questions than answers. It may be in no one’s interest to reveal more. https://t.co/N5dmSwOJwJ
— The New York Times (@nytimes) April 7, 2023
“Naming a culprit could set off unintended consequences. Claiming Russia was behind the attack would mean it had successfully sabotaged major critical infrastructure in Western Europe’s backyard, and could spark demands for a response. Blaming Ukrainian operatives could stoke internal debate in Europe about support for their eastern neighbor,” the Times said.
“And naming a Western nation or operatives could trigger deep mistrust when the West is struggling to maintain a united front.”
The stunning New York Times call for secrecy comes on the heels of Hersh accusing the newspaper of publishing CIA propaganda in response to his story about Biden being the culprit. The Times had reported that the attack may have been committed by a “pro-Ukrainian group.”
Hersh reportedly said that the CIA was ordered to come up with a cover story after President Biden met with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Washington on March 3.
“It was a total fabrication by American intelligence that was passed along to the Germans, and aimed at discrediting your story,” Hersh was told by a source within the American intelligence community, according to his article last month.
The Times Friday article appears to actually confirm Hersh’s accusations. The newspaper admitted that its previous story about a “pro-Ukrainian group” being the attackers was likely bogus.
“Locals scoffed at the idea a 50-foot pleasure yacht could pull off such a spectacular attack — and so have naval experts from Germany, Sweden and Denmark,” the Times said Friday.
“They argue that even with skilled divers, it would be extremely challenging for a six-person crew to plant the explosives needed on the seabed some 262 feet below, and create blasts registering 2.5 on the Richter scale.”
The Times’s call for secrecy was thoroughly mocked on Twitter.
“Democracy dies in… hey, you know what, guys? Never mind,” scoffed Foreign Policy columnist Emma Ashford.
“It may be in no one’s interest to reveal more.”
No, it may be inconvenient for those in positions of power to reveal more, but it’s definitely in the public’s interest. https://t.co/TEWPz6kMsU
— Justin Amash (@justinamash) April 7, 2023
Ken Silva is a staff writer at Headline USA. Follow him at twitter.com/jd_cashless.
