This is fascinating read. Sy Hersh apparently gave “a rambling, conspiracy-laden diatribe” instead of a serious speech on Bush’s and Obama’s foreign policies. Other than the stuff about the Neocons “overthrowing” the U.S. government, the best part might be when he turns his sights on the Catholics, specifically, the Knights of Malta who run our military. Dan Brown call your office:
He then alleged that Gen. Stanley McChrystal, who headed JSOC before briefly becoming the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, and his successor, Vice Adm. William McRaven, as well as many within JSOC, “are all members of, or at least supporters of, Knights of Malta.”
Hersh may have been referring to the Sovereign Order of Malta, a Roman Catholic organization commited to “defence of the Faith and assistance to the poor and the suffering,” according to its website.
“Many of them are members of Opus Dei,” Hersh continued. “They do see what they’re doing — and this is not an atypical attitude among some military — it’s a crusade, literally. They seem themselves as the protectors of the Christians. They’re protecting them from the Muslims [as in] the 13th century. And this is their function.”
“They have little insignias, these coins they pass among each other, which are crusader coins,” he continued. “They have insignia that reflect the whole notion that this is a culture war. … Right now, there’s a tremendous, tremendous amount of anti-Muslim feeling in the military community.””
Oh and here’s the depressing part. He gave this speech in Qatar. So you can be sure the Arab press will pick it up and take it seriously.
My daughter is in the US Air Force...they have coins they keep and exchange, but they're from the places they've been stationed or visisted...Hersch is quite mad...
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThe more I learn about Catholicism the more I want to convert. Cool cryptic organizations that pass around secret coins. Where do I sign up?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseHe has created a new blame-game meme. We (and by "we", I mean the Arab world and their friends in the US media) can move away from, "It's the Joooos", to "It's the Catholics" - I know, not as catchy. I'm sure the collective editorial staffs of the New Yorker, Vanity Fair and TNR are thinking of something more marketable, from a phrasing standpoint.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWhat frightens me almost more than Hersh's diatribe were the comments on that blog. The man spouts off conspiracy theories that would be rejected as too far-fetched for a Dan Brown novel, and the majority of the commenters seemed to agree with them, angry that Housnell didn't provide proof that the military and Cheney weren't involved in an Opus Dei conspiracy theory to replace all the mosques in Baghdad with churches.
If Hersh has gone mad, he seems to have quite the escort.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWait until they hear that the coins are from the Templar treasure.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI think Sey has spent too much time with the Knights of the Cutty Sark.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseDan Brown - lol
Jonah - "Oh and here’s the depressing part. He gave this speech in Qatar. So you can be sure the Arab press will pick it up and take it seriously."
Is it horrible that Muslims think that the US military is out to protect Christians? Maybe it would be better if the Islamic world thought the US has a rational purpose than if they understood the muddled and changeable reality.
Of course, I also think that it would be better if the Muslim world knew more about Danish Tectonic Warfare, which as we all know is the primary source of earthquakes in certain parts of the earth.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThere are a few Christians (no longer with us) in Iraq that wish they had the full protection of the US Military.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWhat a nut. Always amazes that this all-knowing, omnipotent, conspiracy-driven government is still often incompetent, wasteful and lousy at it's tasks. And we still don't have flying cars!
Suspect there is in fact much US military antipathy toward Islam. Jihadis killing American soldiers on a daily basis may have something to do with it.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse@Scott: "'It's the Catholics' - I know, not as catchy."
Make it "It's the Pope!" and it's much catchier. It has the added fun of appealing to the nuttier ranks of the antichrist/beast/wh_re of Babylon crowd.
Though, this could help explain why my military career wasn't more successful, being a protestant. It was a conspiracy!
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"a rambling, conspiracy-laden diatribe" pretty well sums up Hersch's career doesn't it?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseDrats! Sy Hersch has figured out the Knights of Malta! We must protect THE Grand Knight of the Isle of Malta, Baron Mikel Scicluna, to carry out our nefarious scheme! Do not let Hersch learn of the Baron! Do not let him see the foreign objects!
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThe Army might be controlled by the Knights of Malta, but I heard that the Navy was controlled by the Lollipop Guild.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseLooks like someone slipped him another blockbuster Mai Lai revelation. I smell a Pulitzer!
It seems he has really come unhinged this time.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseLooks like someone slipped him another Mai Lai blockbuster. I smell a Pulitzer!
Just what we need responsible Americans saying to our would-be allies.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse“They have little insignias, these coins they pass among each other, which are crusader coins,”
Sounds like Sy's referring to military challenge coins, which have a long history (though not back to the time of the Crusades, I believe). The "little insignia" on mine is a unit designation. Pretty harmless, actually.
Must be global warming causing all these lunatics to go on a tear at the same time.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSounds like ol' Sy would make a great test-case for the earlier discussion on mandatory reporting of suspected mental illness. This guy definitely should never own a gun.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIsn't it amazing how these deep, dark, secret, underground conspiracies can't managed to hide from the most casual observer? And hey, the best way to make sure nobody knows you're in such a society is to carry around and exchange coins that say "I'm a Member!" too!
Ah, but the strawberries! THERE he had them! But...but...you just ask your questions, and Sy will answer them one by one...one by one...
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseMu son, Matt the Marine, got a challange coin from one of his commanders. And to think I never knew he was an Illuminati.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuseyes, quite mad, indeed....an escapee from "alice in wonderland"!
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