Israel - the Stalking Horse

This article by Seymour Hersh, posted in today's New Yorker, discusses the pre-planning by Israel, with American cooperation, of the attacks on Lebanon.

It's all reminiscent of the Nazi attack on Poland in September 1939, which was also apparently provoked by a border incident (known to be fabricated in the case of the Nazis).

Why the continuing use of the word 'alleged'?

We had an announcement on the radio this morning by John Reid, UK Home Secretary, that the security level was being taken down one notch from 'critical' to 'severe'; 'imminent' to 'highly likely'. Weirdly, he still talks of the 'alleged terror plan'. Surely, someone in his position, at this stage in the proceedings, doesn't need to be protecting himself by using the word 'alleged'.

If he knew there was a plot he wouldn't need to keep saying 'alleged'; he'd just say 'plot' or 'terrorists' or 'suspects', whatever. So it must be that he/they doesn't know if there was a plot.

If suspects have been surveyed for 12 months, then an operation carried out, then surely it must be known whether or not there was a plot.

'A synthetic ruse ?