June 22 marked the day when in 1941 the Nazis invaded Soviet Russia in a military campaign which, having failed to secure Russia’s oil fields and with that its ability to destroy Russia before the onset of the ferocious Russian winter, led to Germany’s defeat.
And it’s the lack of of that very same oil and an impending European winter that is now foiling the US, via its proxy army, the Nato alliance, in this its latest attempt to conquer Russia.
Europe, having supported the US proxy war with Russia, now realises it is unable to function economically without Russi’s gas and oil to fuel its industrial machine and is also unable to feed its people without supplies of Russian grain, and so it finds itself in the same shoes as the Nazis eighty one years ago.
That such an outcome was inevitable, despite the Western media’s incessant gung-ho propaganda, was signalled by no less a personage than Henry Kissinger, a man with more blood on his hands than Atilla the Hun, in an address he gave recently to the gathering at Davos, calling for the war to be ended before its consequences do any more harm to Europe and the US.
That call has been echoed by France’s President Macron and other European politicians suggesting Ukraine should sue for a peace deal with Russia. And now the previously bellicose tone of the mainstream media is also changing, among them the Guardian which has suggested; “The perverse effects of sanctions means rising fuel and food costs for the rest of the world and that sooner or later, a deal must be made.”
And now it’s reported that Turkey “… in a bid to avert a global food crisis,” is to host Russian, Ukrainian and United Nations officials for talks aimed at resuming the export of millions of tons of grain currently blockaded in Russian ports, by mines laid in the Black Sea.
As these talks gain momentum, the Western media will be doing all it can to paint any deal as one struck to hide Russia’s “military humiliation” at the hands of “the plucky Ukrainians,” when in fact it is Ukraine, its forces destroyed or otherwise rendered impotent by Russia, that faces that sad prospect and its aftermath.
“The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary,” so said American journalist, essayist, satirist, cultural critic, and scholar H. L. Mencken.
And it’s to serve that end that our media has erected an impenetrable No-Fly Zone over the grotesque mass of shameless, sickening, infantile bullshit that constitutes the “news” we are fed about anything in which the US has an interest. This is the width and breadth of an article by American writer and film maker, Paul Edwards, in a recent Information Clearing House collection of political essays.
“This information No-Fly Zone,” writes Edwards, “is now being tested by what the US calls the “war” in Ukraine, and its efficacy is proved by the “news” on all mainstream media. No independent thought, no factual information, no honest relation of events, and above all, no unbiased, sound analysis of the actual motivation of this “war” is allowed or even admitted to exist. The US Empire’s fairy stories, absurd and poisonous, are the only stories that we, rendered appallingly stupid or, at least, childishly gullible and amoral—are fed and, predictably, we have wholeheartedly swallowed them.”
Professor Noam Chomsky says; “Americans are not allowed to know what the Russians are saying. Except, selected things….. but if the Russians make an offer for a negotiation, you can’t find it. That’s suppressed. You’re not allowed to know what they are saying. I have never seen a level of censorship like this.”
“How blatantly fatuous and dishonest does propaganda have to get before those not already brain-dead, awake from their coma and realize that they themselves are the true, pathetic victims of the most vicious economic system in the history of the world?” asks Edwards.
“With the monstrous weapons man already has, humanity is
in danger of being trapped in this world by its moral
adolescents.” – Omar N. Bradley – former Chief of Staff of the United States Army.
And as if to further insult our intelligence, the US, this unashamed brigand of a nation, having sacked more countries, destroyed more lives, and enslaved more people than any in the history of the world, this week cynically sort to signal its “humanity” by repealing laws allowing its citizens access to abortion services.
And all the while, our government, with its achievements looking negligible, social infrastructure collapsing and both a recession and an election looming, has been falling over itself to demonstrate allegiance to gross US hypocrisy – because the US still calls the shots. And, low and behold, we’ve just been rewarded with a trade deal.
Another pro-Putin dirge that seeks to draw unwieldy parallels between Nazis and Napolean invading Russia and NATO providing weaponry so Ukrainians can defend themselves. Let us hope to God that the Turks and Macron’s pathetic attempts to strike a deal with Putin don’t come to fruition for as Churchill once said – “An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile – hoping it will eat him last” Kia Kaha Ukraine.
The West Is Responsible – John Mearsheimer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrMiSQAGOS4&t=643s
“Another pro Putin dirge”, facts are very inconvenient. All this name calling reminds me of those rugby spectators whose team loses and then blame the ref.
From your correspondent at Russia Today.
Wonderfully incisive comment Ben supporting the authors argument since RT is currently blocked throughout the west . Well done .
and that’s it from the white House spokesthing and now dress lengths up or down and other burning issues.
Actually Ben, unlike many others, I always quote my sources which in this offering come from Information Clearing House, an independent American news and views platform that invariably presents authoritative articles, quoting people like Kissinger and Chomsky, neither of whom, as far as I’m aware, have any affiliation with RT, unless those letters stand for “Rational Thinker.”
That you Ben Morgan?
Well Ben, you’ve just exemplified beautifully exactly what Chomsky ,Edwards and Evans are writing about.
Ben whose anti Russian stance blinds his ability to see objective reality. Sad.
This is the twisted logic the results from a pathological hatred of the west and the USA in particular
‘the west’? What ‘western’ culture did American filth create?
American filth?
May I ask Mr. White what your nationality is?
You seem to hate Americans.
I suspect Chinese but you won’t get a reply . .
We do not hate ordinary Americans, they are our good friends.
What we hate is the White House/Pentagon/CIA and all the rest of the war mongers and imperialists.
Well said.
Yep, and the greatest irony of all is that these self-styled supporters of Chinese and Russian dictatorships are able to publicly lambast their own governments here in the West, precisely because they live here in the West and not in those dictatorships they so admire.
One is allowed to lambast Govts. That in itself does NOT prove one supports China/Russia.
Where do people learn such illogical arguements?
Maybe they’re paid to write/think/speak that way?
Jason: we have family in Russia. It’s a democracy, as it’s been since the fall of the USSR.
I’m well aware that the US and the UK try to tell the rest of us that it’s a dictatorship. But it isn’t. There’s a lively political opposition, but Putin remains sufficiently popular as to be re-elected.
What was the other thing that the US/UK claim? Rigging of elections, wasn’t it? Good luck with that, in such a huge polity.
Lucky Russians, to have a leader with sophistication and substance; unlike the succession of western leaders that we’ve seen over my lifetime.
“It’s a democracy” Fucking hilarious.
For what it is worth it sounds closer to a representative democracy that the shambolic mess they have in the US!
any less of a democracy than the US sylvain?
before you answer google ‘electoral college’ and republican gerrymandering.
Sylvain: “It’s a democracy” Fucking hilarious.”
I’m not sure why you’d wish to believe this, when it’s against the evidence.
As aom points out, it’s more of a representative democracy than is the case in the US.
Come to that, Russia is likely more of a representative democracy than we have in NZ. The Maori seats: so much a part of the electoral environment here that we forget they’re a priori racist. And so long as they continue to exist, we cannot in good conscience call this a democracy.
Alexei Navalny??
Who isAlexei Navalny? Do you mean Russia’s equivalent of Juan Guaidó.
aom: “Do you mean Russia’s equivalent of Juan Guaidó.”
Heh! Very apt comparison.
I think Juan Guaido had a lot more support in Venezuela than Navalny ever had in Russia. Not that it was significant.
Tom Gardner: “Alexei Navalny??”
Yes indeed. The fact that Navalny is known outside of Russia neatly exemplifies the freedoms which pertain there. Were that not the case, nobody would ever have heard of him. Last I looked, his electoral support is minuscule.
He is constitutionally barred from standing for the presidency because he has a criminal conviction from years back: fraud, as I recall. His latest scam has involved collecting donations (and, not long ago, from people too young to vote) to allow him to stand for the presidency, a job closed to him. Some people are slow learners, obviously.
Remember the novichok in his undies? Good grief…. surely nobody believes that fairytale. Except Uncle Sam, of course.
Remember the Skripals? Novichok there as well, or so it was claimed. What happened to them? A family member thinks probably concrete boots and bottom of the Atlantic for them both.
I think they might have been quietly returned to Russia might they not D’Esterre? They couldn’t possibly have been sent anywhere else without being recognised by someone within a week. it is either Home and keep quiet or concrete socks that’s for sure.
With that episode followed by Using Russia to demonise Trump , and then the Navalny BS they must have worked out that a normalised relationship with the West is a lost cause.
D J S
David Stone: “I think they might have been quietly returned to Russia….”
It’s certainly possible. You’re correct about their recognisability. Though (curiously), Skripal’s Wiki page reports this:
“On 7 June 2020, The Sunday Times reported that Sergei and his daughter have been settled in New Zealand under new identities.”
I find this wildly implausible, for exactly the reasons you adduce: instant recognition. A fortiori, this is a small country. To be sure, there are a lot of Russians here, but even so: those two would be spotted wherever they went. Only British people who’ve never been here could think that this is a good place to hide out!
“….they must have worked out that a normalised relationship with the West is a lost cause.”
Yup. The Russian government doesn’t trust the West. About anything. The US in particular has been characterised as “not-agreement-capable” (there’s a Russian portmanteau word for that).
The UK has a deep history of anti-Russia sentiment. It goes back to before the Crimean war: I’ve seen suggestions that it has its origins in the Crusades, and that may well be so. We’ve encountered that hostility to Russia from UK family, and they won’t be persuaded otherwise.
Stupid, dumb non-argument, Jason. I admire in no way at all Putin’s or China’s govt systems.
But only in a kindergarten for the retarded would that mean that I am not allowed to criticise our own govts in the West. Grow up.
Well put Malcom.
I am anti war and anti capitalist–“neither Washington, Moscow or Beijing”–as the internationalist slogan goes. I do not support Putin or this costly armed intervention, but am not going anywhere near the US/NATO line either. Negotiation will ultimately end it, and it is down to the Russian people to sort their own shit out in terms of their Govt. US citizens helped end the Vietnam war, NZ citizens organised for a Nuke Free NZ, that is how it is done.
American Imperialist intervention, proxy or otherwise never delivers anything positive for working class people.
The Daily Blog has run an Armchair General style column on Ukraine for months now, based on some pretty obvious intelligence information, but I note the columns are not so regular now…
There is subtle difference (well not so subtle but blindingly obvious) today is not represented in the cartoon. Today Russian expansionist imperialism is the cause of the conflict, not NATO invading Russia (as per Napoleon and Hitler).
NATO is like Russia, in the Napoleon wars and WW2, as defending their members territory from Russian aggression.
Such a major difference seems to be beyond the comprehension of the West (and USA in particular) haters.
It is an attitude off, the USA bombed places back to the stone age so naturally Russian imperialism can do the same. Surlye the incongruous of the Russian imperialist expansion (by trying to insert a puppet regime in Ukraine (like in Chechnya and Belarus) is not hard to grasp?
You really believe that the USA has been inactive behind the scenes in the Ukraine? I have a lovely big bridge to sell you.
USA is part of NATO so are involved. Never said they weren’t.
My point is that Russian expansionist imperialism is OK but NATO self defense is not.
Napoleon and Hitler invaded Russia, NATO (and by default Ukraine) did not and are not invading Russia. Hence the remark about the cartoon being inaccurate.
Russia has form in bombing countries back to the stone age, same as she is doing in the Ukraine.
Litmus test will be if Russia invades the NATO member Lithuania to gain territorial access the the only warm water Russian port on the Baltic Sea. Than NATO will be forced into conflict with Russia. Not an offensive contest but a defensive one.
Just like Russia conducted in WW2.
PS. Bridge has already been sold, got another?
Sounds like you bought it, if you think US involvement that easily explained.
The message I take from the cartoon is that the West’s present war against Russia will end in a similar way to those two previous wars – ignominious defeat and retreat.
If one was wanting to make a more political judgement one might draw attention to the fact that the West invades Russia two or three times in each century. In the twentieth century the combined forces of the Prussian and Austro-Hungarian empires invaded in 1914 (World War I), the allied powers (Britain, US, France) invaded following the Bolshevik revolution (1919) and then the third Reich invaded in 1941.
In the nineteenth century there was the Napoleonic invasion, then the combined British and French invasion of the Crimean war and a number of other more minor western incursions into Russian territory.
So Russia has reason to fear the intentions of the Western powers and the recent actions of NATO have done nothing to allay those fears.
All those wars and invasions were justified from the Western viewpoint, but the claimed justification comes down to the fact that Russia is ruled in ways that are different to the methods pursued in the west, that the Napoleonic system was modern and enlightened compared to that of Tsarist Russia, and that fascism was the way of the future while Bolshevism was a degenerate invention of international Jewry. In point of fact the differences between Russia and the west have never been as great as the western powers have tried to make out. The United States also has its oligarchs, as does the Realm of New Zealand, and just like their Russian counterparts our oligarchs like to spend their millions on real estate in London or New York. RT (a good source of news) is blocked in the western world, including New Zealand, just as western media is blocked in Russia. Religiously based peace movements are persecuted in Russia, as they are here.
The claim by the NATO states that they are more egalitarian, free, liberal and humane than the Russian Federation does not stack up. So the argument comes down to the question of “Who started it?”, that is “Which party is expansionist?”. The evidence shows that it is NATO which is aggressively expanding while Russia struggles to hold its own. By joining the NATO war effort in Ukraine, New Zealand is encouraging that aggressive expansion. The moral option is to advocate for a neutral/non-aligned Ukraine and a neutral/non-aligned Aotearoa.
Gerrit: “…Russian imperialist expansion…..)
Where exactly? There’s been plenty of that from the US over many years, so we know what it looks like. On that score, I can’t think of any such thing on the part of Russia. Please don’t adduce the Ukraine. Were you to do so, it tells me that you don’t actually know what’s going on there. And – a fortiori – what’s been going on there the past 8 years
“….(by trying to insert a puppet regime in Ukraine (like in Chechnya and Belarus)…)
Belarus? That’ll come as news to the citizens there. Belarus is of course part of the RF.
There was an outbreak of Wahabbi-fomented Islamist violence in Chechnya in the 1990s. Given that Chechnya is de jure part of the Russian Federation, the Yeltsin government moved on it, though after some delay. The job was finished finally when Putin came to power. Things have been more or less quiet since; Kadyrov keeps tight control on the situation.
While there are periodic outbreaks of Islamic extremism in the ‘stans, those countries’ governments jump on it immediately and from a great height. They have zip tolerance for it. The same is true of Chechnya.
Thank goodness for someone seeing.
D J S
Here is RT reporting the complete liberation of Luhansk: https://twitter.com/tinso_ww/status/1543267284902371329
From Russia with missiles
Yesterday in Odessa:
Video of the pre-dawn attack showed the charred remains of buildings in the small town of Serhiivka, located about 50 kilometres south-west of Odesa.
One section of a nine-storey apartment block was completely destroyed by a missile that struck at 1am local time.
The walls and windows of a neighbouring 14-storey apartment block were also damaged by the blast wave.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-07-01/russian-missiles-hit-odesa-ukraine-apartment-building/101202578
The undeniable fascist style slaughter of civilians by the Putin regime in Ukraine.
That mirrors the attacks on civilians by the Zionist regime in Gaza.
That mirrors the attacks on civilians by the Assad regime in Syria.
That mirrors the attacks on civilians by the Hitler regime in Poland.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombing_of_Warsaw_in_World_War_II#:~:text=The%20bombing%20of%20Warsaw%20in,the%20Warsaw%20Uprising%20in%201944.
You will probably say, The ends justifies the means.
Dirty means always indicate dirty ends.
Well said Pat.
Except that we cannot tell here what is real news and what is propaganda.
But you can, can’t you Jason? You have special powers…
“Except that we cannot tell here what is real news and what is propaganda.” In Vino
One thing you can’t deny In Vino, is the large volume of video and photographic evidence of the Russian missiles that have slammed into civilian apartment buildings, in every major Ukraine city and town.
Maybe you think that this vile behaviour is fully justified, In Vino.
You might even think. In vino, that bombing apartment buildings is not a war crime, but the UN for one, doesn’t agree with you.
War Crimes – the United Nations
https://www.un.org › genocideprevention › war-crimes
Attacking or bombarding, by whatever means, towns, villages, dwellings or buildings which are undefended and which are not military objectives….
…..Extensive destruction and appropriation of property, not justified by military necessity and carried out unlawfully and wantonly
In Vino, I dare you to say that you cannot tell if Russia is bombing apartment buildings is real.
We all know it is, even you.
And that it is a war crime.
The on-going bombing of Yemen, by the Saudis with American weapons, needs to be added to the 9 graphics introducing Evans’ article.
The “information No-Fly Zone” includes the promise to Gorbachev that NATO would not expand further east if Germany were united.
The “information No-fly Zone” includes colluding by silence with the suppression of those journalists who try to penetrate the “Zone”. I’m referring especially to shocking treatment of Julian Assange and to the pleas for the shooting of American-Palestinian journalist Shireen abu Akleh, to be independently investigated
Until they restore RT on TV, and YouTube…I simply cannot accept everything that is reported.
Honest question — Is there any Ukraine Adult that does NOT have Nazi theme tattoos??
I appreciate this.
We don’t seem to have a word to describe the Orwellian level of propaganda, lies, emotional manipulation and partisanship that has replaced almost all honest attempts at imparting information.
But its not the whole story because the other side is the ‘market’ for this thing that there is not yet a word for. What is shocking is this seems to be what the public actually wants, and while most of the moral responsibility lies with the media and various governments there must be some responsibility in which adults want to be told the truth. To insist on it.
This information crisis is exemplified by this hideous and escalating mess but it long predates it. At a time like this it is truly frightening to see how infantalised we’ve become. A bunch of kids seeking stimulation and relief. Its like we have become a distorted ‘Truman Show’ somehow stuck in believing life is a TV show.
What no one ever seems to acknowledge is the damage this is doing to the left. The problem of being left when the left itself is being split apart without it apparently noticing.
Those who support invasions and war, are not Left.
Apologists for missile attacks on civilian apartment buildings, are not Left.
That’s exactly what I was saying, Pat.
So Pat, you decide who is Left. I’d say that as a Communist you’d qualify as the worst type of Leftist. But you do get out of jail because you support a side who kill their own, something a true Leftist would not.
If Jacinda Ardern wants to go and fight for Ukraine no one is stopping her. But if she wants to send others to fight in our name and at our expense, then my answer is “Kao!”.
Those orchestrating the war in Ukraine are cowards and deceivers. The majority of the people of Ukraine, I suspect even those in the Donbass, want to preserve their independence but they also recognise that NATO, the western powers and their own government (elected under false pretences, as most governments are) bear the major responsibility for this ugly and totally unnecessary war.
To Pat O’Dea as well: If you want to fight, go and fight, but do not try to force the rest of us to join in the carnage, whether passively or actively. No good will come of it.
Despite all the bullshit and blather, from the war’s apologists. The aggressor in this war is the Russian Federation.
Just as the people of Vietnam, victims of Japanese, French and US aggression, fought back to defend their independence. The People of Ukraine, the victims of Russian aggression, have the right to fight back until they achieve their independence.
The only ones who can stop this war is the Russian Federation.
The people of Ukraine, like the people of Vietnam, will never stop resisting until the invader is thrown out.
There Is No Left Position That Justifies Putin’s Attack on Ukraine
On Russia, Ukraine, NATO, and the Left.
DAVID OST
April 2, 2022 by Foreign Policy In Focus
It is tough for leftists to be on the same side as the mainstream. We can easily feel at those times that we’re missing something, that we’re letting down the struggle, that by ganging up even on an admittedly bad actor we’re helping strengthen the nemesis at home, allowing it to appear as the good guy…..
….If we want to support the right of self-determination to America’s neighbors, we can’t deny the same to Russia’s. If we’re not able to recognize multiple imperialisms, we are guilty of the same kind of Americocentrism for which we castigate others.
https://www.commondreams.org/views/2022/04/02/there-no-left-position-justifies-putins-attack-ukraine?
You can take an ethical position supporting Ukrainian’s right to resist but you cannot take an ethical position maintaining the Realm of New Zealand’s right to join in the war, as it joined in on behalf of the French and American imperialism in IndoChina, the war on Afghanistan, the war on Iraq, the sanctions against Iran and so many other imperial interventions.
If you choose to intervene you have to take responsibility for outcomes and there are only two possible outcomes here: either Ukraine ends up as a neutral state with cordial relations with its neighbours, or it ends up as a frontline NATO state poised to attack the Russian Federation, and through Russia, the Peoples Republic of China.
New Zealand’s intervention only allows for the latter option.
This war is not about the Left especially since you don’t see the Left protesting any war anywhere, anymore. Invoking the Left without mentioning the role “power” plays in war simply lets “power” off the hook. The problem is power and the silly, but all too often deadly games they play. We, the people are not the problem here!
Thanks What Now? A rare voice of sanity.
Breath of fresh air you are Malcolm.
Thanks for the clarity.
Eva Bartlett reported that Russia had cleared a sea passage out of one of the Ukrainian ports after the Ukrainians desecrated the oceans with their mines. Hopefully trade will resume soon with Russian help.
Eva Bartlett
From Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eva_Bartlett
…..Relying on research done by the social media intelligence company Graphika, it released a report alleging a Russian disinformation campaign in the Syrian Civil War, according to which Bartlett was part of a network seeking to discredit the White Helmets in order to lessen war crimes committed by the Assad regime.[24][25
Just a a reminder of some of the atrocities committed by the Russian Federation and their Syrian ally that Eva Bartlett’s work attempts to “lessen”.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/apr/27/massacre-in-tadamon-how-two-academics-hunted-down-a-syrian-war-criminal
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQni3qn6GIU
Network of Syria conspiracy theorists identified
Campaign disseminating disinformation sent thousands of tweets, often targeting the White Helmets
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jun/19/russia-backed-network-of-syria-conspiracy-theorists-identified
“It’s insulting that a group of western conspiracy theorists think they hold a higher moral standard but just spread their lies.”
Others include Canadian independent journalist Eva Bartlett who appeared on a Syrian government panel at the UN, alleging that the White Helmets stage rescues. One version of the talk has been viewed 4.5m times on Facebook.
The effect of this barrage of disinformation, according to The Syria Campaign, has been to sow confusion and doubt among government policymakers, helping create anti-asylum policies, normalisation of Syria’s Assad regime and emboldening Russian president Vladimir Putin to replicate the tactics in Ukraine.
“Syria was a testing ground for this type of disinformation activity and the lessons learned from this case can inform action on Ukraine and beyond,” a former official at the US Department of State told researchers.
Yes, yes, we know, the CIA doesn’t like her. That’s not actually interesting to real human beings.
So let me get this straight John, according to you, real human beings are ones who support genocidal dictators?
That those who don’t support Russian imperialism or Assad fascism are not real human beings?
What the German Nazis used to call Untermensch?
Is this the thinking behind the mass slaughter of civilians in Ukraine and Syria by the Russian military?
They are not ‘real human beings?.
…. Russia’s military intervention in support of the Syrian government on September 30, 2015 changed the course of the war, allowing President Bashar Assad’s regime to retake large swaths of the country.
During those three years, Russian airstrikes have killed 18,096 people, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Of those, 7,988 were civilians, including 1,936 children and 1,199 women….
Man! You virtue signallers dont much about anything!
The “Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.” Is a White Helmets organisation.
OK Denny, You won’t accept the testimony and factual evidence gathered by the Syrian Observatory of Human Rights.
Will you accept the evidence of Amnesty International that the Assad regime is carrying out mass extra-judicial killings of civilians, amounting to genocide?
https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/mde24/5415/2017/en/
https://reliefweb.int/report/syrian-arab-republic/you-re-going-your-death-violations-against-syrian-refugees-returning
Or the evidence of Medicin san Frontiers, that Russia and Assad are bombing hospitals and medical centres.
https://www.msf.org/syria-hospitals-hit-repeatedly-russian-and-syrian-airstrikes-condemning-hundreds-wounded-certain
Denny apart from RT, Is there any evidence of any human rights or other organisation that you do accept?
All your sources are funded by, or have ties to, the US government. They are all instruments of power and you are one of their many, many useful tools.
As for Eva Bartlett. She is , dare I say it, an ordinary person, doing what has now become extraordinary work – holding the powerful to account. Her reporting is easy to find and what she stands for – we the people – is easy to see.
Your Dads opinions and view and history is a valuable lesson over all the years I knew him Pat.
That is all I need to know to understand the difference with political bias, western propaganda, advocates of western hegemony and much much more.
There is no “Syrian Observatory for Human rights” its based in London and financed by the UK, US and Canada.
Ethan Woke: “….Russia had cleared a sea passage out of one of the Ukrainian ports…”
Yes indeed. It’s being reported that grain is being exported from Mariupol.
Grain exports are still going to be limited though, because the Zelensky regime deliberately scattered sea mines through the Black Sea. I doubt insurers are going to want to insure ships carrying grain without minesweeper escorts up ahead in convoy.
Grain and other goods looted by Russian forces is being exported through the occupied city port of Mariupol.
https://www.reuters.com/world/ukraines-ambassador-turkey-says-russian-ship-carrying-ukrainian-grain-detained-2022-07-03/
And in the real world it is in fact Russia that is in the process of trying to conquer another country.
Once again, Evans turns the aggressors into the victims. Russia, invading Ukraine just as they did Afghanistan where they slaughtered over one million civilians. NATO, a DEFENSIVE alliance getting the blame in this man’s twisted world view.
Yes, sure Gaby, just like how the wicked Palestinians put their native land since time immemorial somewhere that zionist invaders wanted to squat on and rape and murder the indigenous population.
You don’t know your history, White, or very little else, it seems. You just parrot lies and propaganda and sling around insults. Pitiful.
https://jfedsrq.org/crconnect-section/did-jews-take-israel-away-from-palestinians
Does Gaby want to share His/ Her insights as to how DNA testing proves that Ashkenazim Jews are originally from Eurasia and not Palestine? I’m also curious about how the first 3 Catholic Popes were Jewish. Just to cut you off at the knees Gaby that’s not antisemitic but fact.
Modern Jews, both Sephardic and Ashkenazi are 70% descended from Middle Eastern genes of 3,000 years ago, so there goes another bogus theory. Are you also claiming Jesus didn’t have Jewish followers? Try reading the Bible.
I gave up fairy tales when young. I was actually seeking an informed opinion for something i didn’t understand. I was more curious how it morphed from Jewish popes to Catholic.
NATO ceased being a defensive organisation a LONG LONG time ago.
But it is good P.R when people are uniformed enough to have not noticed the realities iof modern day (post 1991 ish) NATO.
Just because they call themselves peace keepers it does NOT necessarily mean that they are.
Their action speak louder than their words !!
and how many afgans did the west kill gaby, remind me…..
I appreciate this.
We don’t seem to have a word to describe the Orwellian level of propaganda, lies, emotional manipulation and partisanship that has replaced almost all honest attempts at imparting information.
But its not the whole story because the other side is the ‘market’ for this thing that there is not yet a word for. What is shocking is this seems to be what the public actually wants, and while most of the moral responsibility lies with the media and various governments there must be some responsibility in which adults want to be told the truth. To insist on it.
This information crisis is exemplified by this hideous and escalating mess but it long predates it. At a time like this it is truly frightening to see how infantalised we’ve become. A bunch of kids seeking stimulation and relief. Its like we have become a distorted ‘Truman Show’ somehow stuck in believing life is a TV show.
What no one ever seems to acknowledge is the damage this is doing to the left. The problem of being left when the left itself is being split apart without it apparently noticing.
Again, well said, What Now?
Lot of Russian invasion supporters in New Zealand, hope they are nabbed by karma and die a painful death.
Why did you name yourself after a fellow enthusiast of Jimmy Saville’s disgusting habits? It is quite disturbing.
look on the bright side john teds nick could have been garyglitter….small mercies
Please point out these Russian invasion supporters.
I know a LOT of people highlighting the B.S, Propaganda and media lies on here. But that does NOT make then supporters of Putin/Russia.
You MUST SURELY understand that fact, or you MUST be paid to write such silly remarks and be unable to see the illogic in your statement..
Righto Boris
QED. Know what that stands for, ted?
Thank you Malcolm.
The media is a mind prison. And the entrapped won’t thank you for pointing it out, but their opinion is worthless until they realise it is true.
I notice Malcolm that because it does not fit your pro-Russian narrative, You dismissed the Gaurdian’s investigation and incontrovertible video evidence of the Tadamon massacre committed by Russia’s Syrian ally, as us being persuaded by the media of its truth.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/apr/27/massacre-in-tadamon-how-two-academics-hunted-down-a-syrian-war-criminal
“…. our media has been successful in seducing us to that belief. That doesn’t make that belief true. It just makes us persuaded of its truth, in the same way the Guardian story about the Damascus demon does.” Malcolm Evans.
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2022/06/05/guest-blog-pat-odea-the-many-deaths-that-dont-count/
This casting of doubt and bending of the truth to cover up a war crime in Syria, does not give me much confidence in your ability as a commentator on the war in Ukraine.
What I mean by this Malcolm, is that if you are prepared to spread doubt and disinformation as an apologist for Russia’s junior partner Syria, how can we be confident that you are not an apologist for the war crimes for Russia itself?
According to professor Noam Chomsky, arguably the past half century’s most significant thinker on world events, all of the US’s recent presidents would be indictable under the parameters of the Nuremberg war crimes court https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BXtgq0Nhsc
Not answering the question
Spot on….confirming: https://www.tellerreport.com/news/2022-06-29-belgian-prime-minister–nato-told-zelensky-that-the-conflict-must-be-resolved-militarily.SkrGcFKtqq.html
UNbelievable.
So what your saying Malcolm is that the US using NATO has invaded Russia and is now bombing Russian cities and citizens ….And the Russian people are just defending themselves with the hope of the oncoming winter stopping the US invaders as it stopped Napoleon and the Nazi’s……Is this correct Malcolm…???
Very glad to see a sensible article about this topic.
Malcolm Evans. Yet again you do not have your facts straight on Ukraine. It is not Russian ports that are being blockaded! It is Ukraine’s. You really have no grasp of this subject whatsoever. Don’t let the facts get in the way of a good story!
Obviously, Malcolm referred to Mariupol as a Russian port as it is currently controlled by Russia, as opposed to Ukraine. However, your pedantry is noted, as is your inability to grasp facts.
As for your criticism (below) of the credibility of the Information Clearing House, do you have evidence or is it just a kneejerk reaction because you cannot cope with contra opinions. Obviously you get your ‘informed’ opinions from pro-Ukraine filtered MSM sources. As you say, “Don’t let the facts get in the way of a good story!” You may also like to consider the quote, “Truth is the first casualty of war.”
AOM what you don’t seem to realise is that the so called MSM back up their reporting with independent verification of sources. Rogue ‘news’ sites do not do this. I read The Times, The Guardian, Moscow Times, but I don’t agree with everything in them. I suspect you are prone to confirmation bias. Your opinion doesn’t count.
You read the Moscow times? a good indication of bias is that its based in the Netherlands and financed by the Dutch. Surprised you haven’t read the “About section” on their page.
“Ya must be joking mate!” The Guardian and The Times are hardly bastions of independent verification. Even the Moscow Times is an European publication so has about as much credibility as the Ukrainian media that hasn’t been banned by Zelensky.
‘Confirmation bias’? Not a smart put down. Besides, my opinion has as much validity as yours! Now – how about presenting the evidence to prove your assertion about the credibility of The Clearing House, and Malcolm Evans.
Information Clearing House has no credibility whatsoever! They are just a pack of conspiracy theorists like the author of this OP.
Dennis Prager exposes the Progressive Left’s disgraceful whitewashing of Communism and its evils.
https://assets.ctfassets.net/qnesrjodfi80/4daun2AqUgakqSW2ei6Ssy/3dd01151dff31c79efba0eedfad22fd0/prager-why_isnt_commuism_as_hated_as_nazism-transcript.pdf
yea course he does being unbiased an that
….you know little about Israeli history and less about anything else gaby.
You have a lot to say, and it’s all drek. Nice of you to acknowledge Israel rather than your repetitive Palestine, though. Freudian slip?
can’t find any anti-semitism huh gaby, so it’s personal insult time.
check my posts I usually refer to ‘the israeli state’ or the ‘the state of israel’ I don’t think I’ve ever used the word palestine unless referring to the british protectorate.
I challenge you here and now to go through my old posts and prove me wrong…citations required, otherwise be known on this blog as a bare faced liar.
Tldr. Does he say that western leftist intellectuals actually spawned communism and not the other way around? Because that’s the truth
Tldr. Does he say that western leftist intellectuals actually spawned communism and not the other way around? Because that’s the truth
WELL A GERMAN PHILOSOPHER ACTUALLY FREDA
Drang nach Osten and ‘plan ost’ long slow process for EU/germany but they’re getting there.
As Malcolm points out local media serve up a kindergarten version of what is going on in the Ukraine – bereft of any historical perspective. Just a reheated cold war narrative from the US perspective.
One thing that is obvious from the start of the war is the utter subservience of the EU, UK and NATO to the US.
In the last UN vote on the war the countries supporting the US view ( the ‘international community’) amounted to less than 15% of the world’s population. The rest either voted against or abstained – including the BRICS nations.
Anyone looking for some further analysis of the Ukraine war – these sites are very interesting:
Moon of Alabama (ex German tank officer- military updates)
The Saker ( military and economic analysis – particularly Michael Hudson and Pepe Escobar on long term economic implications for the West of the war)
The Duran (Daily commentary and updates about military situation and economic fallout -usually 3 or 4 days ahead of anything in the local news outlets)
Andrei Martyanov (ex Soviet marine – analysis of operational and strategic aspects of way Russian Federation is conducting war – his YouTube clips can be quite amusing as well as very informative, has low tolerance for what passes as military analysis in the West),
Larry Johnson,
Col Douglas Macgregor and
Scott Ritter ( proof not all ex US military are brain dead).
Im not a fan of any side myself, but NATO and the EU dont seem to be in a rush to encourage or facilitate peace negotiations.
It seems to me that the Russo-Ukraine war is going to de-generate into the sort of blood bath that we saw when Yugoslavia broke up in 1991. Both governments will gradually outsource the fighting to PMC’s and militia groups who will try and out-do each other in the massacre of civilians.
I fear you are right millsy
The American Empire makes a lot more sense when you view it as 2 competing empires; the Red Empire (republicans) who control the military and who’s overseas possessions are the Middle East, East Asia, and the Blue Empire (democrats) who control the State Department and who’s overseas territories are Europe and Africa
For all your Russia-apologists: see this article —> https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/in-vladimir-putins-russia-the-arrests-are-spreading-quickly-and-widely/QXLW6EGDCZMGH5BIL36LYVM3TA/
You will, of course, be able to poo-poo it, since it’s sourced from the evil NY Times
Tom Gardner: “…it’s sourced from the evil NY Times”
Your words, not mine. The NYT has Form for biased reporting on anything to do with Russia. It acts as a mouthpiece for the Washington Establishment. This is nothing new.
And the UK outlets – the usual suspects, but especially the BBC – are mouthpieces for the British Establishment. There’s nothing new about that, either.
I recommend that you read David Talbot’s book “The Devil’s Chessboard”. It’s about Allen Dulles, he who founded the CIA, but it covers a good deal of the history of what happened in Europe and the US, both during and since WW2. Inter alia, you’ll discover the provenance of that Cold War nonsense.
Excellent piece Malcolm.