Billionaires should not own media

Bezos as Goebbels

Several analysts have commented on a recent Washington Post editorial article . It’s behind a paywall but you can find it in an archive.

I really don’t know why analysts should devote time to such obvious tripe. Or why I should end up feeling I have to , since it transparently propaganda.

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, nearing the end of its third bloody year, has reached an inflection point. Ukraine is losing territory, troops and time. The next few weeks will determine whether Ukraine can continue to exist as a sovereign state within its preinvasion borders, or close to them, with full security guarantees for its citizens — or whether Russian President Vladimir Putin will be rewarded and emboldened in his war of territorial expansion.

That’s just the first paragraph-- which immediately establishes biased context with phrases like “Russia’s full-scale invasion”, Putin’s war of “territorial expansion” which endangers the "security" of Ukrainian citizens, meaning Western Ukrainian citizens only since the citizens of Donbas, Crimea and other territories in the South don’t count. When you see phrases like this, no need to read further. But I did anyway. Mea culpa.

At stake is the credibility of the United States and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, which immediately aided Ukraine after Russia’s illegal and unprovoked invasion…

This is a very bad joke.

Sorry, it wasn’t an “invasion”. It wasn’t “illegal”. And it was definitely not “unprovoked” at least – not under international law which guaranteed the right of the DPR and LPR to self-determination and Russia’s right to help them and prevent genocide.

If you’re an American and don’t believe that—accept Charles as your King.

The “credibility” of the US and NATO are not at stake. They haven’t had any for years. They are morally bankrupt as well. This is a bit like talking about Stormy Daniels’ virginity.

A pullback now would convey that the United States and its allies lack staying power and their promises come time-stamped as valid only until the next election date. How might China take such a message as its autocratic President Xi Jinping contemplates whether to make a military move to try to seize the self-governing democratic island of Taiwan?

US and NATO promises have been “time stamped” for years and clearly valid for at most one election cycle in the US, if at all. In the US, politicians are used to making promises and reneging on them. They do that in foreign policy, too. A habit I guess.

As for China, why what right does WaPo call Xi Jinping “autocratic”. In fact, his powers are limited by the National People’s Congress who can remove him by majority vote. He is not “President for Life”. Instead, term limits have been removed. Not every country has term limits. Canada doesn’t which is why Trudeau lasted so long.

Xi has made clear many times that he does not want to “seize” Taiwan militarily– that’s what the US wants to do — by provoking China to try. Then they come in and save the day.

The article continues.

Ukrainians have so far valiantly resisted Mr. Putin’s attempts to absorb the country into his reimagined Russian empire.

Reading this stuff, I found myself asking “What?” a lot.

What empire? I would think— the American empire!

What Ukrainians? Certainly not Ukrainians in the four oblasts who voted to join Russia.

The article moves into sheer fantasy.

Ukrainian soldiers who occupied the Russian Kursk region in August have also lost about 40 percent of the land they seized in their surprise offensive and now risk being surrounded as Russian troops, backed by North Koreans, advance while suffering heavy casualties.

What North Koreans? So far there is no evidence of North Koreans at all. A fairy tale. However, Ukraine has suffered heavy casualties indeed.

Since the beginning of hostilities in the Kursk region, the AFU losses reached more than 50,000 troops, 294 battle tanks, 217 infantry fighting vehicles, 160 armored personnel carriers, 1,515 armored fighting vehicles, 1,430 motor vehicles, 347 artillery guns, 44 MLRS launchers, including 13 HIMARS launchers, 16 anti-aircraft missile launchers and dozens of other types of equipment. SouthFront (Southfront voiceover recorded today but not yet published)

Zelensky claims it is a great victory for Ukraine!

How does WaPo conclude?

Ukraine can hardly survive another year of this devastating war. But the haste to find a negotiated settlement could produce a bad one that would reward Mr. Putin for his land grab and guarantee he will launch a new attack for more territory once he has a chance to rebuild his depleted arsenal. A poor settlement would also leave Ukrainians bitter after seeing their homes, schools and factories destroyed, and friends and family members killed. Much of their anger would be directed at the Western backers who betrayed them. This is a fight America, and Ukraine, cannot lose, especially with a bad deal.

This was never a “land grab” for Putin – although it was supposed to be land grab for Western corporations . And Russia’s “arsenal” grows bigger and more diverse and more effective by the day while that of the US and NATO diminish. A little “projection’ here? As Hitler pointed out , “projection” is a key concept of propaganda.

Ukrainians should be bitter and angry with the West. It wasn’t the Russians who destroyed homes, schools and factories and killed friends and family members— it was the US, the UK and NATO.

OK. So WaPo is propaganda – a patchwork of lies and falsehoods, for which there is no excuse. It is deceit by design. Shame on you Jeff Bezos!

Billionaires should not own social media platforms.

Billionaires should not run our newspapers.

Billionaires should not control our politics.

A free media is a democratic media - a public good that is owned and run by us all. Jeremy Corbyn

When all is said and done, the WaPo editorial is not directed at Russia - -but at the American public and political class to rationalize the evil done by Democratic and Republican Neocons both, with the hope of undermining Trump, who has different goals.

It is a conscious effort to delude the public by presenting them with false perceptions and information.

It is does not intend “anarchy” as some suggest, however. Nor is it “nihilistic”, although it might seem so to others,

It is consistent, cunningly crafted, and has goals just like Hitler’s propaganda . All fascist political systems, including that of the US, work on the basis of a contrived meta-narrative to distort, abuse and use human values – not destroy them—but repurpose them. The aim is Empire-a crushing order.

A little different from the Philippine War, but the same idea.

What bothers me is that many analysts take the WaPo’s argument seriously-- as “argument”, something you can rebut rationally—somethihg whose logic is worthy of debate - rather than just pointing out the lies and cautioning people not to read this rag. .

Chappy’s Journey.

I have lots to write about Chappy. He is still in the trial period from the Shelter—maybe another month or two. You cannot make a feral cat “fit” in. They have to choose.

Chappy is an unusual cat in a lot of ways . Very sweet, very timid. Talks a lot—and just beginning to get used to me and Ichi. More on that next time!

Special article coming soon. Many thanks to all those who have contributed coffees recently and for your comments and messages. I will reply to you each.

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