What You Should Really Know About Ukraine
Media echoed the view that the US should have an active role in Ukrainian politics and enforce its perspective through military threats.
Natalia Renta on Puerto Rico Debt Deal
A judge has approved a debt restructuring deal for Puerto Rico and the deal’s architects are saying it means a “new day” for the territory.
Hawkish Pundits Downplay Threat of War, Ukraine’s Nazi Ties
US corporate media outlets demand that Washington escalate the risk of a broader war while downplaying important aspects of the conflict.
WaPo Uses Photo of John McCain Next to Nazi to Praise His ‘Human Rights’ Work
The Washington Post (8/27/18) published an op-ed by conservative staff opinion columnist Jennifer Rubin praising the late Sen. John McCain for his supposed commitment to “human rights.” Rubin waxed poetic on the ostensible “lost champion” of human rights, who “model[ed] for others the behavior of a free society.” She declared, quite paradoxically, “With the possible […]
CNN Peddles Propaganda About ‘Completely Mad’ Putin
CNN asks, “Has Russian President Vladimir Putin gone completely mad?” Here’s a better question: Does CNN care whether it’s viewed as an outlet for crude anti-Russian propaganda?
Washington Post Editorial Page, Meet Noam Chomsky
The Washington Post stands firm against Russian aggression, since Putin has violated an “international norm” that is “uncontroversial.” Do those rules apply to the US, though?
Are People Who Shoot Down Passenger Planes ‘War Criminals’—or ‘Hard to Fault’?
If you’re going to shoot down a civilian jetliner–from the New York Times’ point of view–it helps to be working for the US Navy when you do it.
Ukraine Tips From Nameless US Officials: Good Enough for NYT
Apparently the people who know best about what’s happening in Ukraine are US government officials who won’t let their names be printed in the newspaper.
‘Muddying a Murky Picture’: NYT’s Ukraine Kremlinology
The New York Times clearly has a hunch about deep Russian involvement in Ukraine. The ways it tries to confirm this hunch are curious.
Will NBC Retract Story NYT Has Walked Back?
The New York Times decided to walk back its story once there was skepticism about the photos they had been supplied. Will NBC do the same thing for its viewers?
Is NYT Walking Back ‘Russia’ Photos Scoop?
The New York Times published a big front-page scoop documenting Russian special forces operating in Ukraine. And then they published a correction–of sorts.
The Most Revealing Sunday Talk Show McCain Moment of All Time
CBS host Bob Schieffer wanted an expert on Ukraine, so he woke up John McCain.
No, Putin Isn’t Following ‘Reagan Playbook’ in Ukraine—Thank God
When the Washington Post’s David Ignatius writes a column headlined “Putin Steals the CIA’s Playbook on Anti-Soviet Covert Operations,” is that supposed to be a criticism or a compliment?
FAIR TV: Russian Troops, Christie’s ‘Gaffe,’ Torture Without the T Word
Russian troops are massing on the border with Ukraine, set to invade–so say corporate media, relying on unnamed intelligence sources. Plus straight-talking Chris Christie apologizes for straight talk, and the Washington Post’s scoop on CIA torture can’t say the word “torture.”
Intelligence Sources Play an Early April Fool’s Joke on NBC News
US intelligence claims about a Russian troop buildup on the Ukrainian border are just that–claims. On NBC Nightly News, however, anchor Brian Williams and Pentagon correspondent Jim Miklaszewski not only took these claims as gospel, they used them as the jumping off point for alarmist speculation.
‘Troop Buildup on the Border’–We’ve Heard This Before
Claims about a Russian buildup on Ukraine’s border are being made based on intelligence that very few people have likely seen. NBC correspondent Jim Maceda went to the border area to check out the claims of Russian troop presence and couldn’t turn up much.
Hawks Want Obama to Be More Like Jimmy Carter
Pundits like Charles Krauthammer have fond memories of the Afghan/Soviet war, and want Obama to be more like Jimmy Carter so that the Ukraine crisis can have a similarly happy result.
Obama’s Imaginary Foreign Policy ‘Caution’
The NY Times once again advances the idea that Barack Obama’s foreign policy is alarmingly noninterventionist. Which is true, when you discount all the evidence to the contrary.
Will Twisted History of Georgian War Facilitate a Repetition?
In reporting and commentary on Ukraine, the 2008 Russo-Georgian War provides a handy anti-Russian talking point…if you leave out half the story.
Is Putin Delusional—or Is NYT a ‘Megaphone for Propaganda’?
Tracing back the story about Vladimir Putin being out of touch reality, one journalist sees it as a prime example of how media outlets can “become a megaphone for propaganda.”
