The Guardian Channels SWP, Savages Assange and RT
Julian Assange’s widely awaited (well, not really) debut on RT occurred today. He interviewed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Of course. Hezbollah is a tireless fighter for human freedom, and a beacon of transparency, so of course Assange views him as an honored guest. Well, not really. Assange honors him because Nasrallah is anti-Israeli and anti-American. Period.
The initial reviews of Jules’ show are brutal. Utterly brutal. But the best (and by best I mean the worst) of the lot is from the Guardian (h/t R). Yes, the Guardian! The paper savages Assange. Not just for his uninspiring style, but for the appalling substance. And the Guardian also savages the News Channel Formerly Known as Russia Today. Indeed-and this is so completely weird and other-worldly that extended quotation is required to give the full effect-the Guardian sounds like it is channeling SWP and @LibertyLynx’s Twitter tl. I kid you not. Don’t believe me? Read on:
The most insidious aspect of Assange’s show is not what is in it, but what isn’t. Russia Today – now styled RT – is state-owned and Kremlin-controlled. It is remarkable for how little reporting it devotes to what is going on inside Russia today. There is no mention, for example, of top-level corruption, Vladimir Putin’s alleged secret fortune – referenced in US embassy cables leaked by WikiLeaks – or the brutal behaviour of Russian security forces and their local proxies in the north Caucasus.
Instead, the channel offers a shiny updated version of Soviet propaganda. The west, and America in particular, is depicted as crime-ridden, failing, and in thrall to big business and evil elites. RT’s favourite theme is western hypocrisy: “How dare you criticise us when you do the same?” The English-language channel portrays itself as “anti-mainstream”. In reality it reflects Putin’s own conspiratorial, touchy and xenophobic world-view while staying mute about Russia’s own failings.
The mystery is why Assange should agree to become a pawn in the Kremlin’s global information war. Perhaps he needs the money. Assange’s anti-American agenda, of course, fits neatly with the Kremlin’s own. Russia prides itself on having undesirable allies; expect Venezuela’s Hugo Chávez or Belarus’s Alexander Lukashenko on future shows. In Tuesday’s interview Nasrallah expressed support for the Syrian regime of President Bashar al-Assad. By happy coincidence this is Moscow’s position.
One quibble. There is no mystery at all. The hand-in-glove fit (and I’m not talking OJ trial here) between Russia’s agenda and Assange’s is the beginning and the end of the explanation of this collaboration. This isn’t the Hitler-Stalin Pact, an opportunistic agreement between blood enemies. This is a match of anti-American, anti-Western haters. Period.
The Guardian suggests that RT has duped Assange. Hardly. He surely knows all about RT, and about the regime it serves. He doesn’t need to be duped to work for them. He works for them because he shares a common agenda.
These quibbles aside, I am quite pleased to see that the Guardian recognizes the true nature of RT, and the Russian government it flacks for. This is surely a sign of the impending apocalypse.
There is, of course, a backstory to the Guardian’s brutality. The paper was originally a big supporter of Assange and Wikileaks. Until he screwed the paper, just like he screws everybody-ally and enemy alike, in his malignantly narcissistic way. This review is part of the Guardian’s payback, and payback is, as they say, a bitch.
And hopefully, this payback is just a ripple in advance of a tsunami of payback that will soon descend on Assange’s head.
“Of course, practically speaking, Mr. Assange is in bed with the Kremlin, but on Tuesday’s show he didn’t put out.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/18/arts/television/julian-assange-starts-talk-show-on-russian-tv.html
Comment by La Russophobe — April 18, 2012 @ 3:06 am
For RT and the Assanges of this world a new phrase is needed: “Implausible deniability”? The key being that it is implausible to only those who are not already true believers (TB’s). In the current case, TB’s are often spotted by ttheir tin foil hats, or the remains of them if the meds have kicked in.
Sorry, just an ad hominem kind of day.
Comment by sotos — April 18, 2012 @ 11:53 am
“This is surely a sign of the impending apocalypse.”
This blog is beginning to sound alarmingly like a supermarket tabloid. Can posts about Bat Boy and new Nostradamus predictions for 2012 be far behind?
Comment by Mark — April 19, 2012 @ 4:24 pm
@uhm, Mark-take a joke. Really.
Actually, I didn’t really have anything to say; it was just an experiment to see if I was banned, as some others have suggested they have been. I thought it was a little more adventurous than “Hi”, or “this is a test”.
But now that you mention it, there is much more of the zealot about you now than was evident, say, a year ago. Although politics does wind some people pretty tight. If you were playing a guitar rather than a saxophone in your avatar, you could be Ted Nugent. Naturally, you’re much younger and were always better-looking.
Comment by Mark — April 20, 2012 @ 3:18 pm
@Mark. Only one has earned the honor of being banned here, and that was only after going so far beyond the pale that only a few can aspire to being the second. It took work, believe me, and if you have even a semblance of a life I doubt you’d want to make the time investment required. He wrote more on the blog than I did. And I only banned him after several readers complained.
I’m the same person, really. If anything has happened, it is that the times have changed.
That’s not a sax in my avi. That’s a mic. Lars Fredericksen singing–and playing guitar.
Younger than The Nuge-that’s a verifiable fact. Better looking-thanks, but a matter of taste. But were you referring to me or my avi? If the former . . . I’m taking my own advice, and taking a joke
Ha, ha!! I did really think that was you in the avi; I never saw it full-size. But I have seen your photo before, and the compliment stands.
I liked Ted Nugent when he stuck to rock & roll, and although it was pure escapist music that will not likely ever be in anyone’s time capsule, he’s a competent guitarist with his own recognizable style. Since he got into politics he has shown a less savory side. Even less so considering many of the things he continues to harp on have been debunked over and over. Seeing some of your musical heroes display their personal beliefs is a little like catching them naked, or taking a leak or something; it’s something you wish you hadn’t seen, but try as you might, you can never get back to the way you saw them before. Mark Farner is another good example, former guitarist with Grand Funk Railroad, a thousand years ago.
I suppose conservatives feel that way about Bruce Springsteen, too, although if I were an American I would be a Democrat or an independent, and would likely tend to agree with him.
Comment by Mark — April 20, 2012 @ 6:21 pm
SWP, the guy is dead broke and facing prison due to harassment of FBI, Dept of defense, and CIA. Of course the RT is there. You don’t have to like his political views, but support free transmission of ideas and a threat to govt monopoly of information. Your best alliance may be with somebody with the capacity to set ideas free, even if he has crazy ideas himself
Comment by scott — April 20, 2012 @ 7:57 pm
Lol-Lol – The Putin mafias pathetic propaganda clowns are complaining . Mark are addicted to the Kremlin mafias prostitutes. The ranting of morons are funny . Assange’s situation is not merely the consequence of one man’s sexual liaisons, but part of a wider ploy to feminise men in order to make humanity more compliant to political elites. “Strong men are prone to rebellion, ready for sacrifice and primed for action,” Shamir writes.
“It is no coincidence that the enemies of Empire are all masculine males, be they Gaddafi, Castro, Chávez, Lukashenko, Putin – or Julian Assange. It appears the men have been targeted for elimination; the working ants need no sex.”
Strong men fight abuses of power, it seems, while women are, presumably, expected to support them from the kitchen – or in the bedroom.
If Shamir could be dismissed as merely a crank, his article might even be funny. But his influence over WikiLeaks and beyond is difficult to overestimate, and this relationship make his views more significant – and disturbing.
Shamir has a years-long friendship with Assange, and was privy to the contents of tens of thousands of US diplomatic cables months before WikiLeaks made public the full cache. Such was Shamir’s controversial nature that Assange introduced him to WikiLeaks staffers under a false name. Known for views held by many to be antisemitic, Shamir aroused the suspicion of several WikiLeaks staffers – myself included – when he asked for access to all cable material concerning “the Jews”, a request which was refused.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2011/nov/08/israel-shamir-julian-assange-cult-machismo
Comment by Anders — April 21, 2012 @ 6:42 pm
The opinions and activities of Israel Shamir have never been a secret. Holocaust denial, antisemitism and being a snitch for the President of Belarus are all par for the course. A former Wikileaks spokesman resigned because he couldn’t stand being in a room with him anymore.
Of course, many of us told you about this months and months ago. Indeed, we pointed out that Assange himself was fully aware about who and what Israel Shamir represents. Whatever we said, many of you continued to worship Assange like a cult-leader.
A blind spot to antisemitism on the Putin -fascist Mark – The Kremlin Stooge ?
Comment by Anders — April 21, 2012 @ 6:48 pm
^ Only one has earned the honor of being banned here
Da Russophile might not be banned, but only 33% or so of his comments have been appearing, which implies that they are pre-moderated and the critical ones not let through. That, or Akismet has taken a very real disliking to DR.
(Also the reason why I’m posting under the name of a blog that no longer exists).
Comment by Sublime Oblivion — April 22, 2012 @ 3:48 am
Sublime Oblivion- Da Russophile – Anatoly Karlin -Shithous Putin nutty propagandist – is obviously not banned here – His paranoid New World Disorder ranting buddy Mr x is .
http://scrapetv.com/News/News%20Pages/Everyone%20Else/images-2/greedy-jewish-person-cartoon.jpg
In World Tribunal on Iraq , Assange by not bringing the conflict to Nasrallah, including the military and supports Hezbollah in human saguinaire regime of Bashar, is the game’s regime and its abuses. Assange is not clear, one of his employees is an infamous false but true Jewish anti-Semite and Holocaust denier who calls himself Israel Shamir (a Russian-Swedish, which has at least six names). Appointed a worthy son of Israel Shamir – which is called Johannes Johannes Wahlström and not Shamir as his illustrious father – also works for Assange.
Assange has used Bradley Manning cynically . Now he lives in a mansion in the UK (where property is unaffordable even for the middle class) … Clearly not tell you? sold a yes, it is Manning who provided the cables to ensure the sad career of Assange, then recovered by the Kremlin-Tehran axis. The flight video of the massacre of civilians by a helicopter pilot in Iraq was a boon for enemies of USA.
Comment by Anders — April 22, 2012 @ 4:31 am
@DR. Bullshit. I don’t pre-moderate. Period. Quite the contrary. I go through the first 10 pages of the spam queue daily to look for anything that might be hung up there. I have rescued a few of your comments from there, as well as negative comments from others.
You say “implies.” Fail. You inferred. And inferred incorrectly.
Don’t flatter yourself to think that I consider your spewing so threatening and effective that I need to prevent people from reading it here. I only banned X because of repeated abuse of every standard of civil conduct and reader complaints.
If Akismet has taken a dislike to you, it’s perfectly understandable.
Sublime Oblivion- Da Russophile – Anatoly Karlin -Shithous Putins nutty propagandist – is obviously not banned here – But not liked by Akismet , why ?
He is a Russian “potsreot” it’s like “dumb-republican” Or somewhat like this: Idiot + patriot = Idotriot.
A. If someone is against the United States, they are Russia’s friend
Two. If someone is not against the United States, it podpindosnik
Three. If somewhere there was a terrorist attack, it was the work of the U.S.
4. If a terrorist attack occurred in the U.S. or Europe, it is God’s Kara
5. NATO is about to invade Russia
6. Who does not think that NATO will invade Russia, he podpindosnik
7. NATO soldiers are fond of killing people in order to quench the bloodlust
8. Who does not think that NATO troops bloodthirsty, he podpindosnik
9. Osama bin Laden is a good guy. But he had nothing against our fighting. But still good. Throw Pindos and so they should be.
10. NATO troops arrived in Afghanistan grow poppies and sell it to Russia, to poison our youth
11. Everything goes according to plan Dulles
12. Who thinks that the Plan Dulles fake – podpindosnik
13. Soviet soldiers in Afghanistan fighting for good and justice. And they fought against them, only drug-mercenaries, paid up U.S.
14. The standard of living in Libya was the highest in the world. NATO, with the help of a gang of bandits, Libya destroyed out of jealousy
15. Who does not think that Libya was a paradise, the podpindosnik
16. All revolutions in the world were paid Pindos
17. In addition to the 1917 revolution. It was a proper kosher revolution
18. China will soon cast aside the U.S. nuclear missiles. Here’s a little bit more, and throwing. In Fallout, at least, it was so!
19. I shit in the stairwell of the U.S. Marines
20. Sometimes there shitting agents “Mossad”
21. But it may podpindosniki. This Russian is not shit.
22. Israel must be wiped off the face of the earth. All of his dislike, and what have I done?
23. All Chechens should be burned with napalm. They are terrorists and polls bastards.
24. Hamas has the right guys, kill the Jews
25. U.S. produces nothing, just print dollars.
26. In our government, some Jews
27. All Jews are, by definition, evil. That someone like orcs. And all the Russian elves.
28. Russian do not ever drink. They forced the Jews and the U.S..
29. Gaddafi Elvis is alive!
30. The second country in the world in terms of life after Libya – Iran. Therefore, the Anglo-Saxon hordes of barbarians want to destroy it. And steal all the oil.
31. But Iran will overcome them. Because of such adverse events Ahmadinejad!
32. We support Syria. So Pindos and podpindosniki when to stick there, there uplyvut in zinc coffins. It’s true, because I think so.
33. I hate the chocks
34. U.S. will soon come to an end. So said Wang, Nostardamus and neighbor Nick. A little more and konets. We have to wait.
35. Russia could easily defeat NATO. Georgia, she won?
36. Who does not agree, then the Georgians podpindosnik.
37. We must regain the Baltic. And Poland. And East Germany. And Finland. This land is rightfully ours and do not care what they think the locals. They were paid Pindos, and they really miss Russia.
38. Enemies are all around, everyone wants to steal our oil.
39. NATO wants to win all of the aggressor and generally a number
40. The USSR was never the aggressor.
41. The Finns, Balts, Romanians, and the Afghans themselves to blame.
42. U.S. must give us back Alaska! They got it illegally.
43. Kaliningrad and the Russian Kuril Islands native land. Its only taken away from our dead hands!
44. The most sophisticated weapons produced in Russia. Pindosskoe weapons do not work and breaks down almost immediately. What they are fighting – is unknown.
45. Indians – the most miserable people in the United States. When we kill all the Pindos, we will liberate the Indians from slavery.
46. Pindos trying to destroy us, promoting homosexuality and drugs. Nothing of the sort in Russia never was. It’s all their invention.
47. We are the kindest people on the planet.
48. Would not it be great to see the nuclear explosion over New York!
49. Who says the word “potsreot” – that podpindosnik
50. I do not potsreot, I just love Russia. Death Pindos!
Comment by Anders — April 22, 2012 @ 8:54 am
@SWP,
Explanation accepted, but no apology, as said inference was entirely logical (my posts started disappearing coinciding exactly with Mr. X’s banning).
The comment that didn’t make it through here:
(1) Assange asked Nasrallah tough questions, including about corruption in Hezbollah, his faith in God, and his support for Assad (which happens to go against Russian policy – so much for The Kremlin controlling the editorial process). This kind of adversarial interview format is anathema to Western journalists who focus on celebrities and other trivialities and with few exceptions never subject Establishment figures to the kind of grilling Assange did on Nasrallah.
(2) The Guardian has been virulently Russophobic since about 2007/2008, i.e. when the plagiarist hack Luke Harding gained prominence. You missed the train by quite a bit there. As I said on Twitter, the Guardianistas are your friends, not mine.
(3) Your assertion that the Guardian screwed Assange is either ignorance or a malignant lie (though given your perennial dishonesty on numerous matters I would bet on the latter). To the contrary, the plagiarist hack Luke Harding, in his book on Wikileaks co-authored with David Leigh, included the “salt” to the password used by Assange to encrypt the unedited cables file. When hackers figured this out and cracked the encryption, Wikileaks did the responsible thing and released all the cables to democratize access beyond hackers and the more competent intelligence agencies. The Guardian mendaciously blamed Assange for what was its own responsibility, and since then, the controlled Western MSM and assorted blowhards have been smearing Wikileaks for releasing the unedited cables when it was the Guardian’s fault.
Comment by S/O — April 22, 2012 @ 1:46 pm
Yeah well it just ate the comment again.
Comment by Sublime Oblivion — April 22, 2012 @ 1:46 pm
@S/O-since you believe yourself to be capable of such penetrating inferences, maybe you should try to figure out what exactly gets your comments into the spam bin. It’s not really that difficult to figure out.
^ Akismet wasn’t a neocon AI last time I checked.
Comment by Sublime Oblivion — April 22, 2012 @ 3:30 pm
I object to S/O being in your spam bin – your machine is besmirching the good reputation of all the nice women who want to date me, improve the size of my manhood, and otherwise improve the quality of my life by associating them with this virtual emetic. Or was than enema-tic?
Comment by sotos — April 22, 2012 @ 5:06 pm
Well this just proves that you have no good rejoinders to my points (1,2,3).
Why isn’t Akismet taking a disliking to Anders? His latest post is just a copy-paste off a forum thread on the Internet called “The Russian nation – the cancer of humanity!”
http://forum.artinvestment.ru/showthread.php?p=2071812
Sad life he must lead!
Comment by Sublime Oblivion — April 22, 2012 @ 5:59 pm
Sad life to live !
“Sublime Oblivion- Da Russophile – Anatoly Karlin -Shithous Putins nutty propagandist – the cancer of humanity!”
Why isn’t Akismet loving the Putin -mafias propagadists ?
Sad life he must lead!-HA-HA You live a sad life on Berkley or do the siloviki -mafia and the shithous demokrats in Kremlin give you great expectation for the future ?
Comment by Anders — April 23, 2012 @ 2:22 am