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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsRussia Today Airs Fake Footage of Rebels Using Sarin Gas in Syria
<snip>
"Russia Today is a self-described news channel that happens to be owned and operated by the Russian government, and therefore serves as a reliable outlet for whatever Russian President Vladimir Putin would like you to believe is news. It tends to get some measure of credibility among American bloggers, largely by booking said bloggers on its programs (including, regrettably, the editor of this web site, but just once and hes sorry). Which is why its somewhat ironic that RT has twisted the generally reliable work of Syria-blogger Brown Moses to fuel Putins conspiracy theory that Syrian rebels are behind the sarin gas attack that the Assad regime unleashed on civilians last month.
Yesterday, RT aired footage purporting to show Syrian rebels initiating the gas attack, using the fact that the videos had been posted by Brown Moseswhom RT described as a prominent Syria blogger who had been focusing on the Syrian conflict for the last couple of years, analyzing claims and counterclaimsas a peg. The only problem: the footage was fabricated, and the Brown Mosesin reality an Englishman named Eliot Higginshad openly doubted their authenticity, right there on his blog.
On Monday, Higgins linked to several videos originally uploaded to LiveLeak that appear to indicate that Liwa al-Islam, a Syrian rebel group, had a hand in the August 21 poison gas attack in the Damascus suburb of Ghouta. However, Higgins noted several discrepancies that suggested the footage was faked."
http://gawker.com/russia-today-airs-fake-footage-of-rebels-using-sarin-ga-1342865358
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)The closest analog is Bush/Cheney era Fox News.
go west young man
(4,856 posts)Turborama
(22,109 posts)The Magistrate
(95,247 posts)dipsydoodle
(42,239 posts)From a news source other than a US news source or blog. Shit just the same.
maddezmom
(135,060 posts)RT pushing out nothing but propaganda for Assad.
Agnosticsherbet
(11,619 posts)More true than if God Came down from the heavens and told each of them personally, because Putin and Russia and Assad are the only honest brokers in a world dominated by the vile, evil, wicked Corporate States of America.
Maedhros
(10,007 posts)that a poster on DU believes Putin and Assad are "honest brokers". You are wildly exaggerating.
bvar22
(39,909 posts)I will say that poster is purely Making Stuff Up.
It is ironic that someone would make stuff up in a thread attacking RT for making stuff up.
This place cracks me up,
Many posters have no sense of irony,
and obviously live in houses with no mirrors.
Whisp
(24,096 posts)a lot of Snowden fans cheered him.
There have been a lot of positive support for Putin, for Russia in general, since the Snowden episode. Even knowing that Putin has made gay people in russia fear for themselves, the cheering still went on that Putin is cooler than Obama, and Russia is da bomb for freedoms.
I don't know how you could have missed that, but talk about dumb shit, eh?
Maedhros
(10,007 posts)I didn't see a Snowden quote where he "claimed Russian had better human rights than 'home'". Do you have it?
"Positive support" for Putin? Here on DU? Everyone agrees he's an ass, some people thought he said something that was true.
"Cheering...that Putin is cooler than Obama." "Russia is da bomb for freedoms." I don't recall any of those things being said. Perhaps you should provide examples to back up your claim?
leftynyc
(26,060 posts)snip
These nations, including Russia, Venezuela, Bolivia, Nicaragua, and Ecuador have my gratitude and respect for being the first to stand against human rights violations.
The positive support for Putin was all over the place during the drama - I'm surprised you missed it.
SidDithers
(44,228 posts)Sid
Maedhros
(10,007 posts)leftynyc
(26,060 posts)but you're free to believe any fantasy you want. In my opinion, anybody who puts Russia and China in the same sentence as first to stand up for rights is freeking delusional.
Maedhros
(10,007 posts)how I am wrong, then I invite you to do so.
leftynyc
(26,060 posts)letting people believe whatever fantasy fits their worldview and yours simply isn't worth the trouble. If you want to worship Snowden, it matters nothing to me.
Maedhros
(10,007 posts)And you have no counter argument.
Maedhros
(10,007 posts)In it, he does not claim that Russia has "better human rights" than "home" - not in the across-the-board capacity that you are falsely asserting. Here are excerpts from his statement:
Here Snowden is calling out the reason why he decided to become a whistleblower and bring this issue to the press. In the context of secret courts, secret laws and secret policies, he is correctly noting that this behavior by his goverment is considered a violation of citizens' rights by both the government's own Constitution and international law.
The portion of the statement that I believe you are misconstruing is here:
Snowden is saying, no more and no less, that the countries that are defying American calls for his extradition and that are willing to provide political asylum - on this issue regarding whistleblowing and unconstitutional surveillance alone - are standing against the forces that perpetrated the violation of Article 12 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
It is not correct to extend Snowden's endorsement on this issue to cover all other actions of the countries named. Snowden made no claims for supposed Russian superiority in the matter of GLBTQ rights, for example. To do so is to exaggerate simply for the effect of casting Snowden in a bad light and to make it appear that he approves of abhorrent policies on which he made no statement at all.
Your statement
is a gross exaggeration as well. To agree with Putin's decision to grant asylum to Snowden, or to agree with his op-ed regarding American Exceptionalism (an issue pointed out numerous times here on DU in the past) is by no stretch equivalent to "positive support" for Putin in general - indeed, nearly all of the comments on the op-ed were prefaced with statements that Putin is overall a despicable leader. Any "cheering" was for the notion that American Exceptionalism is bad, not that Putin is good. I suspect that you know this, but are trying to score points by casting your opponents in a bad light.
Turborama
(22,109 posts)FSogol
(45,481 posts)I'll avoid naming him to avoid making a call-out but he said,
"well, call me a commie, but I have been watching RT news and finding it very refreshing as opposed to the corporate owned media we are fed here in the grand USA on a daily basis, a diet that you apparently find to be delicious. Forget I said anything about our wonderful, corporate-approved "truth telling" media, I don't want to disturb you any further."
and
"Glad to see Al Jazeera America, but I like RT news better. I have been watching the new Al Jazeera America for 10 minutes, but I think it is a little boring to be honest. RT news is so much more energetic, interesting, and well, sexy, if you will. Al Jazeera America sees kind of like just another generic news channel so far. I'll stick with RT news for now. Channel 280 if you have Dish network.
Maedhros
(10,007 posts)And some of it has been excellent, some has been execrable. Certainly the fact that it is state-run should be considered when analyzing RT commentary. However, facts stand on their own - to be affirmed or refuted on their own merits - independent of the organization through which they are communicated.
But I still don't see anyone claiming Putin and Russia are anything other than problematic (to put it mildly). Agreeing with one statement made by Putin (or Ron Paul, for that matter) is not equivalent to supporting everything that he stands for.
leveymg
(36,418 posts)with skepticism. But, in the end, one has to use one's own news judgement just as we're supposed to form our own political opinions.
There's no such thing as truth in news, and even in known disinformation certain facts can be learned.
sufrommich
(22,871 posts)FSogol
(45,481 posts)LostOne4Ever
(9,288 posts)If I have to get my propaganda from somewhere I would rather it be form a source that actually gives a shit about human rights. These homophobic pro-Putin pieces of shit can go to hell for all I care.
Tien1985
(920 posts)The odds weren't ever in their favor
blkmusclmachine
(16,149 posts).
zappaman
(20,606 posts)This can't be faked.
It just can't be!
dionysus
(26,467 posts)zappaman
(20,606 posts)dionysus
(26,467 posts)geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)SidDithers
(44,228 posts)There's Facebook investigatin' to be done!
Sid
Tarheel_Dem
(31,233 posts)SidDithers
(44,228 posts)We all know that he was deployed to Syria with his Special Forces team in January of 2012 as reported in the 2nd biggest online news source in the 8th largest media market in the US. And though they got the minor detail of his death wrong, there's no reason to doubt the accuracy of the rest of their reporting, after all, their headlines are all in CAPITAL LETTERS.
So, my big question is: if Jay Polk and his SF team have been in Syria for 21 months, what exactly have they been up to?
Sid
treestar
(82,383 posts)They've been setting up windmills there! Increasing cancer and killing birds!
zappaman
(20,606 posts)Who can forget that wonderful piece of investigative journalism?
My favorite was, even after knowing he wasn't dead, OWS San Diego held a memorial anyway!
pampango
(24,692 posts)freshwest
(53,661 posts)Not as sexy as transvaginal ultrasounds, but the same fan base when the votes are talllied up. 'That train is never late.'
former9thward
(31,997 posts)UN says rebels have used Sarin. http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/05/us-syria-crisis-un-idUSBRE94409Z20130505
The Magistrate
(95,247 posts)You are citing a claim by one member of the Commission. Her claim does not figure in the Commission's actual report.
http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/HRBodies/HRCouncil/CoISyria/A-HRC-23-58_en.pdf
Page 21 deals with illegal Weapons:
D. Illegal Weapons
136. As the conflict escalates, the potential for use of chemical weapons is of deepening
concern. Chemical weapons include toxic chemicals, munitions, devices and related
equipment as defined in the 1997 Convention on the Prohibition of the Development,
Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and Their Destruction. Also
applicable is the 1925 Geneva Protocol which Syria has ratified.
The use of chemical weapons is prohibited in all circumstances under customary international humanitarian law
and is a war crime under the Rome Statute.
137. The Government has in its possession a number of chemical weapons. The dangers
extend beyond the use of the weapons by the Government itself to the control of such
weapons in the event of either fractured command or of any of the affiliated forces gaining
access.
138. It is possible that anti-Government armed groups may access and use chemical
weapons. This includes nerve agents, though there is no compelling evidence that these
groups possess such weapons or their requisite delivery systems.
139. Allegations have been received concerning the use of chemical weapons by both
parties. The majority concern their use by Government forces. In four attacks on Khan
Al-Asal, Aleppo, 19 March; Uteibah, Damascus, 19 March; Sheikh Maqsood
neighbourhood, Aleppo, 13 April; and Saraqib, Idlib, 29 April there are reasonable
grounds to believe that limited quantities of toxic chemicals were used. It has not been
possible, on the evidence available, to determine the precise chemical agents used, their
delivery systems or the perpetrator. Other incidents also remain under investigation.
140. Conclusive findings particularly in the absence of a large-scale attack may be
reached only after testing samples taken directly from victims or the site of the alleged
attack. It is, therefore, of utmost importance that the Panel of Experts, led by Professor
Sellström and assembled under the Secretary General's Mechanism for Investigation of
Alleged Use of Chemical and Biological Weapons, is granted full access to Syria.
Response to The Magistrate (Reply #16)
Post removed
The Magistrate
(95,247 posts)You cited one Commissioner's claim there was strong evidence of rebel use of nerve gas.
The Commission reported there was no compelling evidence the rebels had nerve gas or means to employ nerve gas.
The Commission reported it could not, at second hand and with uncertain provenance of materials, determine who had used chemical agents in several instances where small quantities seem to have been used.
ProSense
(116,464 posts)Al Qaeda is only 10 percent of the rebel force (http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023673130#post2), and the Assad regime has managed to be significantly more brutal than a terrorist organization.
Assad admitted to bombing area after chemical attack took place.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023637203
Russia is trying to absolve Assad with bogus evidence provided by Assad. At this point, Russia is simply trying to cast doubt.
Syria gives Russia chemical weapons evidence
http://news.yahoo.com/syria-gives-russia-chemical-weapons-evidence-095511215.html
Russia Denounces U.N. Chemical Report on Syria
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023690377
Of course, the facts aren't going to stop the attempts to absolve Assad by blaming the rebels.
Denmark's Foreign Minister Søvndals remarks on UN report of chemical weapons use in Syria
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023678152
Icelands Foreign Minister Welcomes Syria Agreement
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023678152#post4
The chemical attack is on top of the ongoing brutality of the Assad regime.
By JOHN HEILPRIN Associated Press
The U.N. human rights chief said Monday there is little doubt that chemical weapons were used in Syria but she did not specify which of the combatants was suspected of using them.
U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay spoke two days ahead of the expected update from a U.N. panel probing for war crimes and other human rights abuses in Syria, including the use of chemical weapons. The 47-nation U.N. Human Rights Council, which authorized the probe, is likely to consider a resolution on Syria before the end of its session.
"The use of chemical weapons has long been identified as one of the gravest crimes that can be committed, yet their use in Syria seems now to be in little doubt, even if all the circumstances and responsibilities remain to be clarified," Pillay...noted that when she first urged action to end the Syrian crisis two years ago, some 2,600 Syrians had died in the conflict. Now the number of dead is over 100,000.
"The international community is late, very late to take serious joint action to halt the downward spiral that has gripped Syria, slaughtering its people and destroying its cities," she said. "This appalling situation cries out for international action, yet a military response or the continued supply of arms risk igniting a regional conflagration, possibly resulting in many more deaths and even more widespread misery."
- more -
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/body-told-chemical-weapons-gravest-crimes-20197253
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023627997
By Stephanie Nebehay
GENEVA (Reuters) - U.N. rights investigators have established that Syrian government forces were almost certainly responsible for two massacres last May in which up to 450 civilians were killed, a report published on Wednesday said.
The report documented eight mass killings in all, attributing all but one to government forces, but said both government and rebel fighters had committed war crimes including murder, hostage-taking and shelling of civilians in their battle for territory.
The killings in Baida and Ras al-Nabaa, two pockets of rebel sympathizers surrounded by villages loyal to President Bashar al-Assad on the outskirts of the coastal town of Banias, sent a chilling message of the price to be paid for backing the rebels.
The U.N. commission of inquiry has not been allowed into Syria, but its 20 investigators carried out 258 interviews with refugees, defectors and others, in the region and in Geneva, including via Skype, for their 11th report in two years.
- more -
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/09/11/us-syria-crisis-warcrimes-idUSBRE98A0D520130911
Iliyah
(25,111 posts)Like clockwork the DU will be inundated with Russia's declaration of the Rebels done it as fact.
Posteritatis
(18,807 posts)geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)Posteritatis
(18,807 posts)People sure love to talk as though there's still some monolithic, centralized thing called al-Qaeda that comprises most or all of the world's Islamists (or their sympathisers, or guerillas who happen to have beards above a certain length), though.
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)Kind of like . . . Trump.
Posteritatis
(18,807 posts)7962
(11,841 posts)"Nearly half the rebel fighters in Syria are now aligned to jihadist or hardline Islamist groups according to a new analysis of factions in the country's civil war."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/10311007/Syria-nearly-half-rebel-fighters-are-jihadists-or-hardline-Islamists-says-IHS-Janes-report.html
Jane's is a well respected source.
And I'm NOT defending the Assad-ites or anything like that, we just need to be clear that BOTH sides are committing atrocities against each other.
Obviously the Russians will make up anything to make their guy look better.
ProSense
(116,464 posts)from the piece you linked to.
The piece states that "jihadists" are only 10 percent.
Of that 100,000 fighters, the piece breaks it out this way:
10,000 jihadists - who would include foreign fighters.
30,000 to 35,000 are hardline Islamists...focused purely on the Syrian war rather than a wider international struggle.
30,000 moderates belonging to groups that have an Islamic character
"Hardline Islamists" by whose definition, and why would that be surprising in Syria? Like I said, the Assad regime has managed to be significantly more brutal than a terrorist organization.
Also, what about the other 30,000? The piece states that only 10 percent are "jihadists."
Here is what Kerry stated:
"There is a real moderate opposition that exists. General Idriss is running the military arm of that," Kerry continued, referring to General Salim Idriss, head of the rebel Free Syrian Army. Increasingly, he said, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states are funneling assistance through Idriss.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/05/john-kerry-syrian-rebels_n_3870782.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003
7962
(11,841 posts)They all would be unfriendly to westerners. So you still have 40-45K who are no friends of ours. And those moderates belonging to hard line groups would eventually be forced to get in line with their beliefs or else.
Syria has usually been described as being a secular nation, so it WOULD be surprising to have large numbers of "hardline Islamists" there.
I don't trust Kerry with much either. I would like to ask him this:
If you say the Saudis will pay for any military action, why dont THEY do it themselves? They have a large, well equipped, well trained military. Why wont THEY put the military pressure on Assad?
Trekologer
(997 posts)And then the all-powerful Putin had to school President Obama on foreign relations and swoop in and save the day! And Obama's a warmonger and Putin is a peace-loving warrior (not valid in Chechnya) for human rights (except for gays, but they don't count anyway, right?)!
Cha
(297,196 posts)that he gassed his own people including women and children?
Whisp
(24,096 posts)naw.... and one might say, Fox news isn't owned by the Government so that doesn't count.
But they are owned by Corporations who are trying as hard as they can to run the whole government or drown it, or use the media, including those 'liberal' ones, to start illegal wars like Iraq. So there really isn't all that much difference.
When I do watch RT, I take it with large bags of salt like I do when I watched CNN or MSNBC or any of those.
Thom Hartmann is on RT, he's alright.
The Magistrate
(95,247 posts)While covering a sparsely attended event playing footage from one which drew a large crowd, for example. They have also mis-labeled people, showing a picture of a Republican in trouble with a caption calling him a Democrat.
Whisp
(24,096 posts)And not to beat that dead trotter much more - we've all seen horrible, misleading stuff on 'our' news media too.
It seems propaganda is one of the first words when we talk about those Russians, but we are steeped and marinated in it ourselves as well.
The Magistrate
(95,247 posts)But RT is over the top, especially in its Middle East and military coverage, and this story is blatant swill.
arely staircase
(12,482 posts)It is Rt after all.
Uncle Joe
(58,355 posts)Thanks for the thread, Scurrilous.
Sand Wind
(1,573 posts)Posteritatis
(18,807 posts)HangOnKids
(4,291 posts)Yes you are credible! Let me LMAO here!
The Magistrate
(95,247 posts)A number of people have taken a set against this poster, and it is reflected in jury results.
A number of these hides, for example, are for suggesting people are paid to post; that is an accusation this poster is routinely subjected to, and posts doing so generally are not hidden. Among replies to hidden posts by this member, you will often find posts telling this member to 'shut the fuck up', to 'get lost', and similar personal attacks, which are not hidden.
Turborama
(22,109 posts)Violet_Crumble
(35,961 posts)I recall during my time on MIRT that you had a fair few hidden posts at one stage. Probably not a good idea to be judging other peoples credibility
Scurrilous
(38,687 posts)Benton D Struckcheon
(2,347 posts)they're usually a little more subtle. This was so utterly blatant it absolutely reeks of desperation.
Russia's little game of irritating the big players is done, so now all they have left is rank mendacity.
rdharma
(6,057 posts)BolDiya
(14 posts)There have been false stories in media.
JDPriestly
(57,936 posts)he and Obama arranged for a peaceful solution.
I don't think that at this point we should intervene militarily. We cannot in good conscience support any one of the rebel groups. Even though one or more of them might be ideologically acceptable, the danger is that group might lose and then we would have a more serious problem than we have now. I just think that Syria is one situation in which at this time we should stay out of the fighting and watch. The risk of taking a side that is doomed to fail, getting involved in a long, drawn-out war that does not improve the lot of the Syrian people is too great.
We should try to nudge the Russians into negotiating Assad's exit from Syria. His dictatorship is eliciting the violence and making it worse. But we have to do that through as peaceful a means as possible.
azurnoir
(45,850 posts)and in a couple more weeks if that a complete 360° will be achieved
Sand Wind
(1,573 posts)azurnoir
(45,850 posts)Sand Wind
(1,573 posts)azurnoir
(45,850 posts)Sand Wind
(1,573 posts)William769
(55,146 posts)Well at least the one's that don't drink the kool-aid from RT.
ProSense
(116,464 posts)http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023692289
Sand Wind
(1,573 posts)Tarheel_Dem
(31,233 posts)NOT!!!