NYT editor's blog: Putin’s Dubious Opinion

[ProSense]

Putin’s Dubious Opinion

By ANDREW ROSENTHAL

President Vladimir Putin of Russia said in an Op-Ed article that we published last week that “there is every reason to believe” that the chemical weapons attack in Syria on Aug. 21 was carried out by the rebel forces in a crafty plan to provoke the United States into bombing Syria and unleashing all kinds of mayhem.

In an article that contained many lines that irritated our readers, that sentence was perhaps the most annoying. Mr. Putin’s opinion was dubious at the time. (For the sake of argument, I’m assuming Mr. Putin really believed the rebels launched the attack and wasn’t just saying that to needle President Obama.) Now, given the U.N. inspectors’ report from Syria and some incredible reporting by C.J. Chivers and others on our front page today, it seems even less supportable.

The Times reporters (and separately, Human Rights Watch) found some interesting information buried in the U.N. report. Looking at the angle at which one rocket was lying, and the angle at which a crater was formed at another location, they were able to trace the angles of the attacks. They intersected at the Republican Guard base on Mt. Qasioun, which overlooks Damascus and is also the site of the presidential palace.

This information, of course, has not altered the Russians’ public position. They’ve been putting out a wacky tale of a rebel mole who infiltrated the Republican Guard to fire off the weapons, and putting out tweets pointing to discredited YouTube videos that claim to show that the government did not launch the attack.

- more -

http://takingnote.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/09/18/putins-dubious-opinion/

Russia Today Airs Fake Footage of Rebels Using Sarin Gas in Syria
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023691313

Assad Tells Kucinich Chemical Weapons ‘Not a Secret Anymore’ During...Fox Interview (updated 2x)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023692289

[Vinnie From Indy]

1. The same New York Times that did not publish a story about

the US giving Israel unfiltered NSA spy data? The NYT is hardly a trusted news services these days.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023691792

[ProSense]

3. So you accept that NYT Editor's opinion, but not this editor's?

Do you believe Putin's bizarre claims?

[Cha]

2. This will not go over with

Putin fans. Putin's opinion "dubious"? "How dare they insult the great leader of a nation such as this.. brawawawaa "These nations, including Russia, Venezuela, Bolivia, Nicaragua, and Ecuador have my gratitude and respect for being the first to stand against human rights.
violations. "

yeah, stand against "human rights violations" such as GLBT and Journalists.. Freaking 1984 propaganda bullshit.

Thanks PS and Andrew Rosenthal!

[ProSense]

4. Yup, don't say anything negative about Putin or Assad.

Yikes!

[Cha]

6. Yeah, those two peas in a pod are "heroes" to

those "Nobody on here hates Obama" types. rofl

[Scurrilous]

5. Thanks ProSense.

K & R