Anchor Resigns LIVE on Russia Today RT Network - 'RT whitewashes actions of Putin'

[tomm2thumbs]

After a previous anchor of RT (Abby Martin) went on the record criticizing Russia's actions in Crimea Tuesday, another anchor, Liz Wahl, said she could no longer work at RT given the way it challenges her ethics and morals in working for Russian state-owned media which whitewashes Putin's actions.

Liz Wahl spoke of her refugee family and the sacrifices made by military members who fight to preserve America, and the ultimate price many pay.

“I cannot be part of a network funded by the Russian government, that whitewashes the actions of Putin. I’m proud to be an American and believe in disseminating the truth, and that is why after this newscast, I am resigning.”

________

Very interesting -- wondering if RT is going to institute an emergency 5 minute delay now on broadcasting after this to prevent any other 'unapproved' comments of anchors or reporters

[JDPriestly]

1. She is doing the right and courageous thing.

It's a shame some of our newscasters did not do this when we went into Iraq. Think of the lives that might have been saved had our news media questioned the actions of a president who invaded a country on false pretenses.

[bananas]

3. There was intense pressure on the media - Phil Donohue was fired.

We're seeing at RT the same thing we saw at MSNBC in 2003.

[bananas]

4. It's a sign the decision has been made at the top levels - war is coming, no dissent allowed. nt

[Plucketeer]

12. IF ONLY!!!

If only we had some of that resolve and integrity in our congress!!! Brave gal.

[elzenmahn]

23. Maybe...

...but Bushiebaby and his cronies were dead-set on an invasion, and those newscasters with "integrity" would only have been replaced by journalistic meat puppets with more price tags on their tailored suits than Minnie Pearl had on her hat.

It may not have saved any lives on the battle field. But it might have preserved a few souls of those that would have dared to resign.

[DeSwiss]

2. We do delays.

I'm sure everyone else does too.

[awoke_in_2003]

16. Yeah, a seven second delay...

which is only good for catching accidental f bombs. We don't need much delay with our media- if it isn't on the teleprompter they won't say it.

[freshwest]

5. Her story brought tears to my eyes. People have so many stories to tell, that no one knows. n/t

[liberal from boston]

28. O'Donnell Interview with Liz Wahl

Great segment w/Liz Wahl!!! She is absolutely amazing !!!


http://www.msnbc.com/the-last-word/watch/liz-wahl-rt-whitewashes-putins-actions-183821891508#discussions

[another_liberal]

6. Money talks, someone offered to pay her more.

You'll most likely see her soon on Fox and Friends.

[KoKo]

25. I think she will be hired here quickly.

She reported the Bradley Manning trial from the beginning and she and Keven Goztolzo (sp) of Firedoglake were the only two covering the trial consistently from the beginning. She might had a lot of pressure from her family and partner who is a US Army physician and saw her chance to make a career jump since she has a good reporting background at RT on both Manning and other issues.

It did seem like a publicity stunt with her ripping up her script and giving a diatribe. But, from what I saw of her during Manning Trial Reporting she was a good reporter and I never saw her seem to give a personal opinion or slant in her reporting the way most of our MSM reporters do.

[swilton]

7. Ukraine and Iraq are mutually exclusive military engagements

What is going on now in Ukraine is an effort to destabilize a democratically elected government through US covert operations. Iraq was an overt invasion to overthrow a democratically elected government.

If you look at the now blatantly broadcast Abby Martin statement she as much said that she had no experience with the culture or political history of Ukraine.

I agree that Liz Wahl will end up on Faux News if she's not already there.

[BBR Esq]

9. So agree with Putin?

Saddam Hussein was not Democratically elected.

[swilton]

11. I'm no defender of Putin

but the 200 hundred years of history that Russia has enjoyed with Ukraine gives Russia more legitimacy there than the US had in Iraq.

The US covert operations there are responsible for destabilizing (AID, human rights, teaching democracy) the legitimate government; had this not happened in Putin's backyard, Putin would not be there.

http://voiceofrussia.com/2014_03_05/The-fault-in-Ukraine-is-not-Russias-it-is-the-US-US-former-Treasury-official-7211/

http://beforeitsnews.com/global-unrest/2014/02/the-road-to-world-war-3-ukraine-russia-and-american-imperialism-2457864.html

[blackspade]

17. Apparently you are.

And while Russia may have enjoyed 200 years of history with Ukraine, I doubt that the Ukrainians have enjoyed it.

And as for the US covert operations, I would like to see some actual evidence of it.
I saw the Robert Parry piece the other day, but he had few details.
I frankly see no difference in our supposed destabilization efforts and the obvious ones that Putin is currently perpetrating in Crimea.

Your sources are dubious at best: "Dr. Paul Craig Roberts was Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Economic Policy under Ronald Regan."

Now he is an Alex Jones style Libertarian. Frankly he is all over the map, a 9/11 conspiracy nut to a condemner of drone attacks.

[WhoIsNumberNone]

19. As someone who knows a couple of Ukrainians

I can confirm that they didn't much care for being ruled by the Russians- Look how many of them fought for the Nazis during WW II. I know many of them joined up for the chance to kill Jews, but a great many were also nationalists.

[elzenmahn]

24. "And as for the US covert operations, I would like to see some actual evidence of it. "

I think this is a very disingenuous statement. Covert operations are, by definition, COVERT and not intended to be discovered by the general public. Do you honestly think that the US government is going to release this information, even with an FOIA request? I don't think so...

The US has a historical pattern of using the CIA and "covert operations" in order to affect outcomes worldwide that benefit US (read: corporate and banking) interests. Ask the Iranians in the 1950s, when their democratically elected government was overthrown in favor of the Shah - with the support and active participation of the CIA. (Look it up.) Look up the Friedmanist economic experiments in South America - the CIA's fingerprints were all over that. Manuel Noriega, Osama Bin Laden, and others, all had CIA connections (again, look it up.) Read War Is A Racket by General Smedley Butler, about how this entire game isn't new.

This war is about the same types of things most other wars are: resources. Nothing more, nothing less.

[blackspade]

29. How is this a "very disingenuous statement?"

How is it fake and deceiving?
I think that I am well within the realm of reason to demand some sort of evidence beyond the opinions of libertarian blowhards and other dubious sources.
Robert Parry is so far the only source of any credibility that has linked US covert activities to the RW fascists in Ukraine.
And while, he may well be correct, there needs to be more investigation by actual journalists and experts in the region to make a case for possible US covert involvement.
That said, as you summarized, there is a strong precedent for such activity, but as we have seen the results are usually terrible for the US in the long run. If folks are going to speculate and pontificate about US covert operations in Ukraine, they need to provide some sort of motive. What is the end game? What does the US gain that it doesn't already have? What is the economic benefit of escalating tensions in the region? Who are the beneficiaries?

These questions need to be addressed in order for plausible US covert to be unraveled.

[Ned_Devine]

14. Why would she end up at Fox?

[HatTrick]

8. Any news on Abby Martin?

Last I heard, RT wanted to assign her to Crimea and she declined.
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2014/03/russia-today-anchor-refuses-to-go-to-crime/

[elzenmahn]

21. She tweeted that she is refusing to go to Crimea...

...personally, I don't think anything is going to happen to her, since from what I see, her and Thom Hartmann are the only ones really carrying that network right now.

[KoKo]

26. She said in her show last night she wasn't being fired

for not going to Crimea and would continue her show reporting on issues she cares about.

So..she seems fine.

[dembotoz]

10. wow

hope she gets another gig

although showing integrity might burn her with domestic networks

[elzenmahn]

22. But here's the dilemma...

...she'll be leaving one organization funded by a fascist government (and I'm sorry, but Putin is a fascist), and likely heading to another fascist organization (name your American corporate media outlet.) I say this because it has never been a secret as to how cozy American outlets have to be to the corridors of power in Washington and elsewhere (that precious "access&quot , and that they are subsidiaries of multi-national corporations and, at the very least, undergo the "self-censorship" of "knowing which side their bread is buttered on".

One should bring their salt shaker with them when consuming the output of ANY media outlet, no matter who runs it.

[msanthrope]

13. I await the apologia from Greenwald. nt

[blackspade]

15. Damn.

Wahl and Martin, two ladies with integrity.

[radiclib]

18. Where's Hartmann on all of this?

I'd love to hear his "Take" on what his employer is all about.

[elzenmahn]

20. You could the same thing about Larry King, or Max Keiser...

...or anybody else who works there.

[Tarheel_Dem]

27. +1000. You'll probably get crickets. I lost a lot of respect for Hartmann. n/t