Monday, January 10, 2022

THE FBI HAS SEIZED YOUR MIND

Submitted by: Don Hank 

The US Establishment wants to own your mind 

https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Pillars-of-Russia’s-Disinformation-and-Propaganda-Ecosystem_08-04-20.pdf 

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Recently, the FBI blacklisted Strategic Culture Foundation for serving “Russian propaganda.” https://www.strategic-culture.org/news/2021/11/18/us-blacklists-strategic-culture-foundation-in-attack-on-independent-journalism-and-political-dissent/

 

This is a blatant violation of the First Amendment rights of these dissident authors and the site owner – especially since there is no clear-cut definition of propaganda and the notion that Russia is somehow inherently evil and that its views must be suppressed has never been confirmed – even though the US Empire deems it to be so. The US public has never been shown precisely why its government wants it to hate Russia. 

State Dept condemns web sites as RU disinformation, but gives no examples of actual disinformation in the sense of false information. 

State calls Russia-friendly authors “fringe thinkers” but does not define that term or show how being a so-called “fringe thinker” harms the American people. The use of this term by the State Department clearly reveals that fringe thinkers are merely dissidents who disagree with the views promoted by the US elites, who are mostly oligarchs – ie, billionaires – who have seized the power in the government and promote war. Is it important to protect the warmongers who in fact are the actual fringe thinkers compared to the general public, which does not want war? 

When dissidents appeared in Russia, we supported them. If you want to smear them now, show how they harm the public. 

But just as in the Soviet Union, the dissidents stand athwart the dictators in charge. 

The State Department demonizes them but fails to make a strong case for their being in any way deleterious to the average American’s welfare. 

The FBI’s blacklisting of a web site, Strategic Culture Foundation, shows that the US Establishment is fearful of dissidents for the same reasons that the Soviet leadership was fearful of Russian dissidents. 

Here is what the State Department says of this organization at its official site: https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Pillars-of-Russia’s-Disinformation-and-Propaganda-Ecosystem_08-04-20.pdf 

Excerpt, with my notes in red and [brackets[]: 

Summary The Strategic Culture Foundation is an online journal registered in Russia, directed by Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) [this is not a proven fact], and closely affiliated with the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The outlet plays a central role among a group of linked websites that proliferate Russian disinformation and propaganda.2 [State uses the term “Russian disinformation” and “Russian propaganda” liberally but never once attempts to define this. To do so, it would have to prove that its reports are not factual, but it makes no attempt to do so, of course. Its mainstay of support is the fact that the US public has long been exposed to the notion that Russia is evil, as when Reagan called the Soviet Union an evil empire. State knows that the words Russian and Russia are emotional trigger words and that it does not need to show how being Russian or being affiliated with Russia is bad. They will automatically associate the word with communism and dictatorship. 

Americans just accept that. But we shouldn’t because: 

1—assuming Russia is evil is a variant of racism, and 

2—The Soviet Union is dead and buried and the Russian Federation is not a reincarnation of it – despite US propaganda to the contrary. 

Americans have been indoctrinated to believe that Russia is evil simply because of the Soviet past. Yet Russia was an indispensable ally in WW II, that killed 3/4 of all the Nazis killed in the conflict, whereas Germany and Japan, the enemies, did incalculable harm to the West in terms of human lives and property lost. So why is Russia the ONLY one of these three that is associated with evil today? Especially in view of the fact that the allies may have lost WWII without Russia’s help. 

It’s US Establishment propaganda and disinformation.] 

One of its core tactics is to attract authors who are Western fringe thinkers and conspiracy theorists [Note how the derogatory term “fringe thinkers” is used and the word “dissident” is avoided, although that is exactly what the SCF writers are, dissidents], giving them a broader platform and obscuring the Russian origins of the journal [But Russia is not really evil, only in the minds of the US elites who need the fable of Russia as an “enemy” to stoke the hate and keep up with the ongoing brainwashing needed to uphold the warmongering government, arms makers, NATO and incompetent politicians on both sides of the aisle]. This tactic helps the site appear to be an organic voice within its target audience of Westerners. Strategic Culture Foundation (SCF) online journal is a prime example of long-standing Russian tactics to conceal direct state involvement in disinformation and propaganda outlets [This State Department site itself is in fact blatant “state involvement in disinformation and propaganda.” Why is it perfectly fine for the US government to proselytize against Russia but not ok for Russia-friendly sites to openly disclose their affiliation? The only reason sites appearing in the US can hardly disclose their ties to Russia is the extreme prejudice toward Russia specifically as fomented by the US government], and to cultivate local voices to serve as surrogate messengers. SCF finds obscure Western fringe thinkers and conspiracy theorists and gives their typically virulent [Virulent is a gross exaggeration. The official views of the US Establishment are MUCH more virulent than any view expressed by Russian friendly sites. The US Establishment has slaughtered MILLIONS of mostly civilians in foreign countries like Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Sudan, Afghanistan and the many other countries listed here: https://vividmaps.com/countries-attacked-by-the-us/] anti-Western and anti-U.S. views a broad international platform [Wait. Is it anti-American to tell the truth about an event or situation? Russia-affiliated sites generally report things as they are. The fact that these revelations do not please the princes in Washington does not make them anti-American. It makes them pro-American in terms of the benefit to the public. For example, the revelation that there were no WMDs in Iraq and that the public was scammed did not hurt the public in any way, even though the elites wanted to keep it secret. After a decade of reading Russian analysis sites, I discovered that US propaganda is the REAL hotbed of falsehoods, as I showed here: https://www.quora.com/How-absurd-is-Russian-propaganda-about-the-foreign-countries-especially-the-EU-countries-and-the-USA/answer/Don-Hank-3]. It does this while giving the misleading impression SCF is independent and unaffiliated with the Russian government. This approach has several advantages for Russia: • it gives increased circulation to what would otherwise be fringe voices that suit Russian propaganda goals [the US government does everything in its power to silence dissidents, so they deserve this increased circulation. This State Department screed is nothing but suppression of free speech because it does not address REAL disinformation but simply builds a bogus case seeking to invalidate dissident voices]; • Russia deflects responsibility by obscuring its sponsorship of the site [There is no proof that the Kremlin is behind this site and even if it is, the US aims its Voice of America and the anti-Russian statements of US politicians and officials to Russia. So what?]; and • the individuals and conspiracy theorists they publish communicate in local idioms and understand their home audiences well [The State Department is not justified in criticizing dissidents for using their own language. That is absurd]. The Strategic Culture Foundation and the Russian State SCF was founded in 2005.3 Originally it only published its journal in Russian. In September 2010, the online journal began to also appear in English.4 This marked SCF’s debut as an instrument for disinformation and propaganda on the international stage [The site owners have every right to publish whatever they want. The State Department is forgetting that the US has a First Amendment and they are doing their best to quash its effects. It is a crime to use taxpayer money to smear constitutionally protected discourse. And they have no right to call it disinformation without any proof whatsoever that it is false]. While SCF’s online journal makes every effort to appear independent, it is directed by Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) and closely affiliated with the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.5 There is no mention of this affiliation on SCF’s English-language website, nor of any link to Russia—including the fact that SCF publishes in Russian.6 However, International Affairs, the flagship journal of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs since 1922, states on its website that SCF is its partner.7 [As I said above, there is no real evidence that Russia is an enemy. Therefore there is no harm in a US site partnering with a Russian ministry. Again, the only real enemy of the US public is in Washington, DC]. SCF’s president is Yuri Prokofiev, who was Moscow Party Chief from 1989 to 1991 and a Soviet Politburo Member. 8 Prokofiev is also one of the founders of the “Russian Organization for Assistance to Special Services and Law Enforcement Authorities” (ROSSPO).9 According to its website, ROSSPO works closely with Russian security services to support the policies of the Russian state, facilitate cooperation between state institutions and civil society, and ensure the social protection of the employees of intelligence services and law enforcement authorities.10 [There is nothing illegitimate in having a police force in Russia but the State Department would like us to think this is something sinister – again, relying on the public’s irrational bias against Russi] SCF’s Director General is Vladimir Maximenko, who is also the director of the no-longer active Russian Unity Foundation, which was focused on promoting a “positive image of Russia and Russian culture abroad,” especially among the so-called Russian compatriots.11 Introduction 16 Global Engagement Center While SCF made some efforts to attract Western authors when it launched its English-language website in 2010, its writers for years were mostly Russians. This is demonstrated by the preponderance of Russian-authored articles posted on the 2 May 2015 SCF homepage. 12 Some examples include: • Yuri Rubtsov (two articles) • Pyotr Iskenderov • Dmitry Minin • Nil Nikandrov • Nikolai Bobkin • Alexander Donetsky (two articles) • Natalia Meden • Valentin Katasonov. By comparison, on that same day only three non-Russian authors, including Finian Cunningham and Pepe Escobar, had articles published on SCF homepage. Five years later, the English version of SCF’s online journal has undergone a transformation. On the current SCF homepage, the Russian authors have disappeared—replaced by Westerners, although Cunningham and Escobar still remain.13 Finian Cunningham, who is originally from Belfast and has a background in agricultural chemistry, is the second-most prolific author for SCF, publishing more than 550 articles since 2012.14 In one SCF article, he refers to the United States as a “lawless rogue state.”15 [The US public can easily relate to this. Just the fact that Assange is in jail for having published the TRUTH about US war crimes and Trump’s confession that the US troops are in Syria to steal the oil tell the whole story about this rogue state!] His other SCF articles include: • Give North Korea some respect16 • Putin Stands Out as a Real World Leader17 • Washington Choreographing All-Out War with Russia?18 • The Year US-led Capitalism Became Exposed as Root of Global Conflict.19 [These titles are not a sign of propaganda, but they do express dissident opinions that the State Department disapproves of. Its disapproval does not invalidate them] Cunningham’s work also appears frequently on major Russian state-media outlets RT (237 results), Sputnik (330 results), and RIA Novosti (30 results).20 [Article counts compiled on 9 June 2020.] [Again, agreeing with Russia on things is not a violation of any US or international law!] Retired Russian Colonel Andrei Akulov is the third most-published author on SCF’s English language website; however, his most recent article is from 2018. Similarly, longtime SCF Russian authors like Dmitry Minin, Valentin Katasonov, Pyotr Iskenderov, and Alexander Mezyaev are still published on the Russian-language website, but they stopped appearing on the English-language website in 2017 or 2018. [Again, the fact that the site now caters mainly to Westerners is of concern ONLY to the mind manipulators in Washington, DC, who are terrified that you might learn forbidden truth]. 

 

** 

 

Ony YOU can prevent the next world war 

Each war after WW II has been promoted by the msn, each time by blaming a country for something, typically with little substantiation (eg, WMDs in Iraq). But the most egregious lies and fables are the accusations against Russia and China. And these are the most dangerous ones since both are nuclear powers. 

What the US government is doing is tantamount to climbing through a fence into a pasture hosting a raging bull and kicking the bull in the shin. 

The official US viewpoint rammed down your throat by the warmongering Establishment (not just one party) falsely claims that Russia is the aggressor in Ukraine.  

But in fact, the Ukraine government has been attacking residential areas in Donbass ever since the US invasion of the Maidan in Feb 2014. These lethal attacks are never reported in the lying/obfuscating US msn. Here is the latest story on these attacks: 

https://anna-news.info/the-situation-in-donbass-is-escalating/  

“The situation in Donbass is escalating. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the Ukrainian troops are conducting offensive operations in some areas of the DPR and the LPR. According to the official spokeswoman of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maria Zakharova, this is indicated by the reports of the special monitoring mission. She clarified that the offensive operations are being conducted near the settlements of Granitnoye and Staromaryevka. “Some information continues to be received about the use of weapons, prohibited by the Minsk agreement, but still supplied to Ukraine by the NATO countries» — the spokeswoman announced.” 

From Anti-Bellum 

West’s bid to replicate 1980s Afghan model: U.S., NATO preparing to deliver Stinger missiles to Ukraine – NBC report 

https://antibellum679354512.wordpress.com/2022/01/09/wests-bid-to-replicate-1980s-afghan-model-u-s-nato-preparing-to-deliver-stinger-missiles-to-ukraine-nbc-report/ 

One of the alleged main conspirators in the attempted overthrow of the Kazakhstan Government turns out to have been a “good friend” of the Bidens who participated in several shady business meetings with both Hunter and Joe. 

Once again, the Biden family’s corrupt dealings have directly impacted another MAJOR geopolitical issue. 

From The Gateway Pundit 

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2022/01/high-ranking-kazakhstan-official-allegedly-sparked-bloody-attempted-revolution-arrested-treason-another-one-bidens-corrupt-business-partners/  

 

Listed below are recommended news sites that are antidotes to toxic Establishment-controlled sites that promote and provoke war with Russia and China. Please bookmark them. 

 

English language 

Andrei Martyanov blog, The Saker (Vinceyard), Strategic Culture Foundation (blacklisted by the FBI, all the more reason to read it), Southfront, Fort Russ,  Anna-News https://anna-news.info/category/news/news-in-english/,  avia-pro.net, Counterpunch, avia-pro-net, antebellum 

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