Ukraine Watch...

[emordnilap]

Putin orders retaliatory sanctions - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-28680656

The US and the EU accused pro-Russian separatist rebels of attacking the jet, mistakenly, with a missile supplied by Russia. The rebels and the Russian government deny the accusation.

This is highly insidious media manipulation, as is much of that article. Most people would take it at face value and the Beeb would say it's "balanced".

[Little John]

OSCE: No Russian violations on Ukrainian border

The OSCE monitoring mission on the Russian-Ukrainian border has registered no violations of international law by the Russian side during its week-long stay at the Gukovo and Donetsk checkpoints, mission head Paul Picard said.

http://rt.com/news/178668-osce-russia-ukraine-border/

OSCE, by the way, is comprised of parliamentarians from across Europe. So. obviously, not all organs of the EU state are fully nailed down yet and so are still capable of coming out with messages that are "off-script", as it were. It would not surprise me at all if, after someone has had a little word with them, they come out with some kind of additional "qualification" statement in the next day or so that allows some wiggle room to accommodate the formal Western narrative.

One thing's for sure, you wont see any report of it on the BBC.

[emordnilap]

'Anything' or 'anyone', Biff.

Both are quite correct.

[emordnilap]

This will be now be allowed to continue for a week or two in order for it to seep into the broader narrative. At which point, the term "seizure" will no doubt begin to be used by the broadcasters themselves. That's how it works.

Yes. As has been pointed out, in overtly dictatorial regimes, the lies are obvious and people deal with them as such.

In our regimes, however...

[Little John]

This will be now be allowed to continue for a week or two in order for it to seep into the broader narrative. At which point, the term "seizure" will no doubt begin to be used by the broadcasters themselves. That's how it works.

Yes. As has been pointed out, in overtly dictatorial regimes, the lies are obvious and people deal with them as such.

In our regimes, however...

I tell you what E, I previously considered myself pretty clued up and cynical about what our elites over here were capable of in terms of media manipulations and propaganda. But, my bloody eyes have been well and truly opened in the last few weeks and I've crossed some kind of psychological rubicon as a consequence.

[emordnilap]

I tell you what E, I previously considered myself pretty clued up and cynical about what our elites over here were capable of in terms of media manipulations and propaganda. But, my bloody eyes have been well and truly opened in the last few weeks. I've crossed some kind of psychological rubicon as a consequence.

I know what you mean. Generally, it seems to me that either many people take the mainstream media line fairly literally or are afraid of being 'different' by thinking for themselves.

Obviously, this manipulation is not a new thing - there's a quote from WWI about 'if people knew the truth the war would end today' or something like that. But the propagandists are clever, they've taken their time and learnt well - everything is going to plan.

In years to come, it will be seen for what it is: a logical corollary of - indeed, an inevitable and integral part of - the so-called 'free market' and its associated machinery.

[RenewableCandy]

Given a mention of WWI, here's an interesting article: most people can name the shooting of Archduke Ferdinand as the start, but how many people (myself included until this jolly morn) know how it was ended?
http://blogs.channel4.com/paul-mason-bl ... d-war/1240

[o]n 24 October 1918, with the German army retreating and its discipline disintegrating, the right-wing aristocrats who ran the German navy launched a suicidal mass foray from the base in Kiel, where they’d been holed up. It was quite clear, rebel sailor Ernst Schneider later wrote, that this was to be a “death ride”.

But the sailors had other ideas.

[emordnilap]

most people can name the shooting of Archduke Ferdinand as the start

But most people cannot name the cause. The real cause.

And there's a comment beneath the piece that I like and I think Steve might like too:

So why are you and others like you in mainstream media creating the same mentality that started the First World War (and the Cold War)?…….That is, demonizing Putin and Russia instead of showing the history and motivation of Western invasion and interference in Ukraine. Then ask why NATO even exists in a post Cold War world.

I challenge you to produce a news segment showing how Brit media has demonized in cahoots with the establishment that owns and controls it. You can throw in the Yank effort too, Fox News and the rest of the warmongering nutcases. And even the mainland European propaganda.

Then you could take a close look at Parliament’s Select Committee on Defence, who its members are, how they were selected and what are their individual backgrounds and attitudes. Then read their latest crazy report. Then ask yourself why you are so willing to close your eyes to the same kind of situation you describe in this blog.

I won’t hold my breath.

Physician, heal thyself.

[emordnilap]

eyes have been well and truly opened in the last few weeks

Books such as Pilger's Hidden Agendas (which, amongst other depressing but eloquent pieces, includes an absorbing, first-hand account of the decline of The Daily Mirror and its 110% relevance to your comments and recent observations) or Moore's Stupid White Men (for the mind-boggling audacity of the corrupt but powerful few and the even more eye-widening acceptance of corruption by the many) should be on every curriculum.

[another_exlurker]

eyes have been well and truly opened in the last few weeks

Books such as Pilger's Hidden Agendas (which, amongst other depressing but eloquent pieces, includes an absorbing, first-hand account of the decline of The Daily Mirror and its 110% relevance to your comments and recent observations) or Moore's Stupid White Men (for the mind-boggling audacity of the corrupt but powerful few and the even more eye-widening acceptance of corruption by the many) should be on every curriculum.

But that would lead to an informed electorate capable of critical thinking, resulting in a viable democracy that holds its elected leaders to account and works to the benefit of the general population rather than a minority. It would be a complete travesty and so must never be allowed to happen. Ever.

[biffvernon]

MH17, the plot thickens

http://robinwestenra.blogspot.co.uk/201 ... l?spref=fb

[Little John]

Given all of the evidence of obstructionism that has been there from the start, most notably the flat-out refusal to hand over critical data by both Kiev and the Yanks, plus all of the blatant and, frankly, desperate propaganda spewing from the USA, it's main bitch the UK and several other Western countries to varying degrees, this is looking more and more like a false-flag operation. Whilst I was initially prepared to countenance it as a cock-up by either side that report, taken in conjunction with eye witness statements, indicate to me that there was no way that two fighter jets in such close proximity could have ever mistaken that aircraft as an enemy combatant. Not that the rebels had any aircraft in any event and Kiev knew that. The Yanks and/or Kiev are desperate and out of control. There is a much bigger game being played here and I think it has do with the petrodollar and the recent concerted attempts by Russia and others to dump it.

[emordnilap]

There is a much bigger game being played here

Agreed. Energy - should I say, energy's decline - is at the heart of it.

The world is, at the moment, in a highly dangerous place.

[another_exlurker]

MH17, the plot thickens

http://robinwestenra.blogspot.co.uk/201 ... l?spref=fb

More here and here.

[Little John]

So how long can our MSM keep up the pretence? I mean, at what point? It's up to each and every one of us to share this stuff out via as many mediums as we are able. Thanks for the links ex-Lurker.