The Propaganda War

[Gator]

Many of the  RT and CNN exchanges have been heated.  Here is a recent example.

RT:   CNN’s Amanpour show edits out criticism by visiting RT host

http://rt.com/news/208302-cnn-propaganda-interview-edited/

Published time: November 24, 2014 13:20
Edited time: November 24, 2014 17:40


CNN:   FULL TRANSCRIPT: Mikhail Kasyanov and Anissa Naouai

November 21st, 2014    05:37 PM ET

One example: 


AMANPOUR: Well, are you talking to me? Are you talking to me?

NAOUAI: Yes. Absolutely I'm talking to you.

AMANPOUR: You've got to be kidding me –

NAOUAI: - talking to? Absolutely. You've propagated the line of the State Department for over 15 years, starting with Yugoslavia and all the way into Syria.

AMANPOUR: Oh, my goodness.

NAOUAI: And now you're doing –

AMANPOUR: Have you seen any of my reports about Syria? Have you seen any of my reports about Syria?

NAOUAI: I've seen lots of your reports and in not one report where you find you questioning the United States government and their policy. And we, with our Russian propaganda, question those –

AMANPOUR: Anissa, I'm really now - listen, I invited you on this program - I invited you on this program to have an adult discussion.

http://amanpour.blogs.cnn.com/2014/11/21/full-transcript-mikhail-kasyanov-and-anissa-naouai/

[Photo Guy]

Gator- what's your point??
On my TV, I see lots of criticism of the US government. All governments need to be criticized and scrutinized. RT's criticism of one news reporter is ridiculous. I think the world sees RT as a propaganda machine. Does that mean there isn't any propaganda in the West? No. The point is, a variety of news sources is necessary and crucial for getting at the truth. No variety in Moscow. And protests are not allowed. It's like Orwell's Animal Farm.

[Photo Guy]

I don't like seeing the economic decline of Russia or its isolation. There are good people there, like everywhere else. What is sad is that Russians are okay with their government's threatening behavior.
Russia threatens to invade countries.
Russia threatens to cut-off supplies of gas to other countries.
Who likes threats? Who likes bullies? When the USA acts like a bully, I don't like that either. All governments need to be scrutinized and criticized. And lies need to be exposed as lies.

[Photo Guy]

BTW, I don't think cursing in public or in private should be allowed here. I think most of us here are civilized, but if someone sends me a profane message, I will make sure that everyone knows about it, through my own channels.

[JayH]

The psychologist told what really sure Putin as he was lying

In matters of confidence in Ukraine Putin is flashy and ostentatious.
This week, Putin delivered his annual address to the Federal Assembly . The main question that remains unanswered after his speech - can be the president of Russia is so detached from reality, and whether or not he believes in what he says.

But in order to distinguish that from Putin said a plan of action, and that - populist statements for domestic consumption, requires analysis of non-verbal cues. That is, we need unconscious signs of excitement, confidence or uncertainty, which shows itself acts. Typically, such signs are gestures, body position at the time of communication, speech-specific signals (repetition, interrupts speech, confusion in words, illogical sentence structure, etc.).

Generally evaluate real emotions and moods policy can except on talk shows or interview, when journalists ask provocative questions the policy to which he is clearly not ready. Prepared and rehearsed speech, written and edited by professional speechwriters many times, there is little suitable for the analysis of non-verbal. But in this speech can be found signs of uncertainty or, conversely, stubborn belief in those theses, which says the politician.

So nonverbal analysis of Putin's speech will still allow us to assess whether he shares the ideas and believes in those theses that he was read from the podium to the Federal Assembly.

I want to draw attention to several key aspects, the real attitude which will identify non-verbal analysis.

The first stop on the "Ukrainian question." Starting to talk about Ukraine and the events taking place in our country, Putin has resorted to some dramatized his statements. It forms a pause, play the voice (trying to strengthen its sound), allows repetition of the phrase in order to emphasize the sense of opinion, speech cliche applies in determining political opponents ("Kiev authorities" instead of "Ukrainian government," "armed revolution" instead of "change power "and so forth.).

Putin aims to further counteract Western sanctions
All this is aimed at maintaining and enhancing the effect of his words and is extremely demonstrative sign. But a minute later at the mention of the fact that "the Ukrainian people still give a fair assessment of these events," Putin said at least loud voice allows the use of connectors (sounds "brain" - uh-uh, uh-m), begins to stagnate in place (a sign of insecurity).
The same effect is observed at the mention of Russia's role in international politics and her willingness to take part in joint international projects. Speaking of "unprecedented openness of Russia," Putin shows signs of uncertainty, marking time, shrugs. That is, it becomes obvious that he really does not think Russia's openness "unprecedented." These symptoms manifest themselves in an attempt to persuade the Federal Assembly that Russia is not going to stop any relationship with Europe or America.

Crimea is also not a question for the President of Russia comfortable and easy. Despite the support of the audience, Putin feels insecure, speaking about the legitimacy of the Crimean parliament adopted a decision on accession to the Russian Federation.

But do not think that Putin generally speaking hesitantly. Quite the contrary. Speaking on other issues, he was as sure of himself, as well as last year (remember that the President of the Russian Federation is obliged to act with the Federal Assembly each year). The main difference - this year, Putin had fewer negative emotions, talking about internal problems.

See also: And I dreamed Vova Putin: introspective analysis of sleep
But his behavior during the announcement of the talk of the combat capability of the Russian army shows that in this respect he feels confident, determined to act firmly and sincerely believes in the strength, combat capability and modern Armed Forces.

The same confidence manifested and articulating plans for internal reorganization of Russia, the creation of import substitution programs and the return of capital amnesty program.

Analyzing its performance to the following conclusions:

1. Putin is confident in the strength and power of Russia's defense capability. Internally, he is ready to play the card of power solutions to both domestic and foreign policy issues.

2. Putin is aimed at countering further sanctions of the West and sees no reason to change course in this matter.

3. Putin does not believe that Russia will remain an equal participant in international relations. It is angry, but he's ready for this isolation.

4. With regard to Ukraine, the confidence Putin is flashy and ostentatious.

In conclusion, we note that filling the message, Putin is not primarily thinking about the effect that will make his speech in general, and about the effect it will produce on his inner circle.

http://ru.tsn.ua/blogi/themes/psihology/o-chem-vret-putin-399875.html

[JayH]

NATO began to fight anti-Ukrainian propaganda Kremlin

NATO began to fight against Russian propaganda, which calls the Ukrainian "fascists" and supporters of neo-Nazi movements. NATO began to make his own movies, which rozvinchuyutsya Russian myths.


http://zik.ua/ua/news/2014/12/08/nato_pochav_borotysya_z_antyukrainskoyu_propagandoyu_kremlya_547175

[Photo Guy]

Entertaining? Yes. But are these sad realities in Russia today?

http://www.worldaffairsjournal.org/article/land-magical-thinking-inside-putin%E2%80%99s-russia

[mendeleyev]

Brilliant, photo guy.

My wife missed most of her driver school classes some years ago. But then she received a call from the school offering her the opportunity to take the exam anyway, with a guarantee that she would pass. I've written here and other places on the number of thankfully small accidents that followed, including the "fender bender" that occurred on the way home from picking up her license. A few winters ago, after one mishap in which her mother had to be taken to the hospital, a Moscow police officer suggested that she just turn in her license and use the Metro. That led to me, finally, having a hand in her driver's education. Thankfully things are getting better.

Most everything in that article rang familiar. Some rang really, really loud.

One topic that is changing is of the military draft. Russia is upgrading forces and equipment and there has been of late a very purposeful concentration in honing the quality of troops. The hazing, selling conscripts body organs for profit, etc, have been dealt with by Moscow and the Russian Army is far more professional, and less hazardous for conscripts, than before.

The road police are also under a great deal of scrutiny and now are supposed to video every traffic ticket issued. That has begun to make a dent in that type of corruption.

[AC]

From the link provided by PhotoGuy:


"There is a spate of prime-time documentaries [featuring] secret service men who inform the audience about the psychic weapons they have developed. The Russian military has “sleepers,” psychics who can go into a trance and . . . penetrate the minds of foreign statesmen . . . One has entered the mind of the US president . . .
 
Well, now that I think about it . . ."

and the solution is
"So what we need to do is this. Start with a little bit of George Kennan’s Containment Policy. Leaven that with a large dose of Reagan Doctrine, arming the dickens out of Ukraine, Georgia, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, and any other sane polity feeling pressure from the Evil Post-Empire. Mix these with the black humor of Peter Pomerantsev’s Nothing Is True and Everything Is Possible. And sit back and watch the Putin regime rot."

[Photo Guy]

As a follow-up- I've just started reading a Kindle version of
Peter Pomerantsev's book. ...really interesting. $14.49 at amazon.com

[JayH]

An analysis of Putin's body language during press conference   yesterday-- makes interesting reading-again. The link will get you to the whole story--only a very small part is contained here( I have been instructed not to post whole articles)
Kim Valentin psychologist, an expert on nonverbal communication
Putin 2014: crystallization of hatred

Severity level judgments Vladimir Putin suggests crystallization of his convictions.
On the eve passed the final press conference of Vladimir Putin - more than three hours, Russian President answered questions from journalists. Pleased with the number of questions openly negative connotation.

However, on their own answers have little to say about the true intentions of temporary and permanent master of the Kremlin. Much more informative they are, if you connect the analysis of non-verbal aspects of communication. In this case we are talking about the nature of the gestures, intonations, autonomic reactions and characteristics of the formation of speech - and on this press conference, Putin was a lot .

What I recommend to pay attention to:

1. Cough. Rather slight cough during answers to questions. This press conference broke all records for the number of coughs. Cough, if it is repeated often said that a person is experiencing the following possible reactions: fear of disclosure of fraud, fear of a possible mistrust towards the sonicated information they anger. Vladimir Putin began to cough at the beginning of the speech and stayed until the middle of the event. However, in the second half of the conference when answering questions most unpleasant cough found to go beyond the president's self-control. The most "coughing" themes for Putin were questions about the fall of the ruble, reduced oil prices, the growth of reserves of the Central Bank, with mention of the fact "Bashneft".

In the end, you can draw the following conclusions:

- Putin is afraid of a palace coup.
- firmly and unequivocally convinced in his own right.
- became worse control myself. Less restrained.
- internal problems make him much experience, while arguments about geopolitical nuances give confidence and faith in their own strength and plans.
- crystallization of hatred. Putin was just as hard in the estimates of Ukrainian events and the role of the US and NATO in their provoking. And in some respects he had the desire to go to the end.
http://ru.tsn.ua/blogi/themes/psihology/putin-2014-kristallizaciya-nenavisti-401878.html

[lordtiberius]

The biggest take away, don't do botox.

[Photo Guy]

In order to fight Russian propaganda, I urge the central government in Kiev to send humanitarian convoys to the rebel areas, especially the smaller villages. I've just read an article describing the conditions there, the lack of food...starvation. This kind offering would have a powerful positive effect, during the holiday season. It would be the best form of public relations. It is the Christian thing to do, and could arrive as a truck convoy, similar in appearance to the white trucks from east. Get the Red Cross and OSCE monitors involved. Frame it as a major media event...

[AC]

Russian volunteer fighters in Donbas believe that they are fighting a "holy war" against the West.  It's not easy to overcome such a mindset.


http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-30518054

[lordtiberius]

PG, this is a siege.  You don't do that.

AC, people abandon their creeds all the time, when they experience a more powerful set of ideals.  See Whittaker Chambers.

[AkMike]

Russian volunteer fighters in Donbas believe that they are fighting a "holy war" against the West.  It's not easy to overcome such a mindset

 Yes it is easy!  BTW I read that UA has signed a deal with Barrett Firearms! They make some of the best 50 Cal sniper rifles around. I shot one several years ago and hit the end of a 55 gallon oil drum at 1 measured mile. It's an amazing piece of hardware that should work well against the invading Moskovi.

 The Browning 50 and the 338 Lapua will pop thru the body armor at long ranges.

[mendeleyev]

In order to fight Russian propaganda, I urge the central government in Kiev to send humanitarian convoys to the rebel areas, especially the smaller villages. I've just read an article describing the conditions there, the lack of food...starvation. This kind offering would have a powerful positive effect, during the holiday season. It would be the best form of public relations. It is the Christian thing to do, and could arrive as a truck convoy, similar in appearance to the white trucks from east. Get the Red Cross and OSCE monitors involved. Frame it as a major media event...

To give you an idea of the extent of the massive propaganda war in this conflict, they have done just that, and more than once. Several times I have sent stories to network editors in the USA who have declined to use the material. Of late I am often told that the war in Eastern Ukraine is "no longer a story of interest" to American media consumers.

Specifically on the humanitarian convoys, a Ukrainian convoy beat the Russian convoy that so famously led the Red Cross on a wild goose chase. Although only about half the trucks were involved, the Ukrainian trucks were full; as opposed to the half to mostly empty Russian trucks.

The biggest danger now to Ukrainian convoys is the fact that the Russians control the skies in Eastern Ukraine and without air support those types of movements are sitting ducks. Many of the airplanes and helos that Kiev has sent into the air have been shot out of the sky by the more modernized air defense systems employed by the Russians in the region.

[calmissile]

Mendy,

Could you please explain something that has been puzzling me for months.  With the refusal of Russia to admit their troops and equipment  are in East Ukriane, how is it that for months there have been very few reports corroborated with photos (until recently).  It appears there are thousands of reporters there and yet hardly any photos of proof.

This provided ammunition for the pro-Russian's for months because of the lack of photos.  Are all these reporters sitting in one place drinking beer and playing cards?

[mendeleyev]

Beer? maybe. Cards? no time for it.

The evidence is there, but you have to look for it. At the beginning of the conflict there were lots of reporters in the fighting zones. The rebels forces however quickly put a stop to that, except for Russian news agencies like LifeNews, etc. http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/separatists-in-eastern-ukraine-target-journalists-in-all-out-information-war/2014/05/06/d8270ba6-5f83-4b9a-9ebe-a29ba95823e1_story.html

Deaths of journalists, including Russian reporters, have been recorded in the conflict. http://foreignpolicy.com/2014/06/23/more-reporters-die-in-eastern-ukraine/  The latest death of which I am aware was RT reporter Andrei Stenin whose body was found in mid-September.

So with few exceptions, most reporters from Western news agencies are on or near the areas still controlled by the Ukrainian government, and obviously the Russians are not sending troops and equipment thru Ukrainian controlled areas. Subscribe to VICE news on YouTube as they on occasion have gotten past checkpoints. The famous self appointed defense minister of Donetsk, KGB/FSB operative  Igor Strelkov, signed a decree banning reporters (except Russian) from the region and banned any filming or recording.

Human Rights Watch has dubbed Eastern Ukraine as a “trap for journalists.” They are right. Reporters working in the region are required to wear protective vests and those vests are labeled: Press or пресса for publications and radio, or TV or TB for television. In reality, while they are supposed to let combatants know who is not a target, instead those have become like painted targets on the chest.

http://en.rsf.org/ukraine-summary-of-attacks-on-media-12-05-2014,46265.html

There is a lot of info that simply doesn't make it into Western news cycles. YouTube videos that show any evidence of Russian movement inside Ukraine are usually deleted rather swiftly. The best source of photos from professional media is Twitter and most of those never make it to main stream media.

[AC]

Mendy,

Could you please explain something that has been puzzling me for months.  With the refusal of Russia to admit their troops and equipment  are in East Ukriane, how is it that for months there have been very few reports corroborated with photos (until recently).  It appears there are thousands of reporters there and yet hardly any photos of proof.

The proof is what Mendy just posted.  Putin's Russia probably has more dead or disappeared journalists than any other modern nation.  You did not think that sort of thing would be different in Eastern Ukraine, did you?

[Brasscasing]

Looks like Canada's now getting equal billing with the US on Russia's 'you're off my Christmas card list' propaganda marquee...

Russia Denounces New Round of Western Sanctions

..."MOSCOW — Russia on Saturday derided the United States and Canada for imposing yet another round of economic sanctions over the Kremlin’s policies in Ukraine, and pointed at President Obama’s recent decision to normalize relations with Cuba as proof that sanctions were ultimately pointless."...

...“For those who still are under the illusion that everyone in the world should live as specified by Washington and Ottawa,” Mr. Lukashevich, the Foreign Ministry spokesman, said, “Remember: Crimea is a primordial and integral part of Russia. The residents of the Crimea are now together with all the Russian people, who never buckled or caved in to external pressure.”...

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/21/world/europe/russia-denounces-new-round-of-western-sanctions.html?_r=0

...“For those who still are under the illusion that everyone in the world should live as specified by Washington and Ottawa,”...

Hear ye, Hear ye, Ottawa decrees that the world population will consume pancakes with maple syrup and from this day forth play hockey. Further, anyone caught not wearing their regulation issue Canadian flag wool tuque will be deported to Tuktoyaktuk, Canada's Syberia, for reeducation without a Tim Horton's coffee card. 

Brass

[AC]

Hear ye, Hear ye, Ottawa decrees that the world population will consume pancakes with maple syrup and from this day forth play hockey. Further, anyone caught not wearing their regulation issue Canadian flag wool tuque will be deported to Tuktoyaktuk, Canada's Syberia, for reeducation without a Tim Horton's coffee card. 

 

[calmissile]

Beer? maybe. Cards? no time for it.

The evidence is there, but you have to look for it. At the beginning of the conflict there were lots of reporters in the fighting zones. The rebels forces however quickly put a stop to that, except for Russian news agencies like LifeNews, etc. http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/separatists-in-eastern-ukraine-target-journalists-in-all-out-information-war/2014/05/06/d8270ba6-5f83-4b9a-9ebe-a29ba95823e1_story.html

Deaths of journalists, including Russian reporters, have been recorded in the conflict. http://foreignpolicy.com/2014/06/23/more-reporters-die-in-eastern-ukraine/  The latest death of which I am aware was RT reporter Andrei Stenin whose body was found in mid-September.

So with few exceptions, most reporters from Western news agencies are on or near the areas still controlled by the Ukrainian government, and obviously the Russians are not sending troops and equipment thru Ukrainian controlled areas. Subscribe to VICE news on YouTube as they on occasion have gotten past checkpoints. The famous self appointed defense minister of Donetsk, KGB/FSB operative  Igor Strelkov, signed a decree banning reporters (except Russian) from the region and banned any filming or recording.

Human Rights Watch has dubbed Eastern Ukraine as a “trap for journalists.” They are right. Reporters working in the region are required to wear protective vests and those vests are labeled: Press or пресса for publications and radio, or TV or TB for television. In reality, while they are supposed to let combatants know who is not a target, instead those have become like painted targets on the chest.

http://en.rsf.org/ukraine-summary-of-attacks-on-media-12-05-2014,46265.html

There is a lot of info that simply doesn't make it into Western news cycles. YouTube videos that show any evidence of Russian movement inside Ukraine are usually deleted rather swiftly. The best source of photos from professional media is Twitter and most of those never make it to main stream media.

Your explanation seems to support the notion that Russian has won/is winning the propaganda war.  Public opinion in the US is mostly influenced by the mainstream media.  While Russia made ridiculous claims that no Russian soldiers or equipment was in East Ukraine or Crimea, there was little to no proof in the Western Media that proved otherwise.  It is no wonder that many Americans did not take an interest in the conflict or see the lies put out by Kremlin controlled media.

The question in my mind is it the blame of the mainstream media or the US government for not producing evidence to counter the lies and inform the public of truths supported by photos, intelligence, etc.  Even Fox News spends days on topics that should have been short stories.  You would think they would have been able to capture the Facebook, Tweets, and UTube reports that exposed the lies of the Kremlin.

[AC]

The question in my mind is it the blame of the mainstream media or the US government for not producing evidence to counter the lies and inform the public of truths supported by photos, intelligence, etc.  Even Fox News spends days on topics that should have been short stories.  You would think they would have been able to capture the Facebook, Tweets, and UTube reports that exposed the lies of the Kremlin.

Calmissile, obviously ignoring it or pretending that it does not exist has been an active and conscious part of Obama's "diplomacy" all along.  Just refer back to the events at Benghazi for your prime example. 

I would be interested to hear more of the opinions of journalist Mendeleyev on Obama's diplomacy in regards to Russia and Ukraine.

[mendeleyev]

Calm, visit my Twitter and perhaps you may wish to follow some of the folk that I follow, and follow me as well.. In no time, you'll have more info than you can handle.

Mendeleyev Journal@russianreport

Warning: there are plenty of Russian (pro) sources there as well. Balance is good.