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Russia-West propaganda and different solutions to world problems

Viktor Mikhin, February 23

87e3e6It is noteworthy that as soon as Russian foreign policy makes some movements, Western media, as a team in unison, begin viciously screaming (there is no other word to describe their actions), and strongly criticizing Russia and its president. It seems that many Western politicians are stuck in the old, flooded with water up to the knees, “cold war” trenches, and still believe our country to be an evil empire, ruled by the KGB and GULAG. Watch any of the Hollywood films about Russia today, and you will observe that our modern life is described in black 1930s colors. Such examples are countless. For example, let us observe, at least, the “colorful” description of the Sochi Olympics in the Western press. It is well known since Greek times that during this competition, wars, battles, and attacks on each other stopped, and the former enemies competed in the stadiums, showing their prowess and athletic endurance. Nevertheless, the Olympics in Sochi are presented very differently in the West. A number of politicians and journalists have viciously criticized our country, showing their basest, heinous qualities.

Here is an example of this disgusting propaganda. President Putin’s foreign policy in Syria does not meet with Olympic ideals, Malloch Mark Brown, former UN Deputy Secretary General and former Minister of the British government said in an article for the magazine Foreign Policy. “Mr. Putin’s government is the main obstacle to the UN Security Council – it is blocking a resolution that would implement these high ideals into life,” the author blatantly lies. According to Malloch-Brown, Russia should insist that the Syrian government allow humanitarian assistance to reach the “Syrians that are dying of hunger and lack of medical care due to a blockade imposed by Assad”.

Every word is a lie and an outright slander, directed to the average Westerner who is not very versed in international affairs. The former minister should be reminded, and at the same time, Western people should be enlightened of the fact that the Russian Foreign Ministry proposed introducing a truce during the Sochi Olympic Games, and the stop to all fighting. It is, of course right, that Russia rejected the draft resolution submitted by its Western partners in the UN Security Council, believing that this document will only complicate the situation and thwart efforts for a political settlement in the background of an international conference in Geneva. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov explained in some detail to his Western partners, why Moscow has rejected this draft resolution. However, at the same time Russia has made its own draft, more detailed and more constructive, aimed at improving the humanitarian situation in Syria. Nevertheless, this former British minister did not say a word about that draft.

In addition, the average Westerner should be reminded that Russia regularly sends humanitarian aid to Syria, which has saved tens of thousands of Syrians from hunger and cold. Then again, what can be said about the United States and its Western partners? Yes, they also “help”, but they help the Syrian opposition to continue the civil war. The press has repeatedly presented details how CIA agents actively train Syrian bandits and thugs at bases in Turkey and Jordan, and how these “freedom fighters” are supplied with various types of weapons. The Wall Street Journal, citing diplomatic sources and sources in the opposition, stated that the closest U.S. partner, Saudi Arabia, is going to supply portable anti-aircraft missiles to the Syrian thugs.  

Saudi Arabia proposed to supply the opposition with Chinese portable anti-aircraft missiles, an unnamed diplomat from an Arab country told the newspaper. According to the newspaper, the proposal was first announced in late January, at the time of the first round of talks in Geneva, during a meeting with representatives of the U.S. intelligence services, the rebels, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries. At this meeting, the parties expressed their regret that the Government of Syria Delegation did not want to discuss in Geneva the resignation of President Bashar Assad.

The U.S. has repeatedly said that it does not want to supply anti-aircraft missiles to the Syrian opposition, because it fears that they may later be used against the West. There is no doubt that many international gangsters and thugs, are gaining experience in Syria and they may soon show up in Europe and the U.S.A., and then the average Westerner would not be so indifferent. This is not gloating with delight, but a simple statement of fact.

Let us take another example: a visit to our country by the Egyptian Defense Minister, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Foreign Minister, Nabil Fahmy and their highly successful negotiations in the “two plus two” format with the Russian Defense Minister, Sergey Shoigu and Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov. During that visit, Vladimir Putin met the Egyptian delegation in Novo-Ogaryovo and addressing Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said: “I know that you, Dear Defense Minister, have decided to run for president of Egypt. This is a very important decision – to assume the responsibility for the fate of the Egyptian people. I myself, and on behalf of the Russian people, wish you success.” In other words, our president expressed good wishes to the Egyptian guest.

Yet even such kind words addressed to the Egyptian guest caused a real hysteria in the West. Website channel, Al Arabiya, (United Arab Emirates), presented the representative of the U.S. State Department, Marie Harf’s opinion, who regretted the fact that Russian President Vladimir Putin “openly supported” one of the candidates in the upcoming presidential elections in Egypt. “Neither Russia nor the USA will decide who the president will be in Egypt. The Egyptian people will decide,” said Ms. Harf.

Bravo, Ms. Harf! Finally, you and other policymakers in Washington have reached a simple truth, known even from the old times – that the fate of the country is decided by its people. Then the question follows: Where were you before, when U.S. military and its Western yes-men, in the spirit of fascism, attacked Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, and are now tormenting Syria? Should not the Afghans, the Iraqis, the Libyans and the Syrians decide the fates of their own countries? Why did Washington occupy Afghanistan and Iraq, collapse these states and introduce friendly puppet regimes (which only the West benefits from)? Why is there a civil war and so many civilians are being killed? Moreover, all these countries are thousands of miles from the United States and none of them had declared war and attacked U.S. territory. Think this over, Dear Ms. Harf. By the way, the ancient Greeks said that it is necessary to think twice before taking any action, including on the world stage.

As the Russian proverb says: Where goes a horse with its hoof, there goes a crayfish with its pincer. Accordingly, the Western yes-men are already beginning to untwist a new round of anti-Russian propaganda. And now the “dollar” yes-man, the Italian Stefano Magny, published an article in the newspaper Opinione under the catchy title “Cossacks on the Nile: Putin supports al-Sisi”. This Italian is not interested in the affairs of Italy itself, where another political crisis is brewing and the Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta announced his resignation. Mr. Magny is desperately interested only in – “Will the Cossacks water their horses in the Nile?” Then, trying to be more American than the Americans themselves, the Italian woefully exclaims: “Without a doubt, the talks between Putin and al-Sisi, especially after promising to sell weapons, should be considered a clear and strong signal to the Obama Administration, but will anyone in Washington pay attention to what is happening?”

At the same time, the Interior Minister of Saudi Arabia, Prince Muhammad bin Nayef, visited Washington. It is reported that the Saudi guest spoke with U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry, advisor to the U.S. President on National Security, Susan Rice, CIA Director, John Brennan, and the head of the National Security Agency, Keith Alexander. I wonder how the Russian media reacted to this visit. If in the spirit of the evil Westerners, there had to appear such articles: “The Saudis completely submitted to the Americans”, “The Pentagon considers Saudi Arabia as its back yard”, etc. It may be recalled that the huge American fleet, including nuclear aircraft carriers are located in the Gulf, polluting its turquoise waters with their waste products. By the way, where are all the fighters for the purity of nature, where are the Greenpeace activists, where is their fearless attack on the U.S. aircraft carriers? However, nothing of the kind is happening. In addition, the professional Russian press only informs its readers about the events and gives analytical articles, avoiding angry attacks against the West and its leaders.

I wonder how our president Vladimir Putin behaved – as the Western press was showing such malice – when he paid a visit to the American House in the Olympic Park in Sochi, where he talked with the president of the U.S. Olympic Committee, Scott Blackmun, and members of the American delegation. According to RIA News, the Russian president thanked the U.S. for its support of Sochi to become the capital of the Winter Games. “I remember what a friendly attitude the U.S. officials had to our bid in Guatemala. We remember and thank our American friends for their support,” said Mr. Putin. According to the Russian president, the American team at the Olympic Games in Sochi looks very strong. “In my opinion, the Americans are performing very well,” he said.

Please note the fact that Mr. Putin did not address any nasty barbs at the Americans, although it is known that Vladimir Putin can speak quite sharply. Thus, it turns out, there are two approaches to events in the world – the Western one with continuous evil criticism of us and a very friendly attitude of Vladimir Putin to the Americans. Do you feel the difference? Earlier they would say this is the result of a good education. Today, it is the presence of good parenting, the manifestation of the conventional communication culture and the heritage of the Great Russian Civilization, which dictates peaceful coexistence with other peoples, nations and states.

Viktor Mikhin, a member of Russian Academy of Natural Sciences, exclusively for the online magazine New Eastern Outlook.