Russia Today (RT.com) Is Russia's Propaganda Channel - "Truth is not the mission at RT"

a reply to: nOraKat

Really makes me wonder if the 'owner' of this site was able to 'over-ride' ATS and spam flags and stars to make this topic top headline. If so, that's f'ed up.

Why if you start a thread that really has some bearing on one of the hot topics here it will make the top headline very quickly.

But since we are on ATS everything can be a conspiracy.

a reply to: jaymp

It's not anything new.

You are correct, but before it was not as obvious as it is now.

well?
they are just like america and the rest of the world!

originally posted by: jaymp

originally posted by: SkepticOverlord

US (and other western) news media exhibits bias, with RT represents propaganda.

See, that's where I disagree. It's only my opinion, but I strongly believe that US media outlets are given specific directorates on what to cover, and more importantly, what not to cover...

Well, maybe they do.
At least most of them does a better job disguising it.
And they must get better and better year after year. Why?
Because of the lively dialogues like this one... Critical people will take them apart for far smaller things than what RT gets away with these days.

I think many here remember like we got used to RT being fairly good by Western alternative standards. A little biased in some areas, but less so than a lot of Western media.
I think it changed since Syria, then much more since Ukraine.
It just wasn't so one-sided years ago and I don't know about lies and falsifications like the stuff documented about Ukrainian reporting.

Let me insert a famous anti-war song here from Russia (sang by the famous acoustic trio 5'Nizza in 2003) so we have something on the good side too (Shalyapin and tea are not the only good things connecting to Russia in my memories):



Russian lyrics here

at least they're honest

a reply to: haven123

Honest about lying to make putin look good?

I swear sometimes I want the nukes to fall

originally posted by: SkepticOverlord
An iconic quote from the movie, Red October: "Russians never even go to the [bathroom] without a plan,"

Assuming you refer to the 1990 movie "The hunt for Red October" - that was a work of fiction based on a book written by an American novelist, produced by a number of American film companies and distributed by an American distributor. Hence II'm not sure if the quote accurately reflects the mentality of "the" Russians.

is a real-world sentiment from the days of the cold war. Russia Today and the US-centric focus of RT.com is part of a long-term plan to shape opinion through lies and twisted facts, in preparation for this moment in history -- new Russian imperialism and expansion.

Long term plan? Let's see who is doing the planning. Roughly until the iron curtain fell in 1991, the former Soviet Union controlled everything up to and including the border of the former DDR. In the last 23 years Russia lost control of half of Germany, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Bosnia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Albania, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldovia, Unkraine, Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. These countries are now mostly part of or want to be part of the EU. Now, surely you don't deny the facts, do you: we had 23 years of European imperialism and expansion, not Russian.

We Europeans are now on their very doorstep. Did not fire a shot. The Russians feel threatened by it and when they feel threatened they start defending themselves, I can't blame them. Before you know it Putin is sacked and Russia a part of the EU (which it should be IMO, but that's another story). They have learned from us how to win a "war": it is not won on the battlefields, but in the media and in merchandising houses. So, why does it puzzle or worry you that they have created their own version of "CNN" or "Al Jazeera"? Why point out the obvious, I wonder. We're not THAT stupid..

For years, Russia's RT network has sought to establish itself as a mainstream global news provider. But since the start of the crisis in Ukraine, RT's coverage has been blasted as one-sided propaganda, even by some of its own correspondents. We speak with current and former RT staffers to get a sense of what life is like inside the state-funded network.

Of course they are biased. They ALL are. Some even worse. But I can receive a host of news stations from all over the world, including BBC, RT, CNN, Al Jazeera, German, Dutch, Austrian, Spanish, Portugese and French TV stations, some American stations and many Arab news outlets. I can actually understand most of what they say there too, and when not they often offer subtitles or translations. I can read papers from all over the world, read international forums - all of them biased. But somewhere between them they offer a fairly accurate picture of world events. It's not as if I'm depending on just one news source.

So, I fail to see the point of your post, it's seems to be a statement of the obvious.

originally posted by: SkepticOverlord

originally posted by: Tucket
Why do you single out RT?

Because Russia Today is a state-run propaganda machine, while very few ATS members seem to be aware of that, and even fewer of the public at large.

The difference between propaganda and bias is very important. US (and other western) news media exhibits bias, with RT represents propaganda. My posts in another thread outline my experience with such matters.

I don't know if it's any worse than the corporation-ran propaganda news outlets. Propaganda is as propaganda does and any media bought and paid for by corporations are is going to be "propaganda".

I totally feel the topic is important and pointing out RT as state-ran is probably an eye-opener for many but I can't say I'd trust it any less than any other outlet. Money is an ideology and the most loathsome kind, at that.

a reply to: SkepticOverlord

state-funding propaganda machine from the Kremlin............

yeah, so what?

its a break from listening to the wests lap dog media. at least you get some variety in the lies.

....and with the opportunity to compare different versions of events you sometimes get a better idea of what the truth might be.
So I say "go RT!!!"

Russia Today is effective.

That's the most important thing about it. Gone are the days when Bill O'Reilly could mock their on screen personalities for their accents and imperfect language skills. These people fight fair and they lay their cards on the table in pretty obvious ways. Yes they have a Russia centric point of view, but they are miles ahead of the privatized ministries of propaganda owned and operated by large corporations in the United States.

The idea that a state operated broadcaster is always worse for people than a privately funded one is a hilarious joke in the context of the media in America.

Can Russia Today's presentations be tendentious? Yes of course they can. Their biases are not hard to see or hard to understand.

Do they present "warts and all" coverage of Russia itself? They do report negatively on Russia from time to time, but their coverage is not the sort of "white glove" inspection of Russian society's warts that the State Department would like to see broadcast.

One thing that must nettle the State Department is the features that Russia Today occasionally runs, documentary in style, that focus on serious issues in the United States where government has dropped the ball. These kinds of programs are usually done very fairmindedly, but let's face facts, the editorial choice to do such stories is not divorced from considerations of propaganda value.

But should we be upset about that, or simply say, "touché, ya got us there."

On the American side, where Canada and European allies find themselves, there is almost a universal, "monkey see, monkey do" emulation of a relentless onslaught of attacks on Russian motives and actions and on the person of Vladimir Putin. The Toronto newspapers are full of this stuff. (The Toronto newspapers are so dumb they think that the Bush administration were not involved in the planning and execution of the 9/11 attacks in New York.)

That is the context in which accusations of being a state run propaganda organ, levelled against Russia Today, should be viewed. In that context, the entire American media industry, private though most of it is, with the exceptions of the small and courageous few, like ATS, should be regarded as an organ of the state and highly propagandistic.

The mere fact that a Russian media outlet can gain a significant audience in the nation that made Joe McCarthy, that blacklisted commies in Hollywood, that is petrified that Americans might prefer a society like the one in Cuba is the most eloquent testimony to the fact that they must be doing something right and that there must be some truth to what they say.

One of these days the mainstream media in America is going to have to start telling Americans the truth and if Russia Today helps to hasten that process, I'm all for them. It's time to stop treating Americans, and people everywhere, as if we were all babies who can't tell crap from shine-ola.

originally posted by: SkepticOverlord

originally posted by: DJW001
If you were an intelligence agency who wanted to sway a segment of your enemy's population against their own government, or wanted to float memes that supported the lies you have been telling through official propaganda, where would the best place to disseminate your subversive material be?

Back in early 2002, there was a lot of research going on that was connecting the notorious "Frenchman" with Mikhail Lesin, minister of Mass Media in Russia at the time, and ultimate chief architect of RT western focus. For those who don't recall, the "Frenchman" was the first to postulate that the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon was actually a missile… some time around November of 2001. He did so with a big budget and slick computer graphics through off-primetime TV commercials on cable channels. Based on the number of commercials and print ads that were run, his total budget was estimated at over $4 million. After the ads stopped, he disappeared, and a conspiracy culture was given a significant kick-start.

Today, many of his 3D renders are still used in conspiracy theories about 9/11, without people realizing the potential poison of their source.

Ya, we would all be better off and more knowledgable about the world if we all accepted the hilarious lies and hidings of truth regarding 9/11 and just believed across the board, what we are told by our friends in the media HERE.

Looking for truth in an insanely impossible story should just be stopped altogether!

We should be less concerned that American companies, and others, whom we already KNOW who they are, have it appears spent more than 1 TRILLION DOLLARS in convincing us that things are they way they are because demons infect OTHERS, and they all have agendas that are not the same as ours.

It is indeed interesting that you would have a site like this, and so staunchly defend not the TRUTH, but ideals that are supposedly "homegrown".

Is it really honest, in this world, to behave like things are in control nicely by the side you support? Or can we honestly say, the GRAND GAME, is on in full swing.

A game that sadly , and also TRIUMPHANTLY has become more than real in the outcome of the ENTIRETY OF CREATION.

The Masters have done a very nice job in silencing the most, and also of rooting out those of us who can not only defy them, but know what to do about them !

Anyways thanks for your opinion, and we hope that you can look at things from farther outside the sandbox here, and see things are not so much about political design, and cowardice, but from flat out LIARS.

a reply to: ForteanOrg

Maybe Russia should have thought about the consequences when they lied to the world at the end of WWII. They, the USSR, agreed to allowing the countries currently under control of allied forces to elect their own governments leading to the withdrawal of USSR forces.

That never happened, and the USSR illegally occupied Eastern Europe for decades.

The independence of those countries is not "expansion" of Europe and trying to portray it in that manner ignores all the facts and instead embraces the USSR / Russian propaganda.

The reason for those former occupied SSR's are looking to the west is because of the very actions you ignored - The USSR occupying those countries. Once they got out from under Russia's thumb, they took precautions to ensure Russia never occupied them again.

I find the mindset that Russia is scared of NATO being on their doorstep nothing more than an excuse based on ignorance and completely lacking of fact.

Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine, Moldova...
Not one of those countries poses a threat to Russia on their own and to suggest otherwise is again lacks foundation. Since NATO is a defensive alliance any overt action towards Russia by a NATO member precludes NATO's involvement.


If Russian media were allowed to be journalists instead of Kremlin stenographers and able top speak the truth instead of the party line, its entirely possible Putin would not be in office. The tighter the grip by Putin will only rekindle the issues the Russian citizens experienced from the end of WWII to the present.

a reply to: Mon1k3r

Oh, Wow. I just had to reply to say that you SAID IT. Everything you just said there I couldn't have said better myself. I'm one of those "I've been sayin' it from the beginning..." individuals, but yeah, it was and I guess apparently still is "cool" and "alternative" to side with Russia when feeling discontent with the United States.

This is the equivalent of voting Republican when the Dems make you mad or buying Pepsi when you get P.O.'ed at Coke.

The "other option" was carefully laid out and made very available. I admit I was into it at the beginning... it was saying all these things that I believed, but then that's what made me suspicious. "We" as a community aren't as exclusive of a demographic as you would think and I think the OP really summed it up with "disenfranchised US millennial audience." This includes so many people. Millions and millions are "conspiracy theorists" and people should remember that they are being targeted as a demographic ALL the time.

This happened a couple years ago with the "right-wing" or tea party sort of "hijacking" the conspiracy community. All of a sudden they're able to come in and slam down the hammer and divide the group in two on a partisan basis, which goes against typically everything a conspiracy theorist believes in... blue and red, repub and dem... we know they're all the same, so how was this able to happen? By presenting "alternative" ideas like "audit the Federal Reserve" etc and so on, but nothing too controversial and nothing that's going to rock the boat too much, but just enough to make conspiracy theorists perk their ears up and get ready to "vote" but not at the polls, but vote by buying into the rest of their ideology, which is against everything you believe in still. Saying one key issue, though, is what gets people everytime.

Anyway, I'm so happy to finally see a thread of this magnitude hit the front page because it's been a long time coming for RT and for people to see the light. Right, people are too quick to accept "alternative" news sources when it doesn't fit into the typical big corporate boxes of CNN/Fox/MSNBC, but the whole point that is missed is that news is news and it's completed fabricated and/or biased no matter what. Either it's completely made up or exaggerated in order to get people to think a certain way and feel a certain way or the subject matter covered (especially in the case of RT) is completely biased information, but explicably designed to gain favor from the conspiracy community.

So, seeking out "alternative news" is really kind of dumb when you think about it because the people "selling" alternative news (and you better believe "selling" is exactly what they're doing) already know about what their audience wants to read, see, and hear. They know the feelings you want to feel. AJ is a great example of this type of "alternative" news source. It's business. Nothing more, nothing less. They are selling a product. A product you like and will return to buy into it more.

It's a hard fact to face, especially when these outlets are saying things you believe or like to hear, but why would you need what you believe parroted back to you? That's the trouble. And that's if anything what pacifies the public from actual revolt-- if they feel like their opinions are being expressed to some extent in a public way. If you feel "represented," you are not likely to need to express your opinion in whatever way you would. It's a pacifier. That's why it never seems to go "all the way" with the truth and why it seems to hold back some things. That's because it was not designed to spread and educate the truth to people. It's designed for like-minded people to buy into the system they claim to hate by choosing an alternative that still leads to the same conclusion.

But I think the OP and Mon1k3r really summed it up. ATS really impresses me sometimes.

Edit to add: You are sorely mistaken if you truly buy into the drama that Russia and the United States aren't secret allies. It's a fact. Thought I would add that for the Russia/Putin/RT defenders... why are you looking for a savior in this nation? Just to see drama? You can't possibly believe Russia/Putin/RT actually cares about you or is doing anything, but pushing the same agenda the U.S Gov has been pushing all along, just from an outlet where it would look acceptable to push this type of "alternative" information. Fox and CNN are "too good" and "American" to tarnish their reputations with covering stories to the like of RT. RT is a puppet and a psy-op, just another extension of American, homegrown propaganda. There is nothing RUSSIAN at all about RT and if it truly was Russian propaganda and we're such enemies with Russia, you can bet you would have never known that channel existed. It was sold to you, being the naughty rebel you are. Naughty rebel, but also very naive when it comes to considering how your opponent can easily trick you using simple reverse-psychology. This system is rigged, dudes. You are damned if you do, damned if you don't. If you want to take the left or the right path, it doesn't matter because it all ends in the same place: the powers that be remain in their same positions and consolidate their power further. Catch-22. So, if you want to side with Russia or the U.S.. it doesn't matter. It's only appearing to give different sides of the same story, when really all it's doing is tricking you into buying that the story is true to begin with. It's like saying Osama blew up the twin towers on CNN, then saying on RT that it was probably the Israelis... both "sides" of the story still skip over the obvious truth that the buildings were controlled demo'ed. Whether you say it was Osama or the Israelis, you're still buying into the original story that it was hijackers with box cutters that crashed planes into the towers and that's what happened, end of story. This is why "news" all around is falsified entirely. News is not real, no matter what outlet you get it from. And for those of you defending RT saying it's no worse than our own media... if you know it's all lies, why do you continue to consume it? You cannot claim you are not influenced by it because if you weren't influenced by it, you wouldn't feel the need to defend it and justify it. Fact is, you're addicted to the drug that's being sold: news. And there are many different "dealers" of this drug, each selling a seemingly different flavor, but that's just on the outside... once you consume the drug, the effects are the same. You are addicted to news drama. That is all. You like the stage performance and you believe that it is real and that it is the determiner of actual world affairs when it's not. Countries are a lot more consolidated and in "cahoots" than you would ever suspect. It IS one world government. But half the people that fear this have no idea why they would fear it other than scary ghost stories that are made up and spread around on the internet by a bunch of people who have no idea what would in fact happen because it's never openly happened before. It is a world government, they're just not openly saying that at this point in time because it's still beneficial at this point in time to keep our economies divided. I've digressed enough.

While looking at the latest posts it made me wonder.

RT America is operating in the US (lawfully).
Why are there no US media outlets operating in Russia?

a reply to: Xcathdra

Ok... well here: I think you will find this to be related:

en.wikipedia.org... (essentially our version of Russia Today that operates in other countries)

And I only JUST found out about this while reading this old pdf about PSYOPs and the INTERNET here: www.theblackvault.com...

It's on pg 14. That's where I'm at now and when I saw Voice of America referenced and in the context it was referenced in (as a means to deliver PSYOP to the rest of the world without being broadcast in America, but is available, of course, online) and I immediately thought back to this thread I just read.

Looks like it still broadcasts pretty much everywhere.

Anyway, the article (interesting, if you want to read the rest), it is pretty much making a case why the internet should be used as a means to deliver psyops because with the advent of the internet, media is more difficult to control because everyone essentially has access to everything (harder to target certain demographics without targeting them all), and the reference was made to the legality of this practice since "informational" wars have never really had laws made for them, being relatively new.

Then I started to think about what I read not too long ago, you know, the headline was something like "Obama legalizes propaganda" or something along those lines. Anyways, in this article it is talking about how at that time it was illegal to use propaganda/psyops on it's own citizens (domestically), but how essentially the internet could be used as a way to circumvent that law all together.

Well, anyway, to conclude... I think Voice of America = Russia Today. They are essentially the same thing, offering a voice to turn to for people in other countries who want to rebel against their own nations and follow our lead. However, I still think Russia and the United States and probably even China are all in this together.

originally posted by: Xcathdra
a reply to: ForteanOrg

Maybe Russia should have thought about the consequences when they lied to the world at the end of WWII. They, the USSR, agreed to allowing the countries currently under control of allied forces to elect their own governments leading to the withdrawal of USSR forces.

Likewise the allied forces agreed to allow the countries currently under their control to elect their own governments too. And both sides did. All countries, either "liberated" by American or Russian allied forces did elect their own governments.

By some "weird coincidence" the East-Germans voted for a socialist / communist system, the same system their liberators had. Maybe it was gratitude. So did the Poles, the Rumanians etc. etc. - of course totally a matter of their own free choice. These new governments were "totally independent" from the USSR. Russians did NOT occupy these nations, it liberated them. Or at least so say the Russians.

In the same way, we, in our Western-European countries, choose our own governments too. And by some "weird coincidence" we all voted for a capitalistic system, mimicking that of our "liberators". And of course we are also "totally independent" from the USA. Americans did NOT occupy these nations - it liberated them. Or at least so say the Americans.

Americans were only here to allow us free elections and democracy. Then they would leave. But why then do we still have American bases all over Europe even TODAY - surely not because the Americans want to keep in control! No, they are merely here on our demand and they help protect us. Right.

Note there are no Russian bases in the former "Socialist" countries in as far as I know, so in that respect the Russian are doing even better than the Americans. Also note that the fall of the iron curtain was accomplished by force of the former Sovjet people themselves - "Wir sind das Volk!" . And though unwillingly, the Sovjet regime listened to their people and the wall fell. I can't imagine the American Government doing the same, actually.

So, in my opinion, both sides use propaganda, both sides lie, both sides have their good and their evil sides. And so both sides are fully entitled to have their own propaganda machines - and they do. Being an European I grew up with both sides and came to appreciate both sides. I can hear truth in both versions, and so both versions should be told.

The independence of those countries is not "expansion" of Europe and trying to portray it in that manner ignores all the facts and instead embraces the USSR / Russian propaganda.

That is in itself propaganda: you simply state your opinion as Truth (Pravda) and ignore the facts. The facts are that in the last 23 years we have seen an expansion of the European sphere and with it an expansion of American military bases all over Europe. We also saw a diminishing of the Russian sphere and there are no Russian bases in former Eastern Europe anymore. We also see a growing general American influence in this part of the world. In my youth we still had a traditional Dutch socialist-democrat government, a public television system, state pensions and state health care. Today we are almost American in culture and nature; even our "left wing" parties think we should have a free market. Away with state-pensions, they can't be payed for anymore. Away with public television: who needs all those documentaries if we can have American Idols instead... let's go the the Mac and get us a burger and then see the next episode of "Obese!". Boy, have I seen the influence of American propaganda with my own eyes!

So, don't go around telling me "we the people" choose our government. The liberators dictate the choices and we are merely able to pick one of these - on both sides, actually: everywhere. We, people, ar still sooooo immature.

The reason for those former occupied SSR's are looking to the west is because of the very actions you ignored - The USSR occupying those countries. Once they got out from under Russia's thumb, they took precautions to ensure Russia never occupied them again.

I hope by now you see the futility of the point you try to make: you are merely a victim of propaganda but by choice or force only hear half of it. I am, as an European, blessed with the ability to hear both sides and to understand both sides. I can appreciate American culture, Russian culture and our many, many European subcultures. I can understand the need for democracy but only as a milestone toward socialism, communism and finally anarchy. Alas, we don't even have democracy yet - we're still in the dark ages of Strong Men, emperors, dictators, presidents and other selfproclaimed rulers. Blessed be the day we see real democracy - if it ever comes.

I find the mindset that Russia is scared of NATO being on their doorstep nothing more than an excuse based on ignorance and completely lacking of fact. Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine, Moldova...
Not one of those countries poses a threat to Russia on their own and to suggest otherwise is again lacks foundation. Since NATO is a defensive alliance any overt action towards Russia by a NATO member precludes NATO's involvement.

What facts do you have that prove that Russia is not scared of NATO on their doorstep? They are. And they should be. America is part of NATO. Americans are known to intrude countries at will, simply because they feel like it. Does the term "Weapons of Mass Destruction" still ring a bell? So, tell me, why should the Russian government NOT be afraid then?

If Russian media were allowed to be journalists instead of Kremlin stenographers and able top speak the truth instead of the party line, its entirely possible Putin would not be in office. The tighter the grip by Putin will only rekindle the issues the Russian citizens experienced from the end of WWII to the present.

Putin was "democratically" chosen by the Russian people and they really love him. The problem with Russians (and Americans too, alas) is they love a Strong Man. And a strong man is pretty much allowed to do as he pleases. That's why Putin can get away with what he does - the Russians love it. That's why American Presidents and Congress can circumvent the principles of their Founding Fathers at will nowadays: the Americans love it. Strong men, emperors, kings. They have nothing to do with democracy, which we could not handle at all as we fail to develop the necessary skills in our population. The strong men don't want that. It would take away their power. Hence our preference for strong men.

However - the Russian people are quite good at overthrowing regimes they don't want anymore. It were the Russian people that overthrew the Czar regime to found the Sovjet state. The same Russian people overthrew the dictatorship of the Sovjet state when the grew sick of it. And they may have to pull off that same trick once more to get Putin out of the way - if they want to. It's their choice.

In the meantime I try to keep an open eye on both sides. Being a member of an American-European nation automatically gives me a bias towards American-European culture already. Cutting of alternate sources of biased information does not help me to find an balance - and my personal truth. Hence RT is a Good Thing too.

a reply to: TheToastmanCometh

So who can we trust now, regarding current events?

either go to the source ourselves or rely on an independent news pipeline?

No one.
Simple fact of the matter is we all slant information we recieve in the direction we lean.
By nature, it's how our minds work.
And journalists are still human after all.

Then there is the simple fact of our age.
E-V-E-R-Y-B-O-D-Y is trying to sell you something.
Even, perhaps especially, their own worldview.
And the harder they deny it, the wearier you need to be.

Consider everything, believe nothing.

In reply to a question above, the reason there are no other news networks operating inside Russia, while RT is allowed to broadcast around the world, is that Russia has passed laws making it impossible for any news network, blogger, commentator, to have any opinion in the Russian media that doesn't come direct from the Kremlin.

There is no such thing as freedom of speech anymore in Russia, not that there was much to begin with.

If somebody tried to broadcast the BBC or CNN inside Russia, they'd be shut down.

If they try and talk about things the Kremlin doesnt like, and they have more than 3000 listeners/readers? They're shut down.


And this is why OPs point about the key difference between Bias and Propaganda becomes very important. There is a huge difference between the two. Western media is bias, in all sorts of strange and often contradictory directions. But at heart it is still a free press governed by freedom of speech.

But RT? Is 100% Russian State propaganda.


Personally I'd be in favour of banning them as a source for information. But I appreciate that's a slippery slope and probably not one ATS should go down.

Seriously? I have yet to catch RT *lying* or giving *false or manufactured "facts"*.
Instead of just spitting your hatred against whatever you think is your enemy, you'd better start watching the facts here.

How many times have the U.S. "independent" news agencies caught, not only lying but *manufacturing* "facts" to support the government's external and internal policies? To gather public consensus for the murder of foreign civilians?
You *excuse them* for their terrible crimes?
How many times have the American "independent" media have been caught to *purposefully* twist the facts, twisting the truth about *everything* so that the U.S. appears as "the good guys".
I really find it sad that a site owner would post such a thread. RT does promote the Russian interests, and one would be a fool to not see that, but they are doing so by *exposing truths* not by lying or twisting/manufacturing facts. When was the last time you heard the *truth* by your precious "independent" media?
Someone on another thread said that "Above Top Secret" is funded by the U.S. government. Was he right? Posts like that makes you consider the possibility.
If you are to "deny ignorance" then you are supposed to seek the truth, not put labels to whomever you think hurts your country's profile. The U.S. *is* the oppressor in the World at this moment, and if you do not know it, then your motto is really here only for show.

I challenge you to provide a piece of news where RT *lied* or *manufactured facts*. I refer you to the Iraq War, the Ukrainian Coup, the Syrian issue, the ISIS coverage, the Palestinian coverage, the Shot down of the Malaysian plane over Ukraine, the Libyan coup, to just name a few of the cases that the western media not only *lied shamelessly* but even *manufactured "facts"* to support the military actions taken.

As another member stated, a Patriot is not the bootlicker of the government, is the person that strives for his/her country to be the beacon of Liberty, Freedom and Justice. The person that strives so that the people of the country have *reasons* to feel proud of being members of that society. The U.S., at this moment, is the embodiment of Tyranny and Oppression both within and outside the country, with the media providing the brainwashing and propaganda to keep the people under control. *Every true Patriot* should be on their battle stations against the government and their actions.

Russia, on the other hand, keeps true to their own society values and the people of Russia *are proud* for the actions of their government that have kept the U.S. from Bombing Syria, that have prevented the U.S. from acquiring Crimea, that have supported their fellow Russians in S. Ocetia-not letting them be murdered by the U.S. lackeys- for being the voice of the International Law in a World were "International Law" has become what the U.S. government says it is.
Double standards, hypocrisy, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and you have the *nerve* to make a thread about RT "being the tool of the Russian government".

I hope the site's spirit is not following that of the owner.

originally posted by: ForteanOrg
In the last 23 years Russia lost control of half of Germany, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Bosnia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Albania, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldovia, Unkraine, Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. These countries are now mostly part of or want to be part of the EU. Now, surely you don't deny the facts, do you: we had 23 years of European imperialism and expansion, not Russian.

That's a non sequitur, it does not follow. The EU is not an empire with a single ethnic agenda, a single ruler etc. All those countries formerly colonized by Russia (let's say it out simply) joined a loose association around the bigger core countries. As I'm sure you know, many do not even have Euro. Some were only recently allowed to be part of the labor pool (like Romania). Some blatantly criticize most of what the EU leaders or core countries do (Hungary's Orbán) and frustrate their policies.

When my parents were protesting in the tragic 1956 Revolution of Hungary, it was against being a Russian colony with a brutal colonial aristocracy kept up by terror, censorship and Gulags. (Claimed to be Socialism which it never was - Socialism is what you had in Sweden).

originally posted by: ForteanOrg
We Europeans are now on their very doorstep. Did not fire a shot. The Russians feel threatened by it and when they feel threatened they start defending themselves, I can't blame them. Before you know it Putin is sacked and Russia a part of the EU (which it should be IMO, but that's another story). They have learned from us how to win a "war": it is not won on the battlefields, but in the media and in merchandising houses. So, why does it puzzle or worry you that they have created their own version of "CNN" or "Al Jazeera"? Why point out the obvious, I wonder. We're not THAT stupid..

Russia had a huge colonial empire, feared by most of the world, and it is still a nuclear power capable of annihilating a dozen countries at the push of a button if it chooses to. The EU is not a colonial empire - even by a long stretch of the imagination.

Say, what if the Brits suddenly wanted to have India back, most of Africa, Australia, Canada, the US plus all those islands? Based on the argument that people speak English there?

Suddenly the whole world would appear to be somehow anti-British, ready to corner the one true misunderstood empire. (I do not mean to offend any Brits reading this - this is merely an Orwellian satire).

Don't forget that Russia has been replete with ideas of "saving the world" even before their horrible modern colonial empire, which left several millions of Ukrainian people dead by starvation, while the colonial masters were exporting the food the peasants were trying to hide to the West.