by Stephen Lendman

In his book "Inventing Reality: The Politics of the Mass Media," Michael Parenti said former FCC commissioner Nicholas Johnson "once urged people to 'talk back' to their television sets."

"We can talk back to all the media a lot better and demand a lot more only when we know how we are being manipulated and why we are being lied to," said Parenti.

Managed news misinformation and Big Lies proliferate daily. They substitute for hard truths on issues mattering most.

Today's MSM is a lying machine. Washington's war on humanity is called humanitarian intervention.

Israeli aggression is considered self-defense. Kiev fascist putschists are treated like democrats.

Southeastern Ukrainian freedom fighters are called terrorists.

Russia's heroic conflict resolution efforts are called "invasion," "infiltration," "cross-border shelling," "significant escalation," "interference," "aggression," and other pejorative Big Lies.

Fantasy substitutes for reality. It's upside down. It's twisted to support US policy. Irresponsible Russia bashing rages daily. Washington reinvented the Evil Empire.

This time it's for greater stakes. World peace hangs in the balance.

Madness defines US policy. MSM war on truth supports it. Cheerleading what demands condemnation risks the unthinkable. Forewarned does no good.

On August 28, New York Times editors headlined "Putin Tests the West in Ukraine," saying:

"The evidence has been mounting for some time, but there is no longer any doubt: Russian troops are in Ukraine, not as volunteers, as the rebel commander in Donetsk would have the world believe, but in units equipped with mobile artillery and heavy military equipment."

A same day Times article headlined "Ukraine Leader Says 'Huge Loads of Arms' Pour in From Russia."

It claims NATO supported satellite imagery shows "Russian forces on the move in Eastern Ukraine…"

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov debunked spurious invasion claims.

"It’s not the first time we've heard wild guesses, though facts have never been presented so far," he said.

"There have been reports about satellite imagery exposing Russian troop movements."

"They turned out to be images from video games. The latest accusations happen to be much the same quality."

No evidence whatever supports Poroshenko's claims about Russian arms pouring in cross-border.

Both sides use Russian arms. Self-defense forces captured huge amounts from defeated or retreating Ukrainian forces.

Moscow didn't supply them. Putin has no revanchist aims. Times editors lied claiming he aims to "seize territory by force."

"Mr. Putin has played his dangerous game in Ukraine with cunning and deceit since the ouster in February of the corrupt Viktor Yanukovych lost him a Ukrainian president he could manipulate," they said.

"First he annexed Crimea outright." Times editors called it "(s)hocking and outrageous."

Fact: It bears repeating. No credible evidence whatever suggests Russia invaded Ukraine and supplies arms to self-defense forces.

Fact: Claims otherwise are Big Lies.

Fact: Putin remained discretely neutral throughout months of conflict.

Fact: He didn't "annex Crimea outright."

Fact: Crimeans rejected neo-Nazi-infested fascist putschists.

Fact: They chose Russia.

Fact: They chose to go home.

Fact: They did so by an astonishing 96.77%.

Fact: Independent monitors called the referendum open, free and fair.

Fact: Turnout was 82%.

Don't expect Times editors to explain. More Big Lies followed.

Putin held "intimidating military exercises on the Ukrainian border," they said.

He "sen(t) in ever more men and arms in support of secessionists in Donetsk and Luhansk."

"…Rebels shot down (MH17) with a Russian missile…"

"Russia's involvement became more overt, with reports of artillery fire across the border, armored columns crossing into Ukraine and Russian soldiers caught or killed inside Ukraine."

Fact: No intimidating Russian military exercises were held on Ukraine's border. None recently or earlier. NONE!

Fact: MH17's downing was a US/Kiev false flag.

Fact: Verifiable satellite and radar data show a Ukrainian Sukhoi-25 warplane tailing MH17 before its destruction.

Fact: Fuselage photos showed penetration holes consistent with 30 millimeter cannon (machine gun) rounds.

Fact: No verifiable evidence proves cross-border Russian artillery fire, armored columns crossing into Ukraine, or Russian soldiers killed inside its border.

Times editors repeated one Big Lie after another. They did so knowingly, willfully, maliciously and disgracefully.

On August 31, Times contributor Ben Judah headlined "Arm Ukraine or Surrender."

Pejoratives substituted for sound analysis. Putin is a "smirking enigma," said Judah.

He "made it clear (he'll) annihilate Ukrainian forces if they attempt to liberate Donetsk and Luhansk."

"Ukraine's ramshackle army cannot rout (Russia's) crack troops and conscript forces…"

"Ukraine is being destroyed. The economy is in tatters. The military will not survive a Russian offensive."

Its "liberal dreams…are drowning…"

Much more of this will cost Ukraine "the fighting core of its army (and) its infatuation with the West."

Its "pro-Western liberals (won't) survive…"

"We cannot let this happen…(S)end Western military advisors to Kiev. (Provide) intelligence and satellite support."

"(S)hip them guns, tanks, drones…and even be ready to deploy NATO troops…"

Fact check:

Putin is no enigma. He's a master politician. He's a peace champion. He wants war ended, not escalated.

Russian troops aren't destroying Ukraine. They're not involved in fighting.

Ukraine is destroying itself. Its conscript army increasingly has no stomach for killing its own citizens.

Its economy is bankrupt. It's leaders are lawless. Fascists aren't liberals. Dreams they dream are hardline.

Considerable Western aid is being provided. Kiev is swarming with CIA, FBI and other Western operatives.

Deploying NATO troops puts them on Russia's border. Perhaps a false flag will become pretext for having them cross over.

On August 31, Washington Post editors headlined "Putin's propaganda keeps Russians in the dark about Ukraine and more," saying:

He "marginalized the political opposition, muzzled dissidents and intimidated independent voices in civil society."

He's "widening (his) war on Ukraine…(He) use(s) state-controlled media to twist the truth…(He keeps) Russians…in the dark."

WaPo editors used the phrase "Big Lie." Perhaps they read this writers articles.

The phase appears in them often. WaPo editors are a favorite target. They specialize in Big Lies.

They repeat with disturbing regularity. They substitute for hard truths.

They claim Western sources alone present a "fair and factual version of events." They can't get ordinary Russians to believe it.

They're more savvy than most Americans. Imagine believing WaPo Big Lies are true.

Imagine relying on them for news, information and analysis. Imagine believing war is peace.

Imagine it no matter how many previous times they learned they were lied to.

Southeastern Ukrainian freedom fighters are scoring impressive victories. They're doing it against trained Ukrainian regulars.

Wall Street Journal editors noticed. On September 1, they headlined "Ukraine Shifts to Defense Against Russian Incursion," saying:

Its strategy is changing. It's more concerned about "defending against a broader incursion by Moscow."

They did so "following major setbacks…in recent days." Kiev forces are increasingly facing off against well-equipped fighters.

According to Defense Minister Valery Heletey, "(t)he operation to liberate the east of Ukraine from terrorists is over."

"We must urgently build our defense against Russia, which is trying not only to reinforce regions occupied earlier by terrorists, but to attack other Ukrainian regions."

Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council spokesman Andrei Lysenko lied claiming Russian troops were taking over control of regional cities and towns.

They're replacing self-defense forces, he said. Ukrainian troops were taking up positions to prevent Russian forces from entering Mariupol and areas close to it.

Ukrainian oligarch president Poroshenko lied accusing Moscow of "undisguised aggression."

He claimed it "fundamentally changed the situation in the zone of military action."

He wants Washington to declare freedom fighters terrorist organizations.

Putin accused Kiev of escalating conflict by refusing to negotiate in good faith.

He defended self-defense force efforts to protect civilians. Despite clear evidence otherwise, Kiev denied targeting them.

Moscow wants both sides to agree to an unconditional ceasefire. It urges diplomatic conflict resolution.

Washington wants war, not peace. Its newest puppet regime obliges. It blames Russia and self-defense forces for its crimes.

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Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks World War III".

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.

Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network.

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