by Stephen Lendman

Churchill once said a "lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on." Today it circulates instantly.

Goebbels said "(i)f you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it."

"(T)ruth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State," he added.

Goebbels operated in pre-television days. Media scoundrels embrace his doctrine. They echo official administration policy. They lie, distort, misinform, hype, stoke fear, and falsify information willfully.

They bury truth. They suppress what readers and viewers most need to know. They one-sidedly support wealth, power and privilege.

They cheerlead America's worst imperial crimes. They vilify its enemies maliciously. They endorse Israeli lawlessness. They blame victims for aggressors' wrongdoings.

Russia bashing rages daily. Putin is public enemy number one. Big Lies vilify him. They substitute for truth.

Daily headlines are inflammatory. They're scandalous. They're abhorrent. They repeat with disturbing regularity.

Millions follow BBC regularly. Most don't know UK-controlled propaganda substitutes for real news and information.

It's been this way since BBC's 1922 inception. John Reith was its first general manager. He was clear and unequivocal saying Britain's government "know(s) (it) can trust us not to be really impartial."

Straightaway he betrayed the public trust. BBC is a reliable imperial tool. Credibility isn't its long suit.

Its claim about "honesty, integrity (being) what the BBC stands for, free from political influence and commercial pressure" is willful, deceptive hype.

UK-based Media Lens offers independent, "authoritative criticism." Its reports reflect "reality." It's free from corporate or government influence.

It covers BBC reporting. It once called it fundamentally one-sided, imbalanced, "biased, blinkered and culpable."

"Anyone can spot the propaganda with a modicum of vigilance while watching the news," it said.

Western interests alone are represented. Viewers and listeners get one side only. BBC is government funded, operated and controlled.

It's Britain's official voice. It pretends to be independent and impartial. It's polar opposite. It fronts for power. It supports imperial lawlessness.

On March 23, it headlined "NATO warns of Russian army build-up on Ukraine border."

It cited NATO commander General Philip Breedlove. It did so without proper due diligence fact-checking. He addressed the German Marshall Fund. He irresponsibly hyped fear.

He lied claiming Russian troops massed on Ukraine's border. He suggested a possible invasion.

Previously planned exercises are well within Russian territory. Holding them poses no threat. More on this below.

Breedlove said Russia's "snap exercise puts an incredible force at a border. (It's) at the Ukrainian border now to the east and is very, very sizable and very, very ready."

"You cannot defend against that if you are not there to defend against it."

"So I think we need to think about our allies, the positioning of our forces in the alliance and the readiness of those forces…such that we can be there to defend against it if required, especially in the Baltics and other places."

He suggested Moscow could target Transdneistria next. In 1990, it declared independence.

It's between the Dniester River and Moldova's eastern border. No evidence suggests Russian meddling in its internal affairs.

Breedlove called Russia "more…an adversary than a partner." BBC regurgitated his comments without challenge.

It irresponsibly cited Kiev's putschist foreign minister Andriy Deshchytsia. He ludicrously warned about possible war with Russia.

BBC regurgitated his rubbish. He expects Russia "might invade," he said. He repeated a Big Lie.

So did US Deputy National Security Adviser Tony Blinken. BBC quoted him claiming helping Ukraine with "military assistance" won't likely "change Russia's calculus or prevent any invasion."

Putschist neo-Nazi National Security and Defense Council chief Andriy Parubiy was quoted. He lied claiming Putin's "troops massed at the border are ready to attack at any moment."

BBC's Ian Pannell lied claiming Russian troops used stun grenades in a Saturday raid on the Belbek airbase. More on this below.

BBC's Mark Lowen lied claiming Russian troops took over the Novofedoivka base in western Crimea. He implied illegality. Evidence and clarification were lacking.

Western media, especially America's, feature this type rubbish. The Big Lie marches in lockstep. Every opportunity is taken to vilify Russia.

Soviet era Cold War propaganda was never this intense. Truth is buried and ignored. Willful lies and misinformation substitute.

The New York Times is typical. It's a Washington propaganda machine. On March 21, it headlined "Russia's Shifting of Border Stirs US Worry," saying:

"The White House cast doubt Friday on the Kremlin’s claims that thousands of troops massing on the border of southeastern Ukraine are merely involved in training exercises, deepening fears that Russian aggression will not end in Crimea."

Russian troops aren't massed on Ukraine's border. No Russian aggression occurred. None is planned.

No evidence suggests it. Times editors know it. It's public information. It doesn't matter. They willfully published lies. They do it multiple times daily.

South African journalist Getahune Bekele once called National Security Advisor Susan Rice a "consummate ally of grubby despots."

Others condemn her bloody hands. Banality of evil describes her. Death and destruction don't bother her.

She was quoted once saying, "The only thing we have to do is look the other way."

In other words, commit horrendous crimes repeatedly, say nothing or claim otherwise. Genocidal slaughter never happened. Millions of corpses aren't dead.

Rice epitomizes disreputability. Not by Times' standards. They quoted her saying "(i)t's not clear" what the Russians are up to.

She lied adding: "Obviously given their past practice and the gap between what they have said and what they have done, we are watching it with skepticism."

An unnamed Pentagon official was cited, saying:

"The Russian forces are reinforcing and bulking up along the eastern Ukrainian border."

"Our view is they're preserving all their options, including going in, absolutely. If they choose to do that, we just wouldn't have much warning."

On March 23, RT International headlined "Moscow: No troop build-up or undeclared activity near Ukraine borders."

Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov was clear, unequivocal and truthful saying:

"The Defense Ministry is complying with all international agreements on the limitation of troops in border areas."

"By the way, this issue has during the last month been regularly raised in telephone conversations between Russia's Minister of Defense Sergey Shoigu, and his foreign counterparts, including US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and even acting Ukrainian Defense Minister Igor Tenyukh," he added.

Shoigu explained clearly. He was unambiguous. Russia has no intention to deploy troops on Ukraine's border, he stressed.

Russian-based inspectors from America, Canada, Germany, France, Switzerland, Poland, Latvia, Estonia and Finland said "Russian Armed Forces are not undertaking any undeclared military activity that would threaten the security of neighboring countries," Antonov explained.

"Our venues and regions, where troops are stationed near Ukrainian borders, have twice been checked by the Ukrainian military," he added.

They spoke directly to Russian military unit chiefs. They took pictures of deployed sites and military equipment.

They accompanied Russian forces on maneuvers. They know exactly what's going on. They understand no threat exists. For sure they informed their superiors.

"We did our best to meet our partners' requests by allowing them to inspect all of the sites they wanted to. We have nothing to hide," Antonov stressed.

Falsified media reports suggest otherwise. It doesn't surprise. It's standard scoundrel media practice. Lies substitute for truth.

Headlines stoke fear. They suggest the Russians are coming. NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen hyped the Big Lie. He called Ukraine's crisis a "game-changer."

NATO partners and allies must strengthen their economic and military ties in the wake of (nonexistent) Russian aggression, he said.

"The transatlantic bond and NATO matter more for Europe than ever before," he added. He urged a reaffirmed commitment to collective defense.

"(W)e can no longer do business as usual with Russia," he said. He wants a full range of capabilities to deter a nonexistent threat.

In mid-March, Washington deployed a dozen F-16s and around 300 military personnel to Poland.

Six F-15s and one K-135 aerial refueling aircraft were sent to Lithuania. Four F-15s were deployed earlier for air patrol missions.

Vice President Biden threatened to invoke NATO's Article 5 for war on Russia. Intense saber rattling defines Western policy. Doing so escalates tensions dangerously.

On March 23, an inflammatory New York Times headline said "Obama and Allies Seek Firm, United Response as Russia Grips Crimea."

The Times repeated the Big Lie about "Russia's invasion of Crimea and the lightening annexation of the peninsula."

No matter that 96.77% of Crimeans voted legitimately for reunification. UN Charter provisions affirm their self-determination right to do so.

Don't expect The Times to explain. Or clearly state no Russian invasion occurred. None is planned for Ukraine or anywhere else.

In contrast, imperial war invasions are longstanding US policy. Times editors claim ravaged and destroyed countries are liberated.

America acts with good intentions, they say. Only its enemies are bad guys. Facts are twisted to fit policy.

The Times claimed "Russian special forces" stormed Belbek airbase near Sevastopol on Saturday.

False! On March 22, RT International headlined "Crimean self-defense squads enter Belbek airbase," saying:

They "surrounded (it) after Ukrainian troops inside refused to lay down arms and leave the base in accordance to the Crimean prime minister's order."

According to Sevastopol ForPost news web site journalist Dmitry Osipenko, they now control the base.

Ukrainian forces were asked to leave. They're operating illegally. They're on Russian territory. They need permission to stay. It's not forthcoming.

Osipenko said "(a)ccording to his information, nobody was injured, but (he's) not sure."

He heard gunfire. It came from the Ukrainian side. It's unclear who was shooting, he said.

"The self-defense forces hid behind cars and then a car rammed the gate," he added. Sevastopol Cossacks were present.

RT quoted an order putschist defense minister Igor Tenyukh gave Ukrainian forces in Crimea. It's illegal. It said "remain in place." You're "allowed to use weapons."

The vast majority of Ukraine's Crimean forces abandoned their positions voluntarily. Most wish to remain in Crimea. They reject Kiev putschists. Don't expect media scoundrels to explain.

Instead, feature op-ed space is given to contributors who deserve none. Michal McFaul is former US ambassador to Russia.

He's a neocon connected with Stanford University's right-wing Hoover Institute. Its agenda includes:

• prioritizing marketplace sovereignty;


• deregulation;


• privatization of government services;


• ending social justice;


• abolishing affirmative action;


• waging class war; as well as


• controlling electoral politics and supportive media backing everything on its wish list.

Herbert Hoover's 1959 statement guides policy, saying:

America's "social and economic systems are based on private enterprise from which springs initiative and ingenuity."

"Ours is a system where the Federal Government should undertake no governmental, social or economic action, except where local government, or the people, cannot undertake it for themselves."

"(Safeguarding) the American system, (requires) individual, economic, and political freedom; private enterprise; and representative government."

Hoover acolytes want one representing their interests alone.

Times editors gave McFaul feature op-ed space. He irresponsibly headlined "Confronting Putin's Russia," saying:

Putin's "decision (to) annex Crimea ended the post-Cold War era in Europe."

"Our new era is one defined by ideological clashes, nationalistic resurgence and territorial occupation…"

McFaul absurdly claimed Washington "did not seek this confrontation. The new era crept up on us, because we did not fully win the Cold War."

A previous article discussed confronting Russia. Washington began in 1917. It never stopped.

The Cold War never ended. It's worse than ever now. America wants Russian independence destroyed. It wants pro-Western subservient leadership replacing it.

It wants Russia transformed into dystopian harshness like what's planned for Ukraine.

It wants control of Russian resources. It wants its people exploited. It wants a major world rival removed. It wants China isolated. It wants Beijing treated the same way.

Hegemons operate this way. America is the most ruthless in world history by far. Don't expect McFaul to explain. He's part of the problem, not the solution.

Putin wasn't "inevitable," he said. He lied suggesting his overwhelming 2012 electoral victory was fraudulent.

Independent monitors judged it scrupulously open, free and fair. America's sham process pales by comparison.

According to McFaul, Putin reinstituted Soviet policies. Nothing whatever suggests it.

He "need(s) an enemy," McFaul claims. He's gone all-out for cordial relations with all countries.

He justifiably opposes US imperialism. He's against American unipolar world policies. McFaul called his justifiable criticisms "propaganda."

"(A)nti-Americanism" is featured on "state-controlled television," he said. It "reached a fanatical pitch with Mr. Putin's annexation of Crimea."

McFaul obviously either didn't hear or read his mid-March wide-ranging interview on Ukraine, didn't say if he did, and for sure ignored his candor.

He lied claiming Putin "no longer feels constrained by international laws and norms, and is unafraid to wield Russian power to revise the international order."

Putin respects rule of law principles. No nation trashes them more than America. It wages lawless aggression against one country after another. A police state apparatus rules at home.

Don't expect McFaul to explain. He's part of the Russia bashing amen chorus. It's hard imagining how Moscow endured him as ambassador.

His entire anti-Russian diatribe repeated one lie after another. Times editors disgracefully featured them. McFaul ludicrously called putschist-run Ukraine "a democracy."

No one elected their power-grabbers. For sure most Ukrainians won't want them once they realize how grievously they were betrayed.

Police state lawlessness rules. Ahead comes IMF-imposed dystopian harshness. Crackdowns will confront nonbelievers. McFaul endorses state-sponsored injustice. He supports it at home.

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

His new book is titled "Banker Occupation: Waging Financial War on Humanity"

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

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com

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