by Stephen Lendman

The New York Times is militantly anti-Russian, an over-the-top lying machine, featuring all propaganda all the time on major geopolitical issues, systematically suppressing hard truths.

Its latest misinformation piece falsely headlined “Russian Soldiers Join Syria Fight,” claiming Moscow “said Monday that its ‘volunteer’ ground forces would join the fight and NATO warned the Kremlin after at least one Russian warplane trespassed into Turkey’s airspace.”

More on the so-called air space violation below. The Times shamelessly accused Moscow of “saber-rattling,” challenging Obama’s Syria agenda, ignoring its lawlessness, saying “(a) Russian ground force could fundamentally alter the conflict.”

Putin categorically ruled out using ground troops in Syria. Russian upper house Federation Council foreign affairs committee chairman Konstantin Kosachev said “(w)e would not risk getting stuck in a long conflict and threaten the lives of our troops. The operation is aerial only. Certainly, in coordination with the ground operation of the Syrian army.”

Putin called for an international anti-terrorist coalition to fight its scourge, cooperatively with Syrian armed forces, boots on the ground directly engaging ISIS and other takfiri terrorists.

Accusing Moscow of using ground troops in Syria repeats the Big Lie about nonexistent “Russian aggression” in Ukraine.

On Monday, lower house State Duma defense committee head Admiral Vladimir Komoyedov said it’s “likely that groups of Russian volunteers will appear in the ranks of the Syrian army as combat participants” - not active duty military personnel and not sent by Moscow.

He stressed the Kremlin has no plans to use ground forces in Syria. His comments came after Russian Chechnya republic head Ramzan Kadyrov expressed willingness to send Chechen forces to conduct “special operations” if Putin OKs it.

Russia’s Black Sea Fleet may block Syria’s coastline, Komoyedov added, saying:

“Regarding the large-scale use of the Black Sea Fleet in this operation, I don't think it will happen, but in terms of a coastal blockade, I think that it's quite (possible).”

“The delivery of artillery strikes hasn't been excluded. The ships are ready for this, but there is no point in it for now. The terrorists are in deep, where the artillery cannot reach.”

The Times irresponsibly accused Russia of using troops disguised as volunteers - the same “little green men” Big Lie claim about Ukraine - “stealth tactics…using (Russian) soldiers to seize Crimea…and aid pro-Moscow rebels in eastern Ukraine,” said The Times - polar opposite clear, hard truths.

It cited unnamed US military officials, claiming hundreds of “Russian military personnel” are in Syria, preparing for many more to come.

The only “Russian military personnel” are ones Moscow publicly explained - advisors and others involved in training Syrian forces to use weapons supplied.

The Times repeated the Big Lie about Russia mainly targeting US-supported anti-Assad forces, not ISIS. Sergey Lavrov called the so-called Free Syrian Army a “phantom…(W)here is it,” he asked?

“(N)othing is known about it. We will be ready to establish contact with it if it’s really a capable military group of patriotic opposition consisting of Syrians.”

“We do not hide this fact. But this structure is already a phantom. I have asked John Kerry to provide us with information about the whereabouts of this Free Syrian Army and who commands it.”

“So far no one has told us where and how this Free Syrian Army operates or where and how other units of the so-called moderate opposition operate.”

The vast majority of anti-Assad elements are imported terrorists, ISIS and others. Washington maintains the fiction of a moderate opposition. Its bombing campaign strikes Syrian targets, supporting these groups, not fighting them.

The Times consistently reports state propaganda, press release journalism, regurgitating what unnamed US officials say - suppressing hard truths readers deserve to know.

Russia admitted one or more of its aircraft may have inadvertently violated Turkish airspace bordering Syria. Irresponsible Times and other media reports blew the incident out of proportion, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu saying:

“Our position is very clear. We’ll warn any country that violates our borders in a friendly way. Russia is our friend and neighbor. There is no tension between Turkey and Russia in this sense. The issue of Syria is not a Turkish-Russian crisis.”

“What we have received from Russia this morning is that this was a mistake and that they respect Turkey’s borders and this will not happen again.” These type errors are commonplace, not provocative actions.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg represents mainly US along with other Western interests. He’s a notorious irresponsible Russia-basher.

He called meaningless incidents “unacceptable violations of Turkish air space. Russia's actions are not contributing to the security and stability of the region. I call on Russia to fully respect NATO airspace and to avoid escalating tensions with the alliance.”

A separate US-drafted NATO statement said “(a)llies strongly protest these violations of Turkish sovereign airspace, and condemn these incursions into and violations of NATO airspace.”

“Allies also note the extreme danger of such irresponsible behavior. They call on the Russian Federation to cease and desist, and immediately explain these violations.”

Expect continued Russia bashing ahead, part of Washington’s vicious propaganda war, The Times and other Western media repeating its Big Lies - flagrantly violating core journalistic ethics to report accurately and fully, excluding bias.

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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.

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