Russian TV Sounds Like Soviet TV
By Cliff Kincaid
August 20, 2008
Have you ever heard of Gloria La Riva of the Party for Socialism and Liberation? (web site) If you were a faithful viewer of Russia Today, an English-language TV propaganda channel for the Russian government, you would learn that she is running for president of the U.S. and is an expert on the crisis in Georgia who believes that the U.S. is involved in the region only because of oil.
"'The media in the U.S. reflects the interests of the U.S. government, of the U.S. imperialists," Rivera told Russia Today." And therefore, they naturally portray Russia as the aggressor, but we know that's not the case."
Denunciations of U.S. 'imperialism," which were a regular staple of Soviet TV, are back on the Russian version.
Those who have an understanding of old Soviet propaganda techniques know why La Riva was plucked out of obscurity. It is preferable, for Russian propaganda purposes, to use foreigners, especially Americans, to make your propaganda points. That makes it looks like Moscow is enjoying international support for its aggressive position.
Not surprisingly, Rivera's website highlighted her appearance. "Gloria featured on Russia Today television regarding Russia-Georgia war," it announced, (web site) complete with video. "Moscow deals a setback to Washington's geostrategic goals," is the headline over an article about the invasion of Georgia.
Other recent guests on Russia Today (web site) have included Alexander Cockburn, "an American political journalist," and Justin Raimondo, said to be "a top U.S. author." Cockburn denounced John McCain as a warmonger, while Raimondo warned the Russians to investigate what's on those humanitarian flights to Georgia. "I would check that out, if I were you," he was quoted by Russia Today as saying.
The Russian channel declared, (web site) "'Say No to War' has been Justin Raimondo's slogan for over a decade - from the U.S. intervention in Bosnia to the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. Now he has denounced U.S. support for Georgia."
In reality, Cockburn is a leftist who writes for The Nation and other publications. Raimondo was described by Russia Today as "a top U.S. author," in order to give him a measure of credibility, but his main claim to fame is running a website, antiwar.com, that describes itself (web site) as opposed to imperialism.
This apparently doesn't mean opposition to Russian imperialism.
The Russian invasion of Georgia has made it clear beyond doubt that the old Soviet KGB disinformation operations have been revived, using Americans as puppets to make Russian points. But the propaganda is being distributed on a worldwide basis, even on U.S. cable networks.
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