Adam
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
As the ‘Russiagate’ narrative continues to flounder and consequently fall off the radar of American mainstream media, the FBI recently announced a probe into the multi-lingual Russian news organisations RT and Sputnik.
Sputnik and RT are just some of the many foreign owned media networks which operate offices in the United States, but unlike the BBC(UK state-owned), Al Jazeera (Qatari state-owned), Al Arabiya (Saudi state-owned) or the CBC (Canada state owned), only RT and Sputnik have been threatened by the FBI.
The matter stems from two disgruntled former employees at Sputnik going to the FBI with sensational claims about the nature of Russian state involvement in RT and Sputnik, in spite of the fact that the business model of state-ownership in media outlets is well defined and has been for decades. The United States itself operates several state-owned outlets on foreign soil, most notably Radio Liberty/Radio Free Europe.
During his last year in office, Barack Obama pledged further funding and other resources for America’s state-owned media outlets over seas.
However, in a move which defies reason and America’s own state-run as well as private sector business practices, the FBI seeks to investigate whether RT and Sputnik should be forced to register as ‘foreign agents’, as opposed to journalistic organisations, under the obscure Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), which was designed to target Nazi propaganda during the 1930s. The act has hardly ever been invoked and the very idea of going after Russian media using a law originally designed to target the great opponent of the Soviet and Russian people, fascist Germany, simply adds insult to injury.
READ MORE: State-sponsored intimidation, or when FARA goes too far
Now, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has issued Russia’s response. She called the move on the part of the US authorities, a violation of America’s own very well defined free speech laws. She further stated that it was “unacceptable” for a so-called democracy to behave in the way the US is behaving in respect of well known media organisations.
Zakharova then stated,
“We reserve the right to respond to the outrageous actions of the American side”.
As many US broadcasters operate freely in Russia. Against this background, the US may be on the verge of setting a precedent that will come back to haunt them.
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
Congratulations to RT and Sputnik for triggering globalist snowflakes, they must feel threatened not having complete monopoly over the narrative. This is a sign of weakness, but what else could we expect from the murderous cowards that run the global deep state.
Then again this has always been the agenda from Harold Lasswell, Reinhold Niebuhr, Walter Lippmann….
Have no illusions about “western partners”.
They call themselves the champion of “democracy”! Is the average American aware of how low his government has sunk?
As long as they are getting something to distract them, then no they aren’t aware. Welcome to the magic circle where illusion and misdirection are key.
Reminds me of my youngest son when he was 7-8 yrs of age he would always say..
Welcome to the magical world of Disney..
when he saw or heard something weird or beyond his knowledge..
@ gbardizbanian,
Should we blame those who have the attention span of a fruit fly or those who turn the masses into fruit flies?
Cui bono?
I think the Russians should waterboard a few US journalists in the Russian provinces….
and say that it was a “mistake”‘ but they thought these journalists were “aiding and abetting” terrorism…
(which they probably are when US journalists go to Chechnya)…
What about France24, French government owned?
this must be this much flaunted free press in the US free to print/broadcast what the corporate government dictates
Why isn’t the FBI investigating AIPAC for interfering in American elections and acting as a foreign agent, something it has been doing for 66 years? These people are fanatic Israel-firsters, who put Israel’s predatory interests ahead of American interests. They do much more damage to use that any Russians. Thousands of our young people die fighting their wars for them.
I want you to die for Israel
http://farm1.staticflickr.com/154/334470993_e0f84d2516.jpg
Bingo!
Americans can even get a $1 million fine or 10 years in prison for criticizing Israel. Also their congress recently just accepted, with a 95% yes vote, home search policy without a warrant.
That’s American democracy for you. Every day they are being taken less and less seriously anywhere in the world. They deserve to sink in their own filth, which is the price of total ignorance.
The USA has never had or been a democracy except in name only.
RT and Sputniknews are very open to comment. I believe the problem is not that there are ‘foreign agents’ in these organizations working to overthrow the Government of the United States but that silencing the commentariat is ineffective because of the open-minded approach to moderation these folk take.
You mean most of them folks can’t comprehend truths..? Agreed..!
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? Who will watch the watchers. The FBI should be investigated, all the way back to Hoover and certainly Mueller’s work as pointman for the WTC demolition would bring down the Regime in Washington. What the FBI is doing is the longest running cover-up in the history of the world.