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Rob Roy's avatar

Jim F., Serious.

I think you have a misconception about the people to whom you refer. The Soviet guy lived in an entirely different political climate than the rt woman. No comparison. I am surprised and annoyed that our MSM keep deliberately using the term, "Soviet," as if it were still in existence. It's gone. Period. When Putin became president, he began instantly to change things, told the oligarchs things were going to change, they would have to pay their taxes (either that or be arrested and go on trial or leave the country). The various oligarchs chose their own paths. The richest one went to trial, was convicted and spent eight of his thirteen years in prison and was allowed to leave the country. [That's why so many rich Russians live in London.] Putin brought 75% of the country out of poverty. Why do you think he's had such a high rating among the people? Now, the young who are in the street protesting are of an age that they have no memory of their country before Putin, and like all young people the world over, want to protest over something. They have no idea what they are doing and are encouraged by the US and UK who are backing that idiot Navalny, an extreme racist (who say he still believes what he always has, Muslims are cockroaches and should be killed, are like rotten teeth that need to be pulled out) and and he earns his way in the world by being a shyster opportunist and liar.

Connecting this thread back to Matt and Glenn and Aaron and Caitlin and Bob Parry (R.I.P.), Joe, and other great reporters, they are the finders of truth who took down the lies about Russiagate that some of my friends still buy into, heaven forfend. Rob

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Jim Fuquay's avatar

Well, I accept that the Soviet system is gone. I had a newspaper colleague who had previously been an AP reporter in Moscow who was a great guide to perestroika and glasnost (sp?) and that whole period. (I still have the copy of Alan Morehead’s The Russian Revolution that he gave me, come to think of it.) But I thought it is expressly acknowledged that RT is state-controlled, no? I mean, you’re entitled to your opinion of life in Russia today, but I think it’s simply too different from all my other sources for me to swallow whole. But thanks.

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Rob Roy's avatar

Jim,

My go-to source on Russia is Stephen F. Cohen, always. He's the most knowledgeable of the experts. He spent decades in the Soviet Union and, until his recent death, remained friends with Gorbachev. I will miss his sage commentary for the rest of my life.

I am cancelling the New Yorker after decades because they hired Masha Gessen, the worst reporter on Russia I've ever read. When even the New Yorker falls for Russiagate, it's time to leave. I've noticed she's affected other writers there.

No, rt is run on freedom of the press. No reporters there are ever told what they can and cannot say or report on.

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