Skip to main content

Provide more weapons to Ukraine: Plea from two of most pampered media figures in West

By James W. Carden 

Two of America’s leading neocon apparatchiks, Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg and Atlantic staff writer Anne Applebaum traveled to Ukraine with the widow of the American tech titan Steve Jobs (who now, as it happens, owns The Atlantic) for a round of war tourism and a sit-down with Ukrainian president Zelensky.
The results are about what you’d expect.
We are informed that, “Although the war is not lost, it is also not won.”
That, “Uniquely the United States has the power to determine how, and how quickly, the war of attrition turns into something quite different.” That, “The fate of NATO, of America’s position in Europe, indeed of America’s position in the world are all at stake.”
That, “This is a war over a fundamental definition of not just democracy but civilization.” There is neither time nor world enough to recount Goldberg and Applebaum’s record of willful misrepresentations and outright fabrications in support of every US military adventure over the past thirty years.
But credit where it is due, their timing is nothing if not impeccable; despite the special pleading of academics, think tank hands and publicists such as Goldberg and Applebaum just back from state-sponsored trips to Ukraine telling us that victory is in sight if only we provide more weapons, the actual state of affairs on the ground is beginning to reveal itself. The trove of Pentagon leaks and events on the ground indicate that the tide of the war is likely turning, and not to the advantage of Ukraine and its Western sponsors.
Here is US Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, Army four star Christopher Cavoli testifying before Congress last month:
"The Russian ground force has been degenerated somewhat by this conflict, although it is bigger today than it was at the beginning of the conflict…The air force has lost very little; they’ve lost 80 planes. They have another 1,000 fighters and fighter bombers. The navy has lost one ship.”
In Goldberg and Applebaum’s telling:
“America is linked to the war in this deeper sense. The civilization that Ukraine defends has been profoundly shaped by American ideas not just about democracy, but about entrepreneurship, liberty, civil society, and the rule of law.”
And yet, as Olga Baysha, author of Democracy, Populism and Neoliberalism in Ukraine, told journalist Branko Marcetic last month, Zelensky has been prosecuting a “war on journalism” since February 2021, fully one year before the Russian invasion, shutting down three three television channels (NewsOne, 112 Ukraine, and ZIK) controlled by the opposition. This was followed, later in 2021, by the sanctioning and banning of still more opposition channels, including Strana.ua, First Independent Channel, UKRLIVE, Sharij.net, and Nash.
As Baysha put it, “The prosecution of oppositional journalists presented as ‘enemies of the people’ started not because of the war but because of the falling popularity of Zelensky.”
The Goldberg-Applebaum piece then is illustrative for what it leaves out. We’re told, via Zelensky, that the Russians are such savages that they even stoop to steal urinals on their way out of town. And that is an illustrative vignette for a magazine feature, no question about it. But why is there, in this “big think” piece, which comes adorned with cover art by U2’s Bono, no mention of the root causes of the war? Or of the ratio of Ukrainian to Russia war dead, now thought to be the range of 7 to 1? Or the continuing risks of escalation? Or the nearly decade long abuse of Ukraine’s ethnic Russian population beginning with Ukrainian president Poroshenko’s “anti terrorist operation” of April 2014? Or the role that the far-right, neo-Nazi Azov and Right Sector battalions have played in the war effort?
Goldberg and Applebaum do however get around to defining what “victory” means to the Ukrainian side…
“Victory means, first, that Ukraine retains sovereign control of all of the territory that lies within its internationally recognized borders, including land taken by Russia since 2014: Donetsk, Luhansk, Melitopol, Mariupol, Crimea.”
What this amounts to is a plea from two of the most pampered media figures in the Western world to continue and, if we are to take their wish for Ukraine to re-take Crimea seriously, increase the scale of the fighting done by terrified teenagers and young men in muddy trenches which are said to resemble the conditions along the Somme a hundred years ago. But no matter. The slaughter must continue lest Ukraine lose its “chance to alter geopolitics for a generation.”
Readers looking to be informed should look elsewhere. Goldberg and Applebaum specialize in producing a kind of faux-literary war agitprop for the Beltway “in crowd.” What Christopher Hitchens did with Iraq, Goldberg and Applebaum now seek to do with Ukraine. Yet should you decide to breach The Atlantic’s paywall, be sure to check your brain at the door and enjoy those doodles on the cover by Bono…
---
This article is distributed by Globetrotter in partnership with the American Committee for U.S.-Russia Accord (ACURA). James W. Carden is a former adviser on Russia to the Special Representative for Global Intergovernmental Affairs at the State Department. He is a member of the board of ACURA. Source: Globetrotter

Comments

TRENDING

Global Ambedkarites in deep shock over killing of Buddhist Ambedkarite youth in Nanded

Joint  Ambedkar International Mission and Ambedkar Association of North America statement on killing of an Ambedkarite Buddhist youth for celebrating Dr Ambedkar Jayanti (birth anniversary) in his village on 1st June 2023 in Bondhar Haveli village, Nanded, Maharashtra: *** Every single public event hosted by any social or political organization in Maharashtra is not completed without citing Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar and yet an Ambedkarite Buddhist youth, Akshay Bhalerao was brutally murdered for celebrating Dr Ambedkar Jayanti in the village Bondhar, Nanded, Maharashtra by dominant caste goons. Caste Atrocities are common in such villages where the Scheduled Castes and Buddhists are daily humiliated, mocked, or abused with caste slurs and women subjected to sexual violence. 

How this top Maoist leader couldn't extricate completely from the Left adventurist line

By Harsh Thakor  On the 31st of May Katakam Sudarshan, known as Comrade Anand, breathed his last, at the age of 69. Anand was a member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (Maoists) and an important leader of the revolutionary movement of India.

Discussion on making school education meaningful to vulnerable communities

ActionAid note on workshop to boost National Curriculum Framework operations: *** Leading educationists and activists striving to make education meaningful to vulnerable communities gathered in Delhi to discuss the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE). Acting in response to the call of the NCF Steering Committee appointed by the Ministry of Education, Government of India, ActionAid Association had organised the meeting to gather feedback on the draft NCFSE. This is part of ActionAid Association’s commitment to promote inclusive and gender-responsive education. The two-day national workshop titled ‘NCF Perspectives: Seeking Feedback on National Curriculum Framework (NCF)’ on May 30 and 31, 2023, was held at India International Centre, New Delhi. The workshop aimed to ensure a structured approach to gathering feedback from key stakeholders and enhancing their active participation in shaping the response sought by the Government of India. Stakeholders representing e

Abrogation of Art 370: Increasing alienation, relentless repression, simmering conflict

One year after the abrogation by the Central Government of Art. 370 in Kashmir, what is the situation in the Valley. Have the promises of peace, normalcy and development been realised? What is the current status in the Valley? Here is a detailed note by the People’s Union for Civil Liberties , “Jammu & Kashmir: One Year after Abrogation of Art. 370: Increasing Alienation, Relentless Repression, Simmering Conflict”:

Release of dabang neta: Rule of law can't be allowed to be slave to political rhetoric

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*  When we look to politicians for solutions and politics as the 'final solution' for every evil then we are disappointed most of the time. In politics, we knowingly or unknowingly become part of the propaganda tool of the ruling elite which exists everywhere across different castes. We often provide issues and talk about them in binaries which suit our elites. The minorities among the marginalised who have no political space and representation rarely get heard by these majoritarian parties whose agenda remain power communities. Every political party in today's time is following the 'successful' formula of 'democracy' which is keeping the 'powerful' 'jaatis' with them leaving aside the marginalised one. The BJP started this but yes they cobbled together all other communities too through a diverse narrative.

J&K RTI activist denied opportunity to address audience, bring forward critical issues

Statement by Er. Irfan Banka, Founder of J&K RTI Foundation and convener of the Nalae Ferozpora Bachav Movement, regarding the incident of official misconduct during the My Town My Pride Jan Abhiyan Program and communication to Raj Bhavan: *** Er. Irfan Banka, a prominent RTI Activist and advocate, has come forward to address an incident of misconduct that occurred during the My Town My Pride Jan Abhiyan Program held at Mugam Town Hall in  Budgam. Additionally, Er. Irfan Banka has communicated the matter to Raj Bhavan, seeking appropriate action. During the event, Er. Irfan Banka was denied the opportunity to address the audience and bring forward critical issues concerning the people and services in the community, including waste management, traffic management, and the achievement of sustainable development goals. The incident involved the Additional Registrar Co-operative Kashmir, who not only prevented Er. Irfan Banka from speaking but also subjected him to public humiliation. E

Why are 17 Indian cos, including Sterlite, blacklisted by Norway bank

By Venkatesh Nayak* Readers may recall the gory incidents that took place at Thoothukudi (Tuticorin) in Tamil Nadu in the southern part of India on 22 May, 2018. Thirteen protesters died on the spot when the police opened fire to disperse an assemblage of thousands of local residents and representatives of civil society groups. They were protesting against the adverse environmental impact of the industrial operations of Sterlite Copper which runs a copper smelter plant in the area. Accusations against the company have ranged from polluting local water resources to plans for expanding the installed capacity of the plant without the necessary environmental clearances. A ground report published in The Wire recently, mentions the decision taken by Norges Bank a few years ago to not invest funds from Norway’s Government Pension Fund Global (GPFG) in Sterlite “due to an unacceptable risk of complicity in current and future severe environmental damage and systematic human rights violations

Sengol imbroglio suggests reason why Modi, BJP don't respect modern Indian history

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat*  The new parliament building opened on February 28. It looks it is not the Parliament but part of #Pratinidhisabhas ' started by earstwhile #princelystates in India. The #BJP for long has been acting as if India is a #Kingdom and Modi ji the new #King of India. Even at the coronations of Kings, you find a large number of people, and dignitaries but look at the opening ceremony we have only one face as if he build everything. Is it the dream of a republic.

Danger ahead: Smartphones making teens sexually smart, but mentally disturbed

By Harasankar Adhikari  We live in a digitally globalised society. Bombarded consumerism and imitation of foreign cultures and practises reshape our everyday lives. Life choices and lifestyles are the driving forces of modernity at present. People of almost all ages are within this realm and rhythm of consumerism for happiness.

Cave of Spleen - a feminist perspective: Status of women in early 18th century England

The Cave of Spleen: Aubrey Beardsley's illustration for Pope's “The Rape of the Lock” By Pragya Ranjan  "The Rape of the Lock" by Alexander Pope published in 1712 is a mock-heroic narrative which satirically glorifies trivial incident of cutting of locks of protagonist Belinda. This poem was written in the Augustan Era (1660-1784) which is marked by the period of scientific reason and rationality, whose effect can be seen on the writers of those times. This timeline is particularly important to analyse the episode of the Cave of Spleen.