This Can’t Be Happening – 01.25.17

Ellen Schrecker, author of “No Ivory Tower” and other books about the McCarthy era, and a widely acclaimed expert on that subject, talks about similarities — and differences — between that era of anti-communist witch-hunts and our own era of official hounding of government critics, immigrants and “pro-Russian” leftists.

Norman Solomon – Democrats Launch New McCarthyism

On Tuesday, Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) and six ranking members of major House committees sent President Obama a letter declaring, “We are deeply concerned by Russian efforts to undermine, interfere with, and even influence the outcome of our recent election.” A prominent signer of the letter — Rep. Adam Schiff, D-California, the ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee …

Ilya Arkhipov – Putin Blasts Trump and Clinton for ‘Shock’ Campaign Tactics

Vladimir Putin blasted both Donald Trump’s and Hillary Clinton’s tactics on the campaign trail but refused to publicly take sides in a U.S. presidential race in which he’s been accused of secretly favoring the New York real estate billionaire. “They’re both using shock tactics, just each in their own way,” the Russian president said in an interview. “I don’t think …

Finian Cunningham – Russian Red Scare No Longer Works

The American and British governments are launching yet another media campaign to demonize Russia, with tall claims that the Kremlin is infiltrating European political parties and news media. The dastardly Russian aim, we are told, is to destroy the European Union. We’ve already seen versions of this scare tactic with regard to Ukraine and “Putin the new Hitler.” But what …

Robert Parry – MH-17: The Dog Still Not Barking

The Dutch Safety Board report concludes that an older model Buk missile apparently shot down Malaysia Airline Flight 17 on July 17, 2014, but doesn’t say who possessed the missile and who fired it. Yet, what is perhaps most striking about the report is what’s not there – nothing from the U.S. intelligence data on the tragedy. The dog still …

James Howard Kuntsler – Tick Tick Tick

Did Charlie Rose look like a fucking idiot last night on 60-Minutes, or what, asking Vladimir Putin how he could know for sure that the US was behind the 2014 Ukraine coup against President Viktor Yanukovych? Maybe the idiots are the 60-Minutes producers and fluffers who are supposed to prep Charlie’s questions. Putin seemed startled and amused by this one on Ukraine:how could he know for …

Ray McGovern – Propaganda, Intelligence and MH-17

During a recent interview, I was asked to express my conclusions about the July 17, 2014 shoot-down of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over Ukraine, prompting me to take another hard look at Official Washington’s dubious claims – pointing the finger of blame at eastern Ukrainian rebels and Moscow – based on shaky evidence regarding who was responsible for this terrible …

Right Sector threatens violence throughout Ukraine By Andrea Peters

The Ukrainian neo-fascist militia, Right Sector, has announced it is preparing for “widescale actions” and the holding of an “emergency Congress” in Kiev, after a violent standoff with a rival gang and government authorities in western Ukraine last week. The primary fighting force behind the US-backed coup in February 2014 that led to the installation of the current regime in …

Forget Tanks. Russia’s Ruble Is Conquering Eastern Ukraine – Yulia Surkova and Daryna Krasnolutska

As a wobbly cease-fire keeps eastern Ukraine’s warring factions apart, Russia’s ruble is conquering new territory across the breakaway republics. In Donetsk, the conflict zone’s biggest city, supermarkets have opened ruble-only checkout counters to serve the fighters in camouflage lining up along pensioners. Bus and tram tickets come with a conversion from Ukraine’s hryvnia to the Russian currency. Gas-station workers …

Ukraine’s spate of suspicious deaths must be followed by credible investigations – John Dalhuisen

The killing of journalist Oles Buzyna on a Kyiv street this week was shocking enough in and of itself. According to Ukraine’s Interior Ministry, the 45-year-old journalist – who was widely known for his pro-Russian views – was gunned down by masked assailants in a drive-by shooting. But what makes his murder especially chilling is the fact that it is …