In Episode 150 [13] of the CounterVortex podcast [14], Bill Weinberg calls out the panelists at The People's Forum [15] event on "The Real Path to Peace in Ukraine [16]"—including the inevitable [17] Noam Chomsky and Medea Benjamin—for actually spreading Russian war propaganda, in Orwellian manner. As Ukraine makes advances on the ground, liberating [18] the city of Kherson (which Moscow had declared as "annexed"), Russia retaliates with massive missile strikes targeting civilian infrastructure [19] such as heating plants as the bitter Ukrainian winter approaches—clearly war crimes, aimed at breaking the will of the populace. But rather than protesting the Russian bombardment, these pseudo-anti-war voices join with the Trumpian right [20] in calling for an end to Western military aid to Ukraine. And rather than Russian mass atrocities [21] and illegal annexation [22] of Ukrainian territory, they point to imaginary [23] pressure on Kyiv from the West not to negotiate as the obstacle to peace.
Other exponents of this tankie [27] pseudo-left (such as, of course [28], Max Blumenthal) shamelessly hype [29] every report of reprisals against suspected Russian collaborators in liberated Kherson—while ignoring or dismissing as propaganda eight months of persecution and torture [30] of the city's inhabitants under Russian occupation. This war propaganda is all the more sickening for being disguised as peace propaganda [17].
Most ironically, these voices now line up with NATO [31] in assuming that the missile that struck Polish territory [32] on Nov. 15 was an errant rocket from Ukraine's air defense system—on no basis other than the supposed authority of NATO, and despite the denials [33] of Kyiv. As Orwell wrote [34]: "Everyone believes in the atrocities of the enemy and disbelieves in those of his own side, without ever bothering to examine the evidence."
Listen on SoundCloud [13] or via Patreon [24].
Production by Chris Rywalt [35]
We ask listeners to donate just $1 per weekly podcast via Patreon [24]—or $2 for our special offer [36]! We now have 50 subscribers. If you appreciate our work, please become Number 51!
