Pulitzer Award-Winning Journalist Thomas Ricks Goes to War Against Greenwald

[SunsetDreams]

...

You might recall Ricks’ in depth reporting during the Bush years and the Iraq War, along with the time recently when he challenged Fox News Channel’s Benghazi reporting while on Fox News; a trespass that led to the interview being cut short by the network.

...

–Russia is far worse. There essentially aren’t any warrants or court orders needed for mass surveillance of its own citizens. The Russian surveillance apparatus dwarfs the United States’ NSA, and there aren’t any protections or oversight restricting its activity. Russia has a history of imprisoning and even killing journalists and activists alike. And, while we’re here, its record on LGBT rights is atrocious.

All of these issues are squarely in the Greenwald/Snowden wheelhouse — not unrelated, random issues, but specific to Greenwald’s beat and Snowden’s mission statement. This is what makes their silence particularly deafening.

The message we’re getting here is that surveillance and authoritarianism is bad — unless there’s something in it for you. Neither Snowden nor Greenwald are brave enough to admit they need Russia and Brazil to protect them, therefore they won’t, as they say, shit where they live.

Much more here

Journalist Tom Ricks 'Beginning To Believe The Worst' About Greenwald And Snowden

tom ricks @tomricks1
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The clock strikes 13: The longer @ggreenwald and Snowden remain silent on events in Ukraine, the more I suspect their previous motives.
9:17 AM - 17 Mar 2014


All of this is a far cry from where Ricks stood in January, when he wrote that he was beginning to "edge toward Snowden." Those days, apparently, are over.

In a post published Monday on his blog, Ricks once again seemed to insinuate that Greenwald and Snowden are in cahoots with the Russians.

"Bottom line: I am no longer going soft on Greenwald and Snowden," he wrote. "In fact, rather the opposite, I am beginning to believe the worst about them. If they acting on moral beliefs, now would be the time for both of them to speak out against Putin. It could have a great impact, I think."

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/tom-ricks-glenn-greenwald-edward-snowden


Interesting...makes one wonder.

[MADem]

1. I have met Ricks. He is one tough cookie, and, at a risk of making a pun, not easily

snowed.

[SunsetDreams]

11. Yes he is and the Fox Interview was a beauty

[MADem]

12. "Fox is operating as a wing of the Republican Party!" Right on, Tom! nt

[SunsetDreams]

19. Exactly! That was great and poor

widdle Faux news just couldn't take the criticism and cut him off.

[msanthrope]

20. Greenwald's book is out very soon....Ricks is very timely with his critique. Good for him. nt

[Gothmog]

26. That was a great interview

Fox News is indeed part of the GOP machine

[1000words]

2. No wonder here.

I'm well aware of whose company Ricks keeps.

[geek tragedy]

6. Please, don't leave us hanging, spell out your smear on Ricks.

[Ichingcarpenter]

9. General Petraeus among others

at the Center for a New American Security

[Anansi1171]

10. Oh - and with whom is he guilty by association? (NT)

[MADem]

14. Yeah, the noive of that guy...why don't you have a look at the video upthread? nt

[TwilightGardener]

16. CNAS--supposedly "Democratic" military think tank, but they're just

more neocon/MIC crapola. I dislike Thomas Ricks, I can't believe Foreign Policy pays him to write his one paragraph per week of pointless drivel (the rest of the space is "guest writers&quot , but Greenwald is worse. I dislike both, how about that?

[quinnox]

3. I suppose this is one way to bring Ricks back into the limelight, and sell more books

Maybe I'm cynical, but it seems to me maybe his motives could be questioned as well.

[Cali_Democrat]

18. LOL

When people say the same things about Greenwald, it's considered "character assassination" by his fanbois.

Go figure.

[geek tragedy]

4. a few points

1) None of this changes the need to change US law to get the NSA under control and under the constitution.

2) Ricks is absolutely right on their friendly relations with Russia. Greenwald in particular has zero excuse for refusing to criticize Russia. Snowden you can understand, as he's under their physical control.

3) The argument about Brazil is less compelling. Brazil is an actual democracy, and Greenwald would not get sent packing for criticizing that government.

4) Ricks's moment on Fox news is one of the best things ever

[msanthrope]

13. I agree with all points you've made. nt

[SunsetDreams]

21. I agree with you..

NSA has been running wild for far too long and it's high time that the reigns were pulled in.

It would be hard for Snowden to speak out considering where he is located. I just fear that he may pay the ultimate price once he is no longer useful to Putin.

[LittleBlue]

5. Why should I care what he thinks?

He has special credibility because he's a journalist with a Pulitzer? Judith Miller has a Pulitzer.

Snowden and Greenwald aren't important, the fact that our government spies on us is important.

[ProSense]

7. Stand with Big Vladdy

http://progressivepopulist.org/2014/03/07/stewart-blasts-fox-news-traitorous-hypocritical-praising-putin-video/

Jon Stewart Skewers Conservatives' Massive Crush On Vladimir Putin
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/stewart-skewers-conservative-love-for-putin--3

Analysis: Why Russia's Crimea move fails legal test
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024623531

With Journalists Under Attack, Crimea Faces ‘Information Crisis’ Ahead Of National Referendum
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024630765

Russia: Sochi Games Highlight Homophobic Violence
http://www.hrw.org/news/2014/02/03/russia-sochi-games-highlight-homophobic-violence

Russian Federation: Prisoner of conscience beaten in court: Aleksey Polikhovich
http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/EUR46/016/2014/en

Russia: Violent attack on former Pussy Riot members must not be tolerated
http://www.amnesty.org/en/for-media/press-releases/russia-violent-attack-former-pussy-riot-members-must-not-be-tolerated-2014-

The Russian authorities accelerate their assault on freedom of assembly
http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/EUR46/018/2014/en

Russia: Freedom of expression falls victim to the dramatic events in Ukraine’s Crimea
http://www.amnesty.org/en/news/russia-freedom-expression-falls-victim-dramatic-events-ukraine-s-crimea-2014-03-03

Crimea: Attacks, ‘Disappearances’ by Illegal Forces
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024668942

Russia Wipes Opposition Sites From The Internet
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024669215

Putin will imprison any Crimeans who advocate secession from Russia.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024684315

[JNelson6563]

8. He makes valid points.

For the most part I have remained silent on the whole Snowden/Greenwald thing. I have once or twice asserted that Greenwald was primarily an opinion columnist prior to this NSA business.

I have to add I recently saw quotes from Snowden where he says to expose NSA secrets would be treason (or something along those lines). It made me wonder what had caused such a very big change in opinion on that...

Lots to think about.

Julie

[nadinbrzezinski]

15. Late to the party

Snowden and Greenwald, clue, not about them!!!

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

17. So let me get this straight. Snowden is the guest of Putin and...

you people think Putin is a maniacal tyrant...

and you think Snowden should be condemning Putin while he's his guest? And you think Greenwald should be bashing Putin while his buddy is in Russia?

Riiiiiight....

My hunch says Snowden says what Putin tells him to say. Putin isn't as batshit crazy as many think.

[thesquanderer]

22. remember that "wisdom to know the difference" line?

Snowden (and Greenwald) are making Americans aware of what's happening in America, a country where, ostensibly, if the population is informed, they can affect policy.

Does anyone think any change could possibly come from telling the world how much more spying Russia does? Even if they do indeed have the kind of inside information about Russian spying that they have about U.S. spying, which presumably they do not?

Try to change what you can, to not change what you can't, and hope for the wisdom to know the difference, right?

Besides, they are Americans, who proclaim an interest in making America a better place. You can believe that, or not, but they have no "mission statement" to try to improve the lives of Russians. How much must two men do? If they don't do everything, then nothing they do is worthwhile?

And let's face it... that Russia has a massive spying apparatus that they use on their citizenry surprises no one. That dogs bark is not news. That cats bark, is.

[joeybee12]

23. Does he deny the truth about what Snowden and Greenwald have revealed?

Doesn't seem like it...working for the Russians or not does not deny the truth of what the NSA is doing.

[frylock]

24. beginning to believe the worst without disclosing a fucking thing..

so what exactly is it that Ricks is beginning to believe? clickbaity innuendo and speculation with fuckall to back it up other than Greenwald not signing Ricks' loyalty oath.

[Excelsyor]

25. and Pulitzer Award winning Maureen Dowd went to war with Bill and Hillary Clinton

and Gore.

Just in case you sought to paint this dude as awesome because he won a Pulitzer.

[Octafish]

27. (I'll say it again.) Thomas Ricks? The guy's on this year's PNAC...

...the Center for a New American Security.

Just when you thought PNAC was gone.....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x2100758

[TwilightGardener]

28. Yup--Ricks was all excited that his CNAS buddy Michele Fluornoy was going

to be SecDef, until she wasn't chosen (thankfully). She thought Iraq wasn't wrong, just poorly executed, and was a big champion of long occupations and counterinsurgency--she thought we learned the "wrong" lessons of Vietnam. Just kinder, friendlier neocons in Ricks' crowd. He has zero credibility with me.

[Miguel Guate]

29. Oh wow Ricks won a Pulitzer!

Just like Glenn.