Democracy Now!’s not-so-good interview with Stephen Cohen on the Ukraine
This article makes the same point I've been trying to make about the serious problem with aspects of Democracy Now's modus operandi--that it usually throws its lot in with the pro-Putin Chomskyite left. This interview with Putin apologist Stephen Cohen was an egregious example:
To its discredit, the Democracy Now! program assigned a title to the on line transcript of the interview that includes the word coup,[6] apparently endorsing Cohen’s interpretation.
...
It’s certainly true that the U.S. record in foreign affairs is one of a hegemon and that media coverage has, for the most part, been complicit in that hegemony, rarely challenging “official” positions.[7]
It is also true that Russia can be understood to be concerned as the West’s sphere of influence increasingly closes on Russia’s borders. But the mistake we must not make is to excuse Russian colonialism while condemning U.S. colonialism:
...
Let’s just briefly pause to consider the last part of that passage. Indeed, there are at least grounds for suspicion that Russia wants the Ukraine to be, if not in Russia’s orbit, at least neutral.[12] But what sort of neutrality is imposed from outside? Is this the neutrality of a sovereign nation or, rather, the neutrality of a demilitarized zone?
Cohen seemingly thinks Vladimir Putin is a hero. Cohen seemingly has forgotten that Putin has presided over the passage of laws that jeopardize anyone who espouses other than heteronormative views, imprisoned members of Pussy Riot, and generally clamped down on dissent:
Read it all
https://disunitedstates.org/?p=6170
= new reply since forum marked as read
