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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWeep for Greece: their new political leaders are conspiracy nuts tied to Russian fascists
This is the most widespread BS since the Obama birth certificate canard. The new Ukrainian government had a small minority of far right parties in it; after the latest elections in November this factor has dwindled even more. This "Ukraine Nazi government" stuff is propaganda spread by the Kremlin, part of its many (conflicting) false narratives it presents to whitewash its war on Ukraine and cover up its plundering of the Ukraine by its puppets before they were ousted. Oh did I just mention Russia?
Hmm and why would Greece be going to bat for Russia?
Vincardog
(20,234 posts)FLPanhandle
(7,107 posts)Obviously, they have a behind the scenes agreement for deficit financing with Russia in exchange for stopping or voting against sanctions. That also allows them to talk tough to the EU on debt relief.
Russia will probably end up with a new base in Greece soon in exchange for a few billion dollars in bailout money.
NuclearDem
(16,184 posts)FLPanhandle
(7,107 posts)and how much bailout money would it take for that to happen?
This government has promised no austerity and has no plan to cover their deficit spending and no more loans will be coming from the EU. There is only one way out. Leave the EU, get a massive bailout from someone in exchange for something equally big.
Putin would love to separate Greece from NATO and, even though he doesnt' have the extra cash, would be willing to spend for that outcome.
NuclearDem
(16,184 posts)FLPanhandle
(7,107 posts)Russians may just be paying Greece to intervene in any sanctions.
MFrohike
(1,980 posts)The new Greek government has already supported new sanctions on Russia as of a couple of days ago.
Response to uhnope (Original post)
MFrohike This message was self-deleted by its author.
I'll set aside the source, which is extremely dubious. We'll just forget that that it's a propaganda arm of the US government, which has a long, long history of rabid opposition to the political left around the world. Ok?
Even leaving the above aside, which is quite hard, this "article" comes off as a badly written smear. Why? Well, the first embedded link is the first reason. It links to another "article" on the site, which ham-handedly implies that Greece will single-handedly wreck the EU's policy toward Russia. The date on this "article" is Feb. 5, 2015. Why is that important? Well, the Greeks did agree to further sanctions against Russia a couple of days ago. I guess the good people at Voice of America were too busy making shit up to bother reading the news on that one. Whoops!
The second reason it's a smear is the lame attempt to paint Syriza as a crypto-fascist party by constantly alluding to advisors and allies. I have no trouble believing influential Russians, up to and including Putin himself, would try to make nice with the various far right parties in Europe AND with Syriza. Why? Well, Syriza, and the far right, have both made a big issue out of austerity and the anti-democratic nature of the current EU administration. Russia is having trouble with Europe right now, so it would make sense to court elements in Europe that could create problems for the current regime (regimes, really, but you get my meaning). This doesn't mean that Syriza is the same as Le Pen or the rest, it just means they happen to agree on one thing. Hell, the vast majority of Democrats and a whole ton of tea partiers have agreed, and probably still agree, that the blank check of TARP was a terrible idea. That agreement doesn't make them the same.
The third reason it's a smear is the total and complete silence on the actual, admitted fascist party of Greece: Golden Dawn. See, those boys actually do the salutes and wear the jackboots. They murder immigrants, bully the weak, and act like lowlife thugs while pimping a line of national renewal kind of like a certain Austrian we'll not name. Why not mention the repeated clashes between Golden Dawn and Syriza over the last few years? Why not mention that Syriza, when confronted with actual fascists, has repeatedly opposed and fought them? Oh right, that would kill the narrative. After all, why let the truth get in the way of a good story?
In short, your source sucks. It's badly written, incompetently researched, and is so transparently biased, by its glaring omissions, that its authors really should be getting offers from National Review or Fox very soon.
Luminous Animal
(27,310 posts)Jefferson23
(30,099 posts)polly7
(20,582 posts)Even though I don't agree with sanctions against Russia at all - I believe economic terrorism only really hurts those who can least afford it - spreading this crap against Greece just shows that the same people wanting to ramp up hatred for all Russians are trying to do the same for Greeks - but why? I think the answer is simple, personally.
MFrohike
(1,980 posts)I'm not a fan of the sanctions, primarily because of the destructive effect they're having on Europe. Europe is in slow-motion collapse as it is and the far right is on the rise as a result. That and Putin just isn't the boogeyman the hype makes him. He's got some capability, to be sure, but this ain't the old days. The old joke about the Red Army only needing shoes to reach the Atlantic just isn't true anymore. He can cause some problems on his own borders, but that's the extent of it. It'd make more sense to lean on Merkel and co. to being restoring demand in Europe, so that they can put the far right to rest and make life better for their people.
ND-Dem
(4,571 posts)right to rest.
Therein lies the problem.
malaise
(269,157 posts)By the way the Golden Dawn folks (including their leader) have been arrested and charged with several crimes including murder.
Like I said, they're lowlifes. I don't quite get how people fixate on supposed fascists when the actual ones are in the streets around Europe.
Thats going to leave a mark. I guess not all of us are so quick to buy the propaganda. Good thing too.
Manifest Destiny
(139 posts)Refreshing to read something with such merit and substance.
woo me with science
(32,139 posts)Thanks for taking the time to do that.
Teutonic Samuel
(87 posts)Rec