FROM THE ARCHIVES: In pursuit of Russia-gate, U.S. mainstream media embraces any attack on Russia and works to ensure Americans don’t hear the other side of the story, as with the Magnitsky myth, reported Robert Parry on Oct. 28, 2017.
By Robert Parry
Special to Consortium News
As Russia-gate becomes the go-to excuse to marginalize and suppress independent and dissident media in the United States, a warning of what the future holds is the blacklisting of a documentary that debunks the so-called Magnitsky case.
The emerging outlines of the broader suppression are now apparent in moves by major technology companies – under intense political pressure – to unleash algorithms that will hunt down what major media outlets and mainstream “fact-checkers” (with their own checkered histories of getting facts wrong) deem to be “false” and then stigmatize that information with pop-up “warnings” or simply make finding it difficult for readers using major search engines.
For those who believe in a meaningful democracy, those tactics may be troubling enough, but the Magnitsky case, an opening shot in the New Cold War with Russia, has demonstrated how aggressively the Western powers-that-be behave toward even well-reported investigative projects that unearth inconvenient truth.
Throughout the U.S. and Europe, there has been determined effort to prevent the American and European publics from seeing this detailed documentary that dissects the fraudulent claims at the heart of the Magnitsky story.
The documentary – “The Magnitsky Act: Behind the Scenes” – was produced by filmmaker Andrei Nekrasov, who is known as a fierce critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin but who in this instance found the West’s widely accepted, anti-Russian Magnitsky storyline to be a lie.
However, instead of welcoming Nekrasov’s discoveries as an important part of the debate over the West’s policies toward Russia, the European Parliament pulled the plug on a premiere in Brussels and – except for a one-time showing at the Newseum in Washington – very few Americans have been allowed to see the documentary.
Instead, we’re fed a steady diet of the frothy myth whipped up by hedge-fund investor William
Browder: Buys silence.
Browder and sold to the U.S. and European governments as the basis for sanctioning Russian officials. For years now, Browder has been given a free hand to spin his dog-ate-my-homework explanation about how some of his firms got involved a $230 million tax fraud in Russia.
Browder insists that some “corrupt” Russian police officers stole his companies’ corporate seals and masterminded a convoluted conspiracy. But why anyone would trust a hedge-fund operator who got rich exploiting Russia’s loose business standards is hard to comprehend.
The answer is that Browder has used his money and political influence to scare off and silence anyone who dares point to the glaring contradictions and logical gaps in his elaborate confection.
So, the hedge-fund guy who renounced his U.S. citizenship in favor of a British passport gets the royal treatment whenever he runs to Congress. His narrative just fits so neatly into the demonization of Russia and the frenzy over stopping “Russian propaganda and disinformation” by whatever means necessary.
This summer, Browder testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee and argued that people involved in arranging the one-time showing of Nekrasov’s documentary should be prosecuted for violating the Foreign Agent Registration Act (FARA), which carries a five-year prison term.
Meanwhile, the U.S. mainstream media helps reinforce Browder’s dubious tale by smearing anyone who dares question it as a “Moscow stooge” or a “useful idiot.”
Magnitsky and Russia-gate
The Magnitsky controversy now has merged with the Russia-gate affair because Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya, who traveled to America to challenge Browder’s account, arranged a meeting with Donald Trump Jr. and other Trump campaign advisers in June 2016 to present this other side of the story.
Though nothing apparently came from that meeting, The New York Times, which always treats Browder’s account as flat fact, led its Saturday editions with a breathless story entitled, “A Kremlin Link to a Memo Taken to Trump Tower,” citing similarities between Veselnitskaya’s memo on the Magnitsky case and an account prepared by “one of Russia’s most powerful officials, the prosecutor general Yuri Y. Chaika.” Cue the spooky music as the Times challenges Veselnitskaya’s honesty.
Film director Andrei Nekrasov, who produced “The Magnitsky Act: Behind the Scenes.”
Yet, the Times article bows to Browder as the ultimate truth-teller, including repetition of his assertion that Sergei Magnitsky was a whistleblowing “tax lawyer,” rather than one of Browder’s accountants implicated in the tax fraud.
While Magnitsky’s profession may seem like a small detail, it gets to the heart of the mainstream media’s acceptance of Browder’s depiction of Magnitsky – as a crusading lawyer who died of medical neglect in a Russian prison – despite overwhelming evidence that Magnitsky was really a clever accountant caught up in the scheme.
The “lawyer” falsehood – so eagerly swallowed by the Times and other mainstream outlets – also bears on Browder’s overall credibility: If he is lying about Magnitsky’s profession, why should anyone believe his other self-serving claims?
As investigative reporter Lucy Komisar noted in a recent article on the case, Browder offered a different description when he testified under oath in a New York court deposition in a related federal civil case.
In that adversarial setting, when Browder was asked if Magnitsky had a law degree, Browder said, “I’m not aware that he did.” When asked if Magnitsky had gone to law school, Browder answered: “No.”
Yet, the Times and the rest of the mainstream media accept that Magnitsky was a “lawyer,” all the better to mislead the American public regarding his alleged role as a whistleblower.
The rest of Browder’s story stretches credulity even more as he offers a convoluted explanation of how he wasn’t responsible for bogus claims made by his companies to fraudulently sneak away with $230 million in refunded taxes.
Rather than show any skepticism toward this smarmy hedge-fund operator and his claims of victimhood, the U.S. Congress and mainstream media just take him at his word because, of course, his story fits the ever-present “Russia bad” narrative.
Plus, these influential people have repeated the falsehoods so often and suppressed contrary evidence with such arrogance that they apparently feel that they get to define reality, which – in many ways – is what they want to do in the future by exploiting the Russia-gate hysteria to restore their undisputed role as the “gatekeepers” on “approved” information.
Which is why Americans and Europeans should demand the right to see the Nekrasov documentary and make their own judgments, possibly with Browder given a chance after the show to rebut the overwhelming evidence of his deceptions.
Instead, Browder has used his wealth and connections to make sure that almost no one gets to see the deconstruction of his fable. And The New York Times is okay with that.
[For details on the Nekrasov documentary, see Consortiumnews.com’s “A Blacklisted Film and the New Cold War.”]
The late investigative reporter Robert Parry broke many of the Iran-Contra stories for The Associated Press and Newsweek in the 1980s. You can buy his last book, America’s Stolen Narrative, either in print here or as an e-book (from Amazon and barnesandnoble.com).
If you enjoyed this original article please consider making a donation to Consortium News so we can bring you more stories like this one.
According to Russia Insider, it will soon be possible to purchase Nekrasov’s film legally. Meanwhile, there’s more than enough to debunk Browder in his own testimony. Video of all of his 2015 deposition in the Prevazon Holdings case is available, There’s also a transcript. If this seems too long, start with #4.
Bill Browder April 15, 2015 Deposition – Part 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pu9DMxfTGhY
Bill Browder April 15, 2015 Deposition – Part 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBjO0TIb7pw
Bill Browder April 15, 2015 Deposition – Part 3 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9LsoeTKloE
Bill Browder April 15, 2015 Deposition – Part 4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPjZC7RAdu4
Bill Browder April 15, 2015 Deposition – Part 5 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wb_DoXqibYs
Bill Browder April 15, 2015 Deposition – Part 6 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSF1qVYChlo
The film is available in full, all two hours of it, on the net and can never be expunged, unlike most data about Mr Browder. The author is quite plodding in the development of his information but I suppose, when you are dealing with a matter that has misled the entire legislature of the United States, one must proceed with care.
It will be interesting to see how the representatives deal with this now it can no longer be concealed. If they are really pathetic they will pretend it does not exist and carry on regardless. If some one or two of them demand they attend to it properly, we might be in for a rare and wonderful moment of honesty.
please supply a link. thanks!
Nekrasov’s film … View, download, share widely while you (still) can:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njzZcdoLP6c
That posting of Andrei Nekrasov’s documentary was removed by YouTube, which furthers the case the information – the truth – found in the film is extremely important. Fortunately, another YouTube user published the film on their channel. Please view, download, copy, save, share, etc. widely:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DbhpI3uRlQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkGiDJ6lB9w&lc=z23qjlaqjkqws1bwk04t1aokg0rejfbxfjr2mf1gx0dcrk0h00410.1532309507682204
When I read Bob’s work, his spirit is so ALIVE through it. I sure miss his work, but so glad we have this to reflect on.
I ran into some folks on Twitter who had the link to the documentary but I didn’t pursue.
I’m still astounded as to the breadth & width Russiagate has gone within the US public, when fraud was so obvious throughout the primaries. How the hell did this get traction.
It dawned on me recently why: many Russiagaters are absolutely clueless as to US foreign policy. Even more are not even aware of Obama’s eight years of regime change wars!!!
I think Obama was deliberately installed to accomplish a few goals for the global elite. One of them was to silence the anti WAR left. Now, Democrats are neocons and Dem voters cheerleaders for hostilities toward Russia.. all because a warmongering, wall street loving sociopath didn’t win? It’s just reached such insanity I feel hopeless at times.
I knew from the get go that these sanctions were a complete fraud but not exactly why, but thanks to the clarity of Bob’s work, I’m much more informed.
I want this hoax to end and to see these treasonous folks in prison or hung from lamp posts!
Please clarify (or edit) the first sentence of the eighth paragraph that makes little sense: “Browder and sold to the U.S. and European governments as the basis for sanctioning Russian officials.”
It is part of the first sentence of paragraph 7, separated due to the image to the right.
It is worth noting that an early invasion of Russia by countries to the west occurred in 1606, when the then powerful Poland-Lithuanian Federation invaded Russia with a force of 18,000 men and went as far as Smolensk, not very far from Moscow. The occupation of Smolensk then lasted for two decades before a Russian recovery allowed them to drive the Poles and Lithuanians out of the city.
When dealing with the deeply deluded members of our present US “culture”, it pays to remember that these insane people can be very dangerous if crossed. The truth can be a risky thing to have, in the presence of the brainwashed ones. Beware that you be not identified as one of the Putin agents needing to be crushed. Cast not your pearls before swine, lest they turn on you and rend you.
Very good point, Mike, and well taken. Thanks.
Here is the link to a Michael Monhan’s conversation with prof. Steve Cohen and Professor Marshiemer I got from an article in Asia Times today.
It is a must-watch conversation. With every passing day it seems like that we are living in an insane Asylum and may end up in blowing up this planet.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJBQikfYyKs
Dave P. – great video! Everybody should watch this. How can these two guys make so much sense in five minutes? Thanks, Dave.
Great Link Dave P. Thanks for posting.
Thanks Dave, that should be viewed by every one.
Skipping around the internet, maybe browsing, it is remarkable how focused the opposition to Trump’s efforts to normalize relations with Russia is, constantly trying to move foreign policy initiatives off center stage and bring the focus on finding something on Trump. The argument is made that it really should be about Trump but the vehemence that was employed from the campaign on about Putin makes it clear it is not Trump as a person, but Trump as someone who dares to suggest better relations with Russia. You could broaden the concern to North Korea but it seems the real concern is the cost to the powerful who do not want our adversarial policy to change If not Russia, then China. The intelligence guy Coates is now on a crusade against China and their cyberspace stuff. The media makes this ordinary fellow a celebrity as long as he stays on message.
To the staff at Consortium News, I feel this article has appeared because I mentioned the death of Magnitsky while in Russian detention in an earlier article. I do however, wonder how he died? But that wasn’t the heart of my piece. So many were talking about Hillary Clinton getting $400,000,000 from the Browder / Magnitsky group. It has come to the point where truth doesn’t much appear anywhere. Your stories are true, but, unlike what you have done with my small mention of Magnitsky you haven’t done anything to quell this other misinformation from other readers, stories that really divide and weaken the U.S.
Sunday July 15: Putin says that Mr. Browder’s business partners took $1.5 billion out of the Russia without paying tax to Russia or the U.S. and that $400,000,000 went to Hillary.
Monday July 16: The Helsinki meeting took place and we know nothing about what was discussed.
Tuesday July 17: Trump says he made a error in his speech and blamed it on a double negative meaning he believed Russia had interfered in the election. Little reported is that afterwards, Putin comes forth and says he made a mistake, it wasn’t $400,000,000, but $400,000.
As I mentioned, the donation records show that the Browder / Magnitsky donations from Ziff Brothers Investments came to:
– Hillary Clinton $17,700
– DNC $296,966
– Republican action committee $200,000
Social media and large media corporations say what they want and nobody really knows how truthful it is. What we do know is that the world is being split up. To me it’s like we are reliving elements of the great depression between the world wars. Pay was low, and the job had changed and was insecure. Today automation is having its effects. The divisions are growing. Where I live one can put so much each year into a tax free savings account. I refuse because with today’s wages only the well to do can afford the luxury.
I am surprised that people haven’t taken to the streets, like the anti Vietnam war folks and like coloured people did for their cause, and fight to get rid of monetary influences in government. The PAC, superPACs and other vehicles should be outlawed. It is however heartening to see young and progressive people along with Sanders beginning to get things in motion. I give them my best wishes.
Who are you, and why do you think you [your “mention”] has anything to do with it? Browder has been going full throttle all week, reiterating his tapestry of lies, hoping not to be revealed as liar and thief. Seems only natural that Consortium would reprise Parry’s article.
Thank you b.grand.
I think the source of the 400 thousand/million confusion is that (I believe) $400 million is the amount of the assets of one of Browder’s companies that has maybe gone missing.
Generally Putin is on top of facts and figures. He may have been briefed by someone who made a mistake.
But he corrected it immediately.
Now, if our MSM would immediately correct all of their lies about Browder, Magnitsky, and Putin, we might be getting somewhere!
BTW, Magnitsky’s mother, too (interviewed in the film), stated that she believed he died of medical neglect, and was unable to explain why he was subjected to this neglect. Perhaps the jailers were making an example of him to others who have looted the Russian economy.
Bombshell Development: Lisa Page Reveals Plot Against Trump
https://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2018/07/21/bombshell-development-lisa-page-reveals-plot-against-trump/
Facts have no more meaning in western “democracies” – only perceptions management matters. i.e virtual reality (illusionism) is the king in the West.
“His chief of security Sergey Sokolov came to Russia and purportedly brought with him some documents his late master prepared for his return. These documents allege that Browder had been an agent of Western intelligence services, of the CIA to begin with, and of MI6 in following years. He was given a code name Solomon, as he worked for Salomon Brothers. His financial activity was just a cover for his true intentions, that is to collect political and economic data on Russia, and to carry out economic war on Russia. This revelation has been made in the Russia-1 TV channel documentary Browder Effect, (broadcasted 13.04.2016), asserting that Browder was not after money at all, and his activities in Russia, beside being very profitable, had a political angle.”
http://www.unz.com/ishamir/the-good-fortune-of-mr-browder/
“Clearer now? By agitating for more power for minority shareholders – in which he was included – Mr. Browder was agitating for greater power over the company. By fighting for the latitude to allow existing blockholders to enhance control by leveraging voting power, he was merely repeating techniques he learned from the example of money-launderers and swindlers, and from practical experience such as the control of large blocks of shares purchased from ordinary people who didn’t understand their relevance and didn’t want to learn – as he did in the voucher program during Yeltsin’s first wave of privatizations, before he ever came to Russia to live. Bang the company around through lawsuits by shell companies you control, upsetting the voting proportionality among shareholders and whisper campaigns about its insolvency and corruption until it stumbles, then pressure the government to do something. In Russia, “do something” often consists of throwing a pile of money at it to prevent its collapse. Company stock soars, money flows into agitator’s pockets. Almost as easy as stealing, right? Apparently, that was pretty much the Russian government’s take on it as well.”
https://marknesop.wordpress.com/2011/08/21/its-not-what-you-know-its-who-you-know-deconstructing-william-browder/
Whatever it is to be said of U.S. Russian relations it rattles the brain of a rational thinker to why the U.S. and England would entertain the supporting of such a convoluted creature. The more you dig into Mr Browder’s claims the more you will find counter claims to the opposite of what Browder carries on about. On top of that a casual study of Bill Browder shows he is adept at capitalizing on bad news over good, and quite efficient at making events happen to support his agendas. Smooth character is Bill Browder, but is he worth dying for?
I find Browder’s influences to be on par with Bibi Netanyahu’s well accepted congressional approval rating, and that to me is a spooky and dangerous thing. While the American public is being warned against Russian interference into our political system, the Zionist reaps the rewards of lobbied influence. Browder is capitalizing on all this Russian bad idiocy, and that ain’t good.
Wake up America, and learn who these people are who truly are taking over this American government in order to complete their Zionist dream….for whatever that dream maybe, but their dreams rewards don’t include you and me.
Excellent comments, Joe. Spot on.
Good work Joe.
Excellent links and observations; thank you.
In response to the Magnitsky Act, and because of some negative reports about American adoption of Russian children, Russia’s Duma passed a law banning any further adoption of Russian kids by Americans about 2014. So, both issues are intertwined, HK. The British also are going to side with Browder, he has received protection from their intelligence services and is connected to M16. It is in the interest of England also to demonize Russia, they go along with the US and other western nations.
And it is very possible that Magnitsky did get sick in Russian jail. Maybe he was beaten, it happens in prisons of every country, not least the US. He may not have been well. We do know that Magnitsky was not a lawyer, he was an accountant, and he was cooking the books of Heritage Capital, Browder’s hedge fund, one of many illegal frauds perpetrated on Russia by the oligarchs. And Putin, who is a staunch Russian nationalist, put a stop to that. The Russians were truly suffering from the selling off of their nation’s assets to greedy oligarchs who cared nothing for Russia and its people.
Neither Fox nor CBS nor any other network run by corporations will allow the full facts to be exposed of any story, HK. Interestingly, it is Robert Parry who exposed the sordid details of the Iran-Contra deal of the Reagan administration, which became a pivotal historic event for Americans starting to see an ugly side to their government. It was a wakeup moment, although many Americans, it seems, went right back to sleep.
Hi Jessika-
I wrote my reply to HK before noticing yours. I like yours better.
What means HK?
Sorry, HK is presumably a person.
And no doubt Magnitsky also arranged his own death in the ultimate sacrifice just to smear Putin. And both the governments of the US and Britain have chosen not to prosecute him for a $230 million tax fraud for political reasons, a fraud Parry claims didn’t exist.
The quality of some of Consortiumnews’ reporting is sometimes at the level of Fox. Just how does Parry know “nothing apparently” came of the Russian meeting with Trump, Jr. Was he there? Has he seen any documents or heard any recordings? The pathological lying Trumps initially claimed the meeting was to discuss Russian adoptions. Now Parry claims it was to discuss the Magnitsky Act. Which is it? Or does he just want to do a Giuliani, and claim things without evidence?
The tax fraud existed, alrighty, though it is Browder who is the guilty party. This much is certain, though you wouldn’t know it if you’re an American consuming drivel such as MSNBCIA and the New York Times every day.
Why don’t you stay on point? Browder has been caught lying, again and again.
The documentary maker had been known as a fierce critic of Putin and this opened the doors for him to take interviews with the scoundrel Browder.
If you are looking for Russian connection, look no farther than Browder’s grandma Bolshevik from Russia and Browder’s grandpa in charge of the US communist party.
Cannot help yourself but smear the late Robert Parry, an honest and principled investigator?
This is your darling Browder, enjoy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryVavTF6hR0
Magnitsky died from a pre-existing medical condition while in prison. If years of lack of proper diet and exercise counts as “arranging one’s own death” then you are correct. There are multiple articles from various sources that address Trump Jr’s meeting. The Russian adoptions and the Magnitsky Act are connected. It was in fact about both. I suggest you read the other sources mentioned by the commenters here, and then maybe you can come up with more intelligent questions and accusations. Robert Parry was one of, if not THE, greatest journalist ever, and he did more research and legwork than all of the current MSM lackeys combined. His insistence on evidence is legendary. Go somewhere else if you’re going to slander him.
Interesting backgrounder over at Salon on Browder and Putin (the early days)
Because the site is buggy as hell,
it’s best to ** read in print preview (enlarged) **
to avoid pop-ups and auto-start videos and constant view shifts…
I wouldn’t be linking, if I thought it was a waste of time…..
Exit Salon asap to avoid it eating all available memory … trash site programming for over 20 years. quite extraordinary.
Salon: Bill Browder and Vladimir Putin: A tangled tale of two nations, two centuries and a lot of history
By ANDREW O’HEHIR
https://www.salon.com/2018/07/21/bill-browder-and-vladimir-putin-a-tangled-tale-of-two-nations-two-centuries-and-a-lot-of-history/
Pink diaper baby here also, I know of Browder pere as the reason for massive resignations from CP-USA including my mother (like O’Hehir) and iirc slavish refusal to address Stalin’s excesses.
For those unable to obtain the documentary, there is an excellent book exposing this fraud, The Killing of William Browder: Deconstructing Bill Browder’s Dangerous Deception by Alex Krainer. The book was originally available on Amazon, but Amazon de-listed it, apparently trying to deep six it as was done to the English translation of Udo Ulfkotte’s best selling expose about the CIA’s ownership of essentially all German journalist (including himself until he blew the whistle). As a result and because Krainer doesn’t need the money, he made it available for free on the web: https://dxczjjuegupb.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/TheKillingOfWilliamBrowder_PrintLayout_6x9-1.pdf
The Saker did a review of Krainer’s book, which is how I stumbled across it: https://saker.community/product/killing-of-william-browder-bill-browders-dangerous-deception/
Here is a superb article, in part a review of the film, by Eric Zuesse that links to the documentation that simply proves beyond any doubt that the entire matter is grounded in fraud. Moreover, as the author shows, Browder’s company’s own published materials included what was purported to be a photo of Sergei with injuries, ostensibly sustained as a result of beatings in prison, though it is in fact not even a photo of Magnitsky at all, but a 30 or 40 year old pic of some other individual who has been positively identified.
http://washingtonsblog.com/2018/04/private-investigations-find-americas-magnitsky-act-to-be-based-on-frauds.html
I guess Browder is the new poster-boy now that Khodorkovsky,is free and “promoting democracy” in Switzerland (last i heard). His martyrdom was similarly constructed, but of course he did spend 10 years in prison for arguably dubious tax evasion charge … and I eventually learned is/was considered a bad-guy traitor-oligarch on the streets, those pensioners living on cabbages. I learned that a Khodorkovsky op-ed or sighting usually appeared before the next anti-Putin push. He was their fair-haired boy for a long time. Trying to make freedom fighters out of disgraced oligarchs.
Bill Rood – thanks for the comments and the links. Much appreciated.
Bill Rood, the Nekrasov film is now available on Bitchute. Seems I can’t post a link here. There are many links posted at Unz Review, one under Paul Craig Roberts’ latest, comment #4.
Trying to post the bitchute link or a description how it can be found, I’ve seen my comment disappear every time.
Now the link is again found in the comments to the reprint of this R.Parry’s article on Zerohedge 21st July. Comment posted Sat, 07/21/2018 – 18:49
The film is with English subtitles.
You can also go to the Bitchute website and search for the film by its name.
I may have posted this info in comment to another article but here it is again, updated book 2018, (pricey on Amazon but may come down in price):
Grand Deception: The Truth About Bill Browder, the Magnitsky Act and Anti-Russian Sanctions by Alex Krainer
Article from San Jose Mercury News about Browder “hanging around Half Moon Bay”, referring to Browder as “Putin nemesis” and just having to say that people who go against Putin “have a habit of winding up dead”. Just saw it on my phone because “Google Now” churns this stuff up. It’s an industry of its own, anti-Putin journalism with bile and jaundice.
Slowly the truth about Browder is coming out. The presstitutes were screaming about “Putin admits he misspoke” (on the $400k to Clinton from Browder). Most likely, the fact that he thinks in Russian currency numbers is the reason for his mistake, but would they consider that? Also, do we need the gratuitous “Putin is a strongman, autocrat, dictator, thug”, etc (fill in the blank as long as it’s the worst negative)? We don’t know Putin, don’t live over there, it’s arrogant/ignorant subservience to the lies of the US Deep State who lord it over us all and are pleased when ignorant citizens of Oceania parrot their viewpoints. Oceania has always been at war with Eastasia (George Orwell, “1984”).
Excellent post, nonsense factory!
Just the other evening “Judy” on the News Hour allowed Michael McFail to call little Sergei a lawyer without correcting him. This was right after Putin asked to be able to question McFail on the Browder matter. Great poke in the eye by Putin, his subject being all puffed up on umbrage in subsequent interviews that day.
The Magnitsky-Browder story and Russiagate are both interesting examples of how US (and UK) corporate media refuses to bring historical context into stories they are pushing on the public. The same thing happened with the Iraq WMD hysteria in 2002-2003 – there was a refusal to analyze the (successful) UN program to rid Iraq of WMDs in the 1990s; experts like Scott Ritter and members of the UN team involved were locked out of media coverage, and talk show hosts that didn’t sing the right song (Donahue, etc.) had their shows cancelled. What’s going on now is an eerily similar replay of the events of 2002-2003.
For example, with respect to Browder and Magnitsky, we should also be talking about Berezovsky & Gusinsky – two Yeltsin-era oligarchs who played major roles in swinging the 1996 Russian election to Yeltsin (who started out the campaign with a 3% approval rating), in cooperation with the usual suspects who were pushing the neoliberal program in Russia – the IMF, American advisors, Swiss banks (Riggs-Valmet), etc.
We should be talking about how Browder, Gusinsky, Khodorkovsky, Berezovsky and that crew got so rich. When Russia privatized state enterprises, they handed out ‘shares’ to the state employees – which became worthless stock certificates as the Russian economy crashed under Yeltsin. These oligarchs and their western partners bought up those certificates for a tiny fraction of their stated worth, 1/100th or less, and so obtained control of Russian energy, banks, media, etc. This was often done with western financing. These oligarchs then started playing politics, trying to control the Russian government, etc.
A very good description of this era is in two books – Naomi Klein’s Shock Doctrine and Ben Mezrich’s Once Upon A Time In Russia.
So – why the Putin hate in western neoliberal circles? He shut down that program in 2003 or so. Some good details are in Steve Coll’s “Private Empire : ExxonMobil and American Power”. Basically, Putin rejected the notion that Russia would take a Saudi-like role in the global neoliberal empire, and locked up or exiled any oligarchs that wouldn’t follow his lead. The details are complex, but it all dates from around summer 2003, when Putin rejected an Exxon bid for a majority stake in Yukos. Things went downhill from there.
To jump to the present, the latest iteration of this conflict is Trump’s attack on Nordstream 2, in an effort to get Europe to buy US LNG exports. Before that it was the Ukrainian gas corridor (the 2014 coup), then it was Georgia’s pipeline route (2008 war), oh and there was Syria’s Gazprom-Iran pipeline (c. 2009, leading to Syrian regime change efforts), then there is Kazakhstan, etc. etc. etc. Go to wikileaks and search secret cables for anything related to pipelines, the whole story will come out.
So, point being, this is the historical and economic context within which Russiagate and Magnitsky and the Ukraine should be viewed. It doesn’t mean Putin is a nice guy, but the fact is, if he’d been cooperative like the Saudis are, in terms of petrodollar recycling, he’d be as welcome in Washington as Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi crown prince, is – even if he was ten times as repressive and his country was an economic shambles run by corrupt oligarchs in bed with Wall Street (as it was during the Yeltsin years).
This fundamental fact just won’t break the surface tension of the US / UK corporate media propaganda system – leading to vast confusion among the consumers of that drivel over what this is really all about.
You hit the nail on the head as to the real reason for the west despising Putin. However I do think Putin is basically a nice guy, as well as being a rational and fair-minded leader. None of the murders attributed to him have been proven, and all have very plausible alternative suspects. I have watched Stone’s interviews, and hours of other speeches and interviews, and all I can say is I wish we could get a President here in the USA as good as him. He has done well by the average Russian, who has seen an increase in longevity and standard of living since Putin came to power after the disastrous Yeltsin era. His approval rating inside his own country is the envy of all other world leaders.
I wouldn’t try and characterize Putin as a ‘nice guy’ or not – to me that smells too much like US-style celebrity image games, where they play to people’s emotions and either try to build people up or tear them down; it’s also like the Warren Buffett and Jeff Bezos image polishing business, the hagiographies and so on. If we try to stick to the facts of what Putin has done, that’s enough. From that perspective:
(1) Putin implemented policies that improved the Russian economy and led to a great improvement in the standard of living of the average Russian citizen relative to the post-Communist Yeltsin years. I think this is the #1 issue that accounts for Putin’s popularity within Russia.
(2) Putin has made regaining control of Russian fossil fuel, media and banking outfits a major part of his program, such that their profits are no longer directed to Wall Street, Swiss & UK banks, etc. Those profits were redirected to Russian economic growth. However, Putin also recognizes that relying on natural resources is a dead end; I watch his speeches and he’s always calling for technological development, recognizing that Russia is behind countries like China and the United States and Japan and Germany on this front.
So those are positives, I’d say, for a politician. The big negative is this:
(3) Putin has banned secure messaging apps like Telegram and seems to be pushing for a more Chinese-like system of Internet control. This is not unique; the likes of Comey, Clapper and Alexander in the US have a similar agenda, wanting to put backdoors into every phone and computer so they can snoop on the public at will. This is where the public needs to push back hard against the authoritarian control freaks, wherever they are – Russia, the US or China, Iran or Saudi Arabia or Israel – we need secure communications and the open exchange of information, period. Anyone who tries to block that, needs to be opposed on that issue.
That’s a more multidimensiona view than US celebrity mags can handle – Putin, in reality, has a mixture of good poliices and bad policies, which is typical of all politicians everywhere.
nonsense factory-
Thank you for the thoughtful reply. As for his banning “secure messaging apps”, I am wondering if this may be due to our own Deep State and the “long knives” that he has to defend his country and himself against. As B.E. says, there are many Atlanticists still inside Russia who would probably love nothing more than to be able to resume the looting they enjoyed under Yeltsin, and are actively plotting to achieve those ends.
That said, I agree that the necessity for secure communications and open exchange of information is of paramount importance worldwide. Just as worldwide Nuclear disarmament is a great idea. The problem with both is how to get there.
I’d agree that the whole USA – NGO thing has such a bad record around the world that I really don’t fault Putin for banning a lot of those NGOs (say, the Soros Open Society outfit, or perhaps the Omidyar Network, or the Ford Foundation, etc.) from operating in Russia, as all too often in other countries such outfits have worked hand in hand with the CIA, USAID, etc. as part of programs to undermine and destabilize governments that don’t agree to IMF austerity, Wall Street investment, etc.
However, this is really the problem with US tactics, is that they also allow crackdowns on independent organizations that aren’t in on these games (Greenpeace climate protestors, for example).
I can also see Putin being worried about the CIA trying to set up ‘dissident networks’ in Russia using secure messaging apps and so on, and using that as a justification for a complete ban on secure apps – but again, this is just the kind of thing American government officials have pushed for “because terrorism”.
This is where better diplomatic relations really do matter. If the leaders of China, Russia and the USA would agree to more talks and less cyber-disruption games, if they talked about nuclear arms reductions instead of threatening cyberstrikes on each other’s infrastructure, we’d all be better off. This is a concept the neoliberals and the corporate media and the permanent state just can’t seem to grasp – unless, they’re just trying to go back to the Cold War to preserve the bloated MIC budgets, which is probably closer to the truth.
I personally am all for Putin visiting Washington and having more talks with Trump – although my advice to Putin would be, don’t trust Trump; he’s still playing the same game as Obama and Bush, just look at his effort to block Nordstream 2 and bring LNG to Europe if you doubt this.
How young are you? Putin was in the former East Germany as an operative, back in 1986-1989. He witnessed what happened then and that was the beginning of his education. Never again would his country be humiliated. There is so much blame to go around, and of course Putin is not the end all. However, some people thought Mussolini was a good idea, some people thought AH was a good idea, Thatcher, Reagan, ..Just saying do not underestimate geopolitics, I lived it in Munich and the old geezers have vendettas. Me not so much, but I dislike the influence those old bastards have over our generation.
nonsense factory – that was an excellent post, and I think you’re right. I mentioned here a few days ago that one night I spent hours just looking at where the wars were and following the trail of oil – the Sudan, Yemen, and other places I thought I’d remember, but now don’t. And if it’s not war, it’s sanctions – Venezuela, Russia, Iran.
How do you figure the Israelis fit in here? What is their purpose and design? Oil in the Golan Heights? Owners of Wall Street? Owners of Congress?
Skip Scott – yes, I like Putin too. He seems to love his country and wants the people to benefit. Of course, a good leader is never “soft” because otherwise he’d be eaten alive by the back-stabbers he’s surrounded with and foreign countries who want to overtake him. Tough, but fair – a good combination. Paul Craig Roberts had a good post on what both Trump and Putin are up against:
“The Saker says that Putin finds himself in a similar box, only it doesn’t come from the national security interest, but from the Russian Fifth Column, the Atlanticist Integrationists whose front man is the Russian Prime Minister Medvedev, who represents the rich Russian elite whose wealth is based on stolen assets during the Yeltsin years enabled by Washington. These elites, The Saker concludes, impose constraints on Putin that put Russian sovereignty at risk. Economically, it is more important to these elites for financial reasons to be part of Washington’s empire than to be a sovereign country.
I find The Saker’s explanation the best I have read of the constraints on Putin that limit his ability to represent Russian national interests.
I have often wondered why Putin didn’t have the security force round up these Russian traitors and execute them. The answer is that Putin believes in the rule of law, and he knows that Russia’s US financed and supported Fifth Column cannot be eliminated without bloodshed that is inconsistent with the rule of law. For Putin, the rule of law is as important as Russia. So, Russia hangs in the balance. It is my view that the Russian Fifth Column could care less about the rule of law. They only care about money.”
https://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2018/06/30/the-two-superpowers-who-really-controls-the-two-countries/
So Putin is up against it. If his enemies can bring Russia’s economy to its knees, the oligarchs will swoop in, along with Wall Street, and take it over.
You can kind of understand why kings and queens of the past used to just behead their enemies. Let them stick around and they eat you.
As far as Israel, one thing that consistently pops up in Wikileaks cables (also see Steve Coll’s Private Empire), is that Israeli often serves as a conduit for weapons and military training for regimes that even the US doesn’t want to be seen to be too hand in hand with. They also provide lots of cyber-espionage and surveillance software for regimes that are trying to control their populations. Their reward is a lot of military contracts, plus $4 billion a year in US taxpayer money sent to Israel.
For example, in Syria, they’re still trying to disrupt the economic recovery and block Iran and Syria from cooperating on getting their pipeline built, that’s pretty typical. In the UAE, they were providing surveillance software to track dissidents; in places like Honduras and Equatorial Guinea they were providing weapons and military training for some highly repressive governments, etc. So, kind of a junior partner to the USA in the Empire game. Which also gives them a pass on all their own disgusting human rights abuses, ethnic cleansing, sniping of protesters, passing apartheid laws, etc.
Also, I think they’re in on the petrodollar recycling schemes, particularly weathly Israelis. Supposedly the wealthiest parts of Israel have a lot of Russian expats who got rich under Yeltsin via the kind of schemes Browder and friends were running.
nonsense factory – thanks for your response. It makes good sense. It’s easy enough to see what people do, but wrapping our heads around their “motives” is sometimes very difficult. Thanks again.
There was more substance exchanged between you three individuals in that thread on Washington’s venal gripe with Russia than all of American government and punditry have offered since Obama starting stoking the New Cold War circa 2013-14.
If true (and I suspect it is) that Putin is so popular because of the Russian economy stupid (that and a dollop of bracing nationalism–sound familiar MAGA people?), the Hillary insurrectionists must realise that the more effective way of sabotaging Trump’s re-election bid and maybe even getting him impeached (though this now seems remote) would be to take or allow actions that drag down the U.S. economy rather than taking pot shots at Putin and Russia.
Whether Trump’s economic policies actually have substance and are the effective reason for our presently improved economy (if you believe the employment stats and market metrics), or simply represent a hot streak by a gambler playing with the house’s money, is beyond my understanding. It is also unclear whether the bets he is playing against China and the EU can actually win in the long run or only result in our all going bust.
The financial sector of the Deep State is obviously enjoying the benefits of either what is great wisdom or just more Voodoo economics. Are they ready to pop that bubble on the chance that they will gain even more if the hard core (ersatz-) Democratic cold warriors are returned to power? Do they really believe that there is greater gain for them to be had in scavenging Russia’s dead economic carcass than in partnering with them in development programs, especially in natural resources as they had been doing (a la the soon-forgotten Rex Tillerson and Exxon-Mobil) before the new cold war became the favored plan?
I realise the raison d’etre of neoliberal capitalism is to re-acquire every petrobuck created through debt and issued by the Federal Reserve Bank back into the estates of the global aristocracy after being briefly touched and smelled by us riff-raff. But can they actually do that most effectively with Russia dead rather than alive and, over the long run, with the same said for the American work force (which they threw under the bus long before they did Russia)?
To be honest, most of the time it seems to me that there really is no overarching long-term plan or economic philosophy these people live by, that they simply grasp for as much as they can in the moment, the future be damned, and their foreign policy actions are stimulated more by testosterone and adrenaline than accurate facts and measured reason. I honestly can’t tell whether the elite insiders REALLY want Trump to fail and why they’d prefer the Clintonites to prevail, and if they’d be willing to take a short term hit to their bottom lines to accomplish either thing. There are too many contradicting trends and forces in play for me to parse them out into a predictive model. Maybe the guys with the supercomputers think they have a handle on the big picture, maybe they are only deluded.
All I know for sure is that on a planet of finite resources, with populations and demands accelerating exponentially, an economic and a consequent societal crash must come. The human race has simply already written way too many IOU’s to Mother Nature which some day WILL be called in. Even if you foolishly purport that science is a “hoax” for one of the many expedient reasons presently floated out of poorly disguised greed, the laws of physics and chemistry are non-negotiable and WILL be enforced.
Realist-
Thank you. The quality of the posts in the comment threads here at CN is a big reason I come to this site almost daily. You guys and gals are my ticket to sanity. It is wonderful to have a place for meaningful conversation. Let’s keep it up and maybe we can play some small part in making a better future.
” Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” Margaret Mead.
Yes I agree with you Skip. I am constantly amazed at the quality of comments at CN. And I always look forward to reading comments by Realist; incredible comments.
Realist – everything is manipulated – the economy, CPI, GDP, the geopolitical situation, the media. If they don’t get the numbers they want, they change the way they measure things. 100% made-up. Could they bring the economy down to hurt Trump? You betcha they could. They’d blame it on something – anything – and then say they couldn’t see it coming. Yeah, right. It’s like they set up these grenades all over the place, they’re just sitting there waiting to have the pin pulled. Then they go off and make a fortune, all while having the power to pull the pin at any moment. Nothing is random. I mean, if things could just fall apart, there’s no way they’d lever up as they do. No, they’re the ones who pull the pin.
I like your last paragraph: “planet of finite resources, with populations and demands accelerating exponentially” and “the laws of physics and chemistry are non-negotiable and WILL be enforced.” Yes, and very few talk about this. It’s growth, growth, growth, we need more growth. Stupid.
nonsensefactory, backwardsevolution – Great comments.
I want to add that Putin, in 2000 took over Russia which was like a very sick patient with not much time left, and not much hope of recovery; Russia was in shambles. I thought it will take Russia a century to recover if it does at all; but most likely Russia will fall apart and will be gobbled up by the Western Powers. The situation was even worse than the Russia’s dissolution in 1600. It is remarkable that Putin resurrected Russia in such a short time and put Russia on the World map again. There were other strong Rulers in Russia’s History but I think he is probably the best Leader/Statesman they had in a long time.
But Russia is not out of the woods yet; considering all the factors it seems like Russia will have to keep fighting for its survival; it is sandwiched between powerful neighbors in the East and in the West. And Russia is much behind in technological development with no one from outside to help. And there is Fifth column inside Russia as you both pointed out. This new Russia State is not mature or stable as yet. Putin must prepare some strong Successor soon to assure Russia’s survival as a Sovereign Nation.
Dave P. – good comments. Putin, like Trump, must keep the people behind him if he and the country are to survive. He, according to some reports I’ve read, is fostering a return to family values, the orthodox religion, a feeling of pride in the country, law and order. All of these things provide a strong foundation for any country. After watching that Magnitsky video, with cops taking bribes, rampant corruption, I came away hoping that Putin would be successful. The poor people of Russia – they have been through so much, haven’t they?
During the press conference with Putin an Trump Putin mentioned wanting the return of Browder to stand trial for tax fraud. He used the figure four hundred million and said the money went into the Clinton campaign. Did I hear correctly or have I jumbled what Putin said.? I don’t follow the news closely but assume his remark was ignored by the media and our government officials.
yes he definitely majored on the return of Browder and who could blame him /as for the 400 going to the Clinton campaign the full interview should be on youtube
It looks like Putin misspoke and meant to say $400,000.
———–
http://tass.com/world/1013707
Browder has transferred $400,000 to accounts of the US Democratic Party, Kurennoy said.
“Browder’s criminal group funneled $1.5 billion from Russia into tax havens. Of this sum, at least $400 million was transferred to the Democratic Party’s accounts. Afterwards, our president asked us to correct the sum for $400,000 from $400 million,” Kurennoi said.
Thanks, that makes much more sense.
It’s refreshing that you;ve outed yourself as an unreconstructed anti-jewish conspiracy theorist. It’s rife around here but few seem willing to come out so openly and reveal themselves. Bravo, sir or madam!
Brian – anon’s comment did not refer to Jews or Jewish anything. You are reading something into it that is not there. Maybe you are outing yourself?
You miss the forest for the trees …
Interesting. And people wonder why I refuse to take the government’s word for anything without actual proof.
The book “The Killing of William Browder” by Alex Krainer sets out the whole caboodle. The time line of events is crucial and reveals the ‘antics’ of the delightful William Browder. The author wasn’t allowed to publish it but it’s available on the internet.
The Magnitsky Act, in the UK, was jumbled up with the virtual reality enactment of “The Skripals come to town” and passed through our parliament, sadly, with personal support of the leader of the Labour Party.
After a lot of ridicule of the mainstream press, they now refer to Magnitsky as “the man who Browder employed as a lawyer”. Neat, that.
Can’t read a Robert Parry article without getting hit by a really big “God, but I miss him”.
even endorsed by Corbyn
To view the “The Magnitsky Act: Behind the Scenes” the film by Andrei Nekrasov mentioned in Robert Parry’s article above go to ;
https://www.unz.com/ishamir/the-good-fortune-of-mr-browder/
Scroll down the article to the comments section. Go to the end of the comments. You will see the film is posted on comment # 134 to the article. Browder has successfully blocked the film from being shown in Europe and the US so watch it before it is taken down from the website.
Wow. Glad to hear that Unz has it up. If it gets taken down, I believe it is still possible to view it through Vimeo, however you have to email one of the producers in Norway at [email protected]. He will email you a link, and then request to text you the p/w to your cellphone. It took almost a month for him to get back to me, but it was well worth the wait.
This is how I accessed it, except it was another member of the production team who had posted an invitation on Twitter for interested parties to email him for a password.
Sean – thank you very much. I’m halfway through now (when I should be asleep), and I’m really enjoying it. Have a great day!
backwardsevolution – I watched the Movie of Andrei Nekrasov. What a crooked character this man Bill Browder is, along with the rest of the ilk. I can’t find words what to say about the EU parliament, and the one in London, and the one we have here in Washington. What a World we live in.
There is link I posted above near the top, of the most recent conversation of Professors Cohen and Marshiemer. It is worth watching.
Dave P. – yes, I watched your Cohen link and it was great. Thanks. Yes, Bill Browder is not a good man. He appears to be a man who has no values at all, an habitual liar, win at any cost. Psychopathic type probably.
Thanks, I viewed most of the film. Nekrasov shows his initial credulous pro-Browder dramatization of the story for 30 min, then his realization of Browder’s falsehoods: that company seals were stolen by police in a SWAT raid (actually an unarmed demand for documents); that Magnitsky was a lawyer contacted after the raid (actually an accountant long employed there); that various shell companies were set up by police (actually by people associated with Browder but perhaps rogues); that a 230 million tax refund was obtained by police (actually the shell companies), etc. The story became annoying due to the use of talking heads dramatizing explanations or audience acceptance, rather than diagrams. Browder apparently was dishonest about the shell company complexities and roles, and appears to have set up a fraud.
I just ‘Bing’ searched it, and had no problem bringing up loads of sites where you can view the vid. I haven’t done so, and really don’t intent to. I do not need any further proof of lies, fairytales, and fables that emanate from official Washington.
Nonetheless, thank you Mr. Parry for your crusade for truth.
rgl-
I think you’ll find that those versions all have Russian audio. No problem if you speak Russian.
Why in the world are you using Bing?
For no other reason than I refuse to Google. Or Fakebook.
duckduckgo is a good option that supposedly protects privacy.
Thank you Sean. Managed to watch it before it got “disappeared”.
Thanx, Sean. I just spent the morning watching it. I’m glad I did. I did, as it were, take the word of those that had watched it but seeing it is much more powerful. How have so many countries been bamboozled into passing their own version of the Magnitsky Act? The disparity between Browder handing out his patter about Magnitsky the lawyer… er CPA whose role it obviously was to hide the fraud and Browder being questioned by a competent investigator is stunning.
Thanks so much for providing the link. Fascinating, and terrifying at the same time.
Yep, I know Robert’s moved on beyond the sojourn that included Consortium News.
Thanks, S.A.
Got lots of questions still. Will start with the first that popped up in my head. Regarding the doc wherein M supposedly accused the police…whose site was it Nekrasov was checking out that had different versions of what happened germane…that was in Russian with a “translation” in English? Was it a western site? If it was a Russian gov site, the translation Nekrasov was viewing was not “on” the same site, but simply a version rendered by some separate online translator program? Doesn’t seem like it would have been the latter, cause then it would have to have had specific instructions to translate that particular document in a bogus manner.