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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsPulitzer Award-Winning Journalist Thomas Ricks Goes to War Against Greenwald
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 Channels Benghazi reporting while on Fox News; a trespass that led to the interview being cut short by the network.
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Russia is far worse. There essentially arent any warrants or court orders needed for mass surveillance of its own citizens. The Russian surveillance apparatus dwarfs the United States NSA, and there arent any protections or oversight restricting its activity. Russia has a history of imprisoning and even killing journalists and activists alike. And, while were 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 Greenwalds beat and Snowdens mission statement. This is what makes their silence particularly deafening.
The message were getting here is that surveillance and authoritarianism is bad unless theres something in it for you. Neither Snowden nor Greenwald are brave enough to admit they need Russia and Brazil to protect them, therefore they wont, as they say, shit where they live.
Much more here
Journalist Tom Ricks 'Beginning To Believe The Worst' About Greenwald And Snowden
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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
(135,425 posts)SunsetDreams
(8,571 posts)MADem
(135,425 posts)SunsetDreams
(8,571 posts)widdle Faux news just couldn't take the criticism and cut him off.
msanthrope
(37,549 posts)Gothmog
(145,487 posts)Fox News is indeed part of the GOP machine
1000words
(7,051 posts)I'm well aware of whose company Ricks keeps.
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)Ichingcarpenter
(36,988 posts)at the Center for a New American Security
Anansi1171
(793 posts)MADem
(135,425 posts)TwilightGardener
(46,416 posts)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" , but Greenwald is worse. I dislike both, how about that?
quinnox
(20,600 posts)Maybe I'm cynical, but it seems to me maybe his motives could be questioned as well.
Cali_Democrat
(30,439 posts)When people say the same things about Greenwald, it's considered "character assassination" by his fanbois.
Go figure.
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)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
(37,549 posts)SunsetDreams
(8,571 posts)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
(10,362 posts)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
(116,464 posts)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 Ukraines 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
(28,151 posts)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
(154,021 posts)Snowden and Greenwald, clue, not about them!!!
WhaTHellsgoingonhere
(5,252 posts)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
(11,990 posts)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
(56,177 posts)Doesn't seem like it...working for the Russians or not does not deny the truth of what the NSA is doing.
frylock
(34,825 posts)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
(57 posts)and Gore.
Just in case you sought to paint this dude as awesome because he won a Pulitzer.
Octafish
(55,745 posts)...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
(46,416 posts)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
(25 posts)Just like Glenn.