The deal between Russia and Turkey signed yesterday is truly a game changer for the EU and it is at least as painful as the Russian retaliatory sanctions against the EU agricultural export. Having achieved such a victory, you would imagine that the Russians would be eager to not only explain it, but also make some good PR from it.
Think again.
I just went to the English version of the Russian President’s website in the hope of finding a fully translated version of the Putin-Erdogan press conference. Check out what I really did find:
That’s right. Chess.
Quick look at the Russian Foreign Ministry’s English page:
Apparently, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs thinks of November 22nd as “current news”.
Now, I am hardly a big admirer of Stalin, but when I see how these people work I cannot but think about the fact that in Stalin’s times they would have been shot as saboteurs…
I can hear some of you – anti-state libertarians – thinking that the state just cannot get it right. You think it is only the state? Ha! Check out Gazprom’s page today:
Yup. That is this multi-billion dollar mega-giant’s idea of “information”. My local convenience store can do better…
There are a lot of people out there who are under impression that Russia is cornered, losing this Cold War v2 against the Empire, that the Russian economy is about to tank, that the sanctions are having a dramatic effect, etc. In part, this is due to exposure to the Idiot-Tube (which many in Russia call the Zombo-box, the box to make zombies) and the rest of the MSM, but this is only part of the explanation. The main culprit is the Russian state and media – including RT – who just don’t seem to understand even the basics of PR such as:
1) When an important event happens, make darn sure that you provide a simultaneous translation into all major languages, then post the recorded video, and provide a transcript.
2) Make sure that good infographics, photos, footage, presentations are available to the press and the blogosphere.
3) Provide contact information to individuals who would reply to questions, help arrange interviews, provide background information, etc.
But no, not in Russia. Apparently in Russia every success has to be hidden as it it was some truly shameful event.
I think that the Poroshenko regime has (yet again) disgraced itself by placing foreigners in ministerial positions. And yet, when I see how absolutely and terminally incompetent Russians are in public information I wish they stopped trying themselves and hired an American PR firm. Honestly, look at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website and tell me that any group of US high school kids could not do way, way better?!
The sad reality is that to try to honestly ‘cover’ Russian political developments from abroad is an extremely frustrating and disappointing exercise. You get exactly *ZERO* help from the very people who should be most interested in your efforts. Thank God for the Russian blogosphere which is full of dedicated and talented people (Colonel Cassad, Anna-news, Kazzura, South Front, Anti-Maidan and many, many others), who do, on their free time, what highly paid professionals are paid to do in the West.
But yeah, Russia will eventually prevail and it will eventually become obvious to everybody that the EU cannot take on Russia and the AngloZionist Empire cannot take on the “Russia+China combo”. Heck, with time people will even come to realize that Russia and China have forged a strategic alliance which make them more powerful than the US/EU/NATO combined. But I sure hope that Putin will find the time to fire all the imbeciles who are in charge of Russian public information and replace them with a new generation of younger Russian who understand what has to be done, and how that should be done. Either that, or hire Americans.
The Saker
Sometimes silence is louder than all the Presstitute Lamestream Media and their noise! Leave it to Pepe and others to chout it out on roof tops about the Pivot of the Century 3.0!!!!
The Saker, hahahahahaha !!!!
you made me feel better with this. I thought Serbia is the worst.
Seriously, the Slavs function better when somebody else who is at the same time friendly to them is in charge of them. Just look who made Russia a state – the Rurik dynasty. They were Nordic and Slavs invited them to rule because Slavs couldn not cope with Khazar empire. Ruriks made of Russia what it is, a great power.
Even Stalin was not a Slav.
The Wend.
They should hire the ‘Russia Insider’ web master.Russia Insider is very good in up to date news and the design is very nice.
Even the new Sputnik (former Ria N)website is quiet good but the name Sputnik…sorry but who choosed this?
Be patient Mr. Saker. It takes a few hours to translate the Agreements into English. You educated me that Russians’ preference is Action, Not words.
Sure we may see it as not countering AZs propaganda as fast as we would like.
Don’t expect any play on this profound agreement in the western Prestitute rags.
Ignore the noise, be confident they are sealing agreements that will strengthen the country’s economy for the long term.
Have you noticed Russia has stopped all useless conversations? If there is something solid we will listen.
Deals are being made.
But not just China or Turkey ties getting closer.
Surprisingly, today at Financial Times, UK is this Headline:
Russia and Finland deepen energy ties
Finland and Russia are to increase their energy co-operation after state-backed companies signed a deal on hydroelectric and nuclear power despite concerns in the Nordic country and Europe about strengthening ties with Moscow{.}
Fortum, Finland’s biggest utility, is also restricting its joint venture with a subsidiary of Gazprom that operates hydro and thermal power plants in northwest Russia and heating networks in St. Petersburg[.]
From related article published October 29:
“The Russian grip on Finland’s economy is slowly tightening. The latest purchase in the Nordic country came this week as Russia’s state-owned United Shipbuilding Corporation said it would buy Arctech Helsinki, a shipyard specializing in making icebreakers.
= = = = = =
And Cost of Sanctions: The Suspension of South Stream is costly for EU.
European companies to lose €2.5 bln on frozen South Stream project
Japanese companies will lose an order worth €320 million thus bringing the overall foreign losses from freezing the project to almost €2.820 billion
Hungary to search for new gas supply sources to replace South Stream — Hungarian FM
Russia’s dropping South Stream regretful developments for Europe — Austria’s OMV CEO
The media front is an important one.
I share Saker’s dismay.
It’s not that hard.. Putin is photogenic and articulate. Heck, half of the media campaign is already taken care of!
Unfortunately, Russia and China are very weak compared to US/EU/NATO combined in economic, military and many other terms.
The economic system that has emerged after the fall of USSR is the neoliberal globalization and it is fully controlled by western elites. It’s not a conspiracy of some “evil” elites (even though they are evil and conspire) but it is a systemic change that happened after the emergence of multinational corporations and the fall of the soviet bloc. In order for this system to thrive, all countries should implement free trade agreements, and should liberalize their economic system by privatizing public property and abolishing tariffs and capital controls.
That means the gradual abolition of the (economic + political) sovereignty of nation states so that Mncs could move their capital and invest and produce whenever they like so their profits will increase (usually where taxes are low and the labour and production costs are lower ).
China and Russia have a secondary role in this system and their integration in this system means that sooner or later will become subservient to USA and the “west”.
China depends on the investment of western multinational corporations in order to sustain economic growth. The “Chinese economic miracle” is artificial and happened because western firms moved their production to china (and other low wage countries) in order to maximize profits. So, China will be very reluctant to oppose western interests. It has also very limited capabilities to project power abroad.
Russia is more sovereign and less integrated to neoliberal globalization than China. But it is still very weak and doesn’t have the level of economic self sufficiency of the soviet union with Russian local industrial capabilities being decimated under the Yeltsin administration. Soviet union didn’t care about sanctions because it had minimum levels of trade with the west and it also had many allied countries and trade partners (eastern European socialist countries ). Russia doesnt have all this and this is depressing…
What should be done ???
1) Russia should gradually disconnect from neoliberal globalization and all it’s institutions and frameworks (WTO, IMF etc ). It should also withdraw from free trade agreements.
2) it should rebuilt local production by re-industrialising so as to achieve a higher level of self sufficiency
3) russia should proceed with the Eurasian union that should be a union of sovereign countries and peoples. The economies of the member states should become supplementary to each other. Ideology should be about national and economic sovereignty, protection of local traditions and culture, a somewhat left wing economic policy
4) lets hope that EU will implode and that some member states will withdraw and some of them will join Eurasian union
#Poroshenko to grant Ukropian citizenship to foreign Mercenaries
Dear saker
You are absolutely right.
My question is:
Why as of today did not word “Natoists” enter vocabulary?
To a certain extent information and media management are a crucial component in the “war” declared against Russia by the Anglo American empire of lies. However, Truth is more powerful than any form of spin or propaganda. Truth will always prevail in the eternal conflict against deceit and falsehood.
Actually, I didn’t think the piece in RT was that bad. I read it and realized its significance immediately, especially vis a vis Syria. It therefore puzzled me to see Zero Hedge report on the same day that the US will run a no fly zone out of Turkey against Syria. And that is the puzzle. How can Turkey be pro-Russia gas line but anti-Syria?
I wonder exactly what the Russia-Turkey gas deal entails. My thought is that there several mid-east countries along with Turkey are trying to force the US to attack Syria via the no fly zone and to get the US to topple Al-Assad. I think they(Suadi Arabia and others) are forcing the price of oil down to hurt US oil producers and in time the US economy. The Turkey deal with Russia comes about after a meeting with the US about that no fly zone when no agreement was made. If the deal is permanent, Turkey by signing the deal has ended its leverage with the US and thus is siding with Al-Assads ally Russia. I don’t see how Turkey can go back from this. Russia certainly doesn’t want to see Al-Assad fall and lose its base in Tartus. So I would think part of the deal must be for Turkey to stop trying to overthrow Al-Assad. Very interesting development indeed.
The Kremlin website now (Dec 2) has Putin’s remarks at the Turkish press conference, translated into English. The rest of the Russian media will probably catch up later today.
Mr. Peskov seems to be doing a decent job for President Putin. Or is Peskov part of the Russian media problem?
What is going on in the Donensk airport ?Why pull out Somali and Givi?Has someone some informations?
US, EU to Discuss Further Sanctions Against Russia: Reports
http://sputniknews.com/politics/20141202/1015416045.html
South Stream ‘Failure’ Chance for Europe to Stop Dependence on Russia: Kiev.
http://sputniknews.com/business/20141202/1015413194.html
RF collapsing..
Russia Revises Forecasts for Main Economic Parameters Downward.
http://sputniknews.com/business/20141202/1015412602.html
Saker rant: good points but information is power and so is the withholding of it and substitution of bogus “factoids”. Still there is no excuse for ineffectiveness…but” cutting edge ” is going to be the motto of the Russia-in-progress so give them time.
Meanwhile someone has interrupted Detroit’s power network—tsk, tsk. the pawns are massing to checkmate.
Sadly I have to agree with you on this, Saker. Especially with respect to RT – they seem to have chosen a format which gives really very little news in depth, coverage of fireworks shows and the like, much as have other online news services.
I don’t think it takes spin or propaganda either. We’d just appreciate a steady flow of information and leave the glitz and glamor to Hollywood.
Thanks for all you do.
How true, Saker. One does wonder who is minding the store over there. The anti-Russian (and anti-common decency) brigade is in full charge mode and the Russians do need to understand that.
Keep up your fine work.
Saker – agreed, the Kremlin should at least provide translations in the major languages.
A year ago President Putin reached out to Americans in an op-ed in the New York Times (self-proclaimed to be the “publication of record” in the US[!!]). The article was widely ridiculed and President Putin was accused of being hypocritical and dishonest.
Much of the rest of the western corporate media vilifies both Russia and President Putin, despite his impressive forbearance.
I think you were right – that Russians tend to act rather than talk, and President Putin has decided it is time to act – unilaterally. Much of the west ignores Russian press releases anyhow, so let them learn what’s happened when the price for their gas increases and their economy takes a nosedive.
John
Putin: No pay rise for Russian civil servants in 2015.
http://rt.com/politics/210723-russian-officials-salary-freeze/
Russian government expects recession early next year
Russian government expects the economy to contract 0.8pc next year because of Western sanctions over the Ukraine crisis combined with falling oil prices
Putin must resign he is too weak
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/financialcrisis/11268654/Russian-government-expects-recession-early-next-year.html
Pepe on Germany’s prize if only they start to show some real leitership.
This is what that planted article a week ago in der Spiegel gets to the heart of—a clear warning to
merkel to start leitering, or they’ll replace her with a push-button selector panel.
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/World/WOR-01-011214.html
Essentially, it’s very simple. It’s up to Germany. And it’s all about undoing Stalin.
Stalin, at the outset of World War II, took East Prussia from Germany and moved the eastern part of Poland into Ukraine. Eastern Ukraine was originally from Russia; it is part of Russia and was given by Lenin to Ukraine.
So let’s have East Prussia returned to Germany; the eastern part of Poland returned to Poland; and eastern Ukraine as well as Crimea – which Khrushchev gave to Ukraine – returned to Russia.
Everyone get their share. No more Stalin. No more arbitrary borders. That’s what the Chinese would define as a “triple win” situation. Of course, the Empire of Chaos would fight it to death; there would be no more chaos manipulated to justify a crusade against bogus Russian “aggression”.
As one who would, and does read a week old newspaper, I have a favorable view of waiting till the “news” has aged some.
I am sure that when it’s time for Action Jackson, the Russians are ahead of time.
But chess IS important! Putin’s priorities are sane ones.
you are absolutely right Saker, i could not have said it better.
cheers
it might be part of a clever strategy by Rus to say pay very very close attention-hints about pipeline as far back as 26 Nov.Rus is better at playing world strategic “chess”??? perhaps………….“South Stream is a means of guarantees and reducing transit risks for European consumers. If European consumers have a demand for lowering risks, then we will build South Stream. If there is no such a demand, then we will not construct it,” he said.
The Russian minister said if Europe drops plans for South Stream, then it should take the risks of a violation of guaranteed gas supplies.”
Russia remains the main energy partner of the European Union and will wait for the EU to come out of the sanctions spiral, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Vasily Nebenzya said.
re NATO
“The point of no return has not been passed. I think it’s in the interests of both sides not to fuel tensions, but to actively work together on real threats to European and global security. As for Russia, we are ready for it,” Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexei Meshkov said in an interview with Interfax.” note “fuel”….!!!!
The Russian Orthodox Church is to get a total of 2 billion rubles ($40 million) from the federal budget for the creation of spiritual enlightenment centers, a news report said last Friday.
In the Armed Forces there is a need to create a new division – a division of special operations. This is what we are going to work,” – said Ukrainian Ambassador Igor Dolgov.Decree of the President of Ukraine Poroshenko on the termination of social benefits to residents of Donbass will be challenged in the Constitutional Court. Activists of the event is the “opposition bloc” of the Ukrainian parliament. We call on Russia to reverse its illegal and illegitimate self-proclaimed “annexation” of the Crimea, which we do not recognize and do not recognize in the future, and to respect the rights of the local population, including indigenous Crimean Tatars, – said in a statement.-have previously posted about this before to undermine Crim, referendum.”Vedomosti” reported two major resignations related to the Ukrainian direction of Russian politics.
Retired high-ranking Russian officials dealing with Ukraine.
As part of the Kremlin’s office in charge of Russian policy toward Ukraine, there have been personnel changes-intresting???
If I post too much then please let me know Saker!
On the plus side, maybe this indicates a lack of emphasis on propaganda in Russia such as we have in the U.S. The U.S. spends on the order of $1 trillion on propaganda each year. Would you want to import this to Russia?
I don’t mind it. I am not for the western PR nachine. They made a clever move again, and they have abandoned EU, together with my country (Hungary). The loss of South Stream however is painful for us here. But I understand, why it happened.
“I can hear some of you – anti-state libertarians – thinking that the state just cannot get it right. You think it is only the state? Ha! Check out Gazprom’s page today:”
I thought Gazprom was state owned?
Maybe some Sun-Tzu at work here?
Let your arrogant Neocon enemy think he is winning and lure him into complacency?
There is no way Russia can win the propaganda war. It is just too entrenched in too many countries -the Soviet past does not help either- and the ‘hate Russia’ meme is so well baked into the average MSM pablum reader.
Why fight it head-on when that ideology is immune to science and facts?
Sit back like China does.
Russia and China are different, but face the same problems. What should happen is meaningful cooperation between Russia and China. I would like to see Russian engineering combined with Chinese manufacturing (not the other way round). I will give an example. Take the Russian K77-M air-to-air missile. It is a good design, noteworthy even, but without adequate manufacturing facilities it will never be produced in significant numbers. However, for a Chinese company such as Foxconn (鸿海) manufacturing the electronics of such a missile would not present significant problems. (Having more than a million employees helps)
So this is what is needed: for certain strategic projects, Russia designs, and China manufactures. Yes, I know it will not be easy. But it is what is needed.
Putin must have read your comment because his website now has an english transcript of the turkish news conference.
uhm i hate to be such a cynic but unfortunately truth doesn’t always prevail for many reasons some relate to time. Ill give some examples.
Blitzkrieg of lies from our friends at Fox or CNN or BBC repeated over a long enough time and frequently make large proportions believe in that lie especially in context of a dearth of dissenting voices that characterizes the MSM (it could be completely blatant). This leads to public opinion sway/shaping that allows the gov to do whatever the hell it wants (at least in the short term) with the corporate media in their pocket carpet bombing the truth with lies. Most people still trust the television/newspapers in the USA believing that news programs are trustworthy. As a result you have a war in IRAQ (justified by WMDs that were never there) and ISIS. Full disclosure: before NATO bombing of Serbia and the subsequent coverage who had to thumbs and drank the coolaid of “reliable MSM”.
Lets tally up the score-Truth :0 Assorted Chickenhawk(shit)/Neo-Con/Corporate A-holes :1.
Notice that ideally the truth should have come out eventually after the initial brain melting (for example like USA Provocation for Vietnam (Gulf of Tonkin false flag-albeit decades latter) and people should have gotten their comeuppance. However no one was held accountable neither in the MSM or the Dick and Bush admin for all those blatant lies, deaths, and money spent. Furthermore significant proportions of Americans still believe that IRAQ had WMDs, and Saddam Hussein was responsible for 9/11, and IRAQ was connected to Al-Qaida.
Lets tally up the score-Truth : .5(for surfacing decades latter about vietnam) Assorted Chickenhawk(shit)/Neo-Con/Corporate A-holes :4 (for the Iraq and Vietnam war, lasting effect of retarding of minds of citizens, and getting away scot free)
The last point is Winners right the history books so if they lie win, they get away with it because they literally erase from history that they lied by continuing to do more of the same. And if they don’t win? Who cares, the history of the IRAQ war shows us that if you have money and power you don’t answer for your crimes.
In conclusion: Truth when going against a brain melting MSM propaganda campaign will be most of the time too slow in preventing bad people in or near the Gov from doing what they want, it will come out too late for people to care or be accountable, or it will never come out.
SO yeah I completely agree Information is very important (that is how you really win “hearts and minds”).
I’d rather see Putin attending the closing ceremony of the World Chess Championship than selling PR lies to the world like O’bomber.
When the Russian president BS’s like a post-JFK American President, there will be people outside Russia who care a lot less whether Russia survives as a sovereign nation state.
@ Anonymous:
Unfortunately, Russia and China are very weak compared to US/EU/NATO combined in economic, military and many other terms.
The weakness is only certain in terms of “stuff” and services: cheap trash from Walmart, electronic gadgets, cheapo Caribbean cruises, cosmetic surgery and liposuction, legal services, etc., etc.
But in many ways the rather modest life-style of Russians makes more sense than America’s energy-extravagant, automobile-dependent culture of suburban sprawl and over consumption fast food and packaged junk food.
And even so far as those things are concerned, only about half the population actually enjoy what Americans consider a decent standard of living. The median wage in America is only $28,000 and the average wage of the poorest 50% of the working population is less than $12,500.
hi Saker, you can take example of India. May be the website is not that much needed…
For those following the Syrian line in this discussion, RT now reports Putin and Erdogan currently negotiating Syrian situation; Putin says both “neighbors” have “common goals” in Syria. Interesting
Saker,
I feel your pain, however …
Having worked in PR and having been involved in creating communication messages, I can honestly say that it takes a lot of work to create the communiques, and a great number of people.
Russia moves silently and effectively. If you create the message before hand, you risk the possibility of it being leaked and giving your opponent time to prepare and counter your move.
Another negative, is that you are seeing the PR needs as a consumer. Meaning, you are seeing it from the perspective of your own needs.
Putin does not work like this, in fact, I believe in one of his speeches he criticizes the West need in trying to court public opinion, and how through this courtship one can become trapped in the message, and how decision are then made to create better poll numbers, instead of making decisions that are best for the people.
One of the reasons the West underestimates Russia and Putin, is that they can’t read him, he doesn’t project his moves. There are also very few if any leaks.
I do not mind waiting a few days to get the translation, or for others to provide the commentary. I do not mind because the more Russia is able to confuse the West the better. I also admit to getting a big chuckle for the West is used to be spoon fed; they are not used to thinking or analyzing. Having critical thoughts.
Those of you who think the Rus-Turkey energy deal means a change in Turkey’s Syria destabilization: For Russia and others economics are often separate from politics. Even during the cold war Russia sold oil to Europe.
Saker, you’re right about Russia’s failure in the information war. I wonder if they are even trying to break thru the censorship being practiced against the Ukrainian people. Obviously they will be more inclined to fight if they believe their country has been invaded.
About RT: I don’t think it’s incompetence. I think there’s actual sabotage. Many news items just repeat the MSM. OK maybe they don’t want to say that US & allies are still backing ISIS, but their interviewees cd say it.
Also the comment line used to repair most of RT’s deficiencies by telling the truth & referring people to article titles. The comment line was unfiltered and a lot of ineffective trolls posted too– but they didn’t matter at all. With the new moderation it’s impossible to post anything meaningful, to refer to an article, etc. Further it’s erratic so that 1 out of 3 times even superficial comments are censored. As the whole site stands now, they’d be better off saving their money.
Part I:
Anonymous said…
“Unfortunately, Russia and China are very weak compared to US/EU/NATO combined in economic, military and many other terms.”
This is very wrong on a multitude of levels.
First of all, China’s economic miracle is anything but artificial, it’s as real as it gets! China has achieved the most astonishing, far-reaching and comprehensive economic transformation the world has ever known. In terms of industrial production, China has overtaken the USA in 2010 and has only grown the gap vastly since then. The gap is still growing by the way. Just to give you a figure: In 2013, China was producing more automobiles than the US and Japan combined. Let that sink in for a second. Another little statistic for you: China produces around 75% of the world’s mobile phones. Another one: Apple’s entire supply chain is on Chinese soil. Describing China as weak is horrifically off the mark.
Another thing. While the western economies look impressive on paper, in other words, their nominal GDP is quite massive, things in the real world are far more nuanced than that. A huge part of western GDP is government spending, and no, I am not a crazy libertarian who believes that the state should be out of the economy. But one has to look to the nature of government spending in the west. Most of it consists of transfer payments and subsidies plus government administration (bureaucracy) In the case of China and Russia, the state is actually involved in investing and operating productive capacity. But our friends in the west have an ideological problem with that, to their own detriment. This government spending part in the West ranges from at least 40% (US) to almost 60% (France and Scandinavia)
Another huge part of GDP in the west, consists of so-called “services”. These services, even though useful in some cases and provide lots of jobs, are completely local in character and cannot ever be exported or converted to anything else. They are also of low productivity and cannot really be touched by technology. They are menial in economic character and not productive.
Part II:
In fact, these are the reasons why western countries (and especially the EU) have fared so disastrously in recent years. Eurozine GDP is still lower than it was in 2007. That is a shocking statistic. In terms of per capita income it is even lower since the population has increased. What is worse though is that if one looks at industrial production, the EU is in a very pronounced and fully blown depression! For the EZ as a whole, industrial production is still 12% lower than it was in 2007. Even the much-hyped Germany, is still around 3% lower than it was back in 2007. This is wholly unprecedented in the history of capitalism. What is even worse, is that overall debt levels have massively increased and have no hope of ever being re-paid. We are in for a massive meltdown at some point in the future, and Russia and China better be ready, for it will affect them both as well.
The USA have performed marginally better than Europe since the crisis commenced, due to their greater geopolitical weight (which allows them to get concessions that other countries cannot) and the much-hyped shale oil boom. It is my firm belief that the shale oil boom is wholly unsustainable, and that it will blow sky-high. The US frackers were losing money even with the price of oil at over $100/bbl. So one can only imagine what they are losing now, and for how long Wall Street can keep pretending that the whole enterprise is anything but a sub-prime-like bubble.
It is true on the other hand that Russia’s assimilation to global capitalism has been far less successful than China’s. Russia in the 90s, under US advice took all the wrong decisions in relation to economic policy with disastrous results. In my mind, this development (along with the break-up of the USSR) has the greatest tragedy of recent world history. Thankfully though, Russia is at least the best endowed country on the planet in terms of natural resources (it is a well known fact for example that the Russian government seriously understates its oil reserves) Since 2000, the Russian economy has performed rather well and it is for this precise reason that Russia finds herself under attack from the now seriously worried westerners. With the right stewardship, and with solid co-operation with China, the Russian economy can sustain a growth rate of at least 3% per year in the following 1 or 2 decades.
China has proven that the west can be beaten in their own game, Russia is the one country that can take serious heart from this and follow suit.
Having said all this, there is one point I would agree with you on. Russia and China must never allow themselves again to fall pray to the “market romanticism” that pervades in the west. Even though the free market is indeed more efficient in some sectors (small scale production, some manufacturing processes, local services) the commanding heights of an economy should be firmly in the hands of the state and not of western multinationals or parasitic local elites.
I am not bothered by the lack of instantaneous PR:
– any honest reporting would not appear in the MSM anyway
– the Russophile blogosphere can digest the minimal official communiques anyway for their readers
– IMO the idea of immediate PR panders to the need for immediate gratification that is a purely Western (Matrix-)conditioning – if you have a more long-term approach you accept that important news will make themselves felt anyway
– or stated differently “actions speak louder than words” – isn’t that a Russian approach too?
:-)
I agree with you on this,and the Chinese aren’t any better.I remember I used to complain about the same thing with the Soviets as well.The East hasn’t learned yet,that in the West you have a “sell the message”.I think they are used to just reporting the “news” not having to sell or manage it.In the West so many policies are bad for the public or in many cases (Iraq War) lies.That to get people to buy it,like a product it has to be “sold” to the public.They don’t seem to understand that idea very well yet.As a small example.Why aren’t they making movies about the Ukraine coup,and Novorossian fighting.Hollywood is an effective arm of the Empire’s propaganda machine.Just because they do just that type of thing.
The Israelis (to give the devil his due) learned that years ago.They realized to get the US public at large, on their side they needed to sell their cause.Jewish producers made many big movies in the 50’s and 60’s on Bible stories to connect that age with modern Israel.And countless movies and TV series on the Holocaust to build pro-Jewish, transferring to Israel sympathy, in the Western public.They continued into the 80’s and 90’s with action movies where the villains were always “Arab” terrorists fighting Americans.With the Americans always being helped by their sidekick Israeli helpers.I wondered about all those films and then found most were produced by Israeli producers.Then it all made perfect sense.Americans love action movies,with a clear villain and hero.And the Israelis gave that to them.It continues today with TV series like “Homeland” and movies about Al Qaeda and the US fighting the Taliban.
Russia makes good movies,many really high quality.But almost unknown in the West.And there are countless stories of action about WW2 and now with the fighting in Ukraine and the background on the coup, that could be great material for films.And maybe if marketed right would be seen in the West.Russia has come a long way with its news networks.But they are still far behind the West in understanding the way to fight the information war.The reason they do as well as they do is because of volunteers like you here.And many “alternative media” on the net reporting the truth.Without that help they’d be devoured by the MSM machine in the West.
Uncle Bob
Anonymous Anonymous said…
“What is going on in the Donensk airport ?Why pull out Somali and Givi?Has someone some informations?”
I read that they were removed for R&R.That they had been constantly fighting and needed some rest.The replacements are Vostok and some Cossack unit is what I heard.It seems there has been some more heavy action at the Airport but I’m not sure exactly the results.One report said the Ukrainians had taken over one of the terminals.By coming from the tunnels.Then I heard the terminal was blown-up by them and they retreated from it.So its very confusing,and I don’t know what to believe there.I have never understood with all the miners in the Donbass that the NAF hasn’t been able to blow those tunnel entrances and seal them.I would think that would be high priority if the Ukrainians use them to move in for attacks and cover to retreat through.
Uncle Bob
Russian generally use their brains to think and the opponents other muscles.
Perhaps too much coca and not enough nasha kola.
The learned habits of entitlement and self-publicity are serious hazards.
[from Blue]
I probably agree with you Saker, but with a penchant for thinking in a matrix mode, considering all the possible narratives and possibilities, I offer a counter view (dialectic?).
Russia does not do PR because it wants to world, and the US congress especially, to be confused and unaware of what it actually does. This is the strategy of the sapper or miner, who digs under the castle wall, building tunnels and weakening the walls, for the time of the attack.
Sun Tsu said something like ‘where you are strong let the enemy think you are weak’. If one considers, the surprise moves from Putin are things which were generally not predicted or signaled from Russia. Training of hand-to-hand for the Spetsnaz includes feints and distraction before hitting the opponent somplace unexpected. Maybe like that?
The losses to Bulgaria will be real whether Putin says anything or not. If the pipeline goes through Turkey and the EU or US fools pressure Turkey into closing off the gas flowing in it, then who will the people blame and who will be at fault for Europe freezing? What would then be the relationship between Turkey and NATO?
What if the pipeline was now running through Bulgaria and the Bulgarian leaders tried to cut the gas off? How long could they last? The pipe would then be not just a simple threat, but a point of tangible power.
A chess master does not bluff or threaten, or impress the spectators — just make good moves. How much does public opinion really influence the actions of the fascist elite any more?
_Blue
Turkey says no gas deal???
http://www.platts.com/latest-news/natural-gas/istanbul/turkey-says-no-gas-deal-with-russia-gas-cuts-26949449
Turkey’s been wanting to be a major gas hub forever & I can’t imagine their giving it up even due to US bullying.
This guy, John Ross, is an economist and an expert on the Chinese economy. He has written lots of articles through the years with most of his prognostications being validated by subsequent events. This is way more that can be said for the vast majority of so-called economists. In his latest article, he goes into how the US neo-cons simply won’t give up on their confrontational stance against China (as they are doing with Russia)
http://ablog.typepad.com/keytrendsinglobalisation/2014/11/unfortunately-us-neo-cons-have-not-reversed-a-confrontationist-course-towards-china.html
I also advise people on this forum to read his predictions from the early 90s in relation to Chinese and Russian economic reforms. This professor was a high prophet:
http://ablog.typepad.com/keytrendsinglobalisation/russia/
I think keeping it low profile is part of the game. Putin is trained in the art of confusion (KGB, Judo…)
Also, Russian culture isn’t big boasting and rubbing in. Immediate gratification is goofballs across the pond!
Chess!!! that’s ironic, ’cause I think that is what Putin is playing.
Obama is still learning marbles!
With all due respect, but how many foreigners read president or foreign ministry or even Gazprom web pages for information? I rarely visit Obamas, US FM or US energy companies sites for information..
On the other hand, how influential is the 5th column (PRO-US atlantists, liberals) in the Russian media ? I assume they are very influential ?
Matthew White: Thanks for your post. For those who want to know WHY we think shale oil isn’t and never has been profitable:
http://econintersect.com/b2evolution/blog1.php/2013/04/15/engdahl-shale-energy-is-a-ponzi-scheme
http://www.globalresearch.ca/the-fracked-up-usa-shale-gas-bubble/5326504
I applaud the Kremlin’s indifference.
Saker, the Czars and many other royals hired foreigners in the past. These foreigners served well in the army, for instance. The problem is not foreigners, the problem is foreigners appointed by Soros and his ilk. They will serve the US, not Ukraine.
Russia should invite foreign experts, as the Czars did. As you pointed out, Russia does not know what PR is. In Argentina, very interesting farming research is done and the Chinese try to copy it, steal it, but not with much success. The excellent farmers of the Netherlands have much to teach the Russians. Why not invite some alternative economists?
The US profits enormously from the braindrain of other countries, including Russia. Time to reverse the trend. I see this as the last step before Russia is really back on track. Russians distrust foreigners and that backfires today. As a contrast, Germany attracts clever students from Eastern Europe who either keep working in Germany or go back to their homecountries being very friendly to Germany. The Sovjet Union had similar student programs. I really have to call Vladimir Putin and give him some instructions :-)
“Unfortunately, Russia and China are very weak compared to US/EU/NATO combined in economic, military and many other terms.”
To further the comments by Matthew White.
Even with the recently announced US debt of $18 T this not take into account the $70 T in unfunded liabilities and the uncountable leveraged financial products that are maintaining the US on life support. When this blow up it’s going to make Mt St Helens look like a fart.
After the US economy tanks I can imagine a photo of Putin on RT having a bowl of cold borsch.
Let Saker, do not be so hard.
It is true that in a state of war there is no battle to lose, but the interpreters are not be made from overnight, and the psychopath always catches us by surprise because his attacks are unexpected, unjustified, and even, paradoxical. Sometimes even he himself is endangered because all give him a damn.
For your comfort, Saker, there are always people working on translations and we have Putin’s speech in Valdai translated into Spanish arranged to be spread throughout the Spanish-speaking world:
http://www.rebelion.org/noticia.php?id=192714
P.S: No need to hire Americans, why? We will no continue imitating his style, it is that we want change at all levels.
In Europe, and even in Spain, there are many good professionals.
I’m not so sure that Russia is behind in the information war. It depends how you measure these things.
Russia is changing a lot of paradigms, both by its direct actions and by its simple refusal to blink, it’s unshakable poise compared with its adversaries.
I think a paradigm trumps a mountain of commentary, and all the clever messaging in the world. Paradigms are how people think.
Look at the false flag, for example. At the start of this year it was the deadliest of treacherous weapons, and had been for all the history of warfare. Now, it’s lost a lot of its power. I would claim that Russia contributed massively to this, by its few actions and its much greater inaction around the plane shoot-down.
With two planes from the same nation defying statistical probabilities about as strongly as the third building falling at 9/11, the paradigm of accepting things at face value is crumbling.
All this is a major advance, and I’m quite certain there are some brilliant Russian minds who comprehend all this, perhaps even at the policy level. What happens when the meme of “slow to saddle, fast to ride” joins with the other great example from Russia of “never threaten, just act” and becomes a major paradigm shift in the conduct of global diplomacy and realpolitik? What messaging will Russia have sent to the world by its actions rather than its words? Could it be said then that Russia was losing the information war?
Furthermore, what happens when the information war itself is seen to be a non-war, fought with empty weapons consisting solely of lies? When the paradigm of the power of words crumbles and is replaced with the paradigm of the survival value of the truth compared with the suicide value of lies, surely Russia, again by example, will have played a key role in this?
There are many ways, I think, to counter the lies of the west – which is all we’re talking about here. Personally, I’m completely impressed with the substance and finish of Russia’s professional communications to the world.
The above is just my 2 cents of course.
Matthew White, that was a really nice 2-part comment about the economic fundamentals of China and to some extent Russia. From your final paragraph I would take this line as something that dearly needs to be said more and more in the future as the world shrugs off the neo-liberal curse:
Even though the free market is indeed more efficient in some sectors (small scale production, some manufacturing processes, local services) the commanding heights of an economy should be firmly in the hands of the state and not of western multinationals or parasitic local elites.
I wouldn’t get too frustrated by the lack of Russian PR. PR, psyops, false flags, etc. are the provenance of the AngloZionists. Furthermore, Putin is likely loathe to stoop to deeply into it since the old Soviet system was rife with it. He’s trying to do things differently.
And as for PR, this quote comes to mind:
“I learned long ago, never to wrestle with a pig. You get dirty, and besides, the pig likes it.”
George Bernard Shaw
More translators (BRICs languages anyone) shouldn’t be out of bounds if he would deign to take my advice.
The only news and PR that really matters for 80 percent of the population is celebrity news. Russia is keeping it real by not bothering. All that Sochi olympics PR they poured their heart and soul into just got trashed by the western press, so they are probably a little demoralized by that and don’t want to waste any more money.
It may not be in Russia’s interest to have better PR. Why would they want to do anything to compel the U.S. to improve its act? Right now the U.S. has no worse enemy then its own stupid actions. Russia is not America’s biggest problem. It is not China. It is these lousy politicians in Washington and their insane agenda. If Russia actually challenged U.S. propaganda in a major way, it might force the Obama administration to say things that are plausible or true.
It doesn’t matter how good Russia promotes itself, the ‘indispensable exceptional’ mentalities in the West will pay no attention.
Have you seen http://en.ukraina.ru/ ? I just discovered it, and like what I see so far.
For the most part, I appreciate what Russia’s outreach media are doing. I used to watch CNN, and it would leave me feeling filthy. The articles from Russia leave me feeling crisp and clean.
I agree that the media still have shortcomings — left over from the ultra-liberal days, perhaps. But things are getting better. RT is no longer trying quite so hard to emulate the BBC and CNN, thank god!
I reposted most of the rant at reddit — see http://www.reddit.com/r/NewRussia/comments/2o4n59/saker_rant_russians_are_just_pathetic_at_public/cmjoeas
As a former spin-doctor, I must agree that Russian lie-machine is amateurish.
Look at cringe-making gold-bug-ery on comedy channel RT with amusing tame bankers etc.
Yes, if you bother to do something at all, surely you try to do it properly?
However, I am persuaded that the Kremlin crew know that the current economic war will be followed by real nuclear war if team White House get bested.
The spectators don’t matter at this point.
The world has chosen to run itself via massive, unresponsive bureaucracies and it is hard to see a way back from this.
At the moment the EU looks like the weakest link, which is why there is a crisis in Ukraine ( and not the other way around).
In the Middle East, second-rank players are,for the first time in over a century, starting to make the running.
The world is different now and we have to break with Brzezinski/Gorbachov modes of thinking about it.
Perhaps this is all too obscure but I sense a wood and trees problem in the blogosphere generally.
Best Wishes to all.
Seems some don’t get nous onze.
Why a chess competition?
Why is Psaki ideal for passing the “message”?
The opponents weak points are their perceived strengths.
Penelope said…@ 02 December, 2014 19:53
” Obviously they will be more inclined to fight if they believe their country has been invaded.”
Belief is a pre-requisite for bathos.
If everything was obvious there would be no need for knowledge.
Homogeneity doesn’t exist, nor does stasis.
Unicausality is impossible in a dynamic lateral system.
Why is fighting necessarily a disadvantage?
@ Uncle Bob: “The East hasn’t learned yet,that in the West you have a “sell the message””
It only works that way when the majority of people are under-educated, misinformed or plain stupid. Thus it can not work that way in Russia or China – people aren’t stupid and cerless enough over there.
It may be caution involved. What about Turkey, dense with cia activity, and traditionally an enemy.
The more triumphantly Putin would be forthcoming, the more likely that the Us would make a move to pull his pants.
But Saker is right in the larger context. In particular the Europeans need to be reached, since it’s their lying media who make the European selfmutilation possible.
That thought expressed in Saker’s article, that failure in public relations should be treated as “sabotage-treason” and as a capital offense, justifying that people should actually be killed,—this is the kind of ferocious overkill neo-stalinist-oprychnyk mentality of many Russians that drives many Ukrainians to want to be “separate from Russia”!!! Here you have it!
How about just a normal reasonable penalty like simply firing those who are incompetent or who fail?
Reply to the Wend on 12-2-2014
at 1648 hours:—
That old theory that Scandinavians were the founders and rulers of old Kyivan Rus, the pre-Muscovite Russia [“predmoskovska Rus”], it does not hold water. If Wikipedia sources are at all reliable, genetic testing of current descendants of the Rurik dynasty showed Slavic and Finnish markers but nothing Scandinavian.
Also, all of the old cities had Slavonic names, the official royal court language was Slavonic, the official religion had gods with Slavonic names, like Perun, Khrs, Mokosh, not Odin, Thor, Loki as would be if Vikings were truly rulers and dominant. Some Vikings
as individuals no doubt achieved high rank, but not to worry, Slavs could establish cities, kingdoms, their own pre-Christian gods, etc.
The Ukrainian language uses ancient indigenous Slavonic names for calendar months, not those mangled so-called Latin names used by the Russian language [would be great improvement to Russian language if they threw out those mangled Latin names and adopted Ukrainian names].
@Anonymous:That thought expressed in Saker’s article, that failure in public relations should be treated as “sabotage-treason” and as a capital offense
My readers did not think I should have an “idiot of the month” contest, but if I had one, you would be the easy winner for this month. Not only do you apparently think that I seriously suggested that anybody should be executed, but you contrast the “ferocious overkill neo-stalinist-oprychnyk mentality of many Russians” with some implied fluffy tender soft humanitarian all-loving mentality of many Ukrainians (as illustrated by their use of cluster bombs and ballistic missiles as a medium for “national dialog” I suppose).
As for what the “Ukraine separate from Russia” is, we can all judge from the current love-fest in Kiev and the joyful “celebration” of “barbecues” in Odessa.
How about just a normal reasonable penalty like simply firing those who are incompetent or who fail?
Good idea. You failed at your comment and you are hereby fired from this blog.
:-P
The Saker
Zaz: “If”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfUeeK8uf84
Russian PR not professional?
I like it this way. The Russian Turkish gas deal is a memorandum. Actual success will be 5 years full application and good prospects for the future.
There is no better PR than accomplishment. PR before the fact is too easy to be attacked.
“@ Uncle Bob: “The East hasn’t learned yet,that in the West you have a “sell the message””
It only works that way when the majority of people are under-educated, misinformed or plain stupid. Thus it can not work that way in Russia or China – people aren’t stupid and cerless enough over there.”
True, but that’s the point.The information war is being fought in the West.It’s already won in the East (mostly).So in dealing with the Western public we need to get better at getting the truth out to them.
Uncle Bob