Da comrade, the good ole days

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Those older than about 25 should remember Pravda, the Communist propaganda rag of the Soviet Union that echoed critics of President Reagan back in the day:

“In 1983, I was confined to an eight-by-ten foot prison cell on the border of Siberia. My Soviet jailers gave me the privilege of reading the latest copy of Pravda. Splashed across the front page was a condemnation of President Ronald Reagan for having the temerity to call the Soviet Union an ‘evil empire.’

We tend not to think of Pravda in the same manner today, but really, has anything changed?

In a clear sign of its intent to reign in dissident American media personalities, and their growing influence in American culture, US War Leaders this past week launched an unprecedented attack upon one of their most politically 'connected', and legendary, radio hosts named Don Imus after his threats to release information relating to the September 11, 2001 attacks upon that country.

Why would a Russian state newspaper be propagating stories about Imus and leading the cheers for 9/11 twoofers like Rosie O'Donnell and Charlie Sheen? Is it the good ole days again? Check out this page with stories about Iraq. Here are the titles in case it goes away:

"US may use Iraqi bombings to increase its military presence in the region"

"Iran and Iraq to join forces to resist US actions"

"Iraqi civilians become like dogs in the eyes of US soldiers"

Administration detractors might call this evidence of the horrible damage Bush has done to our worldwide reputation but it's more likely evidence of SSDD. Russia can't be thrilled with having us in their backyard, especially if we become the guest who never leaves. Want a conspiracy? Start with their possible support of the very groups who've been attacking us lately. Nutty? We did the same to them in Afghanistan during the 80s.

Admittedly the examples are paltry but in today's world that's enough even when proven otherwise, so here goes. Remember the car we riddled with bullets on its way out of Baghdad as Coalition troops were swarming into the capital? How about the story of the Russian mole at Centcom, forwarding intelligence and troop movements to Saddam? Or their help in moving the booty to Syria?

There's only one plausible reason a Russian paper would jump on the twoof bandwagon and peddle the wares of O'Donnell and Charlie Sheen, and it ain't circulation. We already know what happens to dissidents over there and besides, Charlie Sheen was in that movie with Nastassja Kinski where the Russians give him a medal. Hollywood might even be involved!

Light humor to some but the bottom line is that by attacking us Bin Laden and his compatriots opened a window to America's dark underbelly of political division, which has become another front in the war. International opportunists have been more than happy to seize on that division for their own gain, but the good thing is they've been exposed. What to do about it seems to be the ever-vexing problem, though.

MEMORIES 4/15/07

You can go here and check out Imus's interviews, including the 3 or 4 with Tim Russert he's done since February referenced as a smoking gun in the Pravda article. I listened, I didn't hear it, but these aren't entire shows.

But there were some other interesting things. In each one he chided Russert about Andrea Mitchell and David Gregory, claiming he still believed they knew about Valerie Plame before the Novak column regardless of Russert's testimony. Who else in the MSM was even coming close to asking these questions?

Imus also brought up the allegation of hypocrisy that Russert had been a champion of reporter shield rights in 2004 by openly supporting NBC's quashing of the Fitzgerald subpoenas yet never told anyone that he'd already spoken to the FBI about the case previously in 2003. Sort of a gulp moment for Tim, who pulled a Cheney and said the case was still ongoing, etc.

So clearly, if there was a conspiracy afoot to remove Imus both sides had plenty of motive!