Comments on: Wait, where did the astroturf go? http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/wait-where-did-the-astroturf-go/ European Opinion Mon, 13 Feb 2012 07:39:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Ron Hulscher http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/wait-where-did-the-astroturf-go/comment-page-1/#comment-37287 Ron Hulscher Sat, 19 Jun 2010 18:36:44 +0000 http://fistfulofeuros.net/?p=6074#comment-37287 It seems that our friend Edward Lucas has written a article about the same subject in The Economist; http://www.economist.com/blogs/freeexchange/2010/06/mysteries_cyberspace Well, mister Lucas writing about propaganda, hmm … Ron. It seems that our friend Edward Lucas has written a article about the same subject in The Economist; http://www.economist.com/blogs/freeexchange/2010/06/mysteries_cyberspace
Well, mister Lucas writing about propaganda, hmm …
Ron.

]]> By: Ron Hulscher http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/wait-where-did-the-astroturf-go/comment-page-1/#comment-29498 Ron Hulscher Sat, 27 Feb 2010 10:41:28 +0000 http://fistfulofeuros.net/?p=6074#comment-29498 @ Douglas I find a new PMR-propaganda site for you. Although the links it contains, don’t seem to work proper. http://pmr.name/en/home Ron. @ Douglas
I find a new PMR-propaganda site for you. Although the links it contains, don’t seem to work proper.

http://pmr.name/en/home
Ron.

]]> By: James Wilson http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/wait-where-did-the-astroturf-go/comment-page-1/#comment-26619 James Wilson Thu, 13 Aug 2009 16:11:00 +0000 http://fistfulofeuros.net/?p=6074#comment-26619 My wife is from Tiraspol and I've spent a lot of time there and in Moldova proper. All I can say based on my experiences and observations is that the picture of Transdniester painted by BHHRG was much more accurate than that presented by any of the so-called independent western media. They were also right about the Orange Revolution sham and we have all seen the lunacy of Saakashvilli with his attack on South Ossetia last year. As for Milosevic, I can't see the difference between what he did in the 1990s and what Abraham Lincoln did in the 1860s. One is a villian and one is a hero. Obviously depends on your perspective. My wife is from Tiraspol and I’ve spent a lot of time there and in Moldova proper. All I can say based on my experiences and observations is that the picture of Transdniester painted by BHHRG was much more accurate than that presented by any of the so-called independent western media.

They were also right about the Orange Revolution sham and we have all seen the lunacy of Saakashvilli with his attack on South Ossetia last year.

As for Milosevic, I can’t see the difference between what he did in the 1990s and what Abraham Lincoln did in the 1860s. One is a villian and one is a hero. Obviously depends on your perspective.

]]> By: Global Voices Online » Russia: “Astroturf Websites” Gone http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/wait-where-did-the-astroturf-go/comment-page-1/#comment-26467 Global Voices Online » Russia: “Astroturf Websites” Gone Wed, 05 Aug 2009 23:26:31 +0000 http://fistfulofeuros.net/?p=6074#comment-26467 [...] Fistful of Euros reports that “a number of pro-Russian astroturf websites” have vanished. Cancel this [...] [...] Fistful of Euros reports that “a number of pro-Russian astroturf websites” have vanished. Cancel this [...]

]]> By: Joera Mulders http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/wait-where-did-the-astroturf-go/comment-page-1/#comment-26453 Joera Mulders Wed, 05 Aug 2009 11:24:00 +0000 http://fistfulofeuros.net/?p=6074#comment-26453 Douglas, i admit i only read BHHRG coverage during Orange Revolution days. I remember it to be less biased than general coverage in western MSM. At least not as predictable ;) I dunno what has been written about Milosevic, Srebrenica. I don't mind when the case of prosecution is being questioned. That's not the same as praising the policies when he was in power. Douglas, i admit i only read BHHRG coverage during Orange Revolution days. I remember it to be less biased than general coverage in western MSM. At least not as predictable ;)

I dunno what has been written about Milosevic, Srebrenica. I don’t mind when the case of prosecution is being questioned. That’s not the same as praising the policies when he was in power.

]]> By: Douglas Muir http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/wait-where-did-the-astroturf-go/comment-page-1/#comment-26450 Douglas Muir Wed, 05 Aug 2009 09:34:51 +0000 http://fistfulofeuros.net/?p=6074#comment-26450 ...even their name was a lie. They had nothing whatsoever to do with Helsinki; they took that name to make people think they were associated with the Helsinki Committees and the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights. The IHF had to put a notice on their website stating that BHHRG wasn't associated with them; BHHRG kept silent, because the confusion worked in their favor. That's just sleazy. Doug M. …even their name was a lie. They had nothing whatsoever to do with Helsinki; they took that name to make people think they were associated with the Helsinki Committees and the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights. The IHF had to put a notice on their website stating that BHHRG wasn’t associated with them; BHHRG kept silent, because the confusion worked in their favor.

That’s just sleazy.

Doug M.

]]> By: Douglas Muir http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/wait-where-did-the-astroturf-go/comment-page-1/#comment-26449 Douglas Muir Wed, 05 Aug 2009 09:18:52 +0000 http://fistfulofeuros.net/?p=6074#comment-26449 Joera, I'd mention the Srebrenica denialism; the relentless support for Milosevic -- a nationalist hero, persecuted and misunderstood! -- the claim that elections in Belarus were free and fair; the fondness for Robert Mugabe -- a nationalist hero, persecuted and misunderstood! -- the relentless hatred for Kosovo (drug dealers! human traffickers! Muslim terrorists!) and the Baltic states (fascists!); the claim that elections in Transnistria were free and fair; the support for Heydar Aliyev (not as grateful to Russia as he should be, but still... a nationalist hero, etc.!) Those for starters; there's plenty more. More generally, BHHRG claimed to be an independent human rights NGO. But it was no such thing: it was a tool of the Russian state. BHHRG wasn't unique in that respect, but I can't think of another fake NGO that so relentlessly insisted it was in favor of democracy, human rights, and self determination while so narrowly and aggressively pursuing the policy interests of a particular state. I have no problem with "opinions that are not pro-western". But the BHHRG were a bunch of tools. Doug M Joera, I’d mention the Srebrenica denialism; the relentless support for Milosevic — a nationalist hero, persecuted and misunderstood! — the claim that elections in Belarus were free and fair; the fondness for Robert Mugabe — a nationalist hero, persecuted and misunderstood! — the relentless hatred for Kosovo (drug dealers! human traffickers! Muslim terrorists!) and the Baltic states (fascists!); the claim that elections in Transnistria were free and fair; the support for Heydar Aliyev (not as grateful to Russia as he should be, but still… a nationalist hero, etc.!) Those for starters; there’s plenty more.

More generally, BHHRG claimed to be an independent human rights NGO. But it was no such thing: it was a tool of the Russian state. BHHRG wasn’t unique in that respect, but I can’t think of another fake NGO that so relentlessly insisted it was in favor of democracy, human rights, and self determination while so narrowly and aggressively pursuing the policy interests of a particular state.

I have no problem with “opinions that are not pro-western”. But the BHHRG were a bunch of tools.

Doug M

]]> By: Jussi Jalonen http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/wait-where-did-the-astroturf-go/comment-page-1/#comment-26444 Jussi Jalonen Tue, 04 Aug 2009 18:43:32 +0000 http://fistfulofeuros.net/?p=6074#comment-26444 What the hell, so this is an _international_ phenomenon? Just yesterday, the news came out that the weblog of adjunct professor Johan Bäckman, the infamous local pro-Putin crank and the head of the "Finnish Anti-Fascist Committee", who is a persona non grata in Estonia, was closed. It's still dead as a dodo: http://johan.blogit.uusisuomi.fi/ ... frankly, I thought that it was just the exasperated reaction of the service provider after the man had posted too much shit on this messy Finnish-Russian custody fight. For those who don't know, we have our own "Elian"-case: http://tinyurl.com/m2vjq9 Bäckman and his friends have publically called for the "Russian elite services" to "release the son and his mother and return them to the motherland". Which is not only pretty fucking weird, but also borders on illegal activity; Lex Finlandiae contains this paragraph that criminalizes "open and public incitement for war, conflict or military operation against Finland". I thought that the authorities or the provider had pulled the plug on the man. But now, these news. So, this may be just a case of the octopus severing its own tentacles? Hm. Hmmmmm. Bäckman, dude, I have a feeling that I finally have your number. Goddamn, this calls for some investigative journalism. Doug, I owe you one. Cheers, J. J. What the hell, so this is an _international_ phenomenon?

Just yesterday, the news came out that the weblog of adjunct professor Johan Bäckman, the infamous local pro-Putin crank and the head of the “Finnish Anti-Fascist Committee”, who is a persona non grata in Estonia, was closed. It’s still dead as a dodo:

http://johan.blogit.uusisuomi.fi/

… frankly, I thought that it was just the exasperated reaction of the service provider after the man had posted too much shit on this messy Finnish-Russian custody fight. For those who don’t know, we have our own “Elian”-case:

http://tinyurl.com/m2vjq9

Bäckman and his friends have publically called for the “Russian elite services” to “release the son and his mother and return them to the motherland”. Which is not only pretty fucking weird, but also borders on illegal activity; Lex Finlandiae contains this paragraph that criminalizes “open and public incitement for war, conflict or military operation against Finland”.

I thought that the authorities or the provider had pulled the plug on the man. But now, these news. So, this may be just a case of the octopus severing its own tentacles?

Hm. Hmmmmm. Bäckman, dude, I have a feeling that I finally have your number. Goddamn, this calls for some investigative journalism. Doug, I owe you one.

Cheers,

J. J.

]]> By: Joera Mulders http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/wait-where-did-the-astroturf-go/comment-page-1/#comment-26443 Joera Mulders Tue, 04 Aug 2009 17:11:41 +0000 http://fistfulofeuros.net/?p=6074#comment-26443 What did BHHRG do that was so bad? Question the offical Yushenko poisoning story? 5 years later investigation has been sidelined and less than half of Ukrainians believe their president was poisoned. Balance Yanukovich fraud with fraud in the Orange camp? In the light of what we know today, is that excessively biased or one of the few attempts to stay objective? If i tell you that i am convinced Saakashvili attacked Tschinval and Moscow reacted with considerate restraint, what will you make me out for? Why makes an opinion that is not pro-western automatically artificial in nature? P.S. English regnum was terrible in the quality of its translations. It could be the crisis. Kommersant and Ekspert quit their English language websites in the last months of 2008. What did BHHRG do that was so bad?

Question the offical Yushenko poisoning story? 5 years later investigation has been sidelined and less than half of Ukrainians believe their president was poisoned.

Balance Yanukovich fraud with fraud in the Orange camp? In the light of what we know today, is that excessively biased or one of the few attempts to stay objective?

If i tell you that i am convinced Saakashvili attacked Tschinval and Moscow reacted with considerate restraint, what will you make me out for?

Why makes an opinion that is not pro-western automatically artificial in nature?

P.S. English regnum was terrible in the quality of its translations. It could be the crisis. Kommersant and Ekspert quit their English language websites in the last months of 2008.

]]> By: edward lucas http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/wait-where-did-the-astroturf-go/comment-page-1/#comment-26442 edward lucas Tue, 04 Aug 2009 17:07:31 +0000 http://fistfulofeuros.net/?p=6074#comment-26442 Well spotted! Well spotted!

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