German MSM Blacks Out Evidence of Turkey's Ties to ISIS Oil

Originally Appeared at RT Deutsch. Translated from the German by Susan Neumann

On December 2^nd, the Russian Ministry of Defense gave a comprehensive briefing and provided proof related to the allegations that Turkey has been involved in the oil smuggling operation of the "Islamic State." There's both photographic and video evidence of this, plus maps. In the main German newscasts of ARD and ZDF, there was no mention of this press conference. It was also not mentioned in the national newspapers. Reader comments making reference to the press conference in Moscow were deleted.

The press conference of the Russian Ministry of Defense regarding the oil smuggling trade involvement of the Erdogan government was the same day on which the German Federal Parliament discussed whether the German army should initiate a military operation with Turkey and in Turkish territory.

Anticipating this connection, the scissors of self-censorship of obedient editors and program managers suddenly became active. It would be difficult to calculate the risk of public opinion if you had to explain to readers and viewers that the military operation of the Federal Republic was to be carried out with a "partner" who was previously found guilty of collaboration with the "Islamic State” and that this was supported by photographic and video evidence.  Oh, then maybe it would be better to play it safe and simply ignore the unpleasant parts.

This tactic might partially work for the fifty-plus age group, who comprise the readership and viewership of most "senior journalists," but this doesn’t work for a whole generation of digital natives:

Reader:  Hello Stern team, could you please report on the press conference of the Russian Defense Ministry?

Stern: No, there are (other) websites that specialize in that. Best regards.

It’s worth noting that reader comments under the "incomplete" reports, as well as links provided by readers and viewers to the  press conference of the Russian Ministry of Defense, were deleted in the forums of the public broadcasters and the national print media, or they were never approved to begin with.

A prime example of this kind of "fraudulent journalism" is die Zeit magazine in its article, "Türkei wirft Russland "Lügen" wie zu Sowjetzeiten vor" (Turkey Accuses Russia of Soviet-Era Lies). The article manages to cover Erdogan’s accusations against Moscow, but they neglect to mention or show any of the findings presented by the Russian Ministry of Defense. Several reader comments under the article pointed out that the references to the press conference in Moscow were deleted.

Reader comment: It’s an admission of weakness and partisanship if a newspaper deletes a link. Being partisan is not bad - but not by pushing away unpleasant arguments - rather by countering with one's own.