This post first appeared on Russia Insider
Three phrases come to mind when comparing these notable figures’ careers: moral hazard, servitude to Empire, and expiration date.
Harding of the Guardian who, according to former ambassador Craig Murray, is an MI6 mouthpiece has a history of writing “tall tales” about Putin and Russia. Because this sort of journalism sells and because the editors at the Guardian are Russophobic, the often outrageous claims he has made go unpunished. Moral hazard in this case refers to not being punished for violating basic rules of journalism and feeling emboldened to act with impunity in more outrageous ways.
The same with MbS. Bin Salman staged a palace coup in Saudi Arabia and got away with it. This gave him the incentive to start a brutal war against the Houthis in Yemen killing thousands of civilians and putting millions at risk of starvation. Except for a small number of arms exports being temporarily halted by Germany, this too went largely unpunished. The reason MbS thought he could murder a journalist in an embassy and get away with it is due to moral hazard. Bad deeds that go unpunished lead the actor to commit more bad deeds.
This brings us to Poroshenko. The Ukrainian president has allowed Neo-Nazi groups to terrorize and murder “pro-Russian” citizens. He bombed his own people in the Donbass with no condemnation from the West. Moral hazard once again, That explains why he initiated a provocation in the Kerch strait recently that could have gone badly had Russia over-reacted, leading to a serious military conflict and possible NATO involvement.
The second factor that ties together these three is servitude and allegiance to the Empire.
Harding has been rewarded for his propaganda hit pieces on Putin and Russia for years ingratiating himself to the Empire’s puppet masters. MbS serves the Empire keeping Saudi Arabia on very friendly terms with anti-Arab Israel – an Anglo-Zionist project of vital importance in the Middle East. And finally there is Poroshenko leading the propaganda war against Russia- a country hated by the Empire. Poroshenko has orchestrated a virulent racist campaign demonizing Russians as a way of deflecting attention away from the robber baron Oligarchs – many of whom are Jewish. In a country with a history of significant anti-Semitism this is extremely important.
Third – expiration date.
Call it crossing the line, going too far or whatever you will… all three of these figures have committed serious mistakes that will wind up costing them their jobs. Harding has become an utter embarrassment with his latest hit piece on Julian Assange and Wikileaks being tied to Russia. Likewise, MbS and Poroshenko have muddled things up so that their shelf-lives are nearing an end. Their usefulness has been greatly diminished.
Harding’s time at the Guardian should soon expire because he made the publication look foolish and unprofessional. A veritable laughing-stock. MbS will be removed because he has managed to alienate Turkey – a former ally of Israel- which has now formed closer ties with Russia and Iran infuriating the puppet masters. Bad boy!
Poroshenko is about to suffer a humiliating defeat at the polls in March. Any attempt to cancel elections – a move he seems to be contemplating – will result in Maidan 2.0, i.e. a CIA inspired coup d’etat. And wouldn’t that be ironic?
This post first appeared on Russia Insider
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