PETER ZALMAYEV: At this point, I don’t think so. ..."
https://www.democracynow.org/2022/4/19/russia_launches_new_offensive_in_donbas
-->Peter Zalmayev seems to be the voice of authority when it comes to Democracy Now's take on Ukraine. But why is he even on the show at all? He has been on Canadian Broadcasting, CNN, BBC, and many other mainstream media spreading an anti-peace message. Yet our Amy Goodman never challenges his assessments, nor takes the time to alert listeners to Zalmayev's dubious background.
Zalmayev has received payments from the Council on Foreign Relations, a gathering of Elites and Cold Warriors. He has worked as a policy advisor to the Joint Staff at the Department of Defense, and the Directorate of Strategic Stability, Strategic Deterrence, and Nuclear Policy Division. He has also represented the Joint Staff in "supporting the chairman’s 'military advice' to senior leaders" (Columbia University Alumni & Postdoc Notes).
In addition, he is a board member of the National Endowment for Democracy, described as "an agency for regime change and/or and an instrument of US foreign policy following the particular ideologies and interests of the United States government. The history of the organization shows that it was created in order to assume some activities the CIA used to do before around the world (Wikipedia).
Finally, Zalmayev seems to have been secretly paid $100,000 for his work with the American Jewish Committee in branding another man, Ashot Egiazaryan, a former Russian politician and businessman, as an antisemite (Think Tank Watch).
Peter Zalmayev is not a reliable voice for Democracy Now. He is a corrupted, establishment voice. Shame on Amy Goodman for interviewing him.
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Common Dreams:
"The progressive caucus of North Carolina's state Democratic Party is revoking its endorsement of state Sen. Valerie Foushee, citing her acceptance of thousands of dollars from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the anti-Palestinian rights group which has been influential in U.S. politics for decades.
The caucus said Sunday it had unsuccessfully urged Foushee to reject $165,000 in funding from individuals associated with AIPAC due to its support for more than three dozen Republican politicians who objected to the certification of the 2020 presidential election results ...
AIPAC's donations to Foushee's campaign represented more than half of her total quarterly fundraising, according to campaign finance disclosures cited by the progressive caucus. 'AIPAC is a single-issue organization that sees nothing wrong with supporting insurrectionists in the U.S. as long as those insurrectionists continue to align their congressional votes with AIPAC goals,' said the group. 'We denounce AIPAC for its support of those who acted to destroy our democracy.' "
-->Criticism of AIPAC is rare in our media. Always eager to protect Israel's image, The NYT didn't print this story either.
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Common Dreams:
"87% of IMF Loans Forcing Austerity on Crisis-Ravaged Nations. 'This epitomizes the IMF's double standard: It is warning rich countries against austerity while forcing poorer ones into it.'
The conditions of nearly 90% of the International Monetary Fund's pandemic-related loans are forcing developing nations suffering some of the world's worst humanitarian crises to implement austerity measures that fuel further impoverishment and inequality, an analysis published Tuesday by Oxfam International revealed. Oxfam found that "13 out of the 15 IMF loan programs negotiated during the second year of the pandemic require new austerity measures such as taxes on food and fuel or spending cuts that could put vital public services at risk.
This stands in stark contrast with IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva's admonition to the European Union last year that the wealthy bloc should not endanger its economic recovery with 'the suffocating force of austerity.' "
-->Racist austerity measures threatening poor countries? The US media didn't bother covering this story of how big banks rob impoverished people in the Third World.
