Wall of Controversy – Feb 7, 2022

On Thursday [Feb 3^rd] Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby ‘informed reporters’ of US intelligence claims that Russia is planning to “produce a very graphic propaganda video, which would include corpses and actors”. Later in the day, State Department spokesman, Ned Price, reiterated the same unsubstantiated claim (in a statement issued at the start of the clip embedded below).

In response, Associated Press reporter, Matt Lee, asked if the State Department could provide solid evidence of any Russian plans for simulated mass casualty false flag attack using ‘crisis actors’, pointing out how by making strange accusations of this kind, he was crossing into territory typically held by (as he put it) the “nutty conspiracy theory crowd”:

The performance of Ned Price is so cringeworthy that his clash with Matt Lee quickly went viral. “Evidence?” he says, at one point, “I just delivered it!” Adding, if I may paraphrase for the sake of brevity: “But we can’t provide any details because of ‘sources & methods’ and ‘deterrence’ – well, that’s how deterrence works, right?” This is so childish that it would be completely hilarious were the situation not so serious.

Having been repeatedly lied into wars throughout this century, you might have imagined there would be a little more reticence in reporting this bizarre story as factual, but instead the mainstream has dutifully played along. As Novara Media’s Michael Walker reminds us:

It isn’t like the US is a stranger to misinformation. In 2016, it was reported that the Pentagon had paid UK PR firm Bell Pottinger $540 million to run a covert propaganda campaign following the invasion of Iraq. They created news packages in the style of Arabic news agencies and also made fake al-Qaeda terrorist videos that could be used to track the people who viewed them.

Leaving aside the plain silliness, we ought to consider the likely purpose behind these latest accusations. Of course, one answer is that the US just wishes to throw more mud at the Kremlin door in order to maintain tensions over Ukraine. There are however more serious implications.

The most troubling is that such widely publicised claims may open the way to the deliberate escalation of the Ukrainian-Russian standoff by means of covert attacks carried out by US or Nato Special Forces, with these accusations of Russian false flags offering plausible deniability for any subsequent provocation. But beyond this, there are potentially alternative forms of provocation that may already be in the pipeline.

For instance, under the unflinching headline “Russia-Ukraine: US warns of ‘false-flag’ operation”, BBC news put together a piece that very confusingly muddles “such specific intelligence determinations” (i.e., these latest unsubstantiated false flag claims) with alleged cyber-attacks that are already happening.

Here is the central passage of the BBC article as it appears without edits:

Ukraine on Friday accused Russia of being behind a cyber-attack on dozens of official websites.

Before the sites went offline, a message appeared warning Ukrainians to “prepare for the worst”. Access to most of the sites was restored within hours.

The US and Nato condemned the attack and have offered support to Ukraine. Russia has not commented on the hack.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told reporters on Friday about what he said were Russia’s plans.

“It has pre-positioned a group of operatives to conduct what we call a false-flag operation, an operation designed to look like an attack on them or Russian speaking people in Ukraine as an excuse to go in,” he said.

The operatives were trained in urban warfare and using explosives to carry out acts of sabotage against pro-Russian rebels, US officials said.

Ukraine’s Defence Ministry said similar acts were being prepared against Russian troops stationed in the breakaway Transdnistria region of Moldova.

“Russia has not commented on the hack” is meant to be read as a tacit admission of guilt, of course. Then – without a break in the flow – the piece immediately switches back to what Pentagon spokesman John Kirby has told reporters about coming false flags – reportedly also “on Friday” although this actually took place on Thursday (follow the link at the top – in answer to a question at about 30 mins). In this BBC account, sabotage on the ground is thus directly conflated with cyber-sabotage, when either one might be the tripwire that unleashes a wider war.

Meanwhile, in the Guardian’s report entitled “Russia plans ‘very graphic’ fake video as pretext for Ukraine invasion, US claims”, the latest accusations are once again repeated unchecked. Although the article does finish on a more cautionary note:

Last weekend, Reuters and CNN cited senior US officials claiming Russia had moved blood supplies close to the border, indicating a potential imminent military attack. Ukraine’s deputy defence minister, Hanna Maliar, denounced the blood supply claim, calling it a provocation designed “to spread panic and fear in our society”.

On Thursday, Maliar told the Guardian she had checked that claim with Ukrainian intelligence agencies, which had their own sources.

“It simply wasn’t true. We found no information to back this up, we did not see any blood supplies moved to the front or even in the civilian hospitals around the front,” she said, in an interview at a military airfield at Boryspil, outside Kyiv.

“It’s really important to look at the sources. These sources were anonymous, and I don’t think it’s right to use anonymous sources that cannot be checked,” she said.

And yes, to fill in the blanks, the US is presenting more “evidence” based solely on anonymous sources that cannot be checked. Why would this case be any truer than the last time?

The same people who deceived the world with stories of babies out of incubators in Kuwait; WMDs in Iraq which Bush later teased us “have got to be somewhere”; Viagra pills for soldiers in Libya; and the long discredited claims about chlorine gas at Douma (with graphic images of real corpses); are asking us to trust them again. The corporate media plays along as it always has done and always will, but we don’t have to be fooled yet again, do we?

*

A full transcript of the exchange between Ned Price and Matt Lee is also reproduced below.

Ned Price: “We have previously noted our strong concerns regarding Russian disinformation and the likelihood that Moscow might create seek to create a false flag operation to initiate military activity. Now we can say that the United States has information that Russia is planning to stage fabricated attacks by Ukrainian military or intelligence forces as a pretext for a further invasion of Ukraine. One possible option the Russians are considering, and which we made public today, involves the production of a propaganda video: a video with graphic scenes of false explosions depicting corpses, crisis actors pretending to be mourners, and images of destroyed locations, or military equipment; entirely fabricated by Russian intelligence.

“To be clear, the production of this propaganda video is one of a number of options that the Russian government is developing as a fake pretext to initiate and potentially justify military aggression against Ukraine. We don’t know if Russia will necessarily use this, or another option in the coming days. We are publicising it now, however, in order to lay bare the extent of Russia’s destabilising actions towards Ukraine, and to dissuade Russia from continuing this dangerous campaign and ultimately launching a military attack.

“Russia has signalled it’s willing to continue diplomatic talks as a means to de-escalate, but actions such as these suggest otherwise. We will continue to diligently work together with our allies and partners to expose Russian disinformation and other hybrid tactics used against Ukraine. We continue to work to prevent any effort Moscow might make to justify further military action in Ukraine. We again urge Russia to stop its destructive and destabilising disinformation campaign, to de-escalate tensions, and to engage in diplomacy and dialogue for a peaceful solution. Thank you.”

Matt Lee: “Thanks. Okay well that’s quite a mouthful there. So you said actions such as these “suggest” otherwise; “suggest” meaning that “they suggest they’re not interested in talks and they’re going to go ahead with some kind of [action]” What action are you talking about?”

Ned Price: “One: the actions I’ve just pointed to. The fact that Russia continues to engage in disinformation campaigns.”

Matt Lee: “You made an allegation that they might do that. Have they actually done it?”

Ned Price: “What we know, Matt, is what I have just said: that they have engaged in this activity. [he overrides Matt Lee’s interjection and continues] because obviously this is not, this is not the first time we’ve made these reports public. You’ll remember that just a few weeks ago…”

Matt Lee: “Well, I’m sorry. Made what report public?”

Ned Price: “If you let me finish I will tell you what report we made public. Uh, we told you a few weeks ago that we have information indicating Russia also has already pre-positioned a group of operatives to conduct a false flag operation in Eastern Ukraine. So that Matt, to answer your question, is an action that Russia has already taken.

Matt Lee: “No, it’s an action that you say that they have taken, but you have shown no evidence to confirm that. And I’m going to get to the next question here, which is what is the evidence that they planned – I mean this is like crisis actors – really, this is like Alex Jones territory you’re getting it too now!”

“What evidence do you have to support the idea that there is some propaganda film in the making?”

Ned Price: “Matt, this is derived from information known to the US government: intelligence information that we have declassified. I think you know…”

Matt Lee [interrupting]: “Okay, well where is it? Where is this information?

Ned Price: “It is intelligence information that we have declassified.”

Matt Lee: “Well, where is it? Where’s the declassified information?

Ned Price: “I just delivered it.”

Matt Lee: “No, you made a series of allegations.”

Ned Price: “Would you like us to print out the topper? Because you will see a transcript of this briefing that you can print out for yourself.”

Matt Lee: “It’s not evidence, Ned! That’s just you saying it. That’s not evidence, I’m sorry.”

Ned Price: “What would you like, Matt?”

Matt Lee: “I would like to see some proof that you can show that shows that the Russians are doing this…

Ned Price: “You have been doing this for quite a while. You know that when we declassify intelligence, we do so – it’s about protecting sources and methods.” [dialogue is hard to follow]

Matt Lee: “I remember a lot of things [including that ‘Kabul is not going to fall’]. So where is the declassified information other than you coming out here and saying it?”

Ned Price: “Matt, I’m sorry you don’t like the format.”

Matt Lee: “It’s not the format! It’s the content!

Ned Price: “I’m sorry you don’t like the content. I’m sorry you –

Matt Lee: “It’s not that I don’t like it!”

Ned Price [continuing]: “I’m sorry you are doubting the information that is in the possession of the US government.

“What I’m telling you is that this is information that’s available to us. We are making it available to you in order – for a couple reasons: one is to attempt to deter the Russians from going ahead with this activity; two, in the event we’re not able to do that – in the event the Russians do go ahead with this – to make it clear as day, to lay bare the fact that this has always been an attempt on the part of the Russian Federation to fabricate a pretext.”

Matt Lee: “Yeah, but you don’t have any evidence to back it up, other than what you’re saying. It’s like you’re saying ‘we think we have information the Russians may do this’, but you won’t tell us what the information is…

Ned Price [interrupting]: That is the idea behind deterrence, Matt! That is the idea behind deterrence! It is hoped that the Russians don’t go forward with this.”

Matt Lee [continuing]: “… you say I just gave it to you.”

Ned Price: “You seem not to understand the idea of deterrence. We are trying to deter the Russians moving forward with this type of activity. That is why we’re making it public today.

If the Russians don’t go forward with this, that is not ipso facto an indication that they never had plans to do so.”

Matt Lee: “But then it’s unprovable! I mean, my god!

“What is the evidence that you have that suggests that that the Russians are even planning this? I mean I’m not saying that they’re not, but you just come out and say this and expect us just to believe it without you showing a shred of evidence that it’s actually true, other than when I ask – or when anyone else asks – what’s the information, you said: ‘well, I just gave it to you’, which was just you making a statement.”

Ned Price: “Matt, you said yourself, you’ve been in this business for quite a long time. You know that when we make information – uh, intelligence information – public, we do so in a way that protects sensitive sources and methods. You also know that we do so – we declassify information – only when we’re confident in that information.

“If you doubt – if you doubt the credibility of the US government, of the British government, of other governments, and want to, you know, find solace and information that the Russians are putting out.

Matt Lee [laughing]: “Solace?!!!”

Ned Price [continuing]: “…that is for you to do.

Matt Lee: “I’m not asking what the Russian government is putting out. And what is this supposed to mean…?”

Ned Price then turns to another reporter, who says:

“Officials are describing very specific scenes, but do they actually have a video?”

Ned Price: “The fact that we are able to go into such great detail. Obviously I’m not going to spell out what is in our possession, but I will leave it to you – I will leave that to your judgment, your imagination.”

Matt Lee: “There are no facts that you’ve spelled out.”

Another reporter: “Do you have evidence that this was intended to come out in the coming days?”

Ned Price: “We’ve said then for some time now that the Russians have positioned forces. They have undertaken preparations that if Putin decides to move forward with an invasion, they’re positioned to do so. They are poised to do something in the coming days.”

Matt Lee: “Just one last thing, quickly. I’m not buying into Russian propaganda, but I’m also not going to buy into…

Ned Price [interrupting]: “I’m not asking you to.”

Matt Lee: “… an accusation. [continuing] Yes you are! You’re saying the proof is that I just said it. So let me just appeal to you on behalf of all of us, and the American people, and the people of the world, and the Russian people, and the Ukrainian people:

“One piece of evidence to suggest that the Russians are planning to use crisis actors to stage a false mass casualty event to use as a pretext. Just one piece, okay.

“And not you, or [John] Kirby, or Jen {Psaki], or Jon Finer, or Jake [Sullivan] saying: ‘this is what is so’, and then you turning around and saying: ‘well because we said it it’s a fact’. So one piece – one piece of verifiable evidence.”

Ned Price: “Let me make make a couple broad points. I acknowledge this will probably be unsatisfactory to you in the moment, but here’s what I think you know – what I certainly know– uh, what everyone here knows.

“There are a hundred thousand Russian troops encircling Ukraine right now; approaching Ukraine’s borders – close to the borders – there are thousands of Russian troops with the potential for some 30 000 Russian troops to stream in to Belarus. All of these forces are positioned – could well be positioned – if Putin makes that decision to engage on Ukraine in a coordinated assault.

“We also know that the Russians have resorted to these tactics in the past. Have developed a remarkably similar playbook in 2014: amassed troops, engaged in 2014. It is the historical facts. Engaged in disinformation and propaganda to paint Ukraine as the aggressor. Fabricated a pretext for an invasion and went in.

“So with what we know from eight years ago – with what we have seen – you and I both have seen, everyone have seen – with what we have heard eight years ago, in the ensuing eight years, and in recent weeks – it seems to me that it should not be outlandish that the Russians may be engaging in this activity.”

Matt Lee: “But not being outlandish doesn’t mean that you have any proof that that has happened, or being planned.”

Ned Price [interrupting]: “The second point, the second point…”

Matt Lee [continuing]: “Hold on, you can’t just – That all of that may very well be true, probably is true. Okay, but it doesn’t provide any evidence of what you’re alleging now, which is that they’re planning this fake mass casualty event with quote-unquote ‘crisis actors’, which is something that, you know, in the US we rarely hear outside of the kind of, you know, nutty conspiracy theory crowd.”

Ned Price: “Well to be to be clear, we’re not alleging what the United States is doing. This is information available to us about what the Russians are up to. I understand your point, but I just wanna…”

Matt Lee: “You do? Because I mean you’re treading into some serious waters here. And if you can’t provide any evidence other than: ‘well I said so, and so it’s a fact’; that’s a problem.”

Ned Price: “Matt, there’s a second point. This is derived from intelligence: intelligence in which we have confidence.”

Matt Lee [interrupting]: “The same confidence you had in WMDs in Iraq?”

Ned Price: “Otherwise we would not be making it public in the way we are. But here’s the other point: intelligence and evidence – these are two separate things. It is no…”

Matt Lee: “But you’re saying it’s a fact, and that that you have proof, and then you can’t offer any proof to just show this fact…

[clearly exasperated] I’ll drop it. I think we should move on.

Courtesy Ian Fantom

 

Source