That Dr. Snyder's common-sense, ethical, journalistic reporting guidelines here seem like startling! new! insights! to me is a measure of how 'normalized' the current corroded reporting has become—even for those of us always struggling to find clear objective journalism. Once again, heartfelt thanks to you, Dr. Snyder, for taking the time to spell out and illustrate what the pursuit of truth is. I hardly recognize it!! (Will study, lol.)
The blowing of the dam is enraging beyond words. This possibility had been reported as a worry when the Russians first captured the area. The reporting of the Russian claims that the Ukrainians did this themselves is, as Tim points out, a figment of “there are two side to this story” journalism which leads people away from obvious truth.
The additional suffering caused by this is incomprehensible.
I believe “both siderism “ is a myth at this point. Putin’s war was an unprovoked attack against a neighbor. The pain and cruelty of the entire operation including the destruction of environments critical to humans and so many other vital living beings is sickening. For what? One small man’s insatiable need for money and power. While the world looks on in horror, don’t lose sight of the many Putins in our midst.
Dear Susan Troy, You are absolutely right when you say that the world looks on in horror. I would add only one thing and that is the fact that the world may look at it alright, but that it (the world ) is doing hardly anything to stop it ! This woul;d be the time to get serious! Where is the will/ Where is the support Ukraine needs!? "Together we stand, divided we fall" - isn't that so ?
I agree. I’ve been listening to Timothy Snyders lectures on the history of Ukraine to try to better understand what’s going on and what can be done to help. It’s a complicated but fascinating topic. Mostly just now in the Bay Area gray June Gloom, I’ve been wondering what is wrong with us? Why all this hate and fear? It seems we have “enough for everyone’s’ need, but not for everyone’s’ greed.”
The provocation was The West meddling within these historical Russian lands by way of Ukraine/Kyiv governmental 'meddlings'. If you don't respect the neighborhood of the 'big power', which The West didn't, particularly the USA,… you're seeing the results. The USA is majorly responsible for much of the destruction and death of this ongoing war. Best to compromise and bide the time for productive transformation in relative peace.
This "provocation" argument is, flatly, a distorted and selectively incorrect view of history and is, as well, completely missing in a common sense rendering of individual choice and responsibility, which Putin has, must have and must acknowledge as a human being.
I continue to firmly disagree with you, both in fact and in my human sense of being human.
The devastation experienced by Ukrainians is devastation consciously chosen and applied by Putin et al. Putin et al have consciously and willfully chosen to act to destroy real people - men women children.
The devastation being wrought on the Ukrainian people and what makes up their communities is conscious devastation, chosen aggression, willful violence, and abstract and selfishly motivated calculus of asserting power and asserting powerlessness. The choices and the actions that proceed and that are manifested by this devastation and the inhumanity of its character are a conscious chosen calculus that consciously obscures and tortures ethical awareness. There is no and there never has existed a political or geopolitical sense of world and humanity that brings these choices of devastation and dominion within ethical awareness.
And much more to the point is your apparent approval of Putin et al choices, is that correct? And, do you agree or do you disagree with the assertion that both the annexations and the invasion by Russia are not legal in any sense in international law? Do you agree or disagree that the aggression is an international crime and that by choice Putin is supporting crimes against humanity by his forces in Ukraine? Are you appalled by Putin supporters who are kidnapping Ukrainian citizens and are you appalled by the deportation of these kidnapped men, women and children into Russia, all with Putin's explicit approval? Do you see any humility in Putin, in his supporters, and if so, how?
Do you believe, as your assertions and claims suggest, that Putin's vision and annunciation of his neighborhood are the final, factual word here, that he chooses 'history' for everyone?
You're disregarding polarity power for that region. And it's that disregard, majorly supported by the USA, which has resulted much devastation,... due to USA's disregard for the polarity of that neighborhood.
'All' have agency. Some have more leverage, more power. Russia is reclaiming what was Russia from the late 1700's to 1917+, because Putin/Russia Ruling Elite (RRE's) don't want that 'valuable-to-them' region to go under jurisdiction of The West by way of Ukraine.
It's the matter of respecting world polarities. And Russia is reasonable enough, in general.
Btw, ''Historical Russian lands'' are fighting words for the RRE's, and the Russian population who are of that persuasion(some percentage).
This worked fine up through about the 18th century, but when the masses entered politics, ideas of the nation, self-determination, freedom of speech etc. became compelling enough that imperial great powers lost some of their ability to bully smaller neighbors. You can’t stuff this genie back into the bottle. The Concert of Vienna at the end of the Napoleonic Wars was about the last time that Europe was organized under the domination of a hegemon (Hapsburg Austria). The Crimean War actually was an important early event in the collapse of that system. To defeat Russia, France stepped beyond its borders for the first time since Napoleon, allied with Britain for the first time in history and the two were joined by tiny Piedmont-Sardinia which defied its Austrian overlord and became the nucleus of Italian national unification. Within five years Austria was out of Italy and its slavs, including Ukrainians, were in revolt.
It's about the neighborhood in regard to world polarity powers, and when the USA did what they did in combo with some Ukrainians,… well, 'you can't do that',…. and so the warring happened, and continues.
Absolutely! It has been a worry since the Russian invasion last February. What is clear is Russian nihilism and cruelty. Truth and facts are the enemy of “bothsides-ism” which is the unfortunate MO of journalists in general. Richard, the suffering is entirely the point, cruelty is the objective of the Russia.
And yes, the Russians would blow the dam to a) unleash death and destruction on towns and cities downstream, especially Kherson and b) to make it impossible for Ukrainian attackers to use is to cross the river without regard to the fact that the reservoir provides water for Russian occupiers in Crimea.
Dmitri Peskov reminds me of Goebbels during Hitler’s final years and Baghdad Bob, whose claims of Iraqi military victories in 2003 were often posted against videos of Iraqi defeats and gained him the nickname of Comical Ali.
Twosidedness in reporting is disingenuous. Domestically our media addressed this badly when reporting on False Fact Trump. Simply reporting what The Washington Post catalogued as over 40,000 lies or misstatements distorted a credible discussion.
When Peskov continually states that black is white, the media has a responsibility to highlight his track record of flat lies. I find that the Ukrainians, including President Zelensky, as well as official Americans and Brits, have a highly credible record of reporting accurately what has occurred since Putin’s brutal ‘special military operation’ occurred.
Reporting the truth in Putin’s Russia is a criminal offense. Peskov chooses to remain out of jail. For the Western media to provide Peskov a sustained news source platform I find unconscionable.
Exactly. The US (and many other) media report both sides of most issues wththout context or fact checking. Occasionally someone calls them out, as does Prof. Snider, or, in a humorous vein, here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cjuGCJJUGsg
There seems to be a thirst among many people to believe lies and defend to the death liars. I don’t get it. There is a remarkable photo from the Nazi era of one man in a stadium packed with Hitler supporters walking away from the crowd. I want to be that person. I suspect there are many here who would agree.
Susan In the movie CABARET there was a frightening scene when a young Brownshirt (?) man started singing a nationalist (Hitler) song. Gradually more and more people joined in. At the end even old folks started singing with more and more enthusiasm.
Also, in CABARET, watch what the bully boys did to those who walked away and/or argued. It takes real guts to fight for truth and country’s soul. Too often folks mutter. “Yeah, someone should deal with that.’
Watched a BBC report yesterday on youtube that began, "Russia says [. . .] but Ukraine says [. . .]." It was infuriating. #10 was exactly my reasoning: It makes no sense strategically. Why in the world would Ukraine blow up a dam with a bridge over it that serves as a supply and army personnel route, not even to speak of the danger to the Ukrainian people and Ukrainian land? It's so stupid that it really does make me wonder about people's ability to reason properly. Military historians must be pulling their hair out over such idiocy, though admittedly Lawrence Freedman doesn't have any hair to pull out.
The horror of this is paralysing. One wd rather not know, not think, and any action seems ludicrously little. But we must know,we must think and however puny our efforts, we must certainly act.
79 years ago yesterday ( D-Day) to thwart the Allied invasion/ advance in Normandy. A known defensive strategy. About 100 US paratroopers drowned the night before the invasion at the beach. Rommel's orders.
The morbidly rich billionaires and their stooges support Putin. And peddle false equivalencies and Big Lies to dilute and obfuscate truth. I hope more journalists take the time to read Snyder.
With the bombing of the Nova Kakhovka Dam, this has to be the moment for taking action in the UN against the claim of the Russian Federation to the USSR’s permanent seat on the Security Counsel and its veto rights. A claim so tenuous it is supported only by a letter dated 27 December 1991, from the Permanent Representative of Belarus to the UN by which the Secretary-General was “informed” that the membership of the USSR’s UN membership - including its status as a permanent membership of the Security Council - was being continued by the Russian Federation with the support of the 11 member countries of the CIS.
Forgive me if I seem churlish, but the UN's inaction is immensely frustrating. It really makes the organization seem like a joke. How in the world has Russia not yet been ejected after all the obvious, blatant cruelty and barbarism it's inflicted?
This means the UNSC is forever stuck, no way to change itself. There must be a way. The UN is meant to be a forum essentially for countries to talk at least, to diffuse conflict.
The issue is that the permanent Security Council members have veto powers and there does not seem to be a way ( it seems) to demote, downgrade or expel a SC member for it's violations of the UN Charter and crimes against humanity.
The “uniting for peace@ procedure has been used for years to kick issues to the General Assembly when the SC is paralyzed by a veto. But the GA has no coercive powers. The GA can sometimes put together a peacekeeping force where the combatants are willing to back off, not the case in Ukraine.
It is very sad that in addition to helping the world understand the history and contemporary context of Ukraine and Russia, you also have to teach journalists how to do their job. The lack of context, and downright ignorance of many of our journalists and the lack of interest in our news departments in practicing good and ethical journalism is increasingly visible. Thank you so so much for all you are doing.
As always, a concise and persuasive explanation that will be seen by a tiny fraction of the people who need to know it. Each of us does what we can in our own little corner. Dr. Snyder has a bigger corner than most of us but it is still important that each of us help amplify his thoughts in our own little corners. Slava Ukraine!
“Armies that are attacking do not blow dams to block their own path of advance. Armies that are retreating do blow dams to slow the advance of the other side. At the relevant moment, Ukraine was advancing, and Russia was retreating.”
Meanwhile, Ukraine posts ominous video saying nobody should be talking about its counteroffensive: ‘Plans love silence.’ 🌻 #ProtectDemocracy!
Brilliant as usual. No message is more valuable than your continual insistence on all the objects and settings that must be in every story. Let's hope rich nations will hasten to send aid for the rebuilding.
That Dr. Snyder's common-sense, ethical, journalistic reporting guidelines here seem like startling! new! insights! to me is a measure of how 'normalized' the current corroded reporting has become—even for those of us always struggling to find clear objective journalism. Once again, heartfelt thanks to you, Dr. Snyder, for taking the time to spell out and illustrate what the pursuit of truth is. I hardly recognize it!! (Will study, lol.)
See some counterpoints: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eX43JGdf7SU
Wow, that was a great lesson in intelligent journalism and intelligent readership. Thank you, Dr. Snyder!
The blowing of the dam is enraging beyond words. This possibility had been reported as a worry when the Russians first captured the area. The reporting of the Russian claims that the Ukrainians did this themselves is, as Tim points out, a figment of “there are two side to this story” journalism which leads people away from obvious truth.
The additional suffering caused by this is incomprehensible.
I believe “both siderism “ is a myth at this point. Putin’s war was an unprovoked attack against a neighbor. The pain and cruelty of the entire operation including the destruction of environments critical to humans and so many other vital living beings is sickening. For what? One small man’s insatiable need for money and power. While the world looks on in horror, don’t lose sight of the many Putins in our midst.
Dear Susan Troy, You are absolutely right when you say that the world looks on in horror. I would add only one thing and that is the fact that the world may look at it alright, but that it (the world ) is doing hardly anything to stop it ! This woul;d be the time to get serious! Where is the will/ Where is the support Ukraine needs!? "Together we stand, divided we fall" - isn't that so ?
I agree. I’ve been listening to Timothy Snyders lectures on the history of Ukraine to try to better understand what’s going on and what can be done to help. It’s a complicated but fascinating topic. Mostly just now in the Bay Area gray June Gloom, I’ve been wondering what is wrong with us? Why all this hate and fear? It seems we have “enough for everyone’s’ need, but not for everyone’s’ greed.”
Understand the counterpoints: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eX43JGdf7SU
The provocation was The West meddling within these historical Russian lands by way of Ukraine/Kyiv governmental 'meddlings'. If you don't respect the neighborhood of the 'big power', which The West didn't, particularly the USA,… you're seeing the results. The USA is majorly responsible for much of the destruction and death of this ongoing war. Best to compromise and bide the time for productive transformation in relative peace.
This "provocation" argument is, flatly, a distorted and selectively incorrect view of history and is, as well, completely missing in a common sense rendering of individual choice and responsibility, which Putin has, must have and must acknowledge as a human being.
I continue to firmly disagree with you, both in fact and in my human sense of being human.
The devastation experienced by Ukrainians is devastation consciously chosen and applied by Putin et al. Putin et al have consciously and willfully chosen to act to destroy real people - men women children.
The devastation being wrought on the Ukrainian people and what makes up their communities is conscious devastation, chosen aggression, willful violence, and abstract and selfishly motivated calculus of asserting power and asserting powerlessness. The choices and the actions that proceed and that are manifested by this devastation and the inhumanity of its character are a conscious chosen calculus that consciously obscures and tortures ethical awareness. There is no and there never has existed a political or geopolitical sense of world and humanity that brings these choices of devastation and dominion within ethical awareness.
And much more to the point is your apparent approval of Putin et al choices, is that correct? And, do you agree or do you disagree with the assertion that both the annexations and the invasion by Russia are not legal in any sense in international law? Do you agree or disagree that the aggression is an international crime and that by choice Putin is supporting crimes against humanity by his forces in Ukraine? Are you appalled by Putin supporters who are kidnapping Ukrainian citizens and are you appalled by the deportation of these kidnapped men, women and children into Russia, all with Putin's explicit approval? Do you see any humility in Putin, in his supporters, and if so, how?
Do you believe, as your assertions and claims suggest, that Putin's vision and annunciation of his neighborhood are the final, factual word here, that he chooses 'history' for everyone?
You're disregarding polarity power for that region. And it's that disregard, majorly supported by the USA, which has resulted much devastation,... due to USA's disregard for the polarity of that neighborhood.
Is polarity a historically determining character or condition of human politics?
Answer: Yes.
To answer your last question: No.
Understand the counterpoints: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eX43JGdf7SU
“Historical Russian lands” is a problem. This attitude denies any agency to the Ukrainians. These are fighting words for them.
'All' have agency. Some have more leverage, more power. Russia is reclaiming what was Russia from the late 1700's to 1917+, because Putin/Russia Ruling Elite (RRE's) don't want that 'valuable-to-them' region to go under jurisdiction of The West by way of Ukraine.
It's the matter of respecting world polarities. And Russia is reasonable enough, in general.
Btw, ''Historical Russian lands'' are fighting words for the RRE's, and the Russian population who are of that persuasion(some percentage).
This worked fine up through about the 18th century, but when the masses entered politics, ideas of the nation, self-determination, freedom of speech etc. became compelling enough that imperial great powers lost some of their ability to bully smaller neighbors. You can’t stuff this genie back into the bottle. The Concert of Vienna at the end of the Napoleonic Wars was about the last time that Europe was organized under the domination of a hegemon (Hapsburg Austria). The Crimean War actually was an important early event in the collapse of that system. To defeat Russia, France stepped beyond its borders for the first time since Napoleon, allied with Britain for the first time in history and the two were joined by tiny Piedmont-Sardinia which defied its Austrian overlord and became the nucleus of Italian national unification. Within five years Austria was out of Italy and its slavs, including Ukrainians, were in revolt.
Disagree. You can't just go and claim/take and then trash what you want because of some period in history it was that way
It's about the neighborhood in regard to world polarity powers, and when the USA did what they did in combo with some Ukrainians,… well, 'you can't do that',…. and so the warring happened, and continues.
Don't forget Ukraine voted for independence December 1, 1991. That's it. Russia had not right, whatsoever to invade a sovereign country. Period.
Absolutely! It has been a worry since the Russian invasion last February. What is clear is Russian nihilism and cruelty. Truth and facts are the enemy of “bothsides-ism” which is the unfortunate MO of journalists in general. Richard, the suffering is entirely the point, cruelty is the objective of the Russia.
Your last sentence, Richard Perse, is the most telling. Thank you.
And yes, the Russians would blow the dam to a) unleash death and destruction on towns and cities downstream, especially Kherson and b) to make it impossible for Ukrainian attackers to use is to cross the river without regard to the fact that the reservoir provides water for Russian occupiers in Crimea.
Precisely. People don't matter to muscovy's leadership and never have, whether their own or others'.
It’s the long term consequences of this perhaps grandest of Putin’s war crimes that cannot be underestimated.
Dmitri Peskov reminds me of Goebbels during Hitler’s final years and Baghdad Bob, whose claims of Iraqi military victories in 2003 were often posted against videos of Iraqi defeats and gained him the nickname of Comical Ali.
Twosidedness in reporting is disingenuous. Domestically our media addressed this badly when reporting on False Fact Trump. Simply reporting what The Washington Post catalogued as over 40,000 lies or misstatements distorted a credible discussion.
When Peskov continually states that black is white, the media has a responsibility to highlight his track record of flat lies. I find that the Ukrainians, including President Zelensky, as well as official Americans and Brits, have a highly credible record of reporting accurately what has occurred since Putin’s brutal ‘special military operation’ occurred.
Reporting the truth in Putin’s Russia is a criminal offense. Peskov chooses to remain out of jail. For the Western media to provide Peskov a sustained news source platform I find unconscionable.
Exactly. The US (and many other) media report both sides of most issues wththout context or fact checking. Occasionally someone calls them out, as does Prof. Snider, or, in a humorous vein, here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cjuGCJJUGsg
There seems to be a thirst among many people to believe lies and defend to the death liars. I don’t get it. There is a remarkable photo from the Nazi era of one man in a stadium packed with Hitler supporters walking away from the crowd. I want to be that person. I suspect there are many here who would agree.
Susan In the movie CABARET there was a frightening scene when a young Brownshirt (?) man started singing a nationalist (Hitler) song. Gradually more and more people joined in. At the end even old folks started singing with more and more enthusiasm.
Also, in CABARET, watch what the bully boys did to those who walked away and/or argued. It takes real guts to fight for truth and country’s soul. Too often folks mutter. “Yeah, someone should deal with that.’
Watched a BBC report yesterday on youtube that began, "Russia says [. . .] but Ukraine says [. . .]." It was infuriating. #10 was exactly my reasoning: It makes no sense strategically. Why in the world would Ukraine blow up a dam with a bridge over it that serves as a supply and army personnel route, not even to speak of the danger to the Ukrainian people and Ukrainian land? It's so stupid that it really does make me wonder about people's ability to reason properly. Military historians must be pulling their hair out over such idiocy, though admittedly Lawrence Freedman doesn't have any hair to pull out.
The horror of this is paralysing. One wd rather not know, not think, and any action seems ludicrously little. But we must know,we must think and however puny our efforts, we must certainly act.
The Germans did the same thing
79 years ago yesterday ( D-Day) to thwart the Allied invasion/ advance in Normandy. A known defensive strategy. About 100 US paratroopers drowned the night before the invasion at the beach. Rommel's orders.
The morbidly rich billionaires and their stooges support Putin. And peddle false equivalencies and Big Lies to dilute and obfuscate truth. I hope more journalists take the time to read Snyder.
With the bombing of the Nova Kakhovka Dam, this has to be the moment for taking action in the UN against the claim of the Russian Federation to the USSR’s permanent seat on the Security Counsel and its veto rights. A claim so tenuous it is supported only by a letter dated 27 December 1991, from the Permanent Representative of Belarus to the UN by which the Secretary-General was “informed” that the membership of the USSR’s UN membership - including its status as a permanent membership of the Security Council - was being continued by the Russian Federation with the support of the 11 member countries of the CIS.
https://legal.un.org/repertory/art23/english/rep_supp8_vol3_art23.pdf
It’s time.
Forgive me if I seem churlish, but the UN's inaction is immensely frustrating. It really makes the organization seem like a joke. How in the world has Russia not yet been ejected after all the obvious, blatant cruelty and barbarism it's inflicted?
There is no way under the UN Charter to eject Russia. It would veto any attempt to amend the Charter in this direction.
This means the UNSC is forever stuck, no way to change itself. There must be a way. The UN is meant to be a forum essentially for countries to talk at least, to diffuse conflict.
The issue is that the permanent Security Council members have veto powers and there does not seem to be a way ( it seems) to demote, downgrade or expel a SC member for it's violations of the UN Charter and crimes against humanity.
The “uniting for peace@ procedure has been used for years to kick issues to the General Assembly when the SC is paralyzed by a veto. But the GA has no coercive powers. The GA can sometimes put together a peacekeeping force where the combatants are willing to back off, not the case in Ukraine.
Clear, pointed, on target!
It is very sad that in addition to helping the world understand the history and contemporary context of Ukraine and Russia, you also have to teach journalists how to do their job. The lack of context, and downright ignorance of many of our journalists and the lack of interest in our news departments in practicing good and ethical journalism is increasingly visible. Thank you so so much for all you are doing.
As always, a concise and persuasive explanation that will be seen by a tiny fraction of the people who need to know it. Each of us does what we can in our own little corner. Dr. Snyder has a bigger corner than most of us but it is still important that each of us help amplify his thoughts in our own little corners. Slava Ukraine!
“Armies that are attacking do not blow dams to block their own path of advance. Armies that are retreating do blow dams to slow the advance of the other side. At the relevant moment, Ukraine was advancing, and Russia was retreating.”
Meanwhile, Ukraine posts ominous video saying nobody should be talking about its counteroffensive: ‘Plans love silence.’ 🌻 #ProtectDemocracy!
Brilliant as usual. No message is more valuable than your continual insistence on all the objects and settings that must be in every story. Let's hope rich nations will hasten to send aid for the rebuilding.
How does one rebuild destroyed land in the atmosphere of climate change? An enormous challenge for agronomists(?) and governments.
Horrifying destruction and anguish for Ukraine. Russia again destroys what it cannot control
The simple truth...which leaves us with trying to absorb the depth of this evil.