Andrei Liakhov: “Short comment on Weir/Galeotti (Re: 2018-#157–Johnson’s Russia List item #1)” [Re: re New York Times: “Kremlin Sources Go Quiet, Leaving C.I.A. in the Dark About Putin’s Plans for Midterms”]

Stylized Artist's Depiction of Shadowy Figures in Dark Coats and Dark Hats, One Carrying a Briefcase

Subject: Short comment on Weir/Galeotti (Re: 2018-#157–Johnson’s Russia List item #1)
Date: Wed, 29 Aug 2018
From: Andrei Liakhov <gaffriloff@yahoo.co.uk>

Short comment on Weir/Galeotti

What these two gentlemen miss in their assessment of the NYT totally improbable story is this:

NYT was asked to publish this totally as a diversion for the Russian counter intelligence in an attempt to divert its attention from somebody or something they desperately want to protect. Journalists are legalised spooks anyway and these two professions compliment and more often than both wish to admit cooperate. In a “spook-to-Jorno” leak the hack (or a true journalist) very often has no or, at best, a vague idea of REAL reasons (and sometimes facts) behind spook request to publish a particular story.

A hack would publish with no verification, a journalist would check the facts, verify the background at at least assess probability of the story being true. In the old days, a true journalist would also assess likely impact the story might have. Social responsibility (actually any vestiges of any responsibility of formerly reputable profession) is long gone from editorial rooms of most major media organisations.

This created a unique situation where almost any intelligence officer could place almost any crudely concocted story through his jorno contacts without the need to ensure its plausibility.

I leave it to the media spinners (formerly known as journalists) to explain why the have by far and large usurped the powers of police, judge and jury and why unelected, often half educated people with at best limited understanding of what they write about think they are the society’s collective consioussness.

The above is not applicable to either Fred or Mark – unlike NYT these two are true professionals.

——-

re New York Times
Kremlin Sources Go Quiet, Leaving C.I.A. in the Dark About Putin’s Plans for Midterms

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/24/us/politics/cia-russia-midterm-elections.html

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