Russian Influence Operations
Target Americans
By: Cliff Kincaid
A major case of what intelligence experts call "influence operations"
emanating from Moscow is this week's "Rhodes Forum," which is sponsored
by Vladimir Putin's close associate and former KGB official Vladimir
Yakunin. The objective is to divert attention from Russia's aggression
in Ukraine, blame the U.S. for global turmoil and problems, and insist
on a Russian role in the Middle East and a new Europe.
Also known as the "World Public Forum Dialogue of Civilizations," this year's event is titled "
Preventing World War Through Global Solidarity. 100 Years On." It proclaims, "the unfolding new Cold War" may give rise to "the threat of a Third World War with truly global proportions."
Of course, none of this is blamed on the Kremlin.
The global problem for these conference participants is not Russian
aggression, or what Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk calls
Putin's campaign to destroy Ukraine as a sovereign nation and
reconstitute the Soviet Union. Instead, the Yakunin event proclaims that
"The roots of this threat reside in the project of a 'New World Order'
of global domination pursued by a totalizing ideology subduing the
diversity of cultural traditions and of the historical 'world pictures'
of humanity and nature."
Translated into ordinary English, the "totalizing ideology" is what used
to be called the "Free World" or global Capitalism – the idea that
nations should be moving toward acceptance of free enterprise and
democratic forms of government.
President Obama seems to agree that this period in human history is
over; he was photographed back in 2008 carrying a copy of Fareed
Zakaria's controversial book, The Post-American World. The book
reinforces the anti-American views drummed into him during his
growing-up years in Hawaii by his mentor, pro-soviet communist Frank
Marshall Davis.
Obama carrying a copy of the anti-American book "The Post American World" |
Zakaria is a prominent advocate of accepting a nuclear-armed Iran.
Although Yakunin is among the targets of economic sanctions
over the Russian invasion of Ukraine, his extravagant conferences
continue as if nothing has happened. This shows the pathetic nature of
Obama's sanctions and his inability, or unwillingness, to confront
Russian aggression.
The billionaire head of the state-owned monopoly, Russia Railways, Yakunin was
accused of massive corruption
in connection with construction projects for the Sochi Olympics. He
apparently uses some of the stolen money on elaborate propaganda
conferences designed to lure foreign audiences.
His conference partners
include such groups as the World Congress of Families, the Council on
Foreign Relations, the International Movement for a Just World, and the
Iran and Eurasia Research Center. As we have noted, Putin adviser
Aleksandr Dugin is the leader of the "International Eurasia Movement,"
which includes a "strategic alliance" between Iran and Russia.
Ex-KGB agent Yakunin fools many conservatives into approving of Moscow |
Yakunin has "personally handed out awards to Putin and former Iranian President Mohammed Khatami, among others, at the forum,"
states
a revealing article on the World Security Network Foundation website.
The article examines Yakunin's work over the years on behalf of the KGB,
including at the United Nations in New York, and his close association
with Putin.
The article noted his "close links to the hierarchy at the Russian
Orthodox Church," putting him "at the heart of the so-called Orthodox
chekists around the president." The term "chekist" refers to agents of
the secret police.
Regarding Yakunin's forum, blogger Richard Bartholomew
notes,
"For some reason, the views and analysis it promotes always seems to
coincide with Russian interests." Yakunin's group has "Special
Consultative Status" with the United Nations Economic and Social
Council.
Lyndon LaRouche wandered from Marxism to the right and, after prison, is today a Yakunin associate |
Interestingly, Yakunin also associates with the U.S.-based political cult headed by Lyndon LaRouche, the aging
convicted felon who began his career as a Marxist, and cultivates ties with Russia and China. The LaRouche group claims to have the ear of Yakunin, and one article reports that LaRouche and his wife were speakers at the seventh annual Rhodes Forum in 2009.
In a 1976 lecture, titled "What Only Communists Know," LaRouche declared
his desire to bring into being "a new Marxist international...." He has
not veered off that course.
The destruction of the current international system, in which the U.S.
plays the dominant role, is being pursued openly by the BRICS nations,
referring to Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. BRICS
rejected sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. The
Russian version of a "New World Order" also includes what is called
"alternative European security architecture" that involves Russia and
the destruction of NATO.
Whereas the Soviets used to run influence operations through fronts such
as the World Peace Council, the Yakunin World Public Forum (WPF)
represents a new form of manipulation, using both "progressives" and
"conservatives" as dupes in Moscow's new propaganda offensive. The
conservatives go along mainly because the Russians are cleverly
portraying themselves as "family values" advocates and opponents of
Islamic terrorism.
Speakers at the group's events have included Noam Chomsky, the Marxist
academic, and Don Feder, a spokesman for the conservative World Congress
of Families.
Another WPF speaker, former Princeton University Professor Richard Falk,
served as the U.N.'s "Special Rapporteur on the situation of human
rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967" for the
period 2008 to 2014. Falk wrote the foreword to David Ray Griffin's 9/11
book, The New Pearl Harbor, which argues that, despite the
statements of eyewitnesses, a Boeing 757 (Flight 77) did not strike the
Pentagon on 9/11. Falk argues in the foreword to Griffin's book that
9/11 gave rise to "the first borderless war, with no markers or victory
or defeat," and that the "official" account of 9/11 – that America was
the target of a surprise attack by Islamic terrorists – has to be
seriously questioned.
President Obama's National Security Advisor and then-Ambassador to the
United Nations, Susan Rice, said in 2011 that Falk "endorses the slurs
of conspiracy theorists who allege that the September 11, 2001,
terrorist attacks were perpetrated and then covered up by the U.S.
government and media."
At the same time as Yakunin's influence operations go forward, the
Russian Orthodox Church just hosted from September 10th to 11th what was
dubbed an "international meeting of pro-family leaders" under the title
of "The Large family and the Future of Humanity." This event, run by
entities associated with Yakunin's
Istoki Fund, is another installment in the campaign to present Putin as a global Christian statesman.
Patrick J. Buchanan is among those who have swallowed this line.
John-Henry Westen of Life Site News attended and covered
the event, noting its proclaimed commitment to "moral standards such as
Goodness, Truth, and Beauty," without any comment at all on the Russian
invasion of Ukraine. Many of the presenters, he noted, were housed at
the exclusive President Hotel "that is reserved for official state
business."
Somehow, in their view, Russian aggression is compatible with being "pro-family."
Russian billionaire Yakunin helps Cuba's regime through his World Public Forum - WPF |
However, the old communist network is still called upon to serve a
useful purpose. Castro's Cuba hosted the WPF "Dialogue of Civilizations"
international conference entitled "Latin America in the 21st century: Universalism and Originality."
The subject of this meeting was described as the "process of
civilizational self-determination" in Latin America, a euphemism for
communist regimes talking power throughout the hemisphere.
Brazil is today regarded by Russia as its main liaison with what the
Russians call the "left South American bloc," consisting of Venezuela,
Bolivia, Ecuador, Nicaragua, and, of course, Cuba.
In 2010, the WPF, together with the Chinese Foundation of International
Research, convened the "Dialogue of Civilizations and a Harmonious
World" conference in Beijing. A "Russian-French Economic Forum" was held last year in Paris.
Today, Europe is a major Russian target, and Germany is where Russian
operations are most apparent. Chancellor Angela Merkel has been
functioning as a
virtual agent of Putin's Russia, but she is hardly alone. Yakunin's group staged a "
Europe: Lost in Translation" conference in Berlin in May, conducted in partnership with the
German-Russian Forum and its new chairman, the former Social Democratic Party leader Matthias Platzeck.
In the U.S, as we have reported, a "U.S.-Russia Forum"
is a major venue for "cooperation" with the Russian regime. The group
has repeatedly taken out front-page advertisements in the conservative Washington Times newspaper to promote Moscow's line on Ukraine and other foreign policy issues.
As AIM noted in a previous column, "
Russian Disinformation for a Conservative Audience,"
the campaign is being focused on conservatives, in order to confuse and
mislead this important audience about the Kremlin's intentions.
Dana Rohrabacher defending Russia's interests in Ukraine in a paid ad in the Washington Times |
The Washington Times ad was typical of this campaign. It
highlighted praise for Moscow from Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), as well
as Katrina vanden Heuvel of
The Nation magazine, and proposed a new "Committee on East-West
Accord" to argue for "a balanced approach to relations with Russia."
This is code for appeasement of Moscow, and turning Ukraine over to
Putin.
Last Thursday's U.S.-Russia Forum ad carried the title, "How low can the
Congress go?" and attacked Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, and
Congress for allowing him to address them.
In that speech, he acknowledged promises of blankets and night-vision
goggles from the U.S., but emphasized that "one cannot win the war with
blankets. Even more, we cannot keep the peace with a blanket."
The U.S.-Russian Forum event in Washington, D.C. in June was followed by a similar conference in Moscow.
Ron Paul supporting the Russian invasion of Crimea |
No comments:
Post a Comment