Flash from the past

In the run-up to the Freedom Flotilla II's arrival in Gaza, a recurrent theme of the hasbara discourse is that the exists no humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Apparently Gaza is flowing over with plasma TVs and other luxury goods. The argumentation is a repeat of last year's diatribe's that Gazans dined in luxury restaurants and splashed in fancy amusement theme parks, emerging from an Israeli gov't PR stunt.



There's a very tragic irony in all of this. During the WWII, a similar tactic of propaganda existed. In occupied Poland (the 'General Government'), the Nazi occupation authorities issued a publication in Polish labelled Gazeta Żydowska ('Jewish Gazette'). Gazeta Żydowska repeatedly published reproductions of advertisements for luxury stores (selling expensive caviar, etc.) inside the Warsaw Ghetto.

The propaganda in this case was discreet in comparison with today's hasbara freak-outs, trying to break down the morale amongst the Jews in the Ghetto and fuel anti-Semitic feelings amongst the Polish population. The class differences inside the Ghetto were consciously highlighted by the Nazi occupation authorities in order to divide and rule.

I'm quite sure that no-one really believed that the Warsaw Ghetto was a nice place to live, just like the hasbara twitters and bloggers actually don't believe that Gaza is a tranquil luxury resorts. Everyone knows it is a lie. But it is a lie that fills a certain function, as it enables the occupation to de-humanize its victims. And de-humanization is a requirement to maintain years and years of oppression and humiliation. To break with oppression, the response is to stay human.

(source for image: http://books.google.com/books?id=-1f9IMMvTc0C&pg=PA583)

Zyuganov on the 70th anniversary of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact

Left and communist groups rarely like to discuss the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, which was signed between the Soviet Union and Germany 70 years ago. Most strikingly, the realpolitik of the MRP is often difficult to digest for idealistic leftwingers, who prefer to see world politics as a dichotomy between good and evil. However, below is a text (the emphasis is mine) which shows some differences in attitude, a statement, translated into English, of the leader of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation Gennady Zyuganov on the 70th anniversary of the MRP. Whilst I wouldn't say that I agree with all the points raised by Zyuganov, and I certainly would have chosen different wordings on several occasions, it does offer some viewpoints for further debates.

*«Communist Party of the Russian Federation»*

Central Committee

Press-Service

tel/fax 692-11-65 E-mail: press-slujba@yandex.ru

For the mass-media information!

* *

*G.A. Zyuganov: Stop distorting the prewar history of the USSR - one
should be proud of it!*

The Statement by the Chairman of the CPRF Central Committee

On August 23, 2009 there will be 70 years since the conclusion of the non-aggression treaty between the Soviet Union and Germany, known as “the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact”. This agreement and accompanying documents are not only still controversial, but have become a pretext for violent attack on Russia by all those, who are dissatisfied with the results of the Second World War. Different structures of European countries that actually fought on the Hitler’s side and participated in the aggression against the USSR, are trying to prove that the treaty was of immoral character, that it pushed Hitler into the war unleashing. It is necessary for them to whitewash their own role in this war preparation.

There is nothing surprising in the fact that the West, by ignoring its criminal Munich agreement with Hitler concluded a year earlier, once again is trying to shift the blame on others. The trouble is that Russia itself has still enough western yes-men and detractors that are eager as well to accuse the leadership of the Soviet Union in all mortal sins, including the alleged collusion with Nazi Germany, seeking to use this issue to besmirch the Soviet past. However, there is a point of view that the document whatsoever is a falsification.

While assessing the Soviet-Germany treaty of 1939 one should judge not from the promotional ideas and emotions, but from the point of view of the historical context, i.e. when it was concluded, and its compliance with the interests of our country.

The aim of the Soviet leadership was to delay the war at the utmost in order to gain precious time for the preparation of the meeting inevitable aggression from Nazi Germany against the Soviet Union that aimed at the dismemberment of our country and our nation elimination. On the other hand, western countries deliberately disrupting negotiations on the united front against Hitler's expansion establishment, sought to knock the Soviet Union and Germany together in order to avert the threat of Nazi invasion from themselves and then act as arbiters of the
opposing sides, and profit at their expense. And besides, the Western "democracies" were initially very weak and unreliable allies as was evidenced by their conduct during the war between Germany and Poland, their rapid overturn by the Wehrmacht in 1939-1940 and the avoidance of the second front opening until the summer of 1944.

Many of nowadays Russia's neighbors, including Poland and the Baltic countries, which are now vigorously exercised in the defamation, intended in the past to become vassals of Germany, to provide their territories and the armies for the Soviet Union invasion. Those plans were also disrupted.

As the result of the Soviet leadership skillful actions the Soviet border was shifted to the west for hundreds of kilometers. It was courageous and skillful decision that predetermined in many ways the victory of the Soviet Union in the war against Nazi Germany. The Molotov - Ribbentrop Pact forced the Western countries to enter in the war with Germany and, eventually, left them no other choice than to become allies of the USSR, which they initially did not intend to.

The CPRF notes that in the late 1980-ies in the USSR, in particular, on the 2nd Congress of People's Deputies of the USSR, and later in the Russian Federation, official estimates were given of Soviet-German treaty of 1939, which were motivated by market considerations, short-sighted desire to play along with Western partners and inflict maximum damage on the own country, to prepare the sale of our foreign
policy positions being held in the late 1980's - early 1990-ies. The arts and parts of those treacherous acts were notorious Yakovlev, Sakharov, Volkogonov and other destroyers of Russia.

However despite the cries of the West and its Russian yes-men this document was of neither immoral nor criminal nature. It was fully consistent with international law, the practice of the international community and the Western Powers themselves at that very period. It is time to give the document fair assessment emanating from the historical conditions of that time and high geopolitical interests of the country.
It's time to go back to understanding the real values of foreign policy of the USSR and Russia.

The CPRF calls upon the State Duma of the Russian Federation to adopt decisions that correct the evaluations of the 2nd Congress of People's Deputies of the USSR and allow suppressing further attempts of our country’s and world's history falsification in this critical issue.

The Soviet Union emerged from World War II as undoubtedly main winner. We saved our people and nations across Europe from fascist slavery, and physical destruction. We won as a result of this war the status of great world power. And August 23, 1939 was to a large extent the starting point of it. We have nothing to be ashamed of with respect of our great accomplishments and achievements. We should be proud of them. We must do our best to regain for our country its former position in the world, its
strength, power and dignity.

G.A. Zyuganov, Chairman of the CPRF Central Committee

Press Service of the CPRF Central Committee

August 20, 2009

*End*

From the solidnet mailing list. This will probably show up on the website, www.solidnet.org soon.