Nicholas Grossman: NYT published a piece about Ukraine by JD Vance, one of America’s most prominent Putin apologists and liar. Before reading it, I’ll say big media outlets platforming a variety of views is in general a positive, but as Moynihan said, everyone’s entitled to their own opinion, but not their own facts.

NYT published a piece about Ukraine by JD Vance, one of America’s most prominent Putin apologists and liar. Before reading it, I’ll say big media outlets platforming a variety of views is in general a positive, but as Moynihan said, everyone’s entitled to their own opinion, but not their own facts.

OK, here we go... Screenshots to follow.

Opinion | J.D. Vance: The Math on Ukraine Doesn’t Add Upwww.nytimes.com Ukraine needs more men than it can field, even with draconian conscription policies. And it needs more material than the United States can provide.

Second paragraph, and we've got our first piece of BS. The US can provide *more* materiel than Ukraine needs. Total US military aid to Ukraine has been a fraction of one year's US military budget. If the US should is a separate question. But definitely can. And US doesn't have to cover it all alone.

Lie. Biden has never said one more aid package and Ukraine will win. Nor has any member of the Biden admin, any Ukrainian official, or credible outside military analyst, AFAIK. They've said without aid Ukraine could lose, but that's not the same thing. This weak strawman is key to Vance's article.

Misleading. The US lacks the capacity to meet Ukraine's full artillery ammo needs while also maintaining US readiness *at the moment.* The US Army has asked to upgrade that specific manufacturing capacity for a while, both to help Ukraine and to be prepared for future wars. Vance voted against it.

BS. Russia did not achieve a 5-to-1 artillery fire advantage while the US was actively supplying Ukraine. Russia achieved that, and perhaps more, only now, months after US stopped sending ammo. Artillery fire rates were about even earlier, and would be again, if US provided aid Vance votes against.

Absurd strawman. No one says the US should prolong the Ukraine war in an attempt to yield economic gain. Many, however, argue that Ukraine aid is great cost-benefit in part because the US isn't burning money, it's paying US companies. Most likely Vance knows this and it's just a bad faith argument.

Odds are getting worse thanks to him and his cohort, specifically.

It's fundamentally outrageous to read a US Senator from Ohio of all places saying we should allow a murderous authoritarian Russia to invade its neighbors because we *lack manufacturing capacity*. For shame. The UAW should picket his house, but it's a long drive to DC.

A self-respecting Ohio Senator would be more like "put some of that increased capacity in my state" than like "you say US manufacturing needs to be increased to meet needs? Ah well, nothing to be done.": Good point.

"The US lacks the capacity to meet Ukraine's (needs) while also maintaining US readiness" sounds a lot like "No matter how rich I get, I can't afford to share."

Note he calls him “Mr Biden” and not “President Biden”. In addition to be a liar and spewing Russian propaganda, Vance is a fucking asshole.

That's a NYT style convention. For first mention, use full name and professional title, for subsequent mentions, use Mr./Ms. and last name.

I think it’s also GOP convention. I’ve very very rarely heard any member of the GOP use President Biden in most contexts.

Thanks for clarifying.

That’s a NYT style guide issue.

We literally have acres and acres of decommissioned tanks, among many other things, almost certainly stored in better condition than those Cold War T-72s the Russians are digging out

Yeah, that's purposeful disinfo.

Thank you for this wonderful debunking of Vance's disingenuousness. If only it could reach as many people as his lies,.

There’s a reason Ukrainian bluesky has the New York Times on their propaganda blocklist.

Huh. I did not know that.

Oh they have all kinds of blocklists for various types of miscreants like tankies and genocide deniers (but I repeat myself). They are experts at keeping drama out of their community. It’s surprisingly chill compared to English language bluesky.

So in other words they didn't learn a damn thing from the Tom Cotton fiasco

They learned that they can get very self-righteous when the unwashed masses criticize them for mouthing fascist nonsense.

yeah i saw that and was just like...

My reaction was similar. To the point I decided to log on and comment before even reading it. No let’s see if my criticism was premature…

Can't wait for their next op-ed, "Why Ukraine Should Just Surrender" by Vladimir Putin

Since he opens by saying he is both unconvinced and unconvinceable, I would suggest his colleagues in the Senate stop treating him as a good faith partner in negotiations.

Also, there are certain views that contaminate the platform. For example, publishing Hitler's opinion about exterminating Jews would make NYT a Nazi propaganda leaflet. For another example, publishing JD Vance's opinion about Russia's invasion of Ukraine would make NYT a Nazi propaganda leaflet.

I really fail to see how most of the GOP became so perfectly aligned with Vladimir Putin's interests without a significant amount of money changing hands.

They used the NRA as one of their pipelines: www.politico.com/story/2018/0...

NRA got more money from Russia-linked sources than earlier reportedwww.politico.com In a letter, the group reported receiving $2,512.85 in contributions and membership dues “from people associated with Russian addresses.”

Right? And the media NEVER talks about this anymore.

I guess they couldn’t get Goebbels to cough up a piece

I'll never forget the rage this made me feel. Same shit. www.techdirt.com/2021/05/04/w...

The Washington Post Thought It Might Be Nice To Provide Free Book Marketing To Insurrectionist Josh Hawleywww.techdirt.com Let’s be clear about something. The U.S. doesn’t really do “accountability” particularly well. It’s a major reason why we often repeat the same mistakes over and over …

Thanks for debunking. Media just take the word of Russian goons without questioning their sources, ideas, comments.

Thank you for pointing out Vance's blatant horseshit. Neville Chamberlain would be applauding this traitor.

Too harsh to Chamberlain. He appeased Germany in pursuit of peace, not because he hoped to see Nazi aggression succeed. And there's a case the UK wasn't ready for war and Chamberlain bought them time to prepare. No excuse along those lines applies regarding Russia-Ukraine.

Bingo

In Vance's defense, Hitler wasn't a generous contributor to Chamberlain's political career.

But Father Coughlin would be applauding Vance.

as well as Lindbergh & Henry Ford....

& Roger Meyers Sr. www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhWT...

"Nazi Supermen are our Superiors" - YouTubewww.youtube.com https://www.facebook.com/alexander.p.newbury/posts/10154253913405253

Good point.

In Vance's case, a different saying about opinions comes to my mind...

Honest question: do opinion pieces get any level of scrutiny prior publishing? Are they edited and fact-checked? Does anyone have the ability to push back against authors who want to state proven lies?

I've seen NY editors claim that they do, but I've never seen one explain the standards or process publicly (doesn't mean none have, but I've never seen it) and I don't have any inside info. I can, however, see false, easy-to-debunk claims, and various distortions of fact, in NYT op-eds.

Comrade Vance and the GOP plan of just giving Ukraine to Russia.

Might as well give David Duke his own column while they're at it