by Jeff Childers
Along with all the NATO jockeying for negotiating leverage and blame-avoiding, a major new Ukraine narrative is emerging from the media’s fog of cow methane. Two days ago, no lesser personage than the Catholic Pope of Rome urged Zelensky to stop playing toy soldiers and hoist the white flag already. I’m not even exaggerating that much. Here’s Saturday’s Guardian headline:
The Pope’s comments were electric. Reporters immediately challenged the top Catholic, wondering whether negotiating only shows weakness and would just embolden Russia to invade Papua New Guinea or something. Astonishingly, using words that would have been heretical three months ago, the Pope dismissed simplistic black and white thinking. “Negotiations are never a surrender. It is the courage not to carry a country to suicide,” the 87-year-old religious leader explained.
To suicide! It was tempting to conclude, from his use of the word ‘suicide,’ th e Pope thinks it would be suicidal for Ukraine to keep fighting. But then the Pope continued and extinguished all doubt about what he meant: “When you see that you are defeated, that things are not working out, to have the courage to negotiate,” he advised. “Don’t be ashamed to negotiate before things get worse.”
Things aren’t working out! Negotiate now, before things get worse! Heresy.
Fleet-footed reporters cornered Zelensky and pressed him to respond. Did he agree with the world’s foremost religious leader? Hmm? Huh? Would he have ‘the courage to negotiate’?
Zelensky said nyet. Sunday’s many headlines suggested a new Proxy War narrative may be emerging from the media’s skunkworks:
Not just rejects; sharply rejects. Not only did Zelensky say he was offended by Pope Francis’ suggestion, but even more remarkably, and fooling nobody, he claimed Ukraine was starting to get the upper hand in the war. Yesterday media primly reported that Zelensky claimed, “I can give you this fresh piece of information—the situation is now much better than during these past three months.”
Not just a little better. Much better. Channeling Iraq’s Media Minister Baghdad Bob, Zelensky boldly informed French broadcaster BFM-TV that Ukraine now has got the upper hand. “The Russian advance has been halted. Our command, our military has stopped the Russian advance in eastern Ukraine,” Zelensky confidentially claimed.
Nobody thinks Ukraine has got the upper hand. Nobody, except Zelensky. By all accounts, Ukraine is desperately throwing vast numbers of apparently disposable men and machines at the Russians to buy time to build fortifications. Fortifications long purchased, and that should have been built a year ago.
It was surprising to see corporate media blanketed coverage of the ‘conflict’ between the top religious leader and the green-shirted former comedian (even though they never spoke to each other). A Google news search seemed to scroll forever:
It’s a new, inside-out Ukraine narrative. Serious people like the Pope are advising Zelensky to meet with the Russians — but Zelensky is hard-headed and won’t listen.
In other words, whatever happens next will be Zelensky’s fault.
It’s a sea change in the media and elite narrative. Consider that, in late December, media reported Zelensky and the Pope had a friendly call, and the Pope agreed with Ukraine’s President’s implausible ‘ten point peace plan,’ which would have required the Russians to clear out of all occupied territory including Crimea. In August, Zelensky bragged to media that “Pope Francis is helping us!”
So just a few months ago, the narrative was Zelensky told the Pope about his peace plan for the Russians, and the Pope supports Ukraine. Now, it’s completely reversed. Now, the narrative is the Pope told Zelensky to make peace, and Zelensky strongly dismissed the advice.
Before this week, it was easier to find a Chic-fil-A open on Sunday than finding any criticism of Zelensky in corporate media. This holy flood of Pope stories doesn’t exactly criticize Zelensky, but the way media framed the story allows readers to conclude Zelensky is being unreasonable. It’s not hard to imagine the next step: direct criticism.
There’s a lot the media can criticize Zelensky for, if they get let off the chain. Is Zelensky politically skilled enough to avoid the blame blimp that is now floating somewhere over Emmanuel Macron?
There’s going to be an end to Zelensky’s gravy train – from joe and his taxpayer funded graft machine – before joe leaves office.
Zelensky must be paid in full or killed before then or joe gets outed by Zelensky.
What a tightrope the media has to walk to get us all on board between now and then.
The secrets that the Ukraine holds are very dark and sinister. vicki nuland did not decide to retire as a result of extensive deliberations. She left abruptly and for the most part unknown to any of her colleagues.
We may never know to the extent what was done in our name without fire knowledge. Zelenskyy might be a dead man walking.
Feb 26, 2022“The fight is here; I need ammunition, not a ride,” Zelensky told the US, according to the embassy.
I’m sure he saved at least one bullet. Or 5 eyes will “loan” him one.