Add the Litvinenko affair to the list of media
stories that are maligning Russia
in the final countdown to the Sochi Olympics.
A recent London Times headline proclaimed "There is proof Russia killed Litvinenko." But
there is not one word in that headline that is true. Not one word!
Did you know that Britain
never has officially established that Litvinenko was killed? The London coroner is supposed
to say whether it was a homicide, accident, suicide, or from natural causes.
But in all the years since the 2006 death there's been no ruling.
The Times also reported there is
proof of Russian involvement. That's not true either. Apparently the newspaper
drew its conclusion from the words of coroner Sir Robert Owen. He claims to
have seen government information that establishes a "prima facie
case" against Russia.
The Litvinenko case has now stretched out for over seven years. It's been full of complication and intrigue. But last December the coroner concluded that the matter of Russian state involvement should be removed from the scope of his inquest. Finally the witch hunt was over. But then the specious London Times story pops up as if nothing had been concluded. Why would a newspaper like the Times waste its precious space on nonsense like that? The likely answer: to kick Russia once again. It seems to be a popular sport.
Recent media stories included: Snowden was a Russian spy, the explosions in Volgograd were virtually next door to Sochi, Russia has criminalized being gay, and Putin is manipulating Yanukovych away from democracy. In the final days before the Sochi Olympics there seems to be a feeling of "who's better to kick than Russia."
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