It doesn't surprise. Times editors, columnists and contributors reflect what famed investigative journalist/critic George Seldes (1890 - 1995) called "prostitutes of the press."

They feature managed news misinformation. They suppress what readers most need to know. They support wealth, power and privilege. They oppose popular interests.

They call imperial wars liberating ones. They say business does things better than government so let it. They claim America's beautiful. They say it's the best of all possible worlds.

They call beneficial social change heresy. They say patriotism requires supporting US policies right or wrong. They believe liberties are subverted for our own good.

No wonder they're losing subscribers. Readers wanting facts reject fiction. They reject managed news misinformation substituting for truth and full disclosure.

They reject cover up and denial. They reject distortion. They reject wrongheaded views. They reject bald-faced lies. They reject supporting wrong over right.

Times editors want Edward Snowden held accountable. They want Russia to extradite him. They want him to stand trial. They want him punished for doing the right thing.

They want lawless NSA spying continued. They want what most people oppose. On August 6, they headlined "What's the Point of a Summit?"

Obama's "expected to decide soon whether to proceed with a planned summit meeting with President Vladimir Putin" next month in Moscow. "At the moment, the answer should be no."

Note: Obama confirmed his intention to participate in September's G20 summit. According to Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov, he'll meet with Putin in Moscow ahead of the summit. It begins on September 5.

"We haven't received any changes, or any notifications" in what's planned, said Peskov. US ambassador Michael McFaul's been heavily involved in arranging things. He's been at it for weeks.

Canceling a long-planned meeting's counterproductive. Both leaders disagree often. They do so on important issues. Normalized relations matter more.

During June's G8 summit, Obama and Putin held face-to-face talks. They did so for two hours. They discussed Syria and other policy differences. The point is they talked. They did it directly. It's the best way when possible.

According to Times editors:

"On top of all the other legitimate grievances with Mr. Putin's policies came his decision to essentially stick a thumb in Mr. Obama's eye by granting asylum to Edward Snowden, the man who disclosed to the world the National Security Agency sweeps of Americans' telephone records."

"The Obama administration had urged Mr. Putin not to grant Mr. Snowden asylum."

"Under the circumstances, the only outcome of a summit meeting would be to add to Mr. Putin's domestic political capital and his already considerable self-esteem."

At Tuesday's daily press briefing, State Department spokeswoman Jennifer Psaki said John Kerry and Chuck Hagel will meet with their Russian counterparts. They'll do so on Friday. They'll discuss "bilateral and global issues."

Snowden's asylum will be addressed. Psaki ignored lawless spying. She avoided commenting on Obama's planned pre-summit meeting with Putin.

She said only that Washington's working jointly with Russia on "a range of issues." Whether Obama and Putin will do so face-to-face in Moscow remains to be seen.

Times editors reject it. They call Russia's decision to grant Snowden asylum "provocative." They claim it's granted "for people who are afraid to return to their own country because they fear persecution, unlawful imprisonment or even death because of their race, their ethnicity, their religion, their membership in particular social or political groups, or their political beliefs."

Snowden fears arrest and prosecution, they said. "But those fears do not qualify him for asylum," they claim.

Fact check

Snowden acted heroically. He committed no crimes. He exposed lawless spying. He did so responsibly. He connected important dots for millions. He initiated a national debate. He's against what everyone should oppose.

Free societies don't spy on their citizens. They don't lie and claim otherwise. They don't act lawlessly. They don't conduct espionage on allies. They don't prioritize wrong over right.

Responsible journalists report accurately. They don't support lawlessness. They don't attack whistleblowers who expose it.

They don't want Snowden denied asylum. They support him. They're on his side. They urge other whistleblowers to tell what they know. They back right over wrong. They do so responsibly.

Times editors claim granting Snowden asylum "seriously br(eaks) the partnership that Mr. Obama sought to build with Russia."

It gets worse. Russia bashing is official Times policy.

"Ever since Mr. Putin reclaimed the presidency in 2012, he has been profoundly at odds with the administration over the Syrian civil war, missile defense issues and further reductions in nuclear weapons," said Times editors.

"Meanwhile, Mr. Putin is a repressive and arrogant leader who treats his people with contempt, as the recent crackdown on gays and lesbians demonstrates."

Times editors conveniently ignore what they refuse to admit. Washington's waging aggressive war on Syria. Death squad proxies are used.

They murder innocent women and children. They target the elderly and infirm. They've use chemical weapons. They claim a divine right to kill, torture and maim.

US bases encroach close to Russia's borders. So-called missile defense and tracking radar are for offense. They target Russia. They threaten war.

Washington wants Russian sovereignty destroyed. It wants its main military rival neutralized. It wants unchallenged global dominance. It's ravaging one country after another to achieve it.

Police state repression targets ordinary Americans. Freedom's on the chopping block for elimination. It's practically gone already.

It's one major false flag terrorist attack from ending. Don't expect Times editors to explain.

On September 5 and 6, Putin will host G20 leaders. He'll do so in St. Petersburg. Obama will attend as planned.

According to Times editors, meeting bilaterally in Moscow is another matter.

"There is no reason for Mr. Obama to attend unless Mr. Putin provides solid assurances that he is prepared to address contentious issues in a substantive and constructive way."

"Otherwise, what's the point?"

The "point's" not Putin. It's Obama. It's destructive US policies. It's Washington's rage against rule of law principles, equity, justice, freedom, and other democratic values.

It's America's war on humanity. It's about responsible world leaders contesting it. Don't expect Times editors to explain.

Don't expect them to support right over wrong. Doing so would violate longstanding management and editorial policy.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book is titled "Banker Occupation: Waging Financial War on Humanity."

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.

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