Comments on: I C DISSinformtion

I C DISSinformtion

Kattullus — Fri, 11 Aug 2006 17:06:41 -0800

icdiss.org looks, at first glance, like your run-of-the-mill think tank website. Two recent articles, one in The Economist and another on economist.com, say that the International Council for Democratic Institutions and State Sovereignty is, in reality, geopolitical astroturf for the Kremlin and the rulers of Transdniestria. Both of these articles are by journalist Edward Lucas (his blog).

The organization even has a wikipedia entry. The entry has a fascinating talk page, with Edward Lucas contributing additional research he's done since the articles were published.

So... want to become a member? Before deciding, maybe you want to read an interview with the program director. It's in the Transdniestrian English-language publication The Tiraspol Times & Weekly Review (slogans: "daily news, independent and objective" and "Get the Facts!").

By: languagehat

languagehat — Fri, 11 Aug 2006 17:27:16 -0800

Interesting stuff—thanks for the post! Could have done without the paragraph breaks, though.

By: nickyskye

nickyskye — Fri, 11 Aug 2006 18:28:10 -0800

Yes! I second Languagehat's interest. I have some learning to do about " the Rodney Dangerfield of countries because it just can't get any respect".

By: Meatbomb

Meatbomb — Fri, 11 Aug 2006 18:38:35 -0800

Its website is registered at a hotel address in Mexico, with a phone that does not answer, and operated from a server in Latvia. Wow, it sounds really international... hands across the water, uniting for cheesy beakaway kleptocracies!

By: delmoi

delmoi — Fri, 11 Aug 2006 19:07:48 -0800

How do you tell a Russian from a Ukranian? (I mean besides language)

By: maryh

maryh — Fri, 11 Aug 2006 19:12:26 -0800

Uh, in Russia, government kranes you?

By: Slithy_Tove

Slithy_Tove — Fri, 11 Aug 2006 21:14:35 -0800

This is "I Love Bees" for William Gibson's next novel, isn't it?

By: nyxxxx

nyxxxx — Fri, 11 Aug 2006 21:20:03 -0800

Come to beautiful Pridnestrovie where we have the cleanest prostitiutes in all of central Asia!

By: Cranberry

Cranberry — Fri, 11 Aug 2006 22:47:57 -0800

Can I respect the writings of a group that uses "seizes" instead of "ceases" ?

By: CCBC

CCBC — Sat, 12 Aug 2006 11:44:00 -0800

Excellent post!

By: bhouston

bhouston — Sat, 12 Aug 2006 13:59:58 -0800

Think tanks that serve the purposes of the people that fund them while still attempting to appear independent and scholarly? This is standard operating procedure for at least 75% of think tanks.