Opinion: Australia’s unjustified reaction to the MH17 incident


The aftermath of MH17 tells a tragic story. Source: Direct Matin

Almost a week has passed since the MH17 disaster left close to 300 people dead, as the global community continues to mourn in the aftermath of this tragic incident. International media coverage was quick to point the finger at pro-Russian separatists in Eastern Ukraine for the attack, whilst Australian politicians demand justice for the 28 Australians on board the flight that faithful day.

In the following opinion piece, Ethan Nash takes a look at how the media and political spectrum has reacted to the incident, and investigates how the biased-manipulation of public perception is beginning to resonate within the subconscious of the people – forcing a pre-concieved conclusion before any substantiated proof is presented or investigation can be held.

In the 21st Century, the media has openly become an engine of deception and agenda-driven sensationalism. Very few journalists are permitted to have creative freedom, and voicing anything outside of the status-quot has now become a threat to your career. I have diligently – through personal experience and research – investigated the role mainstream media play in creating public opinion, and this incident is a prime example of fear-mongering at it’s finest.

Before beginning this opinion piece, I’d like to note that I am not currently blaming either side for the incident that has occurred. The notion as to why I am presenting pro-Russian evidence in this article is because the mainstream media has failed to paint an objective viewpoint towards factual-based coverage (rather presenting a one-sided story to support their own agenda) – and I am documenting information to show why there is reasonable doubt to support their viewpoints until an investigation is held.

Let’s examine, shall we??


At the time of writing this article, the United States (and larger western world) have presented no substantiated evidence at all to suggest pro-Russian separatists are responsible for the attacks, except for unaccountable social media posts that hold absolutely no factual-based merit at all. First, a video was released on YouTube showing what is supposedly intercepted communications between rebels and known-Russia forces, supposedly admitting responsibility for shooting down the flight. This was a prominent aspect of Australian television throughout the early hours of Friday morning, and was a key discussion point across various networks.

As the days passed, and more information emerged, small pieces of loosely-based ‘evidence’ had trickled throughout mainstream media outlets, accompanied with the United States claiming (hearsay) to have classified documentation ‘proving’ the guilt of the Putin-backed rebels in Eastern Ukraine.

Now, call me insane if you must, but the suggestion that a YouTube video and social media posts are definitive proof of one’s guilt is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. Don’t mistake my words, I am most certainly open to the possibility that Russian separatists may have shot down the plane, but at this point, give me half an hour and I could make a fabricated video just like the one revealed on television and falsify evidence to a higher standard within a heartbeat. Yawn.

Despite the laughable evidence presented by the United States thus far, the media have almost certainly (by now) hypnotized a mass portion of the population into believing that President Putin is responsible for the attacks. Surely, amidst this madness, the United States would be able to confidently clear this situation up, right? I mean, surely there is stronger reinforcement to back up these claims?

Think again!

Below is a video of U.S State Department Deputy Spokesperson Marie Harf, as she is questioned on the evidence by Associated Press reporter, Matt Lee. Her diversion tactics are a poor-excuse to convince the public of Russia’s guilt, whilst remaining is completely devoid of any concrete proof.

Now, as the media began a narrow-minded smear campaign on Friday, I posed an important question to myself: What do Russia have to gain from this attack and where is the other side of the story??

I soon learned there was quite a lot of information to suggest a alternative explanation. All I had to do was venture outside of western media to see what has been painted on canvass, and let me assure you, it is a completely different picture. The Russian Defense Ministry has presented a wide range of evidence to pressure Ukraine and alert people of the questions surrounding Kiev’s involvement in the MH17 downing. Russia have claimed Ukraine deployed anti-air systems to the conflict zone days before, one was operational on the day and provided evidence to prove that Ukrainian flight-center controllers diverted the course of the plane prior to the attack.

In a press conference on Monday, the ministry provided an detailed analysis of what they claim to be a Ukrainian SU-25 fighter jet gaining height towards the Boeing 777 before disappearing, according to satellite imagery. The Russians have also asked 10 vital questions to Ukrainian authorities and have supported an investigation from Day One (dismissed by mainstream media, but later confirmed when Putin addressed the nation).

Now, this isn’t an endorsement of such theories, rather proof to assert that mainstream media is choosing to cover a one-sided viewpoint – without letting the people of Australia and the western world objectively decide a conclusion on their own. It seems there is evidence on both sides (although hardly revealed at best) to suggest either pro-Russian separatists OR Ukraine were responsible for the attacks.

Thus, the only way to conclusively understand who is responsible for the attack and to piece together every miniscule detail of the information is for a team of independent, international investigators to unanimously conclude based on a factual-based analysis.

However, before any investigation can happen, the prophet-like media have already told you the answer and have forced-fed a biased conclusion for you, me and the greater masses to digest. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: This is NOT, and never should be, the role of the media.

But enough with my rambling, have a look for yourself..

10536912_698765130206841_6439858642006873054_nInternational media coverage is backing Putin into a corner. Source: The Daily Mail

Quite frankly, and I’m sure many will agree with me, the above images are nothing but an insult to your intelligence. There has been no investigation or any cause beyond reasonable doubt to suggest Putin’s guilt, yet international media outlets have began a crusade of sensationalist anti-Russian propaganda – coupled with a slander-based approach to paint Vladamir Putin as a ‘Boogeyman’ character threatening to swallow the world whole (sigh).

Not surprising (and quite frankly, typical), the “Five Eyes” alliance of nations and their “free” press is running out of control with completely unproved accusations, and has shown total disrespect for the victims and their families searching for answers.

As the day progressed following the MH17 incident, a popular argument presented on television was the fact there would have never been a conflict without Putin funding the rebels – and, because of this – he is ultimately to blame for what happened. Now, don’t get me wrong, there is obviously some truth behind this statement. However, the question I pose to the media is this: If you are happy to spread and endorse this notion, where is your criticism when Western countries do the same??

Let’s not forget, Israel is the largest cumulative recipient of U.S. foreign assistance since World War II, and currently Israel is using their U.S-funded arsenal to commit systematic-genocide on the Palestinian people in Gaza. How can Putin fund rebels and ultimately be demonized for the MH17 incident (apparently caused by sponsored rebels), yet Obama is never called-out for the support his government provides to Israel – which, in turn – allows for the complete enslavement of Gaza?

Is this not the same?? How is the U.S-funding of militants in Libya, Syria and (to a large extent) Iraq not the fault of President Obama, seeing as the United States government is supplying the weapons used in this on-going destruction of the Middle East?


Almost 300 civilians are killed in a senseless rocket strike against an aircraft over Ukraine and the world, rightly, is outraged. Just over 500 civilian Palestinians, including 100 children, are killed in Gaza and the world seemingly yawns.

“So what’s the difference between Palestinians and people from the West?”, Brian Pymont told the media yesterday.

“Could it be because the baddies killed the 298 and the goodies killed the 501? Or is this situation OK because Israel is simply ”defending” itself? Or, as Elias Nasser wrote, ”… that Israel is the victim…”, which as stated in that letter ”convinces no one”?

This disgusting double-standard of fundamental criticism is something that needs to be addressed, and if Putin is to be blamed for instigating and intensifying the situation in Ukraine, then so should the war criminals sponsoring systemic injustice around the world.

I thought it would be appropriate to mention this point, however, I digress.

Let’s move on to Australia!


On Friday morning, I – as did many Australians – awoke to the news of another Malaysian Airlines incident. This time, in the form of a direct surface-to-air missile attack, causing suspicions to begin and questions to swell surrounding the circumstances behind the tragedy. I awaited to hear the response from political leaders in Canberra, and soon Tony Abbott would emerge on ABC Radio to add commentary to the event.

“Let’s not leap to conclusions until we have harder facts than we do at the moment,” Abbott said on Friday morning.

A commendable and appropriate response (for once) by our Prime Minister, however, a mere matter of hours proved to be the difference between an objective viewpoint and a direct smear-campaign against Russia for the crime committed.

After a meeting with the National Security Committee, the Prime Minister emerged with a hastily compiled array of evidence indicating that Russian-backed rebels had indeed shot down the plane. Abbott re-emerged to front the media once again – however, this time – his caution gave way and President Putin’s-backed rebels became the center of attention.

“If, as now seems certain, [the plane has] been brought down by a Russian supplied surface-to-air missile, Russia bears a heavy share of responsibility,” he said in his next radio interview.

Tony Abbott’s brazen attempt to staunchly demonize Russia and Vladamir Putin as the culprits was (and continues to be) shockingly accepted in mass by the Australian public, despite the Prime Minister’s unpopular stance amongst many voters. Furthermore, the mainstream media – following suite after the finger was pointed – began a crusade of utter rubbish-propagandist articles that are still continuing to this day.

Below I have dot-pointed a mere few of the mountain of disinformation I have read over the past week. This fear-mongering has little to do with the actual disaster itself, rather is a media-backed attempt to disrupt any critical thinking the public may have on the incident, whilst systematically dismissing any alternative to the official narrative and tearing apart the Australian-Russian relationship to new levels not seen since the Cold War.

By the end of the day, Tony Abbott (further convinced of Russia’s guilt) issued a blunt ultimatum to Moscow and was reconsidering Vladimir Putin’s attendance at the G20 in November. After stating (without hesitation) that the tragedy was not an accident, Mr Abbott said Russia now faced a crucial test of its international citizenship, as he called on the international community to take the strongest possible action to ensure such an “appalling crime” can never be repeated.

Theese forceful comments came after Foreign Affairs Minister, Julie Bishop emerged from a meeting with Russia’s Ambassador to Australia Vladimir Morozov, to reveal Moscow had denied the involvement of pro-Russian rebels and attempted to lay the blame at Ukraine’s feet.

Despite this, the Opposition, Greens, Campbell Newman and other State Premiers have all supported Abbott’s decision to ban Vladamir Putin from the G20 if he ‘continues to hinder the investigation’ and/or ‘continue to not co-operate with investigators’ in the region. In response to this, Russia was furious, and lashed out towards Tony Abbott for his rash comments – which is more than appropriate considering the corner Moscow has been backed into.

“Without bothering himself about evidence and operating only on speculation, Mr T. Abbott assigned guilt,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

“Abbott’s statements are unacceptable.”


Almost a week has passed since the tragedy, and now Australia is at the forefront of United Nations discussions into the matter. Tony Abbott has since spoken to Vladamir Putin over the phone and assures the public he will keep the Russian President to his word of transparency to allow an investigation. However, by this point, it is too late to be objective.

The role of the media is to reinforce popular opinion. This is nothing new; nor is it something that comes as a shock to manly people. However, it is when the media willingly chooses to report one-sided propaganda to support a larger agenda that we need to become vocal. Australia’s reaction – both through mass broadcasting and political double-speak is appalling. The reality of the incident is significant in a 2014 political landscape, and narrow-minded political gain is NOT acceptable prior to any investigation.

There is no evidence to support Western claims, yet family members and the public have already accepted Russia’s involvement. This, coupled by a double-standard of global hypocrisy is unacceptable and it is out duty as Australians to question such rubbish moral and legal standards. Until an investigation is concluded, and until we can convict a culprit(s) beyond reasonable doubt, the media and political puppets in Canberra have absolutely no right to convict Russia, the pro-Russian separatists or Vladamir Putin himself of any guilt.

Please share this article with friends and family to counteract the mainstream media powerhouse and their manipulative tactics in persuasive programming, as we will continue to update this article as further information emerges.


War monger Tony Abbott recklessly accuses the Russian President over downed passenger plane: http://www.truthnews.com.au/web/radio/story/war_monger_tony_abbott_recklessy_accuses_the_russian_president

Analysing Mass Media: Fear and Manipulation (Part 1): http://tottnews.com/2013/08/04/analysing-mass-media-fear-and-manipulation-part-1/




2 comments on “Opinion: Australia’s unjustified reaction to the MH17 incident”

  1. Thank you for providing an unbiased account of this terrible tragedy, appreciate your efforts in locating information outside of the MSM.

  2. Good article, I think you were not hard enough on the mainstream media. They are PRESSTITUTES…following the directions from their editors. All following the party line..the global media (mainstream) is controlled by 5 companies. I was disgusted by the comments made by Tony Abbott..and I regret my efforts in campaigning for him at the last election, although, Krudd and Juliar had to go. Does our PM think he is the new “tough guy” on the block? I doubt that Mr. Putin is shaking in his boots because of Abbott’s comments…is he having delusions of granduer?. The current Govt. of Ukraine was installed by a coalition of the US Govt…Soros and the Israeli’s..at a cost of US$500 million.If you think the genocide in Gaza at the moment is bad…wait until you see what they have planned for the Ukrainian people. I admire the restraint shown by Putin so far…but as the unelected ‘puppet’ Govt. of the Ukraine..and their US /Jewish financiers continue to murder the people of the Ukraine..how long can he wait? As for MH17…is it not a coincidence that this was ANOTHER Malaysian Airlines flight? The so-called separatists..who are actually locals trying to protect their families…would they be capable of singling out one Malaysian airlines plane from all other air traffic..and shooting it down from 35,000 feet ? This was a Govt. job…and not the Govt. of Russia. Who stood to gain? Wasn’t Putin…wasn’t the Ukrainian people…wasn’t the 298 passengers on the ‘plane’..wasn’t their families…wasn’t Malaysia airlines. Who is capable of such a crime? Is Obama..and the US Govt…is Israel…or Soros…or the British Govt…..THE ANSWER…they all are…and probably in coalition.Birds of a feather..flock together.

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