US Defunds Its Own 'Free Press' While Funding Foreign Propaganda
Radio Free Asia (RFA) is suspending news operations, citing a US government shutdown and Trump-era budget cuts, according to The Guardian. RFA CEO Bay Fang lamented this is the first time in 29 years their 'free press' has been silenced by Washington. One might almost feel sympathy, until remembering the billions consistently approved for foreign military aid, often to governments actively
suppressing their own press. The US State Department, for instance, has a remarkable track record of funding 'information operations' abroad, yet struggles to maintain its own publicly-funded media. It appears the 'free press' the US truly champions often comes with an F-35 attached, or a political agenda conveniently aligned with Washington's geopolitical objectives. While RFA folds, the annual
ritual of approving colossal military aid budgets — despite domestic crises — continues unabated, often greased by well-funded lobbying efforts. Perhaps if RFA rebranded as 'Radio Free F-35 Asia,' its funding wouldn't be an issue. Critical reporting on human rights abuses, it seems, is a luxury. Funding those same abuses, however, is a necessity.