RT banned from posting media on Facebook

[ag]

Let me guess, Al-Jezeera isn't banned.

Just like it should be.

Whatever you think about RT, Al-Jezeera is worse.

There is that minor difference that Al-Jazeera reports about things that actually happen. But, of course, you do not care whether the news is real or not.

[ag]

Well, I consider the Qatari government to be worse than the Russian government.  I know some would disagree.

Qatari government is more benign for the vast majority of the world´s population. Qatar, while striking far above its weight, has no illusions of world domination or empire-building.  I doubt its rulers seriously think of invading even Bahrain

Hence, the Qatari interests are relatively limited. True, I would, of course, not expect Al-Jazeera to do quality reporting on the lives of foreign workers in Doha, or on the succession rumors in the royal family, or whatever. But in most of the world they have no real vested interest. In fact, their impact elsewhere from financing an important and credible news source far exceeds anything they could have obtained by interfereing in local politics: they, really, do not have much of an agenda in Uzbekistan or Tunisia. Hence, they have been willing to hire good journalists (mostly, if I am not mistaken, ex-BBC folks), and letting them be journalists.

[ag]

Well, I consider the Qatari government to be worse than the Russian government.  I know some would disagree.

It is very different as far as  Russia is concerned. You simply do not understand how much Russian rulers (and many Russians outside the ruling group) care about being a superpower. They do care not only about, say, what happens in Venezuela - but even about Paraguay and Vanuatu. They think in "geopolitical" terms (which in Russia has really developed into some sort of bullshoot cult). And, of course, they think about the US - daily and incessantly. They have an agenda everywhere. While few Qataris would think about a Spanish or a Burmese politician in terms of him being "anti-" or "pro-Qatari", Putin and his people really think of it that way: everyone for them is either "pro-" or "anti-Russian".  They generally cannot fathom that some people might not think of Russia all the time - and, in any case, if they realize that is the case, they get offended.

Hence, while an Al-Jazeera report about goings on in Belgium is just a report about Belgium, an RT piece on the same topic is, really, about how this can fit into Russia´s agenda in Belgium. That is a crucial difference, which you can only forget at your own peril.

[ag]

Well, I consider the Qatari government to be worse than the Russian government.  I know some would disagree.

Now, about the nature of the two governments, as far as those they governed are concerned. Actually, the two are very similar. Both are autoritarian, undemocratic, illiberal, oil-based and corrupt (though, I am pretty sure the Qataris are much less so in the latter case - oh the benefits of aristocracy).  Both have used an oil windfall to, among other things, improve the standards of living of their natives (though both have reserved the bulk of the benefits for a small elite). Both heavily rely on exploitation of foreign workers, who have little recourse to general social protections (somewhat less so in the more populous Russia - but, still, you'd be surprized how few ethnic Russians or even native minorities take service/construction/etc. jobs in Moscow these days: foreigners heavily dominate, and they are mercilessly exploited). Both are intollerant of dissent.

In fact, it is remarkable to which extent Russia is just a gigantic Qatar: but with nukes. I doubt you really like their nukes, though.