The left-liberal Politico writes that the Western mainstream press is still obedient as a whole today, because it is under enormous political pressure: if it doesn't fall in line, it will be slapped with anti-Western, Putin-servant slogans. However, some people miss the objective news service, reports Világgazdaság.

Jamil Anderlini, a

 The editor-in-chief of Politico drew attention to the "Iraq syndrome" that threatens the (Western) press.

to the problem that threatens the basic function of the media, free questioning, impartial news service, the separation of commentary and news.

Opinion columnist Jamie Dettmer put it this way: "Are we - as the media - asking tough questions about Ukraine that are uncomfortable for Kiev and its main Western supporters? When the fog of war clears, will the mediums of the West pass the screening test or

do we realize that our sympathy for Ukraine has sometimes prevented us from getting to the bottom of certain things?”

The objectively informative press is the fourth pillar of democracy, alongside the independently functioning legislative, judicial and executive powers. If this is violated, the edifice of democracy can be shaken, and this is visible now:

the Western media mainstream accepts and reports the announcements of the Kyiv authorities, such as the president, without criticism.

Világgazdaság emphasizes: the professional management of the British Independent started to change already last year. The American and British media were perhaps too complacent and did not ask uncomfortable questions about Iraq's nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction, the British newspaper wrote in the spring of 2023. Their leading political reporter also recalled the suspicious circumstances of the 2003 suicide of microbiologist, chemical and biological weapons expert Dr. David Kelly.

As it turned out, Kelly was the first to corroborate the dubious material of the BBC article, which already caused a stir at the time, was later forgotten, and has now become a reference again. They recall the lunch held at The Independent, where Prime Minister Tony Blair was replaced by his press secretary, Alastair Campbell. Campbell ran into the knife because at lunch

asked those present, including several of the paper's leading publicists, to raise their hands who supported the war in Iraq. Not a single journalist, only the newspaper owners raised their hands!

They convey an excellent image:

The ghost of Iraq still hovers over the war in Ukraine.

Zelensky is working on his umpteenth "peace plan". His latest work is already called "victory plan", even though

Ukraine has never been so far from military – or even diplomatic-economic – victory.

We are still waiting for the international media's objective analyses, questions, and investigations on the issue of Ukraine - observed the Mandiner.

Cover image: MTI/EPA/Robert Ghement