Belatedly, almost as a mea culpa for failing to act earlier, in the waning days of his administration President Obama acted against Russia for attacking America during the 2016 presidential election. On December 29, 2016, President Obama issued sanctions against Russia for interfering in the 2016 American election.
Keep in mind President Obama knew this attack was occurring during the election but failing in his oath which he took as president that he “will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.” he did not warn the people that Russia was working to elect Donald Trump. Only within a couple of days before 2019 did he tell us that “every American should be alarmed” by Russian activity.
Obviously Obama was quite naive in making this suggestion. He should have known that Trump and his coterie of followers would not be alarmed, rather they would be thankful for the Russian lift over the wall into the garden of the White House. By the time Obama issued his statement Trump’s team of vagabonds were fully aware of the Russian actions. Not the least of them was General Michael Flynn Trump’s national security adviser.
He thought he would take full advantage of Russia’s assistance and arranged to meet with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak to discuss Russia holding back on responding to Obama’s sanctions among other things. Implicit in his request was that Trump would do what he could do to ease them.
Flynn when asked about his interactions lied about them. That went along with the lies Trump had been telling about his deals with Russia. While he shouted out to his followers he had no dealings with Russia he was seeking to build a Trump hotel in Moscow. Then there were the many other lies told by the Trump gang about meetings with Russians during the campaign. Along with that we had Trump calling on Russia to expose Hillary’s emails and his constant praising of Putin.
Subsequent to that time the strangest of all meeting occurred. It was the May 10, 2017, meeting among Trump, Russian Ambassador Kislyak, and Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov in the Oval Office from which all Americans were excluded and the only photographs of the meeting came from Russian news agency TASS.
Following up that we have the very strange meetings between Trump and Putin from which all Americans are excluded other than an interpreter. After the meetings the interpreters must surrender their notes. These are all done in light of the actions that should have alarmed Americans.
Trump has continued to pretend that there was no Russian interference on his behalf in the American election. To do that he has to denigrate the American intelligence services which have protected this country from further foreign attacks since September 11, 2001, other than those by Russia.
Trump said Monday despite his attacks on him suggesting that he was another Joe McCarthy “that special counsel Robert Mueller acted honorably.” Now that little doubt remains that Mueller’s investigation found that Russia did attack America to help Trump one can only wonder whether Trump himself is acting honorably in refusing to acknowledge it.
The Russians have been playing the Mueller findings as if they have stated there was no interference in the American election. The question remains is whether Trump will follow suit. How beholden is Trump to Russia for having done this.
“Senior intelligence officials described Russian efforts to interfere in the 2018 midterm elections as deep, real and ongoing, showcasing their efforts to combat a threat President Trump has repeatedly dismissed and played down.” Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats stated “We continue to see a pervasive messaging campaign by Russia to try to weaken and divide the United States.”
There is cause for alarm now even more than before. Obama recognized the Russian attacks but did little about it; Trump doesn’t want to recognize that they happened. He deals with Russia as if it didn’t, isn’t and is not continuing to interfere in American elections. Why?
Perhaps rather than being alarmed about it he welcomes it. It got him elected in the first place and surely will help him in 2020. What then is Putin expecting from him in return?
Elmer how’s Yarosh doing? I heard he founded a new right-wing crack-pot political party. What’s that all about, you old Banderist?
noose flash
BBC pays for fake news – substantial amount
The fake noose story was that President Poroshenko of Ukraine paid Michael Cohen for “substantial talks” with – who else – President Trump
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/bbc-ukraine-poroshenko-trump-michael-cohen-defamation-a8844061.html
“American intelligence services which have protected this country from further foreign attacks since September 11, 2001, other than those by Russia.”
How dare he denigrate our intelligence agencies..Other than that minor glitch on 9/11 they’ve been great! The Marathon? Well, that doesn’t count, I guess.
Declan
What’s your point. You agree that we should denagrate our intelligence services? You’d believe Putin over them?
No..simply pointing out your usual hypocrisy. Pointing out what a wonderful job our intelligence agencies have done in order to support your narrative, when quite the opposite is true, as you well know.
As far as believing Putin over them..depending on what it’s about, you can bet he could be telling the truth and The CIA or FBI is lying, especially if it involves covering their own ass. If you don’t believe that, you are a naive man.
Google Richard Barlow. A close friend of mine who grew up wealthy in The Dakota building in NYC and became a decorated agency analyst. Until he went before congress and told them that they were being lied to regarding Pakistans attempt to obtain nuclear capabilities…they fired him, destroyed his reputation, and ruined his life. Pakistan and Iran now both have nuclear capability thanks to Rich being silenced. I know you didn’t deal with things like this in Dedham and Norwood, but that’s the real world, my friend.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Barlow_(Intelligence_analyst)
Declan:
Don’t know what universe you live in but to think our intelligence agencies have not done a great job is stunning. Where have they failed on a large scale? It is impossible to stop all attacks. You mention the Tsarnaev’s, sure they missed that but how many of them have they stopped.
Under no circumstance would I believe Putin over any U.S. intelligence agency – especially when most of them come to the same conclusion – that you would is pretty bad.
The Richard Barlow incident is not applicable. Sure he discovered Abdul Qadeer Khan was helping Pakistan build the bomb but the U.S. intelligence knew about it. According to Wikipedia “the State Department under Ronald Reagan had actually helped it happen, warning targets of sealed arrest warrants in FBI operations and approving export licenses for restricted goods.” He was done in by Cheney, Wolfowitz, and Scooter Libby. Why don’t you put the Barlow ill treatment right where it belongs on Cheney and his group of Republicans.
Those same type people are working under Trump. You should keep separate the dispute among U.S intelligence agencies, attempted cover-ups by Republican administrations, and the agencies vs Putin.
As far as Dedham and Norwood not being in the real world, and you having some superior knowledge because you apparently worked in the real world where ever that is is a pretty bad basis to place a discussion of a point on. If you don’t know it, the internet and books are allowed into those places.
How many have they stopped? You are awfully naive, Mathew.
as I and others recall, Obama (and his apostles) sneered at Romney when Romney identified Roosha as the greatest threat faced by the US.
but recently, the NY Slimes opined that Putler was not that powerful after all.
so Putler and the Rashans are the kingmakers of US Presidents in the US? That’s the narrative that the DumboRats (my apologies to rats everywhere) want to continue to spread?
Having participated intensively in blogs and forums in Ukraine, I immediately learned to recognize Kremtrolls a long time ago – the Kremtrolls tried, but did not succeed, in spreading their wings into the US. They were so omnipresent that Mueller even indicted a rooshan company that did not exist when the events recounted in the indictment took place – prophylactic aforethought!
And, oh, heavens to murgatroid – imagine anyone “sowing discord” in the US, especially the chief discord sower of all time, Cackles Pandersuit, who so loved the Rashans that she sold tons and tons of uranium to them, and took oodles and oodles and scads of money from them.
But I digress – Trump trashing and bashing has not worked for over 2 years now, but “the Resistance” must keep up the howling. The party of KKK and murderous baby-killers and illegal aliens for all and free everything for everyone must continue to accuse anyone and everyone who does not genuflect to their oh-so-enlightened and intelickchewall “progressiveness.” After all, they wouldn’t anyone to abandon the notion that Demonrats are “for the chillinz.”
And that includes ascribing super-powers to Putler and his rooshans. After all, Putler scores 10 goals at a time in hockey games, so he must control the US.
https://streetwiseprofessor.com/the-nyt-figures-out-that-putin-is-not-an-omnipotent-dr-evil-well-i-guess-12-years-late-is-better-than-never/#comments
Elmer:
Strange you are alleging to be knowledgeable in Ukrainian affairs but diminishing the power of Putin. What’s that chunk of Ukraine he took away? Oh, yes, Crimea. Did he stop there? No he decided to grab a little of the eastern part of the country. Yes, we are to fear the Democrats and give a pass to Putin because of his ineptness. Perhaps you should tell some Ukrainians that they aren’t in a war in the eastern part of the country, or, if they are it is somehow Hillary’s responsibility.
There was indeed an attack on Ukraine, as well as on Georgia, and on Syria.
Those were (and are) attacks.
The rest is Dimwitcrat mythology, and fake info and propaganda mightily screamed by Dimwitcrats and media idiots in their relentless, fervid, fervent hope to take down Trump for no other reason than he won’t genuflect to them.
Trump has brought to our attention, as has not been done in a while, 2 questions:
1) what are the proper functions of government
2) how should they be funded
The answers for “progressives” is – give us all power, and give us all your money, and we will tell you what to do, and we will decide what to give you – and you shall bow down and kow tow to us. But we, as the “elite,” will have a separate system for ourselves. Behind gated mansions with walls.
And now Tlaib will lead all Dimwitcrats/progressives/media idiots in a fervent prayer of “impeach the m-f.”
I pray that Ollie strikes her dead and takes her up to meet 72 virgins.
Elmer, your post doesn’t make a lick of sense.
What is worse a cyber attack that accomplished nothing or a foreign invasion by thousands of troops resulting in many deaths? A G Barr has already ruled that there is no obstruction of justice so that issue is dead. One needs the approval of the AG to prosecute in Federal Court. Scalia use to address middle school kids and ask them what they knew about the Constitution. Invariably a kid would say it’s a living Constitution. Scalia would have to shake his head and announce that it is dead. So too is obstruction, 2. If there is one thing that has to be said about Trump it is that he is truthful. He said he was going to cut taxes and he did. He said he was going to deregulate and he did. He said he was going to give us energy independence and he has, He said he would strengthen the military and he has. He made NATO pay $100 billion more for the collective defense, He said he would appoint conservative judges and he has. He said he would give us better trade deals and he has. He said he would oppose infanticide and he did. Trump is a Promise Keeper. 3. Nixon was a crook who used the CIA and FBI to harass his political opponents. He formed the Plumbers to break into the Dems party headquarters, Did Obama use the same tactics in 2016? Illegal FISA warrants against the Republicans. FBI and DOJ officials conspiring with MI6 to fabricate a reason to spy. FBI exonerating Hilary when she obstructed justice and mishandled classified intel. Leaks of signals intel to the Post in the Flynn affair. Unmasking of innocent Americans, Something was rotten in the Obama Administration.
NC:
1. Barr ruled obstruction was dead to get his job. Obviously he would rule it was dead to keep his job. Let us wait until what Mueller said.
2.Trump is truthful. He said he had no business contact with Russia – he was trying to make a deal. He said he did not know Stormy Davis. He said he would eliminate the budget deficit and it has skyrocketed. His trade deals would eliminate trade deficits which are at record levels. He said he had the biggest crowd ever at his inauguration. He hides his taxes. He hides his school grades. He lies every day. You got to be joking he’s truthful.
3. Nixon had nothing to do with the Watergate break in. I though everyone would agree on that. His crime was covering it up. You are blaming him for others skulduggery. Obama saved Trump’s butt by not telling Americans that Russia was interfering in our election in order to get Trump elected. Stop making things up like the silly deap state. If it existed Trump would not be president.
Why are you back on Hillary again? Didn’t the Republican congressmen conduct thousands of hours of investigation time trying to get something on her and came up with nothing; or were they also part of the Deap State. Obama was totally on the level – to cover up all of Trump’s transgressions you try to tarnish him. How many cabinet members has Trump appointed who turned out to be crooks and we’re only half way through the year. How is it Trump can’t condemn the murder of Khashoggi? What about the attempted murder in Britain of the two Russians and subsequent death of another? Why can’t he admit Kim murdered his brother and in laws and runs the worst slave camps in the world or was responsible for the student’s death. Where has the U.S.’s moral compass gone under him.
Stormy Davis? Perhaps you meant Stormy Daniels aka Stephanie Clifford?
Ed,
I stand corrected. She should have taken the stage name Stormy Weather.
You seem to think Bob Mueller rolled over for Trump. Certainly not the Bob Mueller we all knew in the old days.
You also missed Trump’s threats to the Russians over Venezuela yesterday.
With Putin and Kim and even the EU Trump sometimes plays good cop-bad cop with his own government. Whatever you think of it as a tactic, there’s nothing sinister about it.
Brian:
I do wonder at Mueller’s inability to conclude there was obstruction. I see that many people with expertise share my bewilderment. I didn’t suggest he rolled over for Trump. I really don’t know what he did because his report is being hidden. I certainly don’t accept Barr’s conclusion since he got his job saying the president could not obstruct justice.
No I did not miss Trump’s threat to the Russians. I don’t see that it amounts to much. He never backs up his words with action. That is known by Putin and gave him the chutzpah to send troops to aid Maduro. He’s following the same pattern he did in Syria.
I disagree as to whether there is a sinister aspect to Trump’s relationship with Putin or Kim. You have to keep in mind that while Trump was actively engaged in trying to build a Trump tower in Moscow and throwing praise at Putin he was telling the people he has never had business dealings in Russia. You have to look at his actions with Putin and Kim meeting alone and in secret. Why. That’s not the way things are usually done. Is he making business deals on the side?
Matt, what exactly was this interference? The $160,000 of ads on Facebook extolling conspiracy theories and flat-earthers?
Brennan: “Relieved” There Was Not A Criminal Conspiracy With Russia, “Good News For Country”
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2019/03/25/brennan_relieved_there_was_not_a_criminal_conspiracy_with_russia_good_news_for_country.html
JOHN BRENNAN, FMR. CIA DIRECTOR: Well, I don’t know if I received bad information but I suspected there was more than there actually was. I am relieved that it’s been determined there was not a criminal conspiracy with the Russian government over our election. I think that is good news for the country
Henry:
Mueller found there were two instances of Russian interference. The attempt by the Russian Internet Research Agency (IRA) for conduct disinformation and social medias operations in the U.S. designed to sow social discord with intent of interfering with the election; and, hacking into the computers of Clinton and the Democratic Party and disseminating the material obtained through Wikileaks and others.
It is, of course, impossible to tell the results of their efforts on the votes. For one thing, no one has tried and probably for good reason that people base their decision to vote on a multitude of things that they heard or read prior to doing so. I think we have to assume Russians believed they would have had an effect on voters or they would not have done it. How many people were turned against Hillary because of the emails released by Wikileaks. How many by the propaganda which was intended to sow social discord. Do we just ignore all that and say because we can’t quantify the numbers it had no effect? I suggest not. As I explained to NC, who can say why Séamus goes in to a pub and orders a Guinness. We certainly know Guinness does a lot of advertising. Can we say it has no effect? Doubt it. It does it for a purpose but it may never be able to show that the reason Séamus went into the bar that day was because of its advertising.