So does anybody know if Trump is aware these new sanctions have been put in place?
Trump lives in a world of delusion - too many examples to list but let's start with inauguration crowd numbers - he believes at some level that if he doesn't pay attention to something it doesn't exist, or is at least of little importance.
Trump truly is deluded and his antics with Putin are another perfect example of that fact. He just doesn't not want to acknowledge that most commentators believe that he is subservient and beholden to Putin, that Trump is pathetic.
Nor will he acknowledge the mountain of evidence against him on obstruction and conspiracy charges spiralling around his involvement with the Russians which goes back decades - look up David Cay Johnston's Commonwealth Club interview.
Trump is Putin's lackey but there are things - like self-activating sanctions against the use of chemical weapons - that he knows he can't actually control, so he just pretends they aren't happening. He thinks he can bargain with Mueller.
Russia is a bit player in the world and their transgressions are essentially about taking limited risks to support Putin's strongman image at home. Putin has a lot of nukes, but so what? He isn't going to use them. He rules with an iron fist but only dabbles in war.
The fact that tens of millions of Americans are prepared to stomach and even applaud Trump's submissive posturing to Putin turns my stomach. The sooner Mueller gets Trump into prison, the better.
2
"This would be a good time for Mr. Trump to declare that he is fully behind his State Department and National Security Council in demanding an accounting from Russia."
Hahaha....That was a good one.
Many people say Donald Trump is the branded property of Russian oligarchs who have been laundering their mafia crime money through his properties and failed business ventures (Trump U., Trump steaks, Trump casinos, Trump anything), saving him from more bankruptcy filings and becoming what he is qualified for: homeless street cleaner. I don't know...it's what may people are saying.
Owing so much to Putin's pals, Don "The Hair" must do all he can to deliver for his Russian masters, not bite the hand that has been feeding him.
8
There really is only one reason for Trump to continue cozying up to Putin in the face of real facts: Putin has video. Video that, were Melania to see it, would result in the reduction of the number of occupants in the residential area of the White House by two in less time than it takes to say, "Da, Vladimir, da!"
1
The problem with all these sanctions, is they have no goal. What could Russia do to remove those imposed for election meddling? Say, Oh, I didn't know you felt that way. We won't do that any more."
How about killing ex spies. "Well we don't agree we did that. But if we find out we did, we for sure won't do that again" I don't think we will get anywhere with Crimea. When the present Ukrainian government took over the country It wasn't by election. When that happend Crimea voted overwhelmingly to align with the Russian Federation. The new government blocked their vote. When Russia went into Crimea,only six people died. two were Russians and the other four were protesters on either side. We have not hear a single cry from the Crimeans to save them from the mean old Russians. They were part of Russia until 1954. Maybe the people of Crimea should decide who they want to be with, not us. Maybe we should let them vote without letting The Ukraine or Russia veto the result. We need to have some purpose beyond punishment. We don't and that doesn't help us except as an election club to prove to the voters hough tough we are.
3
It is far past the time when we should offensively start giving Putin and his henchmen a taste of their own “medicine” in the cybersphere. For starters, expose to the world the extent of dear Vladimir’s kleptocracy, the amounts of their secreted funds and where located.
8
The only difference I see in current Russia and the old USSR is better fitting suits. Remember Khruschev's trousers that were 8 inches too long and the boxy jacket one could hide a Buick in?
The USSR is trying for a comeback so the west is having to get out the old playbooks.
What a waste of resources, energy, and money. Oh well....
10
Once Russia abandoned the idea of human progress, conservative Americans no longer had any ideological differences with the benighted country. Now, the message is that you're all alone in a godless universe, though we'll continue to use God to manipulate you and terrorize you. The dog-eat-dog law of the jungle is the highest value of conservatives who see themselves as alpha males incapable of losing. It is not the Russian agent in the White House that scares me so much as the amoral, disloyal and ignorant American people who would hand this country over to a tyrant that they imagine is on their side but who really couldn't care less about them or their future. The enemy is inside the gates now.
4
"The Russians must see that any respite from sanctions depends on them, and not on the unpredictable resident of the White House or a few populist leaders in Europe"
And they do see, for sure. Even those few who till recently believed that US is a friend, start seeing US as a sworn enemy.
As far as latest sanctions are concerned, they won't work either. Don't count on that whatever NYT is telling you.. As a result, Putin's support will skyrocket and US will be getting more and more headaches on the international scene having Russia - nuclear superpower as a foe.......
1
"This would be a good time for Mr. Trump to declare that he is fully behind his State Department..."
How specious! We all know that any advice he is given requires him to reject it.
Why? Because he is must always claim he knows more about everything than anyone. To accept advice would show that to be wrong, a sign of weakness.
Loyalty too is for weak, dependent, submissive people. To show loyalty is to be weak. All loyalty is to, not from, him.
He is the most dangerous lunatic Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces the US ever had.
He won't show loyalty to soldiers, can't refrain from harassing, slandering a soldier's pregnant widow on the day she met his coffin. Why? Because using the freedom of speech her husband died in combat protecting, she refused to say Trump had consoled her.
He threatened to prove her a liar with "proof" -- of what? that she was really consoled and was a scurrilous attention seeker?
He smeared her, and we'd not be surprised if she received death threats, accused of being a "crisis actor" as she tried to console her children and carry on with her pregnancy.
All to glorify himself. How to describe how monstrously disloyal he is to those whose lives depend on his orders?
The Constitutional remedy for a dangerous president is removal for unfitness or High Crimes --
Silent coups are anti-Constitutional avoidance of Constitutional duty.
No need to depend on Mueller.
Call Senators and reps: Unfit = remove
9
In an American court of law, the Skripal case against Russia and Putin, would not even be allowed into evidence because there is no evidence. And if some right-wing judge would allow it to be presented to a jury, there would be a quick acquittal. And if some misled jury did convict then no reasonable appellate court would uphold the verdict. And if, and so on.
As Seymour Hersh showed in his memoir, Reporter, the mainstream media outlets are either, nothing more than stenographers for the government (e.g. the Pentagon press corp) or run by puffed up egotists who only print what they decide the masses should hear, while impliedly considering themselves as partners with the government, much like the press in so many countries run by oppressive regimes.
In the meantime, as partners with our government in protecting this country from its own people, the mainstream press owners and editors feel they will not be targeted by the present administration, even as outliers such as Assange are targets of prosecution (i.e. persecution.) One could say to the men and the few women that run the mainstream media:
When they came for Julian Assange,
we were not in favor of letting the public know everything,
so we did not speak out.
When they came for Alex Jones,
we were not commentators who spout vile lies,
so we did not speak out.
When they came for real progressive websites,
we were not in favor of democratic socialism,so we did not speak out.....
3
The Board's endless repeating of her anti Russian(=Putin) hysteria without any nuance or giving relevant facts(for example about Putin's mindset) doesn't make it all true.Time will come when you will have to apologize(as in the Iraq case) for your (economic)war mongering ,stubbornly refusing to look at the arguments of the other side(Audite et alteram partem!)
5
American democracy is strong as over 70% of people reject Trump and his racist agenda, and his support for Russia and Putin.
Millions of Americans work for the government and do their jobs according to the rule of law, and the Constitution - Trump can't control the actions of American patriots.
Patriots know that Russia is the main enemy,
as they try to diminish and destroy American democracy.
8
It says quite a lot when this administration, which is normally quite tied to the hip of Mr. Trump, breaks free to make a stand on its own. Especially when it comes to the minefield subject of 'Russia' after months of witnessing this president's increasingly chummy relationship with Vladimir Putin, often at the expense and the interests of his own country.
It also doesn't help matters that Mr. Trump is in an abject state of denial when it comes to recognizing all the red-lines Russia has crossed by interefering not only in U.S. elections, but in other elections in Europe; in addition to annexing parts of the Ukriane, poisoning ex-pats living abroad, and helping Syria's Bashar-al-Assad to kill his own people.
What many Americans fail to understand is Russia is not this country's friend, and they don't play to be 'nice' -- they play to dominate.
And unless Donald Trump significantly up his game to meet them head on, the U.S. won't be the one 'winning'...And we have too much to lose.
15
The President is learning the laws of thermodynamics thanks to the MSM: you cant win; you cant break even; you cant get out of the game.
3
It’s a joke and fake news as usual to suggest that America has been tough on Russia despite Trump.
Trump as commander in chief sent Ukraine hundreds of our most advanced anti-tank missiles to kill Russian soldiers. He also sent US special forces to train Ukrainian soldiers on how to most effectively kill Russians with them. Ukraine had been begging Obama for the same thing for years, but Obama had refused to provide them with any lethal aid.
Trump as commander in chief authorized and had his military kill hundreds of Russian soldiers (disguised as “mercenaries”) in Syria.
When someone says nice things to you but then punches you in the face, they have been rough to you. But in NY Times view, they have actually been nice. No wonder Trump calls its coverage fake news.
5
There's no doubt that he real estate business in New York City is nasty and full of back-stabbing. In fact, it's a lot like international relations. After years of simple-minded naivete form our Presidents, it's helpful that we now have a President who understands how to play the same game that Putin and Xi and Iran and Venezuela.
Trump needs Putin to help with hot spots such as North Korea and Iran. And, we especially want to avoid a close alliance between Putin and Xi.
I believe that Trump is playing a very controlled poker game with Putin. I think that he sometimes overplays his hand, but overall I am enormously thankful that we have a president who is at least as crafty as Putin and Xi.
7
Trump got tricked by his own people in the State Department. He didn't know, and no one close to him and loyal to him knew, that if you accuse a nation of using chemical weapons it automatically means tough economic sanctions will be imposed on that nation. So, he went ahead and agreed to recognize publicly that the Russians used a chemical agent against a double agent in England, not knowing the consequences would actually harm his buddies in Russia. I applaud the State department for doing the right thing, but let's see if these sanctions go anywhere with a complicit Republican congress and senate.
3
Donald needs to keep up the show of undying fealty and friendship to save face. I am not sure what type of embarrassing material the Russians have on him. Based on what we know of Donald’s past behavior, it is likely in one of three areas or in some combination of the following: sexual, financial, or related to conspiracy around the 2016 election.
Donald is caught between Robert Mueller and Vladimir Putin. Who will expose him first and which punishment will be worse?
2
"This would be a good time for Mr. Trump to declare that he is fully behind his State Department and National Security Council in demanding an accounting from Russia."
Yes, but unfortunately, just at the moment, he's too busy tweeting smears against the FBI.
6
I welcome the sanctions. I would welcome even more if Treasure decides not to lift sanctions to Russian oligarchs with ties to Putin. Those sanctions hit Putin et al in their personal (corrupted) pockets.
3
Actions speak louder than words. We shall see if this administration follows through on these sanctions. Don't hold your breath.
3
You cannot help but wonder who’s on first here—and what it could mean.
Last year when it seemed Trump’s presidency might go off the rails in a crash of undemocratic rhetoric, policy incoherence and total incompetence, it was reported “the generals”—Kelly, Mattis and McMaster—saw themselves as the country’s saviors, the ones who would keep the United States (and the western democratic alliance) on track regardless the executive chaos. With this recent action, you cannot help but wonder if a successor triumvirate—with Pompeo replacing McMaster—is still at work. And that they subscribe to Grace Hopper’s old adage, “It is easier to ask for forgiveness than it is to get permission.”
If so, it’s a shadow “executive” that puts the president in an awful bind. Trump can hardly countermand the three of them without shining an even brighter light on his pro-Putin motives—which, like his fawning at Putin’s feet in Helsinki, could hurt him with a big block of his base and an even bigger block of independents and also compromise him with Muelller. But remaining mum in the wake of sanctions that are hurting both the Russian stock market and the value of the ruble may well draw not only Putin’s ire, but also his open disdain of Trump’s weakness.
If anything could derail the Trump presidency, that may be it. Assuming Putin is, as much evidence shows, Trump’s primary creditor, such a reaction could cut Trump where he is most vulnerable—his wealth and his unbearably fragile ego.
5
Best scenario. Putin get really fed up with Trump and reveals all. U.S. finds it impossible to let Trump remain as president. U.S. goes through extended political crisis. Pence installed. Democrats lead us back to normalcy capped by 2020 election of new president.
3
This discussion is devoid of historical perspective and common sense.
When Gorbachev’s reforms failed and the once mighty USSR superpower unexpectedly dissolved in 1991, that was a great national humiliation for Russia. The economy and the empire were in shambles, the people suffered greatly. Bill Clinton and Madeline Albright compounded that humiliation by ostentatiously expanding NATO into the Russian sphere of influence. This, in Russian eyes, was seizure of Russian territory. Russia at the time was too weak to fight back. The people elected Putin, a strongman, to restore national pride and to demand respect from other nations, especially the US. What you are seeing now is Russia avenging previous humiliation.
There is merit in punishing Russia with sanctions for foreign political meddling, forcibly seizing Crimea, and assassinating enemies with chemical weapons while simultaneously avoiding public humiliation. The Russian people would see themselves and their country, not Putin, as the object of any humiliation. That would galvanize domestic support for Putin’s regime, ensure his longevity, and guarantee further Russian mischief. Ostentatiously humiliating Russia is counterproductive and futile.
The “Good Cop/Bad Cop” strategy of public praise and avoiding inflammatory rhetoric while quietly escalating economic punishment just might produce the desired behavior change. This looks like sound strategy to me. It should be given a chance to see if it produces results.
1
Two points: If Trump is the good cop and behind the scenes the "real" policies are enacted that have no relation to the approach Trump is taking, why waste your time sitting down with him? I mean every time there is controversy about one of his interactions with a foreign leader it then comes out he is in fact the opposite of his portrayal in the meeting. Putin is a smart, effective leader and we get along marvelously....to....I am the toughest guy ever toward Russia. Angela Merkel is a weak leader....to....we have a wonderful relationship. This gets old very fast. To me. Imagine how the leaders look at it. Secondly....If Trump's public "advertising" is different from the "product" being sold, how is that any different than Obama. Obama was viewed as weak toward Russia, but the Congress and those in his administration viewed things differently. See a pattern here? Speak softly and have some one else carry a big stick comes in many forms.
1
The administration is talking tough on Russia, but I still doubt that it's actually getting tough on Russia. Trump has dragged his heels on implementing every round of sanctions passed by Congress and will do so again despite the wishes of Pompeo or Bolton even as he claims that no president is tougher on Russia than he is. Putin has him on a leash; the only question is why?
1
I'm not sure why any American would be comfortable with Trump and Putin's cozy relationship, regardless of what laws exist to snap sanctions into place for Russia behaving badly. We have Russians invading the Ukraine and Georgia before that, interfering in a U.S. election as well as other Western Democracies elections, their military presence in Syria assisting in Assad killing his own people and bombing hospitals using a double tap method to ensure maximum loss of life as well as the shooting down of a civilian airliner. So when anyone suggests the U.S. should be friendly with Russia and that's somehow a good thing, it makes me sick. It also makes me sick to hear Rand Paul, the Republican Congressional Delegation that visited Russia recently and Donald Trump talk up our relationship with Russia. Senator McCain has it right. Putin is a KGB thug. Russia's bad behavior are known facts. Dancing around the edges of those facts is folly and can only be considered political in nature. Politicians who do this dance are flirting with treason. From Trump down, these elected officials should be removed from office. Even the NRA should have to present an explanation of their monetary ties to Russia as should American financial institutions. Russia does not have our best interests in mind no matter what Trump and his corrupt family members say. Where are the patriots in this country? Especially in the Republican Party.
9
The editorial speaks entirely around the elephant in the room. Trump is Putin's man through and through. Putin helped hand Trump the election and Trump is desperate to repay the favor. This much we know. Pretending like the situation doesn't exist is a fool's errand. Trump will never willingly stand up to Russia. Period. The man is compromised. You cannot rely on him. That's before Russia reveals whatever skeletons are hiding in Trump's closet. Why Congress is willing to whitewash the obvious is a better question. They could be doing a whole lot more to protect our democracy.
9
I applaud the New York Times's editorial board for labeling this piece as "opinion." This is much like the UK authorities and US pundits who have furnished their opinion that the Russian Federation is behind the alleged Skripal poisoning without furnishing any evidence. But then why is such a trivial thing as evidence important when it comes to Russia? Merely state your belief and it is so!
2
The State Department cannot impose sanctions unilaterally.
The President's authorization is required.
The Editorial Board - raise hand if surprised - contemptuously presents another false narrative to it's readers.
11
"This would be a good time for Mr. Trump to declare that he is fully behind his State Department and National Security Council in demanding an accounting from Russia"
Yeah, good luck with that. Are we going to get real anytime soon? Or are we going to continue to play this fantasy game hoping that Trump will come to his senses?
You have two dictators willing to sacrifice their own countries to satiate their own egos. Nothing new here in regards to dictators; it's what they do, and have done repeatedly throughout history.
The government of the people, by the people, for the people, just perished from the earth -- for the time being anyway.
"...
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields."
Can you hear the cemeteries groaning? Do you weep for their loss? Or the loss for which they fought? Your fathers, your uncles, granddads, all lost for nought to satiate two fools, two dangerous narcissistic fools. No wonder they will not sleep. Half the country dare not sleep because this waking nightmare is enough.
18
Sanctions don't impress the Kremlin and are certainly not working to keep Putin hackers out of our infrastructure. Just as recently as late last week we were warned again by our intelligence community to use paper ballots in November.
Meanwhile they are still within FB and Twitter and there is money available in Congress but not being spent on our cyberspace security needs for 2018. There have been 19 months of foot dragging in Congress because most of the GOP follow along with Trump and think the murdering, lying dictator of Russia is our friend despite his acts of cyber warfare, and sabotage against our country and U.S. elections.
What will it take to rid us of Putin infrastructure attacks? Another Congress and another president will be the only deterrents to Putin as they keep throwing out the WELCOME MAT daily to Putin.
They had no choice but to follow along with the 1991 law or nothing would have been done at all.
Putin appears to have ramped-up election meddling in the US because he did not like Hillary Clinton. It is very likely, but still unproven, that Putin and his GRU specialists helped Trump to win the 2016 election. Russia IS continuing to take steps that could affect our midterm elections.
So what is Mr. Putin complaining about? Sure sanctions, along with lower market prices for oil, Russia's key foreign export, are having serious negative effects on the Russian economy, but what exactly was he thinking the US response to his government's actions would be? We aren't interested in a nuclear or lesser type of hot war, but we have ways to inflict major economic pain on Russia for annexing Crimea, undermining NATO or, closer to home, placing malware in our election systems, utility grids and who knows wherever else for later use. Putin miscalculated by supporting a candidate for president who can't be relied on to set and stick with rational international policies. So others step in.
Putin should have known Trump would not play by the rules because he does not know the rules. And with no experience as a political leader either domestically or abroad, why would Putin think Trump could be effective in improving US - Russian relations or achieving any other particular political goal? Sorry Vladimir, you picked the wrong guy. Ultimately Russia (and you) would fare better if you and the GRU butt out and let us pick our leaders.
2
I am not going to hold my breath until Mr.Trump backs his State Department and his National Security Council.These sanctions were overdue.Russia is playing a giant chess game with cheating and meddling meanwhile doing favors for Trump and his cronies.Let us be sure that Russia gets the message loud and clear- do not threaten us with FSB(KGB) tactics and act like a responsible nation.
10
Yet we have Americans at Trump rallies wearing T-shirts that say,
- I'd rather be a Russian than a Democrat.
15
The following is all you need to know to understand Mr. Trump's positions and posturing toward Russia:
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjWYbcbpiWA
Opulence. I has it.
I like the best.
But I also like savings the money.
So when I find opportunity to launder the money to prop up my failed buildings
I jump in it.
9
Yes, by all means, continue to punish Russia severely, the World must be informed of the moral-historical schism between the globally-scheming Russian regime and the light of the nations, the US. Here’s a short list of Russia’s greatest geopolitical and strategic sins of omission:
Russia hasn’t launched a humanitarian intervention (goaded by some of the NYT best) on Iraq. As a matter of fact, the Kremlin regime stood firmly against the invasion; Russia hasn’t unilaterally and unreasonably abrogated the ABM treaty which was among of the foundations of stable nuclear deterrence (a small matter of humanity’s survival); Russia didn’t initiate and executed a decade long nuclear incitement campaign against Iran. In fact, the Kremlin regime prudently supported a nuclear agreement and was pivotal in achieving it (and the U.S. unilaterally and unreasonably abrogated that agreement too); Russia has no military divisions on the American borders; Russia has no anti-missile systems on the American borders.
A “dizzying barrage of sanctions” may indeed not be enough to counter Putin’s now apparent “war against the West” (exposed by former Editorial Board opinion). It’s high time to push the “Muscovite Candidate” in the White House aside, take Bolton’s way and finish the Neocons’ millennial project by launching the unthinkable.
I really want to see Trump's tax returns...
6
Tough sanctions "despite Trump." Says it all. He is Putin's stooge and from what I saw in Helsinki he is afraid of Putin and so are 1/2 the congress. One has to wonder what Putin has on them. I hope he releases their emails and tapes.
5
Trump isn't America or the government, this is what his delusion makes him believe that he "rules" America - Only Fools and Horses believe that America has a monarchy.
The government keeps on going according to their job descriptions, the law, and the Constitution.
Trump is the propaganda mouth of Republicans, , that is aimed at the GOP base, in the delusion that the
agenda of hate, fear, racism and sexism will keep them in power - at the end of the day the notion of power is all
that matters.
Power for the rich - as the GOP use racism and sexism
to control the psychology and emotions of their votes
to control how they will vote.
Forget all the hate and see through the reality that power
is what drives the agenda of the rich.
Make America Greedy Again.
Can't ever destroy facts and the truth must be the power
of the Democrats to fight this evil that is stalking America.
Russia is stalking America.
3
No. Trump is channelling Ghengis. Nice of you comply, vicious if you do not. He has played nice with Kim, Putin, Xi, and others who then did not comply with his wishes so he has unleashed his executive branch on them.
Perhaps put is not as clever as the media portrays him. After all, try to understand the system of govt that you are attempting to undermine. You will then realize that no business bromance which cheeze doodle displays has any lasting value of its own.
He can’t do what you can do Vlad, even though he utters nonsense that he wants to and shoots off his ignorant mouth at will.
45 is a phenomenon that will break when the fever does. Betting on such a risky horse might give you a big payday Vlad, but the situation is far more complex than that. Quite a risk for any bettor even one supposedly as sharp as Vlad
The Vegas book on Vlad : not at all favorable.
1
I hope The Times investigates the actual enforcement of these sanctions.
6
Uh, every day since he was sworn in has been a good day for Trump to declare his fidelity with civilized behavior...not holding my breath.
3
The Trump administration is trying to lift the sanctions against Manafort accomplice Deripaska. WHY? Are the authorities looking into this or not?
2
How many impeachment hearings would the republicans be holding if a democrat president acted like a puppet for an enemy foreign government that you imply in this editorial? The republican congress and senate are a disgrace and hopefully will be removed from power soon!
3
Not nearly enough attention is being paid to what was agreed to in the secret Trump Putin meeting. For all we know, it included agreements about Russia's behavior against the US in the up-coming elections with Trump agreeing not to intervene if, as expected, they help the Republican Party; or, for that matter, apologies by Trump for not having been able to control Americans, even Republicans, surely to have been followed by advice from Putin--maybe even offering appropriate chemicals to take care of opposition. It could have been anything, and so even the most fantastic possibilities--with Trump--are possible.
2
It seems odd that the timing for these new sanctions would be after the GOP did poorly in Tuesday's primaries. It could be that this new 'tough on Russia' thing is simply a way to boost the GOP going into the elections. I look for it all to disappear in mid November.
2
It must be very confusing for the rest of the world to see our congress and president working at cross purposes over "The Russian Problem" rather than in tandem. The confusion can be cleared up some if one decides only to observe and take seriously the actions of our representatives on Capitol Hill, and not those taken by the White House. These sanctions, and the next, as exercised by Congress, most clearly reflect the anger the majority of Americans feel toward Vladimir Putin for his continuing efforts to interfere in our elections. The man who Russia helped take the presidency in 2016 naturally has no intention to punish or thwart his benefactor's behaviors. In this, as in many other areas, Donald J. Trump fails to reflect the actual will of the people, neither is he symbolic of our true character as a whole. Most Americans are decent folk who understand that laws aren't made to be broken, and that one needs to be held accountable for their actions. We hope these sanctions strongly convey our intention to never again be intruded upon by a foreign government through our own elections, no matter how this president of ours behaves toward its leader.
4
@woodswoman If DT could just get those videos back....
1
It will be interesting to see if any of these new sanctions actually get implemented.
8
One of the reasons the sanctions don't work is that Trump has effectively defanged them. He refused to enforce the sanctions Congress first mandated after his election until forced, and then took some token action. He repeatedly undermines sanctions by his insistence that he believes Putin's denials that Russia interfered in our election.
Don Jr. began Sr.'s apparent promise to remove sanctions in the meeting discussing "adoptions." Flynn likely promised the US would remove sanctions when he met with Russia after the election. Trump told Kisliyak that he had fired Comey and would end the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 elections. Trump seems desperate to talk to Putin in secret. Don Jr. wanted to set up a "back channel" to Russia and there was a secret meeting on a remote island. We recently learned that a sanctioned oligarch is still doing business with US companies. Trump has repeatedly said he believes Putin that Russia did not interfere in the 2016 elections, has taken no steps to prevent further interference and Congress has backed him by denying funding to states to fight interference, all in the face of the entire intelligence community telling them we are at risk. We now learn that Russia is aggressively hacking the 2018 elections, but Trump stays quiet. I have little faith that any sanctions being "imposed" now will be enforced. Putin can go ahead and laugh, we will not touch him.
11
@Eero: That's a lot of conspiracy assumptions with no proof what so ever. So us the proof that Russia poisoned anybody - you can't because there is no proof just assumption that this well know substance had Soviet start. There is no proof besides some maybe facebook accounts spreading gossip. You believe everything government tells you without any proof so I can assume you accepted the same Intel group's guarantee that Iraq had nukes primed for NYC right?. You want war with war Russia then make sure your nuclear fallout plans are current perkele.
1
Has it occurred to Russia yet that they are being played by Trump when it comes to sanctions? Has it occurred to the American people yet that they are being played by Trump? Has it occurred to our dear Republican leaders that our allies are diminishing, to the benefit of Russia and other adversaries?
5
The old "good cop/bad cop routine". On the outside Trump and friends are showing they are tough on Russia. On the inside, they keep cosying up to Russia!
1
How could this be? Haven't we been told that Trump is an autocrat, ignoring limits the Constitution placed on executive power and ruling as a one-man show? The next thing we know Trump will decide to enforce immigration law as he wants to, not as the law requires.
4
@J. Waddell
Trump is starting to enforce sanctions against Russia that should have been implemented over a year ago.
He was called out in late July for refusing to respond for over 90 days to an inquiry re: his reasons for not implementing sanctions.
It's a case of Trump's hand being forced. I'm sure that letter he sent to Putin via Rand Paul tells Putin not to worry, just as General Flynn said about sanctions in his Dec. 2016 phone calls to the Kremlin.
3
Who did this? Who imposed these sanctions? Does Trump know about them? And what how will he respond?
Those who say that Trump is just negotiating with his tariffs and demands are putting hope and faith above reality. Even if Trump achieves some of his goals, whatever they really are, the obliteration of trust in the USA is damaging.
15
"Yet the Western actions have not been demonstratively successful in changing Russia’s behavior. On the contrary, Mr. Putin has responded to every new blow with ever more defiant charges that the West is out to get Russia and undermine its inherent greatness, as his press officers have done this week."
Do you see a parallel between Putin's approach and Trump's approach? When Trump is shown or told that his statement does not hold water, he keeps repeating that lie with greater ferocity. After all, Trump learned his behaviors from his master puppeteer Putin.
32
Instead of spending billions on a space program based on hypothetical threats, the Trump administration should be
focused on Russia's real cyber attacks and interference in our
elections. Trump, the State Department and the National Security Council should get its priorities straight and speak as one. When they speak with dissonant voices, it makes the U.S.
look weak.
54
This perception management is getting nauseating. The United States spent billions of dollars securing Russia's nuclear arsenal. Russia has a huge terrorism and stability challenge in the Caucasus, and our armed forces both respect each other and work together. We have monthly flyovers of their territory and they fly spy planes over ours. The US Joint Chiefs secretly Iand in defiance of the President) gave Bashar Assad intelligence that stabilized his regime and Russia's actions in Syria helped maintain their Mediterranean naval base. Russia sees us as an important counterweight to China - which is on Russia's border. The whole "we are enemies" sthick is just play acting to simplify the complex relationship. Development of Russian petroleum is an important counterweight to OPEC and Russia's natural gas production props up the European economy. The news is just fake fake fake fake fake and I'm sick of it.
5
@Thomas Busse
Really? The US armed forces and the Russian armed forces "work together", meaning fighting a common enemy together.
Really? The Joint Chiefs having secretly land somewhere, gave Assad intelligence.
Really? Russia sees us as an important counter with to China - which is, surprise, surprise on Russia's border.
It really can't anymore bizarre, with the exception of the daily tantrums that happen in the White House.
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@Thomas Busse
Yeah, Thomas. It's nice to be in San Francisco and say these things, but its a big difference in Ukraine. I know a lot of Ukrainians who would like to live decent lives without Russia's constant provocations and corruption being shoved down their throats. What about poisoning people in the UK or bombing Syrian hospitals to promote their interests. The Russians have different interests and values than we do and that is a fact. What about your interests and values?
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@Thomas Busse
This Editorial Board piece was opinion based on factual events: President Trump’s “chumminess” with President Putin, shored up by Mr. Trump’s own words and behaviors and the contradiction of US legislative sanctions on Russian individuals/entities, which must be signed by Mr. Trump. This Op-Ed should not be confused with fake x 4 news, which is opinion based on lies or just outright lies. Your response is a point of view that has no basis in fact. No one can perceive what goes on below the surface and your views are purposeful speculation that require belief in magical abilities.
1
Good to see the NY Times is coming round to Mitt Romney's views about Russia. Pity Obama didnt
5
@Steve
The real pity is that Trump won't. Maybe it is his "business" relationship with Putin that stops him?
1
Scoring a debate point with the horses and bayonets line is not the same as a foreign policy. What is Trump’s foreign policy but chaos and he has his golf buddies running the VA? Wow, just wow if you think this mess is an improvement.
1
@Steve
Don't make the mistake by trying to put this on Obama, when the real problem here is Donald Trump.
Or maybe you didn't hear the dismissive remarks he made about the U.S. Intelligence reports on Russian cyber intereference? -- Not a good sign when a sitting U.S. president takes sides against his own country.
4
Thank goodness the president is incompetent, like a senile old man, making a commotion on the street, but otherwise neatly corralled by his family. The risk is he'll get loose, and do some real damage, if only he could work out how it works.
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@Tansu Otunbayeva
Trump is dangerous to America's National Security,
as he acts like an agent of Putin's,
Putin said in Helsinki that he wanted Trump in the White House, and got his men to help Trump elected.
"Yes I did, yes I did." said Putin.
America's government is vast and Trump and the Russians just can't understand what motivates
individuals in government to obey the laws of the land,
and the Constitution.
American patriots do the right thing for America,
as Trump stands for what the Russian flag stands for.
3
Trump is the crazy uncle n the family - too bad the family consists of all the citizens in the US. A crazy uncle can reigned in. I wish I felt our crazy president was under tighter control.
History should have told the US administration that sanctions against Russia have no effect. The Kremlin is never impressed. You just can not impress the Kremlin. This is an old story.
The only ones to suffer are the people of Russia. But they are used to suffering, over Centuries.
5
@Peter The sanctions placed on Russia by Obama were having great impact on Putin and his oligarchs. Why do you think they have gone to such great lengths to try and get a stooge in place to overturn the Magnitsky Act which has largely impeded their ability to use the dirty money they've stolen from the Russian people?
It's completely logical that they chose to use their chief money launderer in America, Don the Con, as an instrument to get the sanctions removed.
1
Really want to punish Russia and Putin ??? Send the entire Trump Crime Family there. Permanently. The rest is just posturing. Seriously.
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Sharp
Rich
And....
True
Fair assessment of Putin's gall to continue to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries, just because he can, but also with the distinct motive to dilute his dictatorship's abuses by showing divisiveness in the West, especially when an awful despot called Trump tries to support Putin's actions...in spite of dire warnings by those in the 'know' in these United States. Donald J. Trump is a lost case, irredeemable, irresponsible and unscrupulous at the same time. The danger to the republic won't abate until Trump is ousted (preferably with rigid Pence too), an effective "fifth columnist" for Putin's propaganda 'a la Fox Noise'.
27
It is very difficult to compare the Cold War and a deep philosophical difference between despotic Communism and often despotic Capitalism with what is happening now.
The condition presently is the inclination toward Oligarchy over Democracy. And the Russo/Republicans,Trump and his greedy enablers and foolish minions are on the side Oligarchy. It's as simple as that.
Trump admires Russia because he admires Oligarchs, and white gilded pageantry, and the "rough royalty" of Organized Crime. He admires criminals once locked in the Gulag to run the morally decrepit Russia; whose cultural and artistic antecedents were famously humanist, the opposite of those in charge of Russia now.
Putin seeks to break Democracy with Oligarchy and he has the Fool President of his creation to carry his and a twisted Republican vision forth.
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@Nelly Oligarchy is too charitable a description of the philosophy that inexorably unites Trump with Putin. It is really Kleptocracy that they wish to establish as the worldwide operating system.
3
The Editorial Board is entitled to its opinion, but to anyone who has ever negotiated professionally, and I have, this is the old "good cop, bad cop" game.
A game played by his staff and by Trump.
5
@Talesofgenji: Whenever I am tempted to think Trump knows what he is doing, I remember that letter from "Trump's doctor". Remember that letter? Wasn't it obvious to you that Trump himself had written it? (We now know that for a fact, as the Doctor has admitted as much.) And he didn't just say that his health was good, because he could not pass up a chance to brag, so he claimed that, if elected, Trump would be the healthiest individual ever to hold the office. And his lab results were off-the-charts good, possibly the best lab results in the history of lab results. So this is the master negotiator you see when you look at Trump.
22
@Talesofgenji Cynical, but quite possibly accurate, with Trump in the "good cop" role. With that, he can have it both ways vis-a-vis Putin and his cronies.
Trump's problem, though, is that Putin et al can surely see through the game with ease. The question is: does it benefit them or not? There are more pieces on the board than Syria, Ukraine, election meddling and poisoning episodes.
Lucky for Russia America seems to in mood to pick up a number of fights, lately. So, Russia could have sympathetic ears all around the world.
1
So, the "world" will forget Russia's invasion of Crimea and Ukraine? The "world" will forget Russia poisoning civilians in the U.K.?
2
"An administration divided against itself only makes a mockery of sanctions."
I'm not all that sure this Administration is divided against itself, as much as it is just an unholy mess. Divided gives one to think there is some organization but strong disagreement. The President if nothing else has demonstrated a complete lack of organized thought, and steadfastness in his decisions. He's all over the board on every subject, whether domestic or international.
You have to wonder, who is really running the show in Washington, Trump, Pompeo, Bolton? These additional sanctions and the delay in instating them to me is nothing more than a discombobulated group, that somehow just figured out there was a law on the books that required them to do "something".
This Administration is like a ship without a rudder or compass running at full speed in a dense fog. And unfortunately we're all passengers.
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There is a reason for Trump's behavior. It's called a BRIBE. Everything Trump does comes into focus and makes sense if you look at him through the proper lens. That lens is called a BRIBE. The BRIBE is Putin transfers an interest in a Russian oil company to Trump in return for Trump lifting sanctions on Russia.
A BRIBE explains his attacks on the press (investigative reporters), the F.B.I.(charged with investigating bribes of public officials), the U.S. Justice Department (charged with prosecuting corrupt public officials) and the C.I.A (charged with protecting America from foreign countries like Russia).
A BRIBE also explains why Trump insists on a secretive one on one meeting with Putin and no other American present. He has failed to lift the sanctions. He wants to renegotiate the BRIBE. See trumpbribe.com
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@Jim Beatty
Thank you very much for sharing trumpbribe.com, which led me to afternoon of reading about the Moscow Project's work. I'd never heard of the project before, and felt inspired by the team and their efforts!
@Jim Beatty I don't see things as a bribe, but rather as "hush money" to cover up Trump's prior (and perhaps even current) dealings with Putin and his cronies.
Trump's financial dealings alone would likely be a huge embarrassment at "best", and abetting money laundering at worst.
He has to keep delivering, so don't look for a tweet storm of outrage against Congress.
1
There are many things the United States does what I think is a better job than Canada. The story in the Toronto Star of how surprised Canadian parliamentarians were to Saudi Arabia's denunciation of Canada.
If Canada held hearing on cabinet appointments I hope Chrystia Freeland would have the support of all Canadians.
I personally am a huge fan and think the world would be a much better place if every country had more people of her intelligence, understanding and integrity in the highest places in government.
Chrystia Freeland entered politics in 2014 after a stellar career as an economic journalist and writer. Her book Sale of the Century tells the story of how democracy was destroyed in Russia and how that led to her being barred by Putin from Russia. Her second book Plutocrats:The Rise of the Global Super-Rich and the Fall of Everyone Else published in 2014 put her on every enemies list of autocrats, crony capitalists,Russian oligarchs, European bankers, Chinese Kleptocrats, GOP mega-donors and Trump cabinet members.
If we had hearings like your Senate has to see who are cabinet members are Saudi Arabia's attack on Canada would have surprised no one but American, Russian and Chinese silence would be expected and her appointment vetoed.The USA has one enemy and it is found in mirrors.
Chrystia Freeland knows Russia, she knows Putin and she knows oligarchs and Russians are not the enemy but their enemies are our enemies.
4
I certainly can see the sense in seeking some means of productive co-existence with Russia. Obama also sought this early on in his administration, was played pretty badly by Putin and reacted in turn equally badly, among other things by attacking Russia’s pride (and here SecState Hillary Clinton threw salt on the wound). What I don’t see is the likely effectiveness of some amorphous “be nice” policy. The amount of energy and fortune (and blood in mutually proxy confrontations) that have been expended in this catfight of many decades now, first with the U.S.S.R. and now with Russia probably, if spent otherwise, could have cured cancer, perfected Cold Fusion and solved global climate change – just to start. And what do BOTH of us have for the trillions we spent instead?
Putin has weighty strategic interests. We saw them in Georgia (largely a tribal conflict); in Crimea (protection of Russia’s Black Sea fleet, a major and then-unique military asset, and national pride); in East Ukraine (domestic politics) and Ukraine generally (loss of a client state that had been instrumental in projection of Soviet power back in the day); in Syria (the opportunity to kill Islamists there instead of in the Russian Federation and protection of a Mediterranean military base, as well as being perceived as a serious super-regional player by tweaking a U.S. nose); and in Eastern Europe (to protect Russia’s influence among “buffer states” that Soviet and undoubtedly Russian leadership …
4
… regard as crucial to their national security). Just as we have the ability to harm them and frustrate their interests, they have shown the ability to harm us and our NATO allies by applying a formidable hacking capability to influence our elections and to exploit weaknesses in our technological infrastructure.
It makes all the sense in the world for our two countries to find a sustainable modus vivendi, keeping in mind that neither ever is going to be able to fundamentally change the other. Yet … what I don’t yet see from Trump is a framework of cooperation on mutually-acceptable JOINT efforts with Russia that would dramatically increase the cost to them of harming US.
Despite the confident arguments of #NeverTrumpers that EVERYTHING Trump does lacks real purpose and is conducted with all the finesse of a bull in a china shop, they’re quite wrong. He is moving forward productively on so MANY efforts that stymied earlier presidents – including now even Afghanistan. Yet I see nothing with regard to Russia yet of substance, and only a “nice-nice” attitude that has well-wishers flummoxed. He needs to focus on developing carrots while his staff develops sticks.
6
@Richard Luettgen: Carrots? Trump would have handed Putin the entire vegetable garden if Congress (including his fellow Republicans) weren't holding him back. Think those sanctions wouldn't have been dropped two hours after he was inaugurated? Every one of those items you've cited as being crucial to Russia's vital interests is simply another example of Putin's cruel intervention in the affairs of other nations (not that the U.S. has had clean hands in this regard). As for Afghanistan, what sort of hashish have you been lighting up? The Taliban continues to swallow up rural areas all over the country and is currently staking its claim to Ghazni, not far from the Pashtun capital of Kandahar. Good that we've started talking to them but it doesn't appear that they've been listening.
@stu freeman:
You're becoming increasingly less able to step back and analyze a situation, intellectually crystalizing a tactical political advantage while ignoring strategic realities. We simply don't possess the will to invest what is necessary to "save" Afghanistan -- a multi-generational presence there in overwhelming force and basically a replacement of the population which one that is less primitive and more open to secular distance. Actually, NOBODY is willing to make that investment, effectively leaving Afghanistan to the philistines. We should have abandoned them ages ago, and I'm thankful that Trump has finally accepted the need to declare victory and … simply leave. Of COURSE the Taliban are going to win there -- they were ALWAYS going to win, so long as we were unwilling to put aside our many REAL priorities simply to save a nation and people who refuse to save themselves.
As to Russia, you double-down on geopolitical naiveté. Russia's and Putin's interests are their own irrespective of how dystopian we regard them. We have no legitimate purpose in seeking to "change" them because we CAN'T, but we DO have an obligation to cease this endless bleeding of scarce resources in bootless fusillades of spitwads over decades.
The solution to Russia is to find ways of building bridges that we can and that don't violate our own principles, so that harming us and our allies becomes prohibitively expensive for them. THAT'S what I want Trump to do.
There are few issues that unite congressional Republicans and Democrats but opposition to Moscow is clearly one of them (Rand Paul's outlier-status notwithstanding). Someone-perhaps a tag-team of Lindsey Graham and Kirsten Gillibrand- really needs to sponsor a bill declaring that Vladimir Putin is persona non grata and that U.S. sanctions will be maintained (if not strengthened) for as long as Putin remains in office. Let The Donald complain and curse to his heart's content; his personal devotion to Vlad the Enabler should be demonstrated to have no effect on America's foreign policy. And if Putin feels betrayed by his Siberian candidate he can just go ahead and release that pee tape.
110
Or he may release a dossier on the Democratic leadership that will sink the Dems hopes for overtaken Reps in November. Are you sure that Dems are squeaky clean?
1
They released what they had in 2016. What reason would they have to hold back at that time?
Donald Trust is happy having it both ways with Russia.
Trump gleefully announces at rallies and at press conferences that his friendship with Russia is a good thing and, without specifying how, in our national interests. Putin sure seems pleased with Donald, whom he invited to Moscow for another summit. Whatever Putin has on Trump hasn't come out officially, which is "winning" for Donald.
Peculiarly, Trump also turns around and says that Putin is unhappy, because no one has been this tough on him before. Of course, it's only Congress and the State Department who support sanctions. But Trump can take cover from them.
Forget about Trump being consistent with his administration; he's not even consistent with himself when speaking of Russia.
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Sorry for the typo in the first line! It’s “Trump,” not “Trust.”
@NM-- dear friend, how could you possibly put "trust" and the president in the same sentence? Boy, would Devin Nunes and Congressional Republicans love to read your post! The president just might put you out there on the campaign trail this fall for the Midterms!