The
Russians
Understand
Me
Perfectly
3
Trump is afraid of Putin and knows he has compromising information on him from his visits to Moscow in the 80's. He will remain complicit.
2
Faint praise is the well-known comment, but in this instance it is faint, alright, but faint criticism. And another Russian in London found murdered and being investigated as a terroist attack. This latest Russian predicted his own assassination from a growing hit list..
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/met-murder-inquiry-into-death-of...
1
Trump won't accept that Russia is responsible for meddling and cyberattacks.
We are in great peril until Russia is forced to cease and desist. Trump won't act
(he is in league with Russia). Who can act when our president refuses?
2
Yes, finally! It is so little and so late, though. What is he prepared to do now?
Face it, part of Trump's really on Putin's side. He admires him greatly.
But what really got it started, as most liberals either don't understand or just
plain disagree- and yes I'm a liberal too - is that it really got started with Obama.
After Ukraine, which he did nothing to counteract, which gave Putin the green light; then his caving into the Iranians, whom he wished would become far more powerful and take the pressure off Uncle Sam in fighting the no-goodniks in the Mideast; his disregard for Israel's valid interests there; and ultimately through his cowardice in facing down both Asad as even more important Putin, gave the green light to their mutual success there...and the slaughter it' continues to occasion. No American president has been better intentioned but less successful in this region. He messed up almost everything he touched. And those gassed Syrian children we see on the newscasts either dead or breathing their last make the heart sick and the stomach nauseous.
Please read "Collusion," a book just out by Luke Harding. It details how Putin and other Russians have been cultivating Trump for years because he desperately wants to do business in Russia. Trump Tower in NYC is full of Russian oligarchs and mobsters - just about the only people who will actually buy apartments there, largely to cultivate Trump as an asset they can control. He will not denigrate Russia or Putin because he sees them as his primary source of income for his business. Legitimate businesses won't work with Trump because of his well-deserved reputation as a con man.
2
Trump did not say something bad about Russia. If he did, I did not hear it. He would sanction all of Russia not just five Russian organizations and 19 individuals.
He also said he would back the UK, if they can prove positively the Russians poisoned these people. Right now that seems like he is still defending Russia. He believes it when Putin says they had nothing to do with it, but he does not believe May and her intelligence agencies who have said they are almost 100% convinced they are the culprits.
Trump will not say anything bad about Putin or his Russia.
That was bad? The contrast between the way he reacts toward Russia and the way he tweets, opens his big mouth and attacks almost everyone else with nicknames and sarcasm is quite a big gap. What is he hiding or protecting -- what is he fearful of?
1
The attack on Skripal and his daughter was essentially Russian government sponsored terrorism.
1
I assume his boss (V.P.) approved it.
When Trump would start to twit bad things about Russia like he did with North Korea it will be considered that Trump saying bad things about Russia. Trump also needs to show American people how money and resources spent to protect the USA from Putin's cyber aggression.
is it possible that the Russians could sabotage his plane while he is flying hither thither and yon? If so, maybe that 's why he's afraid to say anything negative.
Putin is very clever. He instructs Trump on what to say in order to throw off those who know in their heart that Trump is merely a Russian stooge. The Russians bought Trump years ago with laundered millions when no one would loan him a dime because of his failed business record. Trump is the face of the the Republican Party. White and Blue and Red ..yes. Stars and Stripes ...No!!
3
These are the moments when I wish we had a president we could trust.
Cyber warfare, particularly warfare that attacked infrastructure and power grids, results in real deaths. Think hospitals, air traffic control, etc. The ensuing economic disruption results in more. And they weaken our ability to protect ourselves from other threats. This is deadly serious.
On the other hand, this could all be an excuse for our government to exercise more control over our access to the internet, and thus more control over our ability to organize politically. The Chinese, the Turks, the North Koreans and the Russians all exercise that kind of control over their populations.
That's how tyrants work. That's why I'm suspicious of the Party of Trump.
Isn’t it obvious that Mr Trump wants Russia to interfere with the elections in 2018. He knows the prevailing winds and he will cheat lie steal to get a win. He doesn’t care about integrity at all. It is about winning and only about his winning. If Russia helps him to win, then he is fine with that and so are many of his supporters. Republicans have been playing this game also with their gerrymandering, Tea Party and endless unwarranted attacks on Hillary Clinton. Their desire to when above all else lead to Trump and to the moral degradation of our way of life. These are not loyal Americans at all.
2
After Lt. Gen. H. R. McMaster slammed Putin & Co with "incontrovertible" evidence in Munich last month, Trump tweeted "the results of the election were not impacted".
Then Pence said "it is the universal conclusion of our intelligence communities that none of those efforts had any effect on the outcome of the 2016 election." WHEN, IN REALITY: The intelligence chiefs have said they have not, and cannot, reach such a conclusion.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/17/world/europe/russia-meddling-mcmaster...
Yes, yesterday, the Treasury Department announced sanctions that Congress envisioned in the law they passed nearly unanimously over Trump's objections LAST YEAR! Gold star for his administration's execution? No!
Compare Ambassador Nikki Haley's UN remarks "Alone, Russia’s crime is worthy of this Council’s action. But this is not an isolated incident." - vs - Trump's "It certainly looks like the Russians were behind it." Gold star for his conviction to hold Russia responsible? No!
5
Anyone who thinks that this sorry excuse for a president will stand up to Putin has not been paying attention. I was actually surprised that Trump allowed the US to go this far in applying sanctions. His admiration and adoration of Putin has been very clear. I wonder whom he listened to last, before making his soft statement about Russia.
1
Why is the White House doing this now? And what precisely are they doing? To my mind, this looks more than anything else like a scripted attempt by the White House to appear to be doing the right thing, while continuing to do no actual harm to Mr. Putin, and continuing to do nothing to stop current and future Russian interference.
The White House has moved only against the Russians who have already been indicted by Mr. Mueller. They are compromised and of little value to the Kremlin. The White House has accused the Russians of attacking the power grid. Such facilities are privately owned. Protecting them is up to their owners. The White House has belatedly conceded that the Kremlin was probably behind the UK assassination.
On the other hand, they haven't put in place travel bans, asset freezes or the other things that cut deeply. And only McMaster pointed out the president's failure to hold Russia accountable for Syria. Ambassador Haley, who has been an outspoken critic of the Kremlin, has been altogether out of step with the president.
2
CNN reports that "Russia has attempted to attack targets that include "energy, nuclear, commercial facilities, water, aviation, and critical manufacturing sectors" since March 2016, DHS said". Energy Secretary Perry is creating an Office of Cyber Security and Emergency Response (CESER). I think the same agencies protecting our cyber space should be created under the FCC and within our U.S. intelligence community.
I wonder why the logjam of doing nothing about our national security for the past FIFTEEN months or more has suddenly disappeared and action is not only being taken, albeit too little too late to secure our U.S. elections in November, but information on the seriousness of protecting our country's power grids and upcoming U.S. elections is now flowing to the public from official government sources and not just our Free Press.
The logjam was definitely Trump protecting Putin and his own rump, so maybe Mueller requesting Trump organization documents spurred this sudden rush to patriotism and the protection of America and Americans.
1
You guys are too hard on Mr. Trump. After all, who would want to criticize their banker, especially when so much is owed and the terms were so generous.
5
President Trump is proving to be the most effective President in dealing with Russia in this century and having a reasonably effective working relation at the same time. When Trump is shown clear and indisputable evidence of Russian wrong doing he has something bad to say about Russia.
1
Too bad the word "tentatively" did not appear in the title.
I am repeating my question here about Trump's delay even in his tentative statement: Does Russian or perhaps even Putin himself have something on Trump and I don't mean the Dossier but the finance of his and his family's?
The answer to this question we will never know until he releases or someone leaks his tax return.
1
Lets put some names on what Russia is doing.
Poisoning of Skripal and his laughter has many reasons, but the common trait is an intention to frighten, terrorize people that hold critical information in Trumps inquiries, his financial dealings and maybe to score up Trump himself. The brutality and mindlessness of this act, poisoning many bystanders is an intended ingredient of...a terror attack.
This is a state sponsored TERROR ATTACK, so the response should be appropriate, it's not some overreach of a spy organization.
The cyber attacks are so new that there is no international legal definition of what constitutes a cyber act of war. But a massive mapping of the countries infrastructure and more or less successful penetration of critical components should be regarded in a similar way as physical boarder penetration attempts, physical intrusions to protected infrastructure or any other physical provocations or attack preparations. And call for an adequate response.
2
Putin had many choices of who he wanted poisoned to send a message. Putin chose a father and daughter. We all know how Trump loves his daughter so the message is clear and it should frighten Trump or give him resolve. Trump has surrounded himself with rich Russians everywhere he lives. Russians who are indebted to Putin more than any American can understand.
As I have repeatedly written, consider him a Russian agent.
4
So, Trump has finally stood up against Russia. Look for him behind Theresa May's skirts.
2
Whose interests are served by re-igniting the Cold War with Russia? The rhetoric we are hearing now from Western governments and parroted in our mainstream media is reminiscent of the most inflammatory propaganda during the worst periods of the Cold War with the Soviet Union. We know from past experience that such bellicosity provides needed justification for increased and unnecessary military spending. Once again, we have reached the stage where every problem in the world can be blamed on Russia, or China as if the Western nations have no agency whatsoever, and their actions do nothing to provoke responses from others. We are always blameless and the others always evil malefactors. It is unfortunate that the NY Times can't muster a more balanced analysis.
1
Putin ignited a cold war that is counter-productive for all, but his actions can't be ignored. He's meddled in our elections and other European elections. He's created havoc in the Ukraine, and continues to do so with former Soviet-Bloc countries. He's announced a new weapon, more powerful than preceding weapons, and you question igniting another war, as though it's in the interest of the West to do so, as though we've ignited that war? Russian journalists, one in particular, in England, was injected with plutonium about 2 years ago. Most of Putin's rivals have been killed or jailed. A dictatorship has arisen after the Russian people brought down the former Soviet Union. Trump accepts Putin. He's not starting a cold war, but few in the West can really remain quiet, watching this man disrupt the world, killing dissidents, bombing the Syrians with impunity and meddling in free elections. Put your pity in somewhere else. Pity the people under Putin's rule.
A "more robust, unified response from the United States and its NATO allies?" You mean our confused NATO allies? Our dispirited NATO allies? Or perhaps even our erstwhile NATO allies. Trump's erratic head fakes and contradictory twaddle don't mean a thing. There will be no serious, meaningful response to Russian transgressions until the screwball is removed from office. That's the bottom line.
9
We can identify, publicize and freeze the assets of Putin an his cronies that are held in Western countries. Putin and Trump are treating their respective countries as fields for racketeering. Perhaps only publicity can deter both of them.
4
The NYT is over stating Mr. Trump's statement, which is "looks like" ... Maybe at last his cabinet convinced him that our power plants, other infrastructure, elections (like he cares?), and people are threatened. Mr. Trump is a traitor to the rule of law and the American people.
5
Who isn’t blackmailing Him?
5
Trump must be scared of whatever information Putin's operatives have collected on Trump himself. He knows from his intelligence briefings how the Russians got hold of the DNC emails and, as dumb as Trump may be, he is smart enough to know if they got info on Hillary they must also have damning information on Trump as well. But, rather than release it before the election the Russians have saved these Trump secrets so Trump will do their bidding now that he is POTUS. There is no doubt that Trump cares more about Donald Trump Sr than he does about America. So it will be interesting to see what Mr. Mueller's investigation will discover. If Trump tries to fire Mueller then maybe even McConnell and Ryan and a majority of Congressional Republicans may stand up and finally say enough to this unqualified POTUS.
2
If the GOP is willing to protect America from Putin, they’ve shown no sign of it.
The WaPo article "Why hasn't Mueller talked to Donald Trump, Jr. yet?" has a most delicious update by former federal prosecutor Elizabeth de la Vega. She offers a compelling reason Mueller hasn't spoken to Donald Jr.: that he may be a subject or target of their investigations. How perfect if Junior himself rats out his dad?
4
Hmm.
Maybe Trump is afraid that if he crosses Putin what happened to Sergei Skripal will happen to him.
Trump is, after all, completely craven. Just ask his bone spurs.
2
US election meddling, poisoning spies, energy plant hacking, state-supported doping of Olympic athletes, bombing Syria, annexing Crimea....Putin does all of this and yet Trump puts his energy into building a wall at our Mexican border.
8
"The West’s response to Russian aggression has usually been too little, too late, and devoid of the one voice that really matters — President Trump’s." So now you want him to speak? Looks like the legacy of the dogs of cold war are barking inside the editorial offices. No doubt the Times praised President Reagan when he decided to implement the same game plan. Hey, just for fun, let's have an atomic rumble.
1
IIRC Mr. Reagan was quite forceful in his opposition to Mr. Gorbachev, who did not annex any foreign countries or use nerve gas on British soil. Possibly that is because Gorbachev did not have a hand in Reagan’s election, and Reagan was not up to his eyeballs in shady business dealings with Gorbachev.
2
Oh Farley, you'll get your atomic rumble, fear not. Probably more like a blast.
When Bolton is appointed, watch for the pre-emptive strike of North Korea or Iran.
1
Trump would just assume blame the FBI, Mexican immigrants, DOJ, Clintons, Obama for this like everything else since his base would take it hook, line and sinker.
2
Nowadays, the NY Times position is you (or, more specifically, Trump) can never say or do anything bad enough about Russia. Gone are the days when the NYT applauded the "Reset" nonsense of their favorite President and Sec of State.
I can only wait for the day, coming soon I suspect, when i can read, and then frame, the NYT editorial that laments Trump's failure to make that bad boy Putin.
1
Stop it, please. There is nothing good in anything Donald Trump does or says. These are not normal times. By the way, Donald Trump is a proven PATHOLOGICAL LIAR, so who cares what he says about Russia, or anything else. Again, please stop.
4
How much evidence is required to conclude the obvious: that Putin has serious kompromat on Trump.
It seems that recent statements by those around Trump, criticizing Putin/Russia, are not very veiled attempts by those individuals to be shown the door.
Want out of Trump's White House? Easy enough criticism Putin/Russia.
Trump cannot be trusted to place the interests of America first.
Congressional Republicans would be wise to finally come around to that realization.
2
I don't understand how Trump's followers can accept his near traitorous behavior. Let's be clear, Russians were not for Trump, they were against Hillary. They wanted someone naive who they could manipulate, and they were successful to the extreme. Because Trump hasn't taken the threat seriously who knows what all they have infiltrated? They could have brought the entire country to a standstill, but they didn't. Maybe they are just waiting for the right moment.
3
Personally, I think in order to make it obvious Trump is not being blackmailed they had to offer something to appear this is not so. These I suspect are Putin approved sanctions. And this is what a middle of the road independent American has come to believe as a possibility.
4
I don't believe for one minute that the Treasury Department's sanctions for the Kremlin’s interference in the 2016 election were driven or directed by Lyin' Donnie Trump.
We have Trump's evident ADD or ADHD to thank for the fact that he has the attention span of a gnat and so was off chasing other shiny objects, leaving the field open for responsible adults to do their jobs and defend the nation's interests. It will not surprise me if we soon learn that Trump was raging to his new companion-bro replacement for John McEntee about the sanctions and was leaning on Mr. Magoo aka Jeffy Sessions to fire whoever was responsible for them.
1
Pretty obvious to me why Trump is afraid of poisoning. He's always curtsying to Putin's superiority. Be it by law or by downing one, the poison pill is a killer extortion.
4
What is most frightening right now is that Russia has successfully infiltrated privately owned nuclear power plants in the USA. Stop and think about that. Check out Perlroth's piece in the NY Times yesterday. We are way beyond wrist slapping.
5
Once again, there is a very simple solution that will be ignored.
The same solution is open to England, which they too will ignore.
Go after Russia's oligarch's wallets. The oligarchs are Putin's base. Now that they have all become multi billionaires, their allegiance to their bank accounts, properties and businesses are more important than their allegiance to Putin. Money does that to people. In England, anyone from any country can buy real estate, businesses, and other entities without being known. Most of their investments in that country are under trusts, offshore accounts and banks that have no name ownership. We aren't quite so stupid here in the U.S. Nevertheless, there is a great deal of Russian money invested here in real estate, tied to American banks, business properties, etc.
The U.S. and Britain should close it all down. Stop the flow of money to them, seize properties if necessary and shut down the greedy, oligarch's cash flow. Trump thinks he can do anything he wants whether it's constitutional or not, so go ahead Donald, shut um down!
3
The oligarchs seem to be Trump’s base and that of the UK conservative party. Smart money is there’s a Russian on Devin Nunes’ speed dial list as well.
Of interest is the reaction of Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the UK Labour Party. As the Guardian reports:
"Jeremy Corbyn has defied critics in his own party and warned the prime minister against “rushing way ahead of the evidence” over the Salisbury poisoning, in what he called the “fevered” atmosphere of Westminster.
"The Labour leader used an article in the Guardian to urge the government to take a “calm, measured” approach – and warn against the drift towards a “new cold war” with Russia."
Don't expect to read any criticism of him in the NYT.
2
Nice article. Interesting that the drawing with the article shows Putin taller than Trump. Really?
Get Real!-This editorial was written in Israel. Where is the proof that Russia was responsible? There was none because there is none.With the Neocons now in
power at the White House after the firing of Rex we can expect more of the same outlandish propaganda. We are heading into a Major Confrontation with
Iran.This could rapidly escalate into WW-3.There may be no time to "Duck and Cover"this time.
1
Travel Bans? Asset Freezes?
But that would hurt Trump Inc! And Kushner, Inc! - and all the Russian $$ flowing into them.
5
I encourage the folks here who today are sitting in their arm chairs and commenting as if they are unreconstructed hard-line cold warriors to google the May 5, 2012 NYT article snidely dismissing presidential candidate Mitt Romney's concerns about the Russian threat along with equally snarky comments from NYT readers as if Romney was crazy for bringing up the subject at all. How is it I know that many of those readers ridiculing him back then in the comment section are the same folks who are today thumping their chests and demanding that we "do somehing" about Russia? What a joke.
2
Rational minds are capable of changing opinions when new evidence is presented. We have evidence now that we didn't have then.
1
The most recent Russian exile found dead in his apartment in the UK had at one point filed a lawsuit against Roman Abramovich. I thought that name looked familiar so I used "Abramovich" and "Trump" together in a search. The same Roman Abramovich who had his yacht moored at Mara Lago. The same Roman Abramovich who attended the RNC convention. And that's just with a google search. He's also involved in steel. I can't even begin to imagine what Mueller has found thus far on this guy, but just from a Google search using the two names, it's obvious that Abromavich - and his ties with Putin and Trump, as well as the latest suspicious death in the UK - stink to high heaven.
5
May have to google Abramovich in conjunction with the names of some UK pols as well.
"He won’t stop until he knows that the United States will stand up to him.."
That will NEVER happen as long as we have the traitor in the WH, as should be more than evident, especially given his mealy-mouthed, half statement, "it looks like the russians were behind it.." We know, with, unfortunately, almost daily examples, that any of his statements are subject to immediate change, without notice. He must be removed from office.
4
How about when Russia shot down a commercial airliner over the Ukraine? That wasn’t crossing a red line? Unbelievable.
1
The only thing Putin really wants is what he will never have, just like Trump. Legitimacy. Until they both stop acting like HeMan and try on a little Prince Adam, they are going down like that whiny Skelator.
Why is it so hard for many loyal Americans, or even for Trump, to realize that Putin considers us a historical and present enemy and is acting accordingly?
Sure he is a strong leader with a chiseled chest and better looks than Trump ever had, but he is also a corrupt murderer who has spent his time in power consolidating more power and crushing the opposition. So what's not to like?
As he seeks to rebuild the Russian Empire, Czar Valdimir IV seizes parts of the old empire by unlabeled military force, threatens others like the Baltic states, undermines governments of the old USSR republics, and destabilizes democratic governments around the world. Oh, and announces new supernuke weapons while he orders nerve agent revenge killings. What a mench!
God help Trump if Putin ever turns on him.
4
Yip, Putin most certainly has dirty laundry on Trump. Putin ordered Murdoch's outdoor ad crew out in a hail of running gun fire, so why not the TRUMPS? Look, Putin's not gonna live for ever, and this is his best chance at making us dance like we can't stand up.
1
OMG, what does Putin have on Murdoch, aside from his ex-wife's company? Why does Murdoch also cover for Putin? Same reason the Inquirer buys silence. Extortion rackets.
We are under attack and we have no leadership. Our power grids and nuclear facilities and God knows what else have been infiltrated, the highest branch of government is compromised, the Republicans are complicit with a sinking, stinking, failing White House, the churn of the administration ensures nothing substantial gets done and obfuscates the true rot in the WH.... We are truly under attack, from outsiders and also from within. The Republican inaction, given what we know (despite lapdog Nunes' best attempts), is beginning to look treasonous. "God help America" should now replace every speech ending in "God bless America."
4
Bang the drum. Everyday! Only print those opinions that, ignorant of all the facts, past history and context and indeed intentionally so (who wants to be assailed by 'weaponized TRUTHS') all have one purpose.
A new enemy must be created. We have never stopped having one, only the immediate post Vietnam era had a strong anti war movement (thank you Jimmy Carter) but since "Star Wars', Top Gun', 'The Hurt Locker', "Black Hawk Down' and all the Pentagon backed Disney and other films glorifying the military has became the norm just as violence is in the heart of our gaming culture, ('Call of Duty').
Now in this new McCarthyist Age we are back to Russia after the post 1989 era of Arab/Muslim bashing. It was only 2 years ago that ISIS with its destruction of Palmyra etc were the great evil but then Russia came back into the picture and destroyed them after our generals told us beating them would take decades.
It was all, get Assad out at all costs and that meant OUR weapons in the hands of ISIS and Al Quaida. Assassinations on foreign soil? See our use of drones to so this along with MANY collateral damage murders or Mossad murders around the world (2 Palestinians killed in Sweden this year by Israel). Destroying a few spies lives vs our destroying the lives of millions in the ME (Libya, Syria).
As always only aggressive actions get applause here, The Pope is too liberal, Jon Stewart, Obama and Sanders not enough in love with confrontation and 'liberal' now meaning illiberal!
2
NYT forgets or denies the very real problems that brought Trump to the White House in the first place: economic devastation in the (US) rust belt, betrayal of the US working class thanks to globalism, and increased crime throughout the country. Please compare photos of Detroit in the 50's with Detroit now, and tell me who did this. Was it Russians? Did Russians make Baltimore, Detroit and St. Louis unlivable? Did Russians cause mass homelessness in California or degrade the US educational system? No, I think the culprits for these problems are much closer to home, but for some reason NYT's editorial board prefers to scapegoat Russians.
Trump's timid, perhaps forced, response to Russian aggression, was a sick joke, not to be taken seriously by Putin, as this latter thug knows our 'ugly American' in-chief has his back covered. This is shameful of course, but crooked lying Trump has shown, repeatedly, how impervious he is to shame, with a prolific history of assaulting women, and consistently trampling on the rule of law. We are dealing with an old twisted tree, spewing fear, hate and division via it's poisonous fruits. Short of ousting him from a totally undeserved public office, no relief is to be expected. Trump is a con man...with too many in his pocket, especially the republican party, all complicit cowards doing his bidding.
1
All fine and good, except for the closing thought. Any retaliation we mount is only going to lead to more Putin teeth gnashing and future double died evil plots. But that shouldn't stop us. Retalitation is necessasy and appropritate. Economic sanctions are best.
Alexis Jang's illustration is perfection
Trump still needs to build his Moscow skyscraper, otherwise in his mind he will have lost. And he will do anything, absolutely anything, to see it built.
Finally, the Editors feel ratified in their bias. It is otherwise fascinating to observe an absence of editorial criticism or even investigative inquiry, over decades of "oligarch" pillage of former Soviet assets during the US and UK-led "shock therapy" in the early 1990s. One of the Editors' favorite ideologues, Jeffrey Sachs, of Columbia University, was among those advocating and advising such counterproductive, even tragic, policy. Am organized and deeply financed network of business interests from NYC, London. Tel Aviv and Geneva, along with strategic cooperation of the defense establishment, swept in during the post-Glasnost period, and engaged in an effective rape and pillage of Russian industrial and natural resource assets, including a fascinating corruption of its privatization voucher program, and the related removal and devolution of Gorbachov and his leadership, then deemed all too potentially successful and threatening. That story has not been told generally to western readers, and is critical to understanding current Russian posture. Stephen Cohen at Princeton is a good place to start for some historical insight.
2
"Mr. Trump, for reasons that have never been made completely clear, has until now resisted a congressional mandate that he expand the penalties."
I don't know why the NYT editorial board insists on playing dumb. The reason for inaction (and now inadequate action) has been completely clear: the Russians help Trump and the GOP, so Trump isn't going to take the steps needed to stop them.
It's party before country, and the party is morphing into a cult of personality.
1
It appears the Editorial Board wants the appalling Donald Trump to be tough on Russia. I agree. The US should do whatever it takes to kill the ruble, for example.
But I’m still left wondering if the Board was also requesting toughness against Russia when President Obama famously offered Putin ‘flexibility’ after his ‘last election’ in a whispered comment caught off-mic. Somehow I doubt it.
Flexibility equals diplomacy. Like during election year, you aren't gonna see the GOP being nice with the donkeys.
Being diplomatic, I think we need Tyler Perry to take on the Babushkas of Moscow. One marginalize old woman to another, who's gonna hire your brother? Don't you want to leave that iceberg and feel your feet again?
Our country is in danger. These are not really sanctions, these are Mueller's charges being used to try and satisfy the Congressional mandate to punish Russia. Russia is becoming more and more bold in their global attacks, we need a leader who will protect this country, Trump could care less about anybody but himself. Are the Republicans that scared of him? This is scary.
1
It should be noted that Trump did not enact the sanctions against Russia that Congress has already approved. Instead he targeted sanctions to the Russians indicted by Mueller and 5 specific organizations.
1
Anyone with eyes to see, who is willing to consider country over party, can tell that our president is compromised by Russian intelligence. I feel like things are starting to move more quickly now as the willful ignorance on the part of our leadership becomes more difficult to justify as evidence of extensive Russian penetration into all elements of American electoral processes and infrastructure control mount (with notable foot dragging, half-hearted, token responses from our president). This is a very dangerous time as DT is an impulsive person incapable of sustaining the ego blows associated with the increasing likelihood that some very shameful wrongdoing on his part is going to come to light. Look for "wag the dog" distractions and increased attacks on those who would reveal the truth in the media and in our government. The spinelessness of our elected leadership may require a "take to the streets" moment on the part of the American people. Shutting down the Mueller investigation would qualify as such a moment, in my opinion. It may be soon. Our enemies see weakness. They are emboldened.
1
If Mueller is fired, this middle-aged mom will be in the streets for as long as it takes to restore the rule of law.
1
"The penalties need to go further, subjecting Mr. Putin’s wealthy cronies and their families to sanctions like travel bans and asset freezes that would put even more pressure on the Russian leader."
That would be a good start, especially some asset freezes. Threaten Russians with legal action in the US for such activity as attempting to access US facilities such as power plants, water systems, and other services via the internet. If they do not appear for trial, apply fines, say $1,000,000 a day for failure to appear. Fine the individuals, and the organizations they work for.
Say, NY Editorial Board, do you suppose that surrounding Russia with military bases might just possibly have provoked desperate actions from the surrounded country? Or did the alleged crimes pop out of nowhere? But of course, my question is trivial. If Russia dared to install a military base in say, Cuba, the U.S. response would have been temperate, right? Might that Russian basing decision had connection to prior U.S. invasions of Cuba, direct or indirect? Of course it would be boorish to bring up the Jupiter nuclear rockets the U.S. installed in Turkey, the country on Russia's southern border. Shucks, it was just a good will gesture misconstrued. Those Russians are a touchy bunch.
What's the end game? Getting rid of Putin? What's the probability that his replacement will be a Gorby rather than a Curtis LeMay?
2
Please read up on Mr. Putin. He is no more interested in defending Russia than Trump is interested in defending America. This is not the cold war between the communist USSR and the capitalist west. This is about international kleptocratic oligarchs buying government officials around the world.
2
Methinks Mr. Mueller’s subpoena has changed everything. Trump knows the gig is up, so the kompromat no longer has the strength to control him.
1
What was his opine on never seeing Ireland again? He's pre-writing his departure episode? Is Mueller gonna take away his passport?
It seems that these new sanctions aren't really that new at all. A face-saving token lame effort.
And they won't affect the really key oligarchs in Russia.
The title of the article should have been, "Everyone BUT trump!" trump makes some innocuous statement and now he will ignore everything else while NOT imposing the sanctions that congress passed.
I'm hoping that the Intelligence Community is monitoring the pillow-talk telephone calls between mr. trump and putin.
We already understand the game; trump chums putin's waters and then pedals his bike around the Oval office. "Hey Vladimir, I have to say something strong towards Russia, but don't worry, it won't be bad. Oh, did you mind me firing Tillerson?"
And then, everyone BUT trump takes a stand in order to let trump off the hook.
Meanwhile, our Intelligence Community is siting on their hands waiting for the word from our president about taking actions to thwart Russian meddling in our 2018 and 2020 elections.
Status Quo - or is it Quid Pro Quo?
I am not sure I want to make it more difficult for Russians to invest their money in US real estate...it has done wonders for my property value in NYC.
Two reasons Trump is dragging his feet. Putin has something on him, and Putin is engaged in fixing the 18’ elections in favor of Trump and the Republicans.
1
Wow. Nineteen more Russians are not going to get visas to the U.S.
This means more work for the Russian government to produce 19 more U.S. passports.
I recall just a few days before the 2016 election, that the internet went down for a day or so. The cause for this internet shutdown was attributed to a disgruntled game designer, I think.
I wonder if Vladimir Putin was testing the waters of his ability to disrupt the elections. The news at the time seemed to scoff at the idea: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/who-shut-down-u-s-internet-friday-n...
When Trump says something politically correct that contradicts what he has said leading up to the momentary display of decency, he usually reverses himself within two weeks. I suspect this was just an April Fools Day quip told a bit prematurely.
1
Russia levels a poison gas attack on Britain.
“It certainly looks like the Russians were behind it, something that should never ever happen. We’re taking it very seriously, as I think are many others.”
Well, we're certainly not hearing from a Rooosevelt or a Churchill here.
1
To continue seeing war-like actions as a solution to world problems has become
almost a cliche. I mean, war stops some problems temporarily, but there is always a replacement enemy once the currant enemy has been neutralized.
Maybe a new cliche 'kill them with kindness' for example) might work better
than the 'kill them' one that has never really worked for very long.
1
I just was reminded Haag threatened to quit so many times he was surprised when they took him up on it.
Our 2018 elections are ALREADY underway.
How accommodating of the Republicans to announce the end of the Russia inquiry on the very eve of the PA election!
1
I like how the electorate got right back to them on that. People are sick of the controversy. Time to let a grown up direct this disaster movie.
The sanctions that the US just announced are underwhelming. Totally unacceptable. The Trump administration is playing. These sanctions are not serious.
2
"He [Putin] won’t stop until he knows that the United States will stand up to him and work with its allies to impose stronger financial and diplomatic measures to rein him in."
That likely means Putin's geopolitical misdeeds will go unchecked until Trump and his administration depart from the White House. For Trump, the apparent personal risks involved in confronting Putin's follies is too high, as they likely jeopardize any future opportunities he may have as a private businessman for doing business in Russia post-presidency.
However, there are many here--and abroad--who would applaud the US's resumption of such a global leadership role, and who see the absolute necessity of US cooperation and leadership within the NATO Alliance as a necessary--mandatory--component to stifling Mr. Putin's Bear.
It is likely that we have seen the complete course of action Trump is likely to endorse against Putin & Moscow (although we must be open to any surprise geopolitical leadership role the Trump administration takes). At face value, though, any hope we might have that Trump will surprise us is akin to whistling into the face of a Nor'easter.
Our President violates the oath of office with inaction. He does not protect the Constitution, nor the country from attacks from Russia. This observable and proven behavior is prima facie evidence. His political party allows his behavior to go on without check nor balance. The GOP and the President together are failing to protect us every day this goes on. We need billboards. Lots of billboards.
2
Maybe the reason Trump is not so obsessed with Russia as some of his critics are is that he doesn't see them as the major adversary of the United States (despite their misbehavior--none of it new) but China.
Trump is a major historical figure, not the least of which is because he is the first American president NOT to to respond personally and powerfully when the America is attacked by a foreign power. The Editorial Board should be asking what do the Russians have on Trump?
4
To all Editorial Readers: What do you predict will be the contents of our Fake President's gushing congratulatory message to dear friend Vladimir, after his huge, amazing, tremendous, best ever, historic electoral victory in Sunday's hotly contested "election"? C'mon, make us all laugh at this democratic farce, uniquely Russian-style!
3
This article is misleading. He has NOT at all implemented the numerous sanctions that were voted in by Congress and agreed upon unanimously by Congress. Why are you letting this moral derelict off the hook??? His statements are weak, his actions are empty, and his motivations clear: Assist Putin!
7
He finally had something bad to say because he was forced into a corner by Haley and one or two others, and I’ll bet he is terrified.
3
And did you ever think that those Russian Bank loans to The Trump/Kushner cos could arbitrarily be “called” for some non-monetary default? That could be a pretty scary thing for the WH gang!
1
When do we go on offense?
2
"Mr. Trump has spoken out, tentatively."
There it is! Proof that Trump colluded with Russia! Ah, at last we have him!
3
Best you can do?
Sad.
1
"enabling President Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria."
To do what?
When Trumps says 'looks like Russia was involved", that is qualification enough for me. After all, he'd be a fool to except everything the Brits claim. Wouldn't he?
Wow, if you read his statements Trump isn't even condemning it... "I'm taking it seriously" is a tepid reply to almost any question or event of any kind.
1
How can May suspend 23 Russian spies? Does she have a list?
Are we going to stop trying to figure out what exactly happened in the Skripal case? Who brought the poison? How was it delivered and where? In the Litvinienko case we have this level of detail, and it's made the case harder to answer by the Kremlin.
If a perpetrator can be identified it will establish or help establish who authorized this and also maybe how the attack could have been prevented. UK criminal investigations are very good and tend to produce a more satisfying outcome than what we now know, and the public deserves to learn more soon. That the Daily Mail insults Corbyn for making these points does not invalidate them.
Trump will do as little as possible to annoy Russia- for whatever reason. Follow the $?
3
When Trump says "and others" that's his signal to Putin that it is not Trump alone condemning Putin. Why? Because he's trying hard not to get whacked by Putin.
1
For all Trump's flaws, I'd trust his red line over his predecessor any day.
1
The drumbeat for war continues, I hope everyone who participates in this charade will have to serve on the ground as we invade Iran and Russia; of course we know that will never happen: those who blog(paid or otherwise) and clamor for war are never the class who serve and die in the wars for special interests we have waged since the draft ended. Let’s reinstate a mandatory draft with the first to go the men and women in the elite schools, no exceptions, no deferments, no stints at Oxford, no National Guard gigs. When the body bags start arriving filled with Stanford students all wars will end. The spin on Iraq was bad enough but the spin on Russia is worse, to be so naive as to think all sides don’t behave as Russia does or in our case often worse is either naive or stupid. We have invaded countries, assasinated leaders destroyed entire economies and aided and abated our “ allies “ in doing the same, always sending the children of the less advantaged to do the deadly work. Are we going to let it happen again, sure sounds like it. I hope Times commenters remember their folly if they buy into the current propaganda, if we survive that is.
3
While we are so focused on whether or not Trump colluded with Russia to defeat Clinton, we fail to acknowledge that since Trump won the election Trump has been colluding with Russia to undermine American interests, and to the detriment of the American people. Trump's deference, denial and excuse making for Russia's continued aggression towards America and the West is alarming at the least and at the worst, treasonous. It feels to me that there may even be Russian moles in the White House. After all, I believe we will eventually find out that Paul Manafort, Trump's campaign chair, was acting as a Russian asset (mole) to influence Trump. Are there Russian moles in the White House?
I seriously believe that Trump's latest statement on Russia was cleared by the Kremlin. The Kremlin knows that Trump is in a precarious position, but also knows that Comrade Trumpsky is an incredibly important Russian asset. So, Vladimir will occasionally let Donald say something sort of negative about Russia, but it will come with no really punishment for Russia. Agent Orange plays for the Red Team not the Red, White and Blue Team. Agent Orange is known as Code Red in the Kremlin.
4
Just like his ersatz comments on the NRA, immigration and (during the campaign) healthcare, Trump is once again saying something simply for HIS OWN BENEFIT. He must be pretty nervous about Mueller and believes his latest flip-flop on Russia will help him avoid problems.
1
I am horrified by these acts of war against our nation and our allies. Even more horrified that Traitor Trump is allowed by Congress to sell us out.
3
Trump is like a 4 year old hiding behind is mom's skirt. In this case Teresa May wore the skirt and Donnie didn't have to go it alone. Tough talk on Mexico is one thing, Russia is another story.
2
A dollar short and a day late, or several of each. Putin's Russia has become so thoroughly a rogue thugocracy that it now stands at or near the top of the world's state pariahs.
Here in the US we have a president whose word bears no credence whatever. From Russia nobody in its government can be believed. Vladimir Putin should be hauled before the ICC fir crimes against humanity.
2
Nothing is "official" until it appears on Trump's personal twitter feed.
1
Trump probably called Putin in the middle of the night and asked him what he should say to appease the people just enough. Given Trump's apparent ignorance over every thing in America, his repeated misstatements on US policies, who did what, how things work, I doubt that he could come up with a "bad" statement about Russia on his own.
2
Agree with henry3 and was going to say something similar. But I would add this more frank phrase:"given his treasonous relationships with a country not our allie..."
I feel sure that in some way Putin gave permission to boy-donnie to speak "against" Russia-- with Russian defined limits of course.
1
The conventional themes and theatres of twentieth centuriy war are morphing into giant international video games playing out too rapidly to be fully appreciated. The concept of another five year war seems gone. The next one may be 5 weeks and America’s current leadership seems overmatched. There was a time when presidents, senates and congresses were driven by patriotism not self interest.
3
“The presumption of innocence is the foundation stone of modern criminal justice. It is the pre-eminent factor in every trial. The accused is deemed to be innocent unless and until evidence that cannot be doubted establishes that the crime took place as claimed, and the accused is the person who committed it and had the intent to commit it.”
If we, Britain, wish to maintain a credible position in the world, we must abide by just and fair rules, regardless of the actions of others.
Russiaphobea is out of control.
Given the revelation today that Russia can seemingly knock out our power at will, has it become more clear as to why neither Obama nor Trump has been tougher on Russia than they were?
3
Yes, and is trump doing anything about it? Apparently no. He's too busy cutting taxes, regulations, selling off the coomon wealth of the nation and enriching himself and his cronies.
A pox on those who voted for him and his republican henchmen.
2
"Mr. Trump, for reasons that have never been made completely clear, has until now resisted a congressional mandate that he expand the penalties." Hmm, this wouldn't because he's deeply in debt to the Russians, would it?
15
How about a detailed comparison between these sanctions and the ones voted quasi-unanimously by Congress a few months ago, which have not yet been signed by Trump?
8
Well there goes Nikki Haley. She spoke out before Trump. She will now be in his sights.
11
Why is Trump so hesitant to criticize Russia? It's likely that it's not for any political reason, but rather for personal and business reasons. Trump has previously sold property to wealthy Russians, and he wants to continue doing so. It's also possible that there's truth to the story that the Trump Organization wants to build one of it's hotels in Russia, and sanctions could spoil both those opportunities. Trump has never given up his business connections and involvement with Trump business, and it remains one of his chief concerns. After all, he knows nothing else. His entire life has been involved in the Trump Organization. His ignorance about anything else is evident every day. The presidency is a sideline for Trump, and he doesn't want to let it spoil his business interests.
2
Trump said "It certainly looks like the Russians were behind it,” he told reporters in the Oval Office. “Something that should never ever happen. We’re taking it very seriously, as I think are many others.”
Is this what you call "bad"? That Trump now says, "it certainly looks like" which really means he is even now not certain just that it looking like. Really?? And he is "taking it seriously" and doing what exactly to punish Putin???
It certainly looks like to me that Putin wrote Trump's response. Maybe that back channel to the Kremlin is functional after all.
8
I am a Boomer who was raised to believe Soviet Russia was the enemy that was going to blow us off the face of the earth. I and my schoolmates went through many drills in preparation for nuclear attacks (hiding under our desks! ha ha) so I do not like Russia or Russians (I know that there are good and bad people everywhere). What I do not understand is why so many of my contemporaries who support Trump no longer view Russia in this light. Is it merely because they are no longer ruled by the Communist Party? If so, I suggest they read some history to see what Russia and other countries ruled by megalomaniac autocrats have done without being Communists. Putin has declared war against the US and our Western allies, a war that is being waged by non-military means, true, but no less destructive for that. Wake up folks, we are at war and under attack.
9
The Republicans have been enamored of Putin for years. Remember their comments about what an example of a areal leader Putin was while attacking and denigrating Obama?
the republicans sold out the people of the U.S. a long time ago.
2
While necessary (yes, finally), the timing of this development is intriguing and potentially ominous for Trump--and perhaps thereby the rest of us regarding his impulsive, self-centered behavior. Mueller may well be getting closer and closer to exposing Trump's unlawfulness, adding to Trump's already obviously hideous behavior, so Trump is trying to dampen the appearance of coziness with Russia. But it traps Trump in a bind of his own making. His distancing from Putin may have Putin realize the usefulness of his Manchurian candidate has ended, thereby throwing Trump to the arena of our justice system. As the cops close in, the Russian getaway car will leave him behind, given there is indeed no honor among thieves. As long as we and our democratic republic survive, yes, it's about time to welcome this belated development.
2
It is very obvious that Russia/Putin has a chokehold on Trump.
During the campaign Trump had said that he saw no harm in "getting along" with Russia. However, his attitude towards Putin is not just about "getting along". It's way way beyond just "getting along". it's bending over backwards to the point of the US suffering a broken spine at this point. It's at the expense of all we stand for as a nation. It's at the expense of our allies.
We all know about Trump's impulsive early morning tweets, whether it's about governance and policy, or against a Democrat or the North Korean leader have held us spellbound. But his pin drop silence on Russia, the Russian hacking of our elections, the latest poisoning incident in the UK and so on, is all the more telling because of it.
I would venture to say that indeed the puppeteer has his puppet in a chokehold.
9
Seems to me that almost all of these actions by Russia would be considered terrorism if any other nation had executed similarly acts. What does Russia have on us that prevents us from doing the same to them? Perhaps a joint effort in the middle east?
2
No, a joint effort of Exxon-Mobil and Rosneff in the arctic.
3
I would not be so anxious to believe Theresa May. There is a lot missing in her investigation. Just because Novichok was used does not mean Russia Used. Every Oblast in the old USSR had the formula for that gas and some Oblast actively produced it. Also it is rumored that the formula has been published on the Internet So there are plenty of sources other than Russia for this nerve agent.
Personally I do not believe Russia used it. They are very anxious about hostile the World Cup and would not do anything to spoil that event.
Theresa May needs to investigate further and not run around screeching and demanding the world agree with her. Nikki Halley is just as bad. I wish we would replace her with a more moderate voice, preferably a man.
I am not sure at this point that the UK has the facts it needs to reach the conclusion it did. I think they just jumped to a conclusion and are not making a dogs breakfast of the whole matter.
As usual too little too late. Statements are one thing; action is another. Joining the Europeans in a strongly worded statement is well and good but we should be hurting Putin and his cronies where it hurts most. That means all out cyber attacks that will fry all the computers of Russian hackers and intelligence agencies; seizing Russian cash and real estate assets bought with laundered mob money, and kicking out any mob-connected Russian now residing in the United States, including any sons and daughters of oligarchs now enrolled in American universities
4
Why not impose sanctions on Mr Putin’s holdings? He is said to be one of the richest people in the world— must be that extremely high salary (NOT). Effectively move against his personal pocket book, and we might see a change in behavior.
2
By interfering in the 2016 American Presidential campaign and election Vladimir Putin played a winning hand no matter the outcome. Trump being amenable to lifting American isolation of and sanctions against Russia while the best outcome, inaction and silence would be acceptable as well.
But by calling into question the legitimacy of the election along with the credibility and integrity of key American institutions-news media, national intelligence- Russia has an enduring maelstrom that makes more mayhem that substantially benefits Russian values and interests to the detriment of America's.
5
Here's my humble two cents on why Trump is so desperate to please Putin:
When meeting with Putin before he officially began campaigning for president, Trump told Putin that if he was elected, Putin would have an "in" at the White House.
Of course Putin recorded the conversation.
I'm thinking that's what was in the "gift box" Putin gave to Trump.
Or should I say, a copy of that tape.
6
Almost sounds like Barack Obama’s famous offer of ‘flexibility’ to Putin just before the 2012 election.
I take issue with the basic premise behind the headline, and the article. The premise is this: That what Trump says is a reflection of his thoughts, of his intents, or of reality, and therefore that what he says is important.
Because we know that what he says is simply a reflection of whatever his con-artist reflex tells him his audience wants to hear. We know that his word cannot be counted on. We know that his intent is simply fulfillment of his own ego.
When the President does something meaningful, then write the article.
1
I'm done with this guy Trump. I kept hoping he'd start to get it and who wants to root for a Presidential failure anyway? Theresa May has demonstrated this week she has more guts than Trump in her statements on Russia. He is failing on the environment, his tax and budget plan add to the deficit and clearly didn't need to, and while he's added much to the defense budget, which I support, where is the cyber security and counter attack focus. And let's stop inflating Obama's actions on Russia. His limited actions against the same Russia clearly didn't have any impact on Putin either.
2
- Trump is clearly Putin's 'Manchurian Candidate.'
- his minimal response presages his minimal or non-response when/if Putin
invades a NATO country (e.g. the Baltics).
- it remains to be seen if yesterday's sanctions will actually still be enforced in
a few more months Trump thinks nobody is looking.
- the hacking of US power plants is
a) an old story - the Wall Street Journal reported on this some 10 or so
years ago. And continued to report it. And hacking also by China.
b) an indication of how ineffectual our 'Homeland Security' organization is:
in all these years almost nothing has been done to harden these facilities.
c) needs more than just the one sentence reference in this editorial: in the
event of an all-out war, North America will undergo a complete, blackout.
1
The rusted man of steel tariffs under the guise of national security to hurt and sabotage our security alliances, continues to support a true threat to our national security who has a bigger computer "Enter" button on his PC than our POTUS to remotely sabotage our infrastructure.
Trump's Tower of Treason may yet be built in Moscow after all, as a tribute to trump for destroying America. It may be no larger than a statue and certainly nothing taller than a Putin tower.
Trump serves as a positive feedback loop encouraging Putin to push the heinous line of international norms and standards of decency. No consequences.
He knows there are russophiles embedded in the White House and around him that could "wittingly or unwittingly" pull off a Skripal or Litvinenko on him. Perhaps that explains the up coming firing of McMaster as trump's way of atoning to Putin for his mild criticism of Russia.
3
Why does the NYT not call Trump for giving aid and comfort to an enemy by not enacting the Congressional sanctions and for his silence on Russian attacks both cyber and militarily against our forces with Russian mercenaries and civilians in Syria? Russia has committed acts of war against our troops in Syira and civilians in the Syria and with assignations in the UK. If Trump were to protect and defend the US he would immediately enact severe sanctions against Russia, including confiscating any and all financial and real assets of any Russian in the US or its territories, blocking any international funds transfers of the Russian government or individuals, disrupting any exported oil or natural gas from Russia, banning travel to Russia from any US port and destroying any Russian military aircraft or ships that harass our military or civilian aircraft or ships. With respect to the later, we simply assert that the Russian planes or ships had unfortunate accidents in their maneuvers too close to our assets. In other words, beat them at their own game.
Sorry Donald, but Putin is not your friend, even if he lent you a boatload of money. Do to him what you have done to so many others and are now doing with your deficit spending to the citizens of the US and this is to default on the debt you owe him. Yes, it will mean the end of your presidency, but history may not excoriate you, as it surely will if you remain silent while Putin attacks our democracy and infrastructure.
4
Trump has spent the last six months hoping that the mythical "400 pound guy in the basement" would appear and absorb all of this anti-Russian zeal. The guy in the basement hasn't materialized. In the meanwhile, Russia continues to commit atrocities that are ever more brazen and the Mueller probe has subpoena'd his financial document. Trump had to take the most minimal of steps. Too little, too late hardly does justice to the Russia sycophancy that Trump has shown. Now that they can mess with our nuclear power plants, we should all be trembling. And yet, the so-called Commander in Chief shows little interest in his most important job---keeping Americans safe.
2
Trump's reaction is easily identifiable with that of a school-yard bully:
He will attack anyone, anytime, when he knows he can do it with impunity.
But he shies away from directly attacking those who have something on him, and could do him considerably more harm than his attack would to them.
Consider the list of the unattacked, below. Coincidence? I think not.
But the level of intrigue increases exponentially as we go down this short list.
Stormy Daniels,
Robert Mueller,
Vladimir Putin.
9
Not only is what Donald Trump has to say about Russia short, but there's every reason to believe he'll change his mind at any given moment and retract it.
However no matter what the case may be, there's no way of denying that whatever he says is coming rather late in the game, particularly given the circumstances surrounding his own questionable activities and the Russian's influence on the 2016 election.
Given the gravitas of that situation, Mr. Trump should have taken the lead when it comes to excoriating their behaviour.
As is, he's only now meekly following behind UK Prime Minister Theresa May, who took both immediate action and publicly denounced them.
In light of Vladimir Putin's steely determination to place Russia at the top of the food chain no matter what it takes, the recent sanctions announced by the U.S. are nothing more than a drop in the bucket, since the real problem of cyber insecurity remains.
At this point, if the leaders of all free and democratic societies don't take a stance against Russia's increasing authoritarian threat, the entire world balance will be effected.
And to achieve this end, Mr. Trump can't afford to wait much longer. Neither can we.
3
Here is the problem that this President has. I don’t believe anything he says or will ever say and do ever again. My level of trust of the man is zero and will remain at zero forevermore. He has been lying with pants on fire from day one. And, I am now expected to believe anything he says and does? Nope. It is not going to happen.
The one and only thing that will satisfy me now is a complete economic embargo of Russia and freezing of all the Oligarchs’ assets till their backs are broken. What the Russians have done to this country is equivalent to what the Japanese did at Pearl Harbor and the reprisals should be proportionate to their declaration of war.
4
Russia's economy is the size of Italy's. It is more vulnerable than Italy because it is based almost solely on oil. Russia attacks us, is unanswered, so continues and expands its attack on the U.S. and elsewhere. Horrific actions in Syria, Ukraine and now, England.
The US is or will shortly be the world's leading producer of oil. It might be more effective to take some of the money budgeted to anachronistic fighter jets and spend it to provide cheap oil to countries to which Russia currently exports oil.
This seems more productive than proposing a trade war targeting our allies, ceding Asia to China by the stupidity of withdrawing from the TPP or withdrawing from the non-binding Paris Accord for the sole benefit of weakening NATO allies and their trust in us.
We should do this before Trump squanders the benefits of the Iran treat, empowers Iran's hardliners and undermines the generational change taking place there thanks to the treaty's opening of the modern world to Iran.
Repubs of all stripes before voting should consider that a country that is currently attacking the US wants them to support the Republican Party and Trump. Stop.
56
Any other President, regardless of party, would have spoken up and taken action a long time.ago. I, and I am not alone, am convinced that Putin and Russia have "something" on Trump whether it be loans, personal conduct or whatever. This American "Quisling" must be stopped before we no longer have the country we all knew and loved. Clothing yourself in a flag of false patriotism, commencing trade wars and constant crude and untruthful tweeting are not the makings or a great President. On the contrary, they are not the makings of a real American either.
27
Trump's business entanglements with Russian oligarchs has him compromised. Memo to voters, do not elect Presidents who are billionaires and refuse to reveal their business relationships prior to the vote.
25
After seeing what Putin, the Kremlin and FSB have done to everyone from Litvinenko and Skripal and his daughter and dozens in between, Trump doesn’t want his Diet Coke or Big Mac poisoned in retaliation for his betrayal of Mother Russia. His responses to Putin’s outrages have either been nonexistent or muted and too-little-too-late. All of his reactions and expressions have been utterly consistent with a Russian agent who fully grasps what happens to those who turn on their handlers.
26
I would love to know what our Manchurian President is referred as by his Russian handlers.
1
Trump can only go so far in condemning his handler Putin. Putin obviously has the “goods” on Trump (including, one can be sure, compromising videos and other evidence).
Isn’t it time for Putin to release the material?
14
As soon as we rid ourselves of the blight on the White House we can get back to real governance and diplomacy. In the meantime, normalizing the comb-over pustule that's holding our country hostage is a mistake by any standard or measure.
18
The problems is, we are already compromised, and I am not sure we can easily go back. The Russian encroachments have already allowed them to move closer to the line in the sand: Threats to shoot down US warplanes if they attack the “wrong” targets in support of Syrian rebels, Russian mercenaries who have no fear of shooting at US advisors in Syria, and the already tense situation in the Ukraine, are just example of their push to see show far the rest of the world will let them go. Of course, complicating this whole scenario, one that almost mirrors the kind of things Hitler did prior to WWII, are nuclear weapons. We get into a situation where one of planes get shot down now, what do you do, play a tit-for-tat game? And where does that lead us? Obama’s, and the rest of the western worlds, soft touch response to Crimea, and now Trump’s lack of response has put is between a rock and a hard place in terms of response options. Makes you wish we had a time machine so we could move back in time to create a different series of options.
If you were the leader of Russia or China, what would your geopolitical strategy be with Donald Trump in the white house and Britain exiting the EU? Whatever your goals might be, surely you would see this as an opportunity to advance them. Any actions Putin or Xi Jinping take should be viewed and analyzed in that light. The west is weakened, dysfunctional, vulnerable, and this will be exploited.
13
Finally a critical statement, albeit timidly and weakly connected to half hearted measures.
Very disappointing.
3
Regarding the sanctions announced yesterday you write:
"While this was Mr. Trump’s most significant anti-Russia move..."
You are wrong. There are at least two much more significant anti-Russia 'moves' that Trump has implemmented:
Late last year Tump announced that the US would supply lethal weapons to a Ukraine, including advanced anti-tank missiles. Russia was and is adamantly opposed to this move. The Obama administration 'considered' supplying such weapons but never followed through.
In addition, under the Trump administration the US has become a significant factor in natural gas and oil production and pricing. Approval of domestic pipelines and easing of export restrictions have kept world energy prices lower than they would have under a Clinton administration. Oil and gas revenues make up half of Russia's national budget and Russia has long backed anti-fracking and anti-fossil fuel groups in Europe and the US (talk about collusion) in an attempt to discourage competition.
Your focus on the minutia of sanctions ignores the much bigger impact of the policy changes mentioned above.
1
For a man who is such an equal opportunity abuser of people close to him, not close to him, American citizens, and American allies, he's had no harsh words for Putin or Russia in general. I have no doubt Putin has something on him, or DT is compromised.
9
Trump will go only as far in criticizing Russia that the prospect of building a gleaming Moscow Trump tower will allow.
11
Gosh! I thought Obama was the one with the big red "reset button!"
3
Hmm. Tillerson speaks out about Russia - gets fired. McMaster speaks out about Russia - evidently now on the chopping block. Curiouser and curiouser.
22
Your chronology is wrong. Tillerson was fired the Friday before.
When when Trump counts his assets, he has to convert Russian rubles into dollars
9
Boycott Russia's World Cup! Those prestige events are the kind of ego-boosters that Putin actually cares about. Western countries should announce a joint boycott immediately, before Russia votes, so the Russian public can see what Putin's atrocities do for Russia's standing worldwide. Better yet, announce a new venue. Let Russia play against Bielorussia and Transdniestria and whatever they call the Donbass region now-- all those "countries" that are Russia's "friends". European and American democracies can choose a better place to play football.
15
After Stormy maybe Trump thinks that the Russian pictures of him can't be worse. Might as well do something for the job t hand.
4
Crazy Trump is the only one who can save the Western world from Putin. Preceding governments simply emboldened him. You might hate him in America but there is more at stake internationally. Watch your back. Russia and China are on the rise and they are MEAN.
2
It's almost as if the Russians have some dirt on Trump, whether financial or pornographic, and they helped him get elected knowing he wouldn't dare act on their bad behavior and might even rescind previous sanctions.
4
I wish your editorial page would detail once and for all why you imagine a military confrontation with a nuclear power would be great for the country.
3
Upon close reading of this editorial and especially the last sentence - "impose stronger financial and diplomatic measures to reign him in" - it is apparent that the NYT editorial board is advocating only for non-military means of penalizing Russia for it's acts of aggression: sanctions (non military means) in the UN (the mechanism created post WWII to attempt to mitigate military conflict) as well as through NATO. NATO allies neighboring Russia certainly do not want military conflict. Yet knowing their neighbor well, they have been clamoring for America to be a ballast against Russia's growing dominance in the region. The danger is that military confrontation much more likely to happen if nations are NOT willing to impose penalties for Putin's continued aggressions and breaking of international laws. I can't see into the mind of the NYT editorial board, but I suspect this is a motivating factor behind the editorials they write calling for a more robust response by the U.S./Trump.
Not confronting an aggressive, hostile nuclear power now doesn't mean there won't be a confrontation. It means there will be a worse one a bit later. Weakness emboldens tyrants.
1
If you so fear Russia, why not sit down and negotiate with them?
Why not try a rational approach instead of insults and threats?
Is it not the US and its allies who have surrounded Russia with bases and missiles--not the other way around?
Was not the elected government of Ukraine overthrown by the US and replaced with an atrocious Fascist regime?
It is not "Rusian dominance" but the aggresive forces of US imperialism--the armed US forces now in Syria, Poland, Niger, the Baltics and dozens of other nations around the world--whom the world has to fear, and does fear.
Finally!! Trump received permission from Putin to say something negative about Russia. But he had to fire Tillerson in order to say anything.
12
Trump's comments are pretty weak, He doesn't condemn Russia, "it just seems like Russia has poisoned the ex-spy". That hardly is a firm solid condemnation. It is like"Vlad sorry but if I don't admit you did something wrong it will smell bad for me".
9
Look out for the demagogue Trump and his master Putin.
Russia (and China) are major supporters of North Korea and can economically support or destroy them.
Look for Putin to prop up his plant in the WH Trump with instructions to Kim to give Trump a temporary victory in the upcoming talks ahead of the 2018 midterms.
19
It's a common refrain in much of the news media (and certainly online) that Trump is a Russian stooge. I never bought into that line. He's far too ignorant and, let's face it, dimwitted to be of much use as a stooge. I am of the belief that Putin favored Trump - and interfered in our elections - because having an unstable nincompoop in office would severely weaken the United States without having to fire a single shot.
And look at Russia now. Running roughshod over Syria. Setting off nerve-gas attacks in the UK. And, according to a report in today's Times, hacking into nuclear and power grids in the US and Europe.
Putin is flexing his muscles precisely because the US is governed by an Idiocracy.
Incremental sanctions won't do much of anything. If the West wants to get serious, it ought to expropriate all Russian assets within its borders. There's billions of Russian dollars in London, New York and Paris. Boycott the World Cup en masse unless FIFA strips it away from Russia. Recall ambassadors. And enact sanctions with real bite.
Unfortunately with Trump in charge of the US, the chances of this succeeding are close to nil.
We - and our European allies - are beset by a hostile power. Maybe it's 25th amendment time?
173
And Trump makes us look like a hostile power
1
In terms of standing up to Putin was Obama dimwitted or a stooge?
Crimea, East Ukraine, Syria, elections. should I go further? Because it is plenty more. The funniest moment was with Romney.
Trump knows the Russia collusion hysterics by democrats and their media lapdogs is all nonsense. That's why no action. When there is a scintilla of evidence to the contrary, publish it. There is none. Full stop.
2
It wouldn't be at all surprising to learn that Putin had given Trump permission to give Russia a mild rebuke. It must be clear to the Russian dictator that even the most imbecilic Trump supporter is getting a tiny bit wiser. In the near future it is all going to come out. Remember Nixon.
9
Wouldn’t it be great if Putin “happened” to lose the election on Sunday?
1
Pathetic. Dereliction of Duty Donald hides from confrontation with his Lord and master Vladimir who owns him. The House Un Intelligence committee has evidence he himself violated sanctions by negotiating for a loan with a sanctioned Russian Bank. He will NEVER impose pain on Putin who has a hold on him from a host of illegal financial activities.
Trump is out of control; he is dangerous, maniacal, ruthless, and cornered. We are all in jeopardy because the Republican Sycophant Congress will not force him to enact meaningful sanctions against Russia and Putin the Murderer. Trump the Impotent Tyrant doesn't protect the electoral process nor does he take steps to defend our power grid. He only defends the Trump Empire--not the American people. Trump is a maniacal traitor who is on an orgy of firing his staff and replacing them with ignorant and incompetent cable TV hosts. God save us from this unfolding calamity.
14
Where is the punishment to Russia for cyber hacking our power structures during the run up to the 2016 election, at the same time it was hacking into and disrupting the election?
3
Speaking ill about Russia has been an American illness, hammered into us at birth, since the 1920's nonstop. We never even thanked them for defeating Germany in 1945. Hating Russia is an American Hobby, a broken record, a nasty thing to do. I do not.
2
Check your history. Russia joined with Hitler to conquer and partition Poland. They only fought because Hitler invaded. Yes, they fought heroically and suffered horribly but they probably would have lost without massive U.S. material aide. And then ask the countries of eastern Europe how they felt about their post war Russian oppression.
1
I recently read Churchill's trilogy The Second World War. I highly recommend the third book, The Grand Alliance about the end of WWII. Of course it is apparent that the Allies (not the USSR alone) defeated Hitler. And for a long time Great Britain stood virtually alone in pushing back against the onslaught of the German war machine.
During the Battle for Britain, Stalin's government - having signed a mutual non-aggression pact with Germany as well as making a secret plan to divvy up the defeated nations upon the conclusion of the war - sat on the sidelines doing nothing, waiting for their share of the spoils. So, although Churchill was extremely thankful that, once Hitler attacked the USSR, Stalin was forced to join the war; his gratitude was tempered with a healthy dose of distrust for Stalin. In the end, Churchill's impulse to caution proved wise.
So, should we thankful to the 10+ million Soviet soldiers who died fighting Hitler? Absolutely. Should we not speak ill of Stalin's government which conspired with Hitler to divide the spoils of war and later killed an estimated 20 million of its own citizens? Or not speak ill of Putin who invaded Crimea, meddled in our elections, used nerve gas in England, imprisons journalists, and bombed the crap out of Syria? Absolutely not.
1
RT (Russia Today) and Sputnik (internet) should not be allowed to operate nor distribute their propaganda on Facebook, etc in the US.
4
The Times continues to provide a clarion voice on the Russian threat, with courage and clarity that serves as a worthy example to our leaders and the world. However, standing up to the Russians requires more than journalism and diplomacy. It will soon require military muscle. Where is the Times's clarion voice on the subject of our defense budget? Connect the dots, oh editor. Think through the full consequences of the positions you are advocating.
1
You just don't get it. As President Trump has explained before, cyberattacks could have been done by a 400 pound man sitting on a bed. Now we know that the perpetrator's bed was in Russia. So we just have to blow up the bed and -- problem solved! No need to start confiscating Russian assets. Trump probably hopes that Russians find a way to help Republicans in the mid-term elections coming up -- they need it.
3
Should we fear or is it just “coincidence” that he fires our National Security Advisor at the same time?
2
I suspect this is a dodge to help show that he is a tough guy on Russia as the noose tightens around his corrupt neck. Yet another distraction. The truth is that he is completely owned by Russia- wait till the money laundering charges start to appear....
2
And today McMaster was fired, possibly for his intemperate remarks.
1
It's about time that the Times and everyone else started insisting on pushing back on Russia HARD.
Special forces in Ukraine and Crimea is a way to start there.
Shooting down Russian planes in Syria is a good way to start there.
We can't be afraid of war, or Russia will simply keep going.
One almost thinks that poisoning a few Russian agents might be in order, or maybe just give Putin a very bad stomach ache for a few days as a warning to show that we can get to him ?!
1
This is a sure sign that Trump Inc. is getting very, very worried. When Americans finally learn of Trump's financial debts to Russia and his money laundering, they will realize that shirtless Putin is pulling the reins on Donny like he does on his photo-op horses.
4
Russia must be putting the kabosh on some Trump business project or other in Moscow or St. Petersburg, or else told the Trump Organization that Russia won't be providing any more loans to it. Otherwise, we wouldn't be hearing a peep out of Trump that could be construed as criticism of Vlad The Impaler.
2
The Times should focus on Trump's actions rather than his words. And you will see that he has been stronger against Russia than even Obama. Two examples.
First, Congress authorized provision of lethal aid to Ukraine, including the sale of our most advanced anti-tank missiles, the Javelin, which flies up and drops down to attack the weakest point of tanks - the top of their turrets. Obama considered this but ruled out the sale, fearing Putin's reaction. Recently Trump authorized the sale of hundreds of Javelins, and our special forces are now training Ukrainian forces in how to kill Russian soldiers.
Second, Obama gave Putin free rein in Syria, scared of confrontation. But recently, under Trump's ultimate command, our military killed 100-200 Russian soldiers in a counterattack in Syria - more Russians killed by our military than the total during the Cold War.
Plus, he just enacted additional sanctions against Russia.
So while the Times and libs whine about Trump's words as a candidate and cry collusion and impeachment, Trump's actions as a President prove that he is acting with utmost force against Russia. Our President is killing Russian soldiers - directly and indirectly. Short of outright war, it doesn't get more antagonistic than that. But maybe that's what libs are hoping for.
2
"He won't stop until the United States stands up to him....".
Please exchange 'He' with 'Trump' and know the truth....WE have to stand up to TRUMP before anything can happen with standing up to Putin. Putin and Trump, Trump and Putin.
WE have to stand up to BOTH of them! WE need to hit the streets and stand up to them!
3
The only way to change DJT's behavior is to talk to him in the simple language he understands.
Not taking STRONG measures against Russia makes him, DJT, look WEAK and makes Putin look STRONG.
Then again, we all know why he doesn't stand up to Putin and Russia: they have money and video on him and he's ransomed to the Kremlin.
1
Our President is a traitor. He's a big fan of the autocratic, authoritarian, Communistic, human-rights destroyer Vladimir Putin. And, by the way, he is supported by many Christians, Republicans, evangelicals, right-wing media, billionaire super-PACs, conservative Americans. This is what the Republican party is now. Speak this truth, often.
Trump wants money; as he's wanted all his life. He is nothing at all like the penniless, homeless traveler, Jesus of Nazareth. Why so many 'Christians' are following this guy is worth noting. Republicanism is clearly about money. Trump, a self-proclaimed, arrogant billionaire, cuts taxes for the very rich. We now have 'elected' money-changers to run our government (though, on Sunday we profess something very different).
Democrats must be vocal about supporting compassion and love for our country and it's people. Immigrants that are here must be helped, but to neglect the needs of the native-poor is immoral. We need to slow immigration at least long enough to provide better lives for the tens of millions in poverty and the others very close to it (and falling).
Our rents are being paid to hedge funds and foreign investors. Our country's for sale. Our President is for sale. Such is the long decline of 'advanced capitalism'. The New York Times and other media have been reluctant to say such, partly because advertising dollars mean a lot, and the rich are truly 'powerful'.
Democrats need to care. Care about this country and world. Live it.
3
It is only a feint to distract us from those untangling the strings leading to his puppetmaster.
1
"Finally" is the operative word, but with Donald Trump you always have to ask if he really means it. And, if he does why? Politically, it could be a win-win for Mr. Trump. First, by standing up to Vladimir Putin he may be seeking to put to rest that he's "Putin's puppet" and that they have "kompormat" on him. Second, it may be a calculated political step toward a more confrontational and conflictual foreign policy which attempts to distract from the Mueller investigation and Stormy Daniels and unite the nation from an external threat. The one thing we can be sure of in assessing Donald Trump is that no actions are taken just for the good of the nation, but mainly for what is good for him.
72
Why would President Trump condemn Russia for interference in our political system when he owes his presidency to just that interference. Indeed, he asked for such interference when he asked the Russians to find Hillary Clinton's "missing emails." Maybe tongue in cheek, but you can infer a lot from what people find funny.
1
Our longtime adversary has breached our gates of a 21st century war, and trump only "enhances" the sanctions President Obama initiated?
When does everyone acknowledge that not only have our democratic institutions been greatly compromised, but so has our safety?
And trump leaves open all doors. This is beyond treason.
1
It’s a good bet that White House spin masters advised the president to at least make a show of protest against his political benefactor. His words come a day late and a dollar short. It’s as though he read a cue card from his national security adviser who is rumored to be on his way out the door.
Russia’s hacking into our domestic power grids shows how serious they are in destroying America. They already seem to own and know how to navigate the intricate networks of the vast American political apparatus, right down to voting districts, voting blocs and voting patterns. They have American politics and civics down to a science. Can attacks on our water and food sources and destruction of crops and dairy products be far behind?
The threat of Russia’s cyber war on America makes even more nefarious the Republican House Committee’s decision to shut down their investigation of any Russian collusion to harm our country. Congressional Republicans, like the president, still think that the Russian Bear is harmless.
130
@Masked Man: “They have American politics and civics down to a science.” What an astute observation. Too bad American citizens don’t give two hoots about politics and civics. Russians read, too;they study history and government—theirs and other people’s— while Americans watch cable television.
5
I don't think they believe the Russian bear is harmless. I think they don't care about any harm done as long as they still think they are in control.
2
Do not forget that the Russians also hacked into the RNC, a Kompromat rich environment that they have already employed in the form of Devin Nunes.
The vacuum of leadership in the White House reveals itself to more dangerous day by day. Russia knows it can act with impunity, given Trump’s unnatural affinity for all things Russian, the web of verifiable lies by so many around Trump about their contacts with Russia, and the fact that Trump is incapable of sustained, coherent policy decisions. Now he is firing the few “moderating”voices around him and replacing them with sycophants. If Pompeo and the rumored pick of John Bolton to head NSA don’t scare you, they should.
We desperately need leadership that will (1) impose strict and overwhelming sanctions on Russia where it will hurt, and (2) quickly implement federally required changes and protections to our grid and infrastructure. Congress? Paul Ryan? Mitch McConnell? When will you finally love your country more than you do your self-interest? Hopefully before it is too late.
37
Cyber attacks are the new battleground. Our military budget needs to by invested in hardening our critical infrastructure from cyber attack rather than building conventional weapons like more aircraft carriers and submarines.
2
By now, humanity should be thankful to the Editorial Board for determining “a more robust, unified response” in terms of “stronger financial and diplomatic measures” pointed mainly at “Mr. Putin’s wealthy cronies and their families” (nice touch the familial allusion), instead of pushing for further expansion of NATO ending up in a humanitarian intervention against Putin, whom a former Editorial described as declaring “a war against the West”– indeed a prudent and measured response.
Knowing the authoritarian nature of Putin’s regime, one shouldn’t envy his advisers which may have assured him that “targeted killing” (see, among many other incidents, scores of Iranian nuclear scientists eliminated absent any clear and present danger), is not only an internationally accepted “Black Op” modus operandi, but may also end up with a lucrative publishing contracts and generous reviews in the Books Section.
Trump has said often that he wishes to take our enemies by surprise. Advanced warnings and useless dribble serves the enemy. Trump will retaliate against our enemies, be assured.
Since you seem to know his intentions so well, can you tell us when?
1
Given the disarray in the State Dept,, the simple mechanics of how this got done would be a story in itself.
6
If it were solely up to Trump, Russia would not be censored. I'm surmising the impetus came from General Mattis. It is also ironic and interesting that Mueller subpoenaed the Trump company today. Why did Trump finally speak out today? What's he hiding? Like most Americans how much longer do we have to endure Trump? How can we trust a president who lies to Trudeau then brags about it.
45
Ever since 9/11, in the name of supposedly promoting cooperation, our government has tolerated an array of unfair, hostile, duplicitous, and threatening activities by Russia, China, Pakistan, and others. While we were distracted with the immensely stupid invasion of Iraq, and then by the horrors of ISIS, these nuclear-armed, cyberproficient countries have made mischief. We now seem to at least have an administration that may be willing to take serious actions, and instill some fear and respect in those who wish to be our enemies. Let's hope for some effective responses, in concert with our equally tolerant allies such as the UK, Germany, and France.
2
This is beginning to have all of the elements of a modern tragedy. You generally know where its going, but you're simply left to watch it unfold in slow motion before your eyes. And when the spark hits the powder, we'll be wondering how it all happened.
17
Even Charlie McCarthy insulted Edgar Bergen, but in reality it was still Edgar pulling the strings.
Trump is still Putin's puppet.
39
Putin has been testing the perimeters and found them lacking so that he could invade Crimea and eastern Ukraine, infiltrate election systems in the West, undermine power grids to create chaos, and Trump the stable genius has made Not a whinny. Only after Teresa May and Nicki Haley have drawn clear lines as has Angela Merkel and Macron, does Trump make a weak remark. He has let down the defensive walls between us and Russia so that they could attack us. He believes that if Putin says he isn’t responsible, then it must be a four hundred pound genius in his room who is responsible. It will now take the combined effort of all of our allies, NATO and the European Union, to prevent Putin from further incursions into our sovereign states. We must hoist him with his own petard, and if Trump is caught in the mousetrap along with him, so be it.
15
Here lies a great certainty;
" He won't stop until he knows that the United States will stand up to him and work with its allies to impose stronger financial and diplomatic measures to rein him in."
The response given by the Commander and Chief of Our United States of America are but hollow words.
This little man listens to no one be it the people he surrounds himself with or documented facts. Trump's actions, and/or lack of confirm my conviction that he will continue to frantically hold on to a dangerous secret regarding Putin and his family business ties with Russia.
This man's sole identity is his wealth. A wealth he contiunes to protect and acquire by any means possible. A wealth that brought him to the head seat of the 1% club, and his obsession of power that feeds his crippled ego.
The real danger our nation faces regarding all Russian issues is this silent GOP.
vote them all out of their seats of the majority.
20
All That we needed for good Republicans in Congress to stop doing nothing. Paul Ryan, why is that clown Devon Nunes still head of the oversight committee?
2
Of course Trump won't say anything bad about Putin or Russia. Trump still has Trump Tower Moscow, Trump Tower Sochi, Trump Tower Black Sea Resort, etc which he can sell for billions to Russian oligarchs. The Trump brand is synonymous with oligarch lifestyle and prized by those who want to outfit their lives with a strongman image.
4
It's taken me 63 years but I finally figured out that if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and sounds like a duck - it's probably a duck. Trump is compromised, bigtime. Whether it's a sex tape or money or both, our Presidential Clown would NEVER pass up a chance to point the finger (and deflect his shortcomings) unless there were big danger is doing so. My grandchildren will be reading of this years from now and say, "It was all so obvious, why didn't somebody DO something?".
64
So long as Trump Businesses have financial dependencies on Russia, Trump will minimize the response to Russian aggression - just as his campaign did in crafting the Republican platform with respect to Russia's invasion of the Ukraine.
He is co-opted, compromised, and unable to risk his debts being called.
16
So, what? You miss the cold war and can't wait to get it going again?
The Times, which has had a long history of calling for calm and for level-headed, clear-eyed diplomatic engagement in times of conflict, seems to think the USS Maine has just been sunk, and that Havana Harbor is somewhere east of St. Petersburg.
ENOUGH!
Of course they have spies and hackers. So do we, and if we think it's ok for us to hack and sabotage Iran's power grid, as we have done, then we'd better expect it can happen to us, too.
Russia is a great power. It would be insane to pick a fight with them when we could be working together to build a more peaceful and prosperous world.
1
Russia is a world power, but their economy is smaller than Italy’s
They sure weren’t a world power when the USSR collapsed
They’re a paper tiger with nuclear weapons like Pakistan
1
Not only has he said "nothing bad about Russia", he hasn't done anything that wouldn't benefit them, even if it is over the best interests of America and her allies. Now, we discover that Russian hackers have the power to take down our entire grid system. Whatever Russia is holding over Trump is worth more to him than the destruction of our democracy and we need to find out about it before worse happens. Putin and his pals have ravaged their own country and neighboring countries natural resources for their personal benefit, killed opponents and squashed the free press. We can't allow that to happen here!
12
Trump thinks like a businessman not like a president. The first rule of business is not to bite the hand that feeds you. This is why it's so important for our politicians to divest themselves from their businesses if they choose to run for office. They need to be able to focus on what's good for the country, something that's difficult when you're worried about your bread and butter. Trump needs to decide if he represents the Trump brand or the United States.
139
Ami - Trump made that decision already. He represents the Trump-owned fortune and everything else, including America;s future, comes into consideration only after his own nest is fully feathered in gold.
3
Done. He has decided.
2
I would say he's already decided he represents his brand, not the United States. Congress should already be looking at our laws about divesting business interests and disclosing tax returns. I haven't heard any significant movement on these issues.
2
We are essentially at war with Russia and we have an administration that has been bowing and praising everything Russian. The joint consensus with England is at best a lukewarm response. When one considers the serious alerts that Russia is hacking our energy system. Government has a legitimate role in our society and our security in myriad ways is part and parcel of that duty. However, we've allowed private industry to be the guardians of our grid. While the power industry may be interested in security; they are more interested in profit. Furthermore, they are using outdated software. A study by Firefly a cypersecurity firm found that it took private industry an average of 279 days to even realize a breach.
Cyperattacks provide opportunities for even third tier military powers to attack the heartland of any country that is its enemy even though they don't have conventional nor nuclear weapons. May I suggest a reading of Ted Koppel's book 'Lights Out' which outlines and expands on much of the ideas I've noted.
7
Until the countries of the west do not take away the assets of Putin, his frontmen and, friends, Russia will not stop its attacks and interferences in any country they want, most of all this one. Theresa May is right. She can do it because there is no apparent conflict of interests.
In our country, an anti-corruption initiative against Russian assets is further away. As stated by Donald Junior, Russians represent a considerable ("disproportionate") percentage of buyers in Trump developments. With one hand Trump make business with Russian oligarchs and with the other confiscate the same properties he sold to them?
We have a situation where the president's own interests conflict in a very intertwined mesh of Trump companies, criminal investigations, subpoenas and Trump's admiration for strongmen.
1
Mr.Trump is all about limiting immigration and building a wall to keep Mexicans from getting into the country.While he has been railing about these subjects the Russians have successfully injected themselves into our election,helping to shred our most sacred right to vote without fear that it will be compromised.They have also used their cyber tools to invade our utilities in order to cripple our services.The deliberately myopic Mr.Trump has been looking in all the wrong places for threats to the United States.
14
Trump's “It certainly looks like the Russians were behind it,” - is hardly a ringing endorsement of Nikki Haley's' unequivocal support and condemnation: "The United States stands in “absolute solidarity” with Britain after the attack. Russia’s use of chemical weapons on the soil of another United Nations member is a “defining moment,” she said, and there is a need to “hold Russia accountable.” Domestically Trump seems emboldened by the relative lack of blowback over his firing of Tillerson - but his equivocation and lack of a definitive response to Russian US election meddling and attempted murder on British soil paints him as being either cowardly or compromised.
108
If Russia is to be held accountable for spreading misinformation, shouldn't this standard apply everywhere? How about multinational and US-based oligarchs, corporations, Super-PACS, political parties, foreign-government lobbyists, and news media? What punishments should be applied when these entities use propaganda and misinformation in the U.S. to sway elections and affect policy? Should the punishments be more severe if these entities, especially through the use of establishment media, use misformation to bring the country to war, resulting in casualties?
5
The response to Russia's aggression should have been unequivocal and bold and it should have come directly from the president's mouth. It's obvious that Trump has to be goaded into action by his subordinates. Either he doesn't understand the seriousness of Russia's offenses or he doesn't want to. He is too preoccupied with sending nonsensical tweets and while he tweets, our national security suffers.
12
Not a single American President in our history has been this weak on Russia or any other international threat. Russia is a real issue for all Americans, much more so than North Korea. And yet, American leadership is deathly quiet on this issue, far to consumed with moving chairs (budget busting taxes, who will be fired next, how to avoid the wrath of the gun lobby, how to stymy elections, etc.) around on the deck of the Titanic. This is not Washington's, Jefferson's, Lincoln's, Roosevelt's, Kennedy's, Reagan's, Clinton's America, this is a far darker and much more political and inept America.
We need LEADERSHIP on this substantive issue (and many more), and we need it now, before the goose who laid the golden egg is gone!
12
Trump's remarks are telling, when one stops to think how tough he talks in front of his crowds of supporters.
Any other political figures who come off as all talk, no action, would be labeled, "paper tigers."
In Trump's case, it's very difficult to envision a TOOTHLESS "paper tiger."
2
I find all this handwringing and parsing of Trump's every word bizarre, given how the Times had no problem when Barack Obama was caught passing a secret message to Putin that he would give him more "flexibility" once the election was over. The Times was right there when Obama foolishly lectured Mitt Romney that fear of Russian aggression was so 1980s. I firmly believe that we should be tougher with Russia, but frankly the Trump administration has been more forceful by providing the Ukrainians weapons than the Obama Administration ever was. Trump has not tried any ridiculous reset. Trump has not backed off of missile defense in Europe without exacting any concessions from the Russians. Whatever criticisms are due the Trump Administration, the Democrats and the Times have no standing to make those criticisms, because their sudden concern about Russia is "too little, too late," and would not exist if Clinton had won the election.
1
According to current and past trends in World Order Policy, he who has the biggest gun rules and those who have big enough guns will be deemed worthy of negotiations. The real question is whether Trump's refusal to criticize Russia is just part of his moxie or his new found bravado might actually have collusion consequences. Putin has put the world on notice, while Trump embracing neo- liberals might just call for a meeting in Moscow.
1
It's clear that Trump, in the face of overwhelming evidence of Russia's continuous and outrageous acts against both American interests and our cherished democratic institutions in its persistent and targeted attempts to subvert our democracy, has had to say "something" or face the real prospect of looking like Putin's patsy which he has, without fail, always revealed himself to be.
It has taken far too long for the president to react. His silence speaks volumes to his personal vulnerability when it comes to his Russian ties. I suspect that he has only done so in the face of growing public suspicion of Trump's loyalty and motives. Any of our previous presidents would have reacted in much stronger terms on the world stage, and without hesitation. Not Trump.
Clearly Russia has leverage over Trump. Otherwise, why has he been so timid when he, by comparison, is so obnoxious and belligerent when it comes to just about everything else when things don't go his way?
I believe that, in the end, Trump will be revealed to be the supple puppet that Putin has cleverly engineered. Putin has been pulling those strings all along and Trump has been suspiciously quiet when any of our previous presidents would have roared like a lion in the face of the same challenges.
In the end, history will record this period in our history to be one of its darkest. I believe that Trump's impeachment is almost a certainty should the Dems gain majority status. Either that or he will resign as Nixon did.
10
The question is not who Trump will stand against but who who will stand against Trump. As Putin is a threat to democracy in Russia and democracy at large - so is Trump.
15
Finally, Trump's critics recognize reality. Trump's Administration has been very hard on Russia. His critics, meanwhile, wait for him to "say something" about Russia. Their demands are childish. Using our military to battle Russia, as Trump has done, is much more significant than "saying something".
The Don is shocked, shocked that Putin has been engaging in such conduct. And his response was to round up the usual suspects. It is as if FDR's response to Pearl Harbor was to bar the Japanese admirals from holding American bank accounts.
Not quite what is needed. At the very least, a directive to the entire government to immediately implement all measures that can be taken to secure us against cyber warfare. This would include requiring that all critical systems, such as power plants, be disconnected from the internet ("air gapped"), and that all votes be cast on old-fashioned, but unhackable, paper ballots.
Indeed, after years of allowing the Russians to access our systems we have no way of knowing what damage they will be able to do before we can secure them.
20
"He won’t stop until he knows that the United States will stand up to him and work with its allies to impose stronger financial and diplomatic measures to rein him in."
Somebody better tell Donald Trump that his meekness in the face of Russian aggression here and abroad could cause a major power outage, nuclear power plant explosion, or any number of hair-raising scenarios.
This latest intrusion is harrowing: Russian hackers at the throttles of our power plants and electrical grids.
Does this president--despite whatever kompromat Putin has on him--want to suffer the consequences of allowing further infrastructure attacks on our soil? Does "Mr. Make America Great Again" and "I will protect you" want that on his already soiled shoulders?
Putin is only acting as any unchecked dictator would. Emboldened by the political mess his hackers unleashed on our polarized country, and profiting from the political weakness of the May government, he roams the globe wreaking havoc.
And he'll continue so long as US keeps abdicating its former leadership role in countering aggression against democratic states, starting with our own.
204
Not meek. Works for Putin. It is so so obvious. How could any thoughtful person call Trump meek?
1
@Uri Pelham: Meekness is the word I used. Meekness here describes "mild" or submissive, which in the case of Putin, this president decidedly is. He's certainly not meek when dealing with any other person on God's earth than Putin. But his "meekness", or submission is the very definition of a man decidedly cowed by Putin likely because of Kompromat.
3
We must think outside this box. In 1947 George Kennan wrote his famous long telegram in which he advocated for Russian containment in what was quickly evolving into the Cold War. We are at another point where a Cold War is happening, but not like its ancestor. The new Cold War, and we hope it stays cold, needs new tactics. So far the west hasn’t acknowledged it or taken many steps to counter it. But we need another long telegram, some leadership and first and foremost an acknowledgement of the reality on the ground. The playing field this time is cyber space not the plains of Central Europe and we need a new long telegram, certainly we need more than a Tweet.
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Compare and contrast the leadership back then vs now. The horror! We have no leadership. Our government has been taken over by adolescent criminals.
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What we *need* is a REAL President.
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Now that Russia has poisened people in Great Britain, and NSA is warning that the Russian's are sitting on some of America's infrastructure software, Donald Trump is going to act with our NATO allies. Really? After insulting and lying to just about everyone one of them? Well okay.
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Putin has promised to not turn of the lights at the Mar-a-Largo millionaire fundraisers.
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Sanctions against the same entities as had been identified by the Robert Mueller investigation, and a little tough talk about Russian meddling through cyber attacks and disinformation campaign across several Western countries but no strategic plan to retaliate and prevent Russian cyber aggression could simply be a face saving move on the part of Trump, and nothing beyond this which could really inflict pain and cost on Russia.
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“Palos si boga, y palos si no boga” (roughly, “Damned if you do, damned if you don’t”). The editors should just admit that if Trump personally brought world peace and universal prosperity, AND personally cured Parkinson’s, they’d STILL detest him.
Oh, and the cartoon suggests that Putin is 4-5 inches taller than he really is.
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I give Mr. Putin credit for looking taller than he really is--which this cartoon rightly portrayed. When you're the world's richest man, your influence can be outsized in any setting.
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Ann:
Now, you've outed Putin as extraordinarily wealthy. That will anger him, as it will make him vulnerable to excessive taxation demands by liberals from Berlin to Sacramento.
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Well, Richard, that are quite a few "ifs", and I don't believe we have to worry in the least that he'll even think of attempting any of those things. So, based on his actions so far, he's earned being detested!
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Only because he needs a fig leaf for his upcoming firing of Robert Mueller, who has been too close for comfort for some time now.
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Sanctions on Russia...
Tariffs on steel...
Gun control measures...
Health care reform...
Immigration reform...
Trump Org will donate profits to Treasury...
He'll release his tax returns...
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Announcing and doing are very different things. We shall see.
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Donald Trump has something bad to say about Russia? That wish-washy mumbling about the poisonings?
Donald Trump would not care one bit if Americans started toppling over by the hundreds and/or thousands after being poisoned by the Russians. As long as it would not be Jared, Ivanka, Donnie Jr, and his other children, he would be just fine.
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Perhaps the poisoning in England was a warning to Trump about his and Ivanka's safety if Mueller's investigation gets too close to Putin.
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My grandmother could have frightened the military Russian intelligence officers, and Vladimir Putin, better from her front porch, than the Oval Office managed to do today.
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Let's not get the warm-fuzzies because trump said something. It is just MORE distraction from don Jr's divorce announcement, Stormy Daniels standing up for her rights, Cohen probably breaking the law with a "campaing contribution " and oh so much more, not to mention this week he had the worst REX in 40 years. Donny is going anywhere near Putin--his golden IDOL. This is definitely NOT presidential.
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This is what is happening today. I bet Trump will change his mind and undo the sanctions after some Russians speak with him. He was willing to toughen laws until the NRA stepped in. This is no different.
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It should be lost on no one that Trump dragged his feet in making his rebuke of Russia. He has left it to his subordinates, like Ms. Haley, to play the heavy. And it seems like no coincidence that Rex Tillerson was fired immediately after bluntly declaring that the more we tried to befriend Russia, the more aggressive they were. An act of murder was even more than the administration could tiptoe around.
Considering that Trump rushes to speak regardless of having truth on his side, it defies credulity to think that he waited to weigh in on Russia until all the facts were in. The facts have been looking us in the face for over a year, and Trump calls them "a witch hunt" or "fake news." The fact is that Trump worries more about toeing Putin's line than about standing up for our country.
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@NM, NY: Spot-on, as is usual with you. Comes now tonight a report from WaPo that His Highness is set to serve up H. R. McMaster to the hungry sharks beneath the descending plank. General McMaster, recall, was critical of Russia’s “alleged” muddying of our 2016 election and was in agreement with intelligence agency chiefs that the Russians see the 2018 mid-terms as a wide-open field day for more electoral mischief. Trump can’t have him around after that, can he?
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"...The fact is that Trump worries more about toeing Putin's line than about standing up for our country."
Couldn't agree more. Trump has been Putin's patsy...his puppet. Putin's been pulling the strings from the very beginning.
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He “let” Haley speak out as his cover when he fires sessions
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Editorial Board, I think your headline is misleading and inaccurate.
I almost resent the cavalier way in which you allow the president to slide away from responsibility for his long-held silence on this matter. Yes, his administration did, today, offer up some sort of blowback against Russia for its violation of Great Britain's sovereignty. The fact that the targets were ex-spies for Mother Russia does not mitigate the fact that they were attacked on British soil. If one stops to consider this, it means that a hostile foreign power has, with insolence and impunity, invaded another country to murder two individuals. And Donald Trump, the American president, was molasses-slow to condemn it, almost as if he were looking over his shoulder to take his orders. Or his cue. He was seemingly forced out of his cocoon of quiet by outrage here and abroad. This cannot be reassuring to our greatest ally in language, history, culture and, yes, government.
But if one examines what the president, through his spokespeople, actually said, it was cornmeal; mush. “It certainly looks like the Russians were behind it...we’re taking it very seriously, as I think are many others.” Just what, exactly, did he say? He didn't call the attempt "evil;" he didn't assail it as "something entirely inappropriate;" he didn't carve up Vladimir Putin with "this barbaric act must be punished;" "it has no place there or anywhere else."
The president is timid; not a good sign. He fears Russia; that much is clear.
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Mr. Trump is dominated by Mr. Putin and clearly Mr. Putin is winning.
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Trump has been Putin's puppet from the beginning. Why has it taken this long for the media to react to what has been so obvious to most of us?...I look forward to Trump's impeachment once the Dems win back majority status in a significant way in the coming elections.
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It isn't so much that he fears Russia, he admires Putin as a de facto dictator, something Trump would love to be and always Trump wants to be an eco. ally of Russia so Trump could make billions.
Look for Putin, who has economic pull with Kim, to instruct Kim to give Trump a temporary victory in the upcoming talks to help prop up his stooge Trump before the midterm elections.
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President Trump may have been misled by former President Obama, who naively wanted to "re-set" the relationship with Russia in 2008. Then in 2012, former President Obama made the remarks to the former president of Russia Dmitry Medvedev, to the effect that after the election he would have more scope to agree with what Putin wanted.
And in 2016, former President Obama chided then-candidate Trump that there was no way that the Russians could interfere in the American election process.
As well, former President Obama sat befuddled as Putin ran roughshod over Georgia, then Crimea.
The NY Times was vociferous in its criticism of former President Obama as these events unfolded. Or, maybe not. It's hard to remember.
If there is any distancing to be done by President Trump, it's to distance himself from former President Obama. The NY Times should consider doing the same.
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President Obama made mistakes. It's possible that the "reset" with Russia was one of those mistakes, but it seems that mistake was realized. Don't forget that one of the reasons Puting hated Hillary Clinton was that she made comments about the legitimacy of his election.
To assert that President Trump was "misled" by President Obama is absurd. President Trump has systematically worked to undo anything that happened in the previous administration. I doubt that he even knows the details of the relationship with Russia. I suspect he doesn't care.
Maybe the Russians don't have kompromat on Trump but he is quite stubbornly resisting action to respond to either attacks on our electoral process or the outrageous murders in the UK. It looks to me as if the NY Times has been restrained in drawing conclusions.
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So instead of sitting befuddled at Russian incursion into Georgia and the Crimea, Obama should have done what, exactly? Send in the Marines? Bomb Moscow? Please, be specific.
I also recall Obama sounding the alarm about Russian meddling in the election. Or matbe not. It's hard to remember.
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Funny. Typical "what about-ism" that attempts to deflect criticism of Lord Trump. Poor Donny was "misled" by Obama. OK, I'll play: what about low-information voters who were "misled" by Trump?
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