A sad thing has happened to journalism at the NYTimes. A careful read of many of the articles about Russia repeats what is now a well-worn refrain.
They interfered with...they colluded to...they undermined...they diminished..drove a wedge between and the most egregious act, they hacked.
But there is very little discussion of the actual evidence behind these allegations. When the "facts" are discussed they are all too often the conclusions from the government officials who made the allegations.
A case in point is the DNC hack, which has also put Wikileaks on America's enemies list.
A recent public statement from William Binney, a former NSA official concluded that the data transfer from Gusifer 2 could not have been a hack because the transfer speed was greater than what the internet can carry.
Binney is not making wild accusations about who really did what. He is simply following the facts to their logical conclusion, something that investigative journalism does every day.
And Binney is not alone. Ray McGovern, a former CIA analyst reached the same conclusion as did the late Robert Parry, a wonderful journalist who founded Consortium News.
Whether one agrees or disagrees with these FACTS, they are facts and they are part of the story.
Yet we see nothing in the Times and hear nothing from CNN or MSNBC, both of whom seem to be trying desperately to live up to Trump's condemnation of them.
We deserve better from good journalism.
Russia just wants it's colonies back.
I guess they didn't get the memo that colonialism is so 19th century.
Too bad that such a great country cannot figure out how to be a democracy.
1
Russia is a third world nation economically. GDP per-capita is less than Cost Rica,Trinidad and Tobago. It has a Nominal GDP of about $1.65 Trillion (US=$19 Trillion), one third $500 billion is oil and gas exports. Putin has klept a lot of Russia's economy so it is a Kleptocracy. As pointed out in this article the Russian people have been fooled by rallying around their flag, kind of like we have been told to stop players from taking a knee and MAGA. Unhappily, like North Korea, Russia can send Nuclear missiles.
Sanctions are likely the best weapon, and giving Russia any respite or encouragement is foolish. But trying to get Russia to act like a European Nation by trading economy for better behavior has not had resounding success, because of Putin's refusal to give up fighting the US for dominance, and the historical paranoia of the Russian people toward Western Europe.
especially after the British government revealed that Russia is responsible for the attempted murder on British soil with the use of prohibited toxic substances nervously-paralytic action.
Was Russia's responsibility proved by irrefutable facts?? "high probability" - is this evidence??
On Wednesday, the state Department said that by the end of August, it will impose new sanctions in response to the March attempt to kill living in Britain, former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Julia Skripal.
Because of the alleged responsibility, diplomats were first expelled, then sanctions were imposed, and they plan to introduce additional sanctions. All the logic of such actions suggests that there is no need for a reason for sanctions.
2
"One head, in the form of Mr. Trump, repeatedly promises improved ties with Moscow, while the other, representing senior officials in his own administration and bipartisan sentiment in Congress, growls about new sanctions and other chastisements."
I wonder what was in the letter that trump had delivered to Putin by Paul Rand? "Be aware sanctions are being announced, so please make a big fuss, but don't worry, I got you covered, Boss"?
Russia is an enemy of the US and the West. Putin still thinks the collapse of the Soviet Union was the greatest tragedy of the 20th Century. If Russia stops its assassination attempts, threatening and invading other countries, it might get the sanctions lifted.
1
"At home, Mr. Putin’s standing with Russians is suffering..."
Finally...a positive out of the Trump presidency.
1
Dear Russia - Election Meddling Has Consequences.
Sincerely,
The World
3
@WeHadAllBetterPayAttentionNow
Dear World - Sanctions beyond a limit may have graver consequences.
Sincerely,
Russia
2
Western sanctions are what’s keeping Russia from tearing off another piece of Ukraine.
3
Why this article and other analysts of Russian affairs stop shy of predicting the consequences of pushing Putin into the corner? Russian Prime minister’s reference to other means sounds ominous. Will Russian state take lying down sanctions depriving it of international banking and rights to sell its natural resources? Americans have grown arrogant about their economic and military power despite having failed to conclusively win any war even against comparatively midgets like North Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan etc. Their policies will bring together Russia, Turkey, Iran and China. America may feel safe but consequences of cornering these countries will not be very comfortable for the world at large.
3
Whilst Putin's involvement in poisoning ex Russian spies may put a smirk on his face such revenge, which has no value other than revenge, really does not stand up well against the economic damage to Russia and Russian citizens his actions have caused. The Greeks called it Hubris and, if Greek tragedies are to be believed, it always ends badly. His efforts to court Erdogan smack of desperation: "I need a friend, any friend". Let's hope Turks don't get a taste of the true meaning of friendship from Moscow which involves tanks in Istanbul and Russian as their second language.
2
There is no good reason to trust any polling of the Russian people. We would like to believe that average Russians are waking up to Vladimir Putin’s incompetence in managing their national economy, but we have no reliable proof that they are.
Polling numbers may reflect only the tip of the iceberg in Russian attitudes towards Putin, since fear of discovery and reprisal may keep criticism by citizens muted.
On the other hand, the Kremlin may be encouraging stories that current sanctions are sufficient punishment, so that real sanctions – unlike Donald Trump’s soft slap on the wrist – will not be imposed.
Here in the United States, we can be sure of a few things.
The fear of what the American electorate will do to Republicans in the midterm elections is driving everything.
The Republican concern is that widespread disgust with the President’s disloyalty will overcome G.O.P. schemes to suppress the vote of Democrats, the non-stop lies from the White House and unpersuasive propaganda from Fox News.
The Republican-controlled Congress is temporarily less compliant with Trump’s pro-Russian campaign to remove sanctions. If Republicans hold onto both the House and Senate in November, sanctions will evaporate – and so will our democracy.
Generally disagree. Tension between the USA and its allies has reached a no return point as far a credibility is concerned. The true nature of the relationship as one of "imperial master" vs. "vassal states" (coined by the late Mr. Brzezinski) cannot be hidden any longer and not Trump but Deep USA Power is responsible for it. Whatever the consequences . A pity in my opinion because the majority stands to l
2
Existing sanctions have proven to be of little effect, while imposing ones that would really bite might have backfired like it happenned in the case of Rusal. Modern Russia is a significant player in a number of global markets, it has regained some of the global political influance lost after the disintegration of the USSR, and, unlike Iran and Turkey, it is wields vast natural resources. At this moment it faces more disorganized and divided than ever before Western world, so there should be in place some kind of sophisticated and coordinated global strategy instead of the incessant torrent of threats and sanctions being issued rather whimsically and pointlessly. There is a new Cold War, it is here for a long time to stay, so it is high time for Western democracies to start playing the game by the book or just leave the field before they get hurt beyond repair.
4
In order to deal with Russia one has to understand Russia, know it's history and know how it influences it's behavior. Historical perspective clearly isn't Mr. Trumps' strongest suit, to put it mildly. Diplomacy is a delicate dance and a good choreographer knows the right combination of steps. "Gut feeling" and "Let's make a deal" attitude simply doesn't cut it. The duality of the Russian character, the Jekyll-Hyde aspect of it, requires an experienced hand. Sending mixed signals is a sign of weakness and will be exploited instantly. It is real estate on a global scale and should be left to real statesmen and women.
2
Apparently from his continuing, negative actions against the US, from cyberwar to the most offensive, poisoning our allies in other countries who now disagree with him, Putin refuses to stop and continues to lie about perpetrating them.
If he wants true friendship, and wants Russia to prosper, he has to change his ways. Until then, bring on the sanctions.
Putin's Kompromat of Trump alone, is insufficient to turn the tide.
1
Don’t be fooled. Most of this ruble weakness came from before. Take a look at currency charts. The drop was from 2014 to 2016. Other factors and Obama in play I imagine. Then Trump and it starts rising, With all we know and in theory only more sanctions since, it went up and is not at it’s lowest point. Plus we know Trump takes orders from Putin, but not everyone and everything is, as yet anyway, under his control. Smokescreen for sure.
2
If, as you report, the Russian banking sanctions proposed in the Senate would inflict significant, hurtful consequences upon Putin's outlaw regime, this legislation must be passed and implemented with all deliberate speed. Now is the auspicious time to exert as much economic pressure as possible upon this international criminal syndicate, masquerading as a legitimate nation state, as it maliciously continues to interfere with our electoral processes while sowing widespread discord in Europe and beyond.
The news of Putin's descending poll figures was noteworthy and most encouraging considering the pervasive presence of state censorship and propagandizing. Perhaps some day, in the not too distant future, ordinary Russians en mass will finally realize that there is no future for them, and their descendants, under the grip of this dictatorial kleptocracy and the Putin gang, being completely undermined, will simply wither away and flee to distant playgrounds.
5
I think it is as simple as not understanding how U.S Government with its 3 branches (And unofficial 4th branch, quality journalism) work.
This goes for Putin and Trump. Both thought that President of United States had power to do or stop or change anything. Unfortunately, we have a weak Legislative Branch, so their plan might have worked. Luckily, we have a solid Judicial Branch. It doesn't help that Trump cannot help himself and thinks the White House is a backroom at the Trump Taj Mahal casino. He has made silly mistakes (e.g., Comey conversation).
Hope this will be over soon.
2
Putin fails to do things the easy way, and the Russian people suffer for it.
He could learn much from his neighbor China. The nation's leaders have achieved economic prosperity for over a billion citizens by focusing on diplomacy, infrastructure, investment, and geopolitical stability.
China has diversified its economy and is building a middle-class - with a fifth of the population of the planet.
When Putin became acting President of Russia on 12/31/1999, Russia and China's economies were less than $1 trillion apart. After 18 years of Putin's stewardship, China's economy grew 800% faster than Russia's.
Putin could have joined the community of nations, encouraging shared economic prosperity through peaceful diplomatic engagement and a sound legal system with anti-corruption laws, encouraging global business investment.
Instead he exchanged communism for a kleptocracy built on lawlessness, brutal repression and unfettered corruption.
Instead of peaceful diplomacy, he diverted money to proxy actors to engage in terrorism. He disrespects sovereign borders and elections. He is a global pariah based on his own miscalculations.
The G-7 should work hand-in-hand with China, India and all other nations interested in constructive engagement to address global problems, and build peace and prosperity.
As long as Putin runs Russia through subterfuge, corruption, and disrespect of sovereignty, they are rogue terrorists and should be treated as such.
7
I think Trump is hoping to hold the house and senate and then get rid of the Muller investigation. Then watch the sanctions disappear on Russia. We still have no knowledge of what they talked about in that 2 hour meeting. I bet sanctions was one item.
2
I finally figured out who the 1% are.
There are about 2 million official NY Times readers, and many who read the Times using the subscription of a husband or wife. So the number is closer to 3.26 million, or 1% of the US population.
But this 1% consists of the movers and shakers, the professors at major universities. They see themselves as Plato's philosopher kings who deserve to run the nation for the good of the poor and middle class.
Trump wants to speak up for the rest of America who regarded the NY Times as fake news, but are unable to articulate their views, because they are often uneducated. They are sometimes religious, believing that the world is only 6000 years old, a provably wrong viewpoint, and that marriage should be between a man and a woman.
Trump understands this divide and tries to emulate Putin. Forget the 1% and focus on convincing the poor that autocracy is better. It was better in the time of Peter and Catherine the Great for example, as Putin remembers from his study of Russian history.
But autocracy has its problems. Many of the advisors will understand better ways of conducting foreign policy.
Putin's annexation of Crimea was bad, the shooting down of a plane by extremists in Eastern Ukraine was worse, and Trump's advisors rightly conclude that Putin should pay.
So publicly Trump extols the virtues of Putin, he becomes his close friend, while his advisors carry out a not unreasonable policy in exacting sanctions.
3
Both putin and the European West would do well to recall that the US sat out 3/4 of the Great War before we came and picked up the pieces. We waited near 3 years gforthe weak , underfunded and underarmed as well as arrogant Jpapnese toattack and would have stayed out of Europe but the fool Hitler(who might have been a saint had he died years before), forced our hand.
Russia under their "czar", J. Stalin ,refused any advice to beware of Germany and listen to allied and American advisers and so almost lost all Russia to Germany. Only eventual allied supplies and A series of bad winters aided Stalin. We did the same for Gorbachev's successor and even for Putin when the moron Bush was similarly hypnotized by his deep blue eyes.
Yet Americans are , once again , showing that even when we cannot agree on which way the earth turns or how to tie a granny knot, we will get together and kick outsiders in the shins, just for trying to join the game.
Putin needs to learn that not all Americans are Mr. T , and even if many of us admire him, there are those in power who will not hesitate to interfere if they see signs of actual treasonous actions. . . Even among the GOP.
1
Here's the deal.
The US has learned over time that the old Empires of England, France, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, The Netherlands are ephemeral.
Colonies become countries and nations.
It will be SSDD for Russia and China.
Russians want, and need, colonies.
They cannot survive unless they are attacking and killing others.
Case in point: Russian soldiers cannot get a pension unless they have been in combat.
Putin, if still in power in 2020, should expect that the incoming democratic president, along with a democratic controlled house and senate, will do more than just redouble the sanctions. House and senate investigations, along with the CIA and FBI are likely to expose and roll up the Putin’s network of influence in the USA and our real allies. Even self declared patriotic groups like the NRA that have been penetrated and influenced by Putin’s guile and cash should be worried about prosecution for helping an adversary of the USA undermine US sovereignty and the integrity of constitutional processes.
5
The bottom line: Putin is a failure. Anyone can see that.
Putin is apparently not much of an administrator, and in the end not much of a "national" leader. Yes, he has control, but what has he actually accomplished, in any useful way, for Russia and its people?? Anything?
His administration is notable only for avoiding some hideous mis-step, like a great war. But he has also managed (by the sanctions) to maintain the over-all poverty in Russia, when there could have been growth and improvement.
Amusingly, he has of course amassed great wealth and could possibly retire to a large well guarded house somewhere in or near London, if no one pursues for crimes against humanity. Or maybe he could be better protected if he stays in Russia? Where is he going to hide? Surely there are many who want to see him dead.
So this is the accomplishment of a great leader?
I found this piece really interesting and hopeful.
After watching Putin and his minions publicly gloat over their success in interfering in our elections for nearly two years, It's really nice to know that they are starting to pay for their bad behavior. Thank Congress for that.
It's also really nice to know that, in spite of his best intentions, Trump will not be allowed to trade the security of this country in exchange for... oh, I don't know, silence about his illicit interactions with Russians.
4
@Vickie
I do not recall having heard, read or found any of that ‘gloating over their success in interfering in our elections’ and I read a lot. If anything, they denied it at every possibility.
Other than that, despite of the incessant repetition of the same thing, I am not convinced, that they ( as a state) did intervene.
A Turkish hacker group just broke into Twitter without a sweat.
Getbreal. Seriously.
5
@waldo, I can't help it if you refuse to believe American intelligence officials -- the very best in the world -- who have unanimously concluded that Putin personally ordered the interference into our election. Who have also concluded that Putin wished to help Trump and hurt Clinton. Who have also stated that Russia is not our friend. Who have also recently stated that Putin's interference in our elections is ongoing. In other words, it's happening as we speak.
And, despite the incessant repetition of denials coming from Putin (and his social media trolls), I do not believe Putin. I believe the FBI, the CIA, and the NSA.
That is an utter delusion to think that Russia is in any way "suffering" from this sanctions "punishment". In fact, Russia will use those gradual sanctions to her advantage – to methodically decouple its economy from its dependence on US and American financial institutions. It is now abundantly clear that any such dependence is a major liability for any sovereign nation wishing to conduct an independent foreign policy. When US economy blows (and that is a matter of when not if) the nations least dependent on it will suffer much lesser damage than US economic dependencies. The Russians will thank US for the sanctions then.
7
@David
Realistically? No. It would be almost impossible for any country to avoid sanctions from the US AND if they did their best to do that, they would be, or the result would be, failing to get the most from their potential foreign trade. If they fail to get significant advantage from foreign trade they would not measure up to the rest of the competing economies. Thats the lesson from Adam Smith.
@David
How's all that "uncoupling" working for North Korea?
1
@James
Yes: Uncoupling IS the answer. In terms of energy conservation... And lack of pollution by plastic straws... Etc. In the case of North Korea it's more like like consciously uncoupling?
Despite Trump’s inexperience, our government and free press has won the day and successfully set our Russia policy. Now we must stop Trump from meeting with Putin again until Russia significantly and visibly alters its conduct.
2
Glad to hear that at least some in Congress still have a backbone!
2
Tell me all you winers and screamers what is the difference between Trump and Putin. What is the difference between moneymaking Republicans and Olichargs. "What you read and see is'nt what's really happening". Instead of pointing at Putin.... first get rid off your own twittering clown.
4
Trump has no response to the Crimean crisis, and he never will. I await the rejection of Putin by the Russian people.
1
@James C
A simple response is right there in front of him - a surprise announcement orchestrated by the leadership of the west and of Ukraine, that Ukraine is in NATO, effective immediately. This would be the greatest geopolitical win for the forces of civilization since the end of the cold war.
1
This also traces back to Trump's ineptness as president, his bellicose policies, the influence of Steve Bannon's doomed white nationalism-- with Trump literally genuflecting and pandering to Putin, while fighting our transatlantic alliance.
Trump wants everything to blow up. You wonder what will become of us. Benjamin Franklin was asked whether we had a monarchy or a republic. His reply: "A republic, if you can keep it."
1
@Shared Sense
It was actually Mr. Obama who ordered halt on any action against Russian interference in 2016 campaign when FBI/CIA informed him of it...
Facts matter... :))
Thank you Press. Because of many good journalists we have a clue what’s going on. I suspect that is putting a damper on Trump giving the store away.
It is hard to find good help.
The EU has funny priorities - they defy the US sanctions on Iran but apply sanctions on Russia. Iran is arguably much more of a global threat than Russia is. Iran is a state sponsor of terrorism in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, etc, and has repeatedly threatened Israel. Russia, while hardly a saint, does not engage in global terrorism as Iran has. Europe has it all backwards.
3
Why should worry he has something huge on Trump.
I am pleased to hear that the Kremlin is confused, angered, and frustrated.
Now you understand how Putin felt about Americans, confused and angry after the election.
Putin does not understand how democracy works. He thinks that as he can order Trump around, America can be ordered around as well, at it follows Trump, also because of the propaganda by Fox News: just as in an autocratic system, the masses would follow the leader.
But Trump is isolated. Giuliani and Hannity seem nuts, and the followers of Trump just follow Trump, they have in marketing terms been locked in. Trump's followers do not care much about sanctions, or events overseas in general. International treaties are too complex for the base, they are considered elitist. For Trump's base, the US can break any international treaty at will any moment.
Trump's position is based on the fear in the GOP for Trump's base and for Fox. The GOP fraction in the House and the Senate does, however, care about international treaties, and most of it does not like Russia, but cannot openly say so. They may also afraid for the traitor epithet. So the sanctions remain. Moreover, institutions are very suspicious about Putin, in the US and the rest of the world as well.
This whole attack on the West by using the Internet and corrupt capitalist puppets that have gone broke may turn into a colossal waste of effort. Attempts to turn the US in a fascist country can only fail. How to find the thugs? The US puts criminals in jail. The churches, the NRA, even the 'bikers for Trump' would be against it.
The only way for the GOP to save itself at the elections is to play the race card again.
The only people who keep the myth of a "Soviet Empire" alive are Putin and those 80 YO generals next to him. They will never be a global force [and they never have been] - They are a regional force at best and even then they don't have the economic engine to sustain drawn out engagements. Afghanistan buried them economically and their Syrian campaign if taking a financial toll.
Less than 1% of both the USA's and Russia's trade is between them. These sanctions are symbolic at best.
What was kind of hurting Russia was the fact that, until some years ago, the USA still had strength to force its allies (mainly, Germany, Russia's main gas importer and main manufacturing goods exporter) to adhere to said sanctions in solidarity to the Empire.
But even those Obama-era sanctions failed to put Russia on its knees (as it was the case with Cuba in the 60s until the present and Venezuela since 1999) for one simple reason: contrary to those two Latin American micronations, Russia can simply face East (i.e. to China).
A multibillion dollar worth gas pipeline contract is already under construction; once it is finished, the game is over for Germany too (it will have to buy the much more expensive and much scarcer liquified gas from the USA).
5
The Clinton Foundation / Slush Fund received ~ $140 million from Russian interests not normally known for their charitable endeavors while she was Sec of State. It’s called selling influence and it’s pure, unadulterated corruption. But to those herein it’s Trump the Traitor, Trump the Colluder...
9
The Clintons live rent free in certain people’s heads. All that supposed corruption but they seem to evade the law every time.
1
@EGD
How odd that people are actually spreading anti-Clinton conspiracy theories Putin put forth at the #Helsinki press conference...
Not really odd...the "base" will believe anything Fox News tells it!
2
In 1992, the relationship between the two cold war rivals was excellent: Americans traveled to Russia, opening McDonalds, KFC’s, Burger Kings. Millions of Russians & Americans enjoyed such a “romance” between the two most powerful nuclear countries in the world. Not anymore! https://www.counterpunch.org/2018/08/10/cold-war-in-the-sauna-notes-from...
2
Putin installed his puppet in the White House. With his hand in our last election (and possibly Brexit too) he is working hard on destabilizing the European Union and NATO, whether helping fringe candidates to win election directly, or feeding misinformation to the masses.
What difference do these sanctions make? Ha? He is laughing all the way to his next non-election as a Russian Tsar who destroyed the West without firing one bullet.
Many readers’ comments seem to suggest a certain blind credulity regarding the many allegations of Russian misdeeds. My problem with these allegations is that none of them have been proven to be true. Why the foolish haste in blaming Russia for everything when there has been no actual evidence yet presented?
6
@Cord MacGuire
the alleged military grade nerve agent attack victims survived as per nyt. how soon the readers forgot, yet parrot the same lie.
james bond they ain't.
2
This is what happens when a country is ruled by an unscrupulous czar, where a kleptocracy is allowed to prosper, at the expense of it's long-suffering people. Although this comment may, eventually, by pertinent to these United States, the rule of law and whatever remains of democratic values, is still an impediment. Trump's hopes to emulate Putin fall short, but only because of the former's utter incompetence, compared to the latter's devious discipline in trying to divide the West by spurious aims. Russia's only export, oil, may become a curse, if Europe is able to find an alternate source/route, as it will leave defenseless a Russia with non-existent diversity in it's economy. And when hunger comes calling, Putin shall tremble. Same when Trump's intrigues and lies are stopped by a renewed will to allow justice a say. Sanctions, for now, are a disincentive for Putin to go on abusing us. But sanctions shall be pertinent nationally as well, to oust an unscrupulous thug in the White House...and it's complicit G.O.P., looking the other way. It's time will come, as the sun shines following dawn.
2
Whatever losses Putin has sustained from sanctions (mostly weak and not even enacted) have been more than offset by his disruption of our relationships with our Allies and the geo-political environment. Much more.
Putin's got Trump so in the palm of his hand, he's practically running the country. And does anyone really think Putin cares about Public Opinion polls? No way. Not when you control the media and have no scruples about assassinating your naysayers. He'd win again in a landslide if an election were held.
No, this is the era of Putin until we have the courage to get rid of his lap-dog in the White House and his enablers in the GOP. Not until we expose the truth about Trump's traitorous behavior and political malfeasance.
5
President Vladimir V. Putin has nimbly exploited differences between Washington and its allies...
[ This makes no sense to me, since Russia is repeatedly being sanctioned and I do not find the British or Germans or French... refusing to obey the sanctions. ]
Putin is stewing in his own juice. That he exploited Trump’s naivety or other more sinister vulnerabilities is one thing. That he agreed to a clandestine meeting with his stooge in Helsinki with only their interpreters present, hoping to raise heckles in Washington, has backfired.
Given the ongoing investigations into Russian meddling, there is even greater urgency for public transparency than ever. But there is no public record of what Trump and Putin had discussed. Many in Washington don’t like to be kept in the dark. Not only has Trump been eerily quiet about sanctions against the Kremlin, Rand Paul, said this week he had carried a personal letter from Trump to Putin.
The West has nothing against better relations with Russia, but without compromising its values, integrity and security. However Putin doesn’t deserve a detente. And many in Russia don’t want their country to become a pariah state, despite Putin’s ambition to restore its former glory.
9
Putin and his authoritarian government have learned an unexpected and quite inconvenient lesson here: despite its serious problems, most notably the most inexperienced executive in U.S. history, the American democracy and its strong system of checks and balances, still works the way our U.S. Constitution intended it to work.
But for the opposing voices in the legislative branch, the First Amendment-strengthened fourth estate (the press), the demos (the people) and to be fair some within the executive branch, Putin's manipulations would have worked. Instead, Russia is being virtually bankrupted by its own outdated, anti-democratic, bully-boy behavior.
7
@Howard Gregory No, what Putin learned (but most likely knew already) is that a US President is a completely powerless figurehead incapable of conducting any policy contrary to the interests of the Deep State.
4
Let's be bluntly honest: Putin is a billionaire thug who leads a poor nation with an economy less than Italy. He has no true power, only some oil influence and a small military presence over Baltic states. It comes down to two things: nukes, which he will never use, and Trump, which he will and has. Trump owes Russia debts which they will call in at the drop of a hat if Putin doesn't feel warm and fuzzy. Remove Trump and Russia has zero leverage.
5
@Mixilplix They have huge oil reserves. In the dirty, wasteful, greedy, unsustainable capitalist world we created that's enough.
2
Putin's meddling in the West has produced some results and he evidently thought he had it made with Trump who admired him and called him a strong leader.That meeting at the White House after Trump was elected with Trump, Ambassador Kislyak, and Lavrov smiling from ear to ear said it all.After their meetings on "Russian Adoptions", actually sanctions , they were sure they had charmed and dumped enough cash here to persuade the Trump administration to lift sanctions.They miscalculated about how seriously we would consider their hacking and trying to influence our election.They never thought that there would be someone Ike Mr.Mueller appointed to explain how our elections had been compromised.They still don' t understand it because they don't understand Democracy and free and fair elections.They played Monopoly but were not dealt a "Get Out of Jail Free" card. The sanctions remain.
31
@Janet Michael
"They still don' t understand it..."
Who are the "They"?
The 20% die hard Trumpsters? The press which follows Trump as if he is worthy of the following instead of following what is being done to the country?
Putin understands the game quite well and worked a deal with Trump that goes like this: "Ok, OK! We will try another tactic but keep the same strategy-You get back the goods we have on you and a couple of Trump Hotels (with my buddies and me as silent partners) and you try a 'get tough' stance back home to rally your idiot followers. Then after the mid-term elections we will regroup and complete the 'deal'! And try to remember President Kennedy."
"OK Comrade", was not included in the final secret agreement text.
1
So Putin has discovered that what Trump says will occur and what actually occurs are two different things. Welcome to our world Vladimir.
50
@Jay Orchard
I doubt Trump has anything to do with these sanctions, which are in place despite him. Track his days---it's all tweets and television viewing. Rallies and getting back from rallies, and he just had 11 wasteful days off at his golf property. Clearly out of the loop. We'll learn more from active historians or the inevitable leaks from this white house....
@Jay Orchard the state of U.S. is famous for its hypocrisy and lies. Think Saddam and "we have the proof he has chemical weapons" as only one example.
Sometime soon it will backfire.
2
Russia has played a dangerous game with limited results. They have figuratively poisoned the view of Russia for half the American people. Was it worth it? When the Russian ambassador complains that he can't get meetings with US Senators because the atmosphere is "toxic" it doesn't seem so.
43
@Me
Nyet, America did that herself...hubris, cockiness, gloating, encircling Russia, invading at will, supporting dictatorships in Israel, Turkey, Saudi Arabia , trying to impose your will on the entire world, we get it...and we dislike your government, all of them.
1
Though the motherland has some reasons to distrust the West, Russia would have been better off having good relations with Europe and the U.S. after the Soviet Union fell. It could be like some of the former Communist bloc countries that are now part of the European Union and have great and flourishing economies. Now, it is a tinpot state where the only valuable resource is natural gas and oil. Russians should rethink how they should see the way forward with Russia. Its Soviet Union days are over, but it can still be a flourishing economic global power if it chooses too. The Cold War is, or at least should be, over.
26
@It's Just Me
how do we keep the MIC gainfully employed without the cold war?
we created enemy out of thin air if needed. ISIS come to mind. we were out of Iraq. Iraqis invited US back in. we are still there.
1
@It's Just Me
The Cold Was is indeed over but you pushed and pushed NATO towards Russia until the only state left was Ukraine. Then Putin just HAD to react.
You mention "former Communist bloc countries that are now part of the European Union and have great and flourishing economies", well, they all have american military bases and they all submitted to american dominance. Russians simply don't want neither of that. It's not that we don't like you, we do. We just don't acknowledge your supremacy however good economies you have. May be it's stupid but it's simply so.
Another country which doesn't acknowledge your supremacy is China, coincidentally the next global super power. I think we'd better cling to them then try to satisfy your demands on how things should be run here in Russia.
1
Trump's affection for despots neither surprises me nor disappoints me. Congress, on the other hand, with Republicans in control, have demonstrated that their "love of country" doesn't interfere with their "collusion" with Vladimir Putin. Joe McCarthy was 70 years too soon. He would have feasted on the co-conspirators from his own Party.
83
@judgeroybean We are still in "joe McCarthy-land" lest we forget that Trump's mentor, Roy Cohn, was House Counsel to McCarthy's committee. Same tactics, same strongman meme.
3
@judgeroybean
Let's ALL vote this November 6 in numbers too great for a little Russian interference to change.
And don't vote for the Russian funded "Green" party candidate!
1
Please...all traitor Trump's owner Vladimir has to do is let his minion know how he wants this latest charade play out and it will be done --regardless of law, ethics, morals, or any of the other concepts which Trump is not familiar with or only holds in the highest disdain. Get any good loans through Deutsche Bank lately, Donnie?
1
This man is a thug, murderer, tyrant, liar, who has played our chump POTUS like a fiddle. Anyone American who thinks otherwise is a fool.
22
Nobody can trust Trump, not even Putin. The rest of the world has learned that - now Putin will as well.
5
Trump has levied more sanctions against Russia than the previous administration. In addition, President Obama knew that the Russians were trying to meddle in our 2016 elections. President Obama's head of communications was preparing counter measures to Russia's interference but was told to "stand down" and do nothing just like the border guards.
2
Putin thinks Trump is failing to do the job Putin elected him to do!
6
Why should we listen to a dictator? A murdering dictator? A (proven) lying dictator? You tell me why. You explain that a democratic society should listen to a dictator when there is no such thing as a legitimate election in Russia. You explain to me why when he isn't satisfied with fixed elections in his country, for him, he goes after Europe, and America, and any other country he can get his greedy little hands in. And also why Russia and by that I mean Putin should ever be believed. Please our own little Putin wanna be is more than enough for us to deal with.
59
@Elly Why listen to Putin? For the same reason you listen to Trump, dear reader. Trump is as much of a dictator as Putin. Same for US "democracy".
3
While examining the effectiveness (or ineffectiveness) of sanctions in changing Putin's Crimea and other policies, we must consider the sanctions' economic harm.
Innocent Russians are adversely affected by the reduction of GDP, and it also harms innocent people in other countries such as Italy. Sanctions reflects government's "ends-justify-the-means" doctrine.
The failure in changing Putin's policies doesn't cause government officials to abandon sanctions. This is due to sanctions being negative externalities of government, the decision-makers imposing costs on others, e.g., innocent people in Russia and other countries.
Given the incentives and ideology of each government official making the sanctions decisions, their behavior might be "rational" at the individual's micro level, the macro result is unethical and harmful to society.
5
Although, the effort of Russia were not successful in removing sanctions, it seems to be successful to create opportunities in many countries for the forces friendlier to Russia, and that is a way forward. On the other hand, the sanctions on Russia haven't reach its goal either. Russia didn't change its behaviour, didn't return Crimea, and Putin just got re-elected with 70% of popular vote.
3
The Russian kleptocracy may have succeeded in stealing our election, but it is has failed so far to steal economic relief after multiple attempts. Despite the "No collusion, no collusion!" that is now "Yes, collusion, but it's not a crime" deal apparently reached in Trump Tower, the attempt to provide sanctions relief for Clinton "dirt" was exposed by the lies of then National Security Adviser, Mike Flynn, and the courageous actions of then Acting Attorney General Sally Yates. Other attempts to return seized Russian spy compounds have also failed. Now the economic teeth of added sanctions are starting to undermine the oligarchs who have like their Soviet predecessors stolen and spent their country to the precipice of economic ruin. The Putin oligarchy is vastly over-stretched and economically-strapped in its failing attempts to interfere in the West and the Middle East. They may have bailed Donald Trump out, but he's so far been unable to bail them out. If Democrats retake the House this November, any hope of a Putin bailout (aka trade deal) by Trump will vanish, and hopefully so will the Putin oligarchy.
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@Paul Wortman
You need to get out more! Obama was the one heard on the open mike promising Russia a better deal after the election not the current administration.
In fact, The current administration has closed more Russian compounds and deported more Russians in 18 months than did Obama in 8 years.
They have also supplied lethal aid to Ukraine unlike the previous administration who’s leader was overheard promising Russia Leniency on that open mike
If you like Sally Yates, you must really Love Lois Learner!
1
Putin is a superb tactician, but a terrible strategist.
Like Donald Trump, he believes that strength is achieved through unprincipled tactics and aggressive action. He is adept at finding weaknesses in his opponents, but again like Trump, he fails to understand the power of common interest and shared principles.
A wiser strategist would understand that Russia no longer has the power it had in the days of the USSR, and that even then, aggressive policies towards the economically stronger West led to failure.
Russia is a nation of great and wasted potential, with a large, educated population and vast national resources. Putin halted the slide that began after the fall of the USSR, but prosperity and restored influence depend on domestic reform in the direction of its successful neighbors in the European Union, but Putin does not know how to get from here to there, and like autocrats everywhere he is so taken with himself that he refuses to cede authority. There will one day be a Russian renaissance, but it will be led by a leader who looks to the future, rather than playing by the failed rules of the past.
153
@Josh Hill -- A terrible strategist compared to whom? Trump? May? Boris Johnson? Yeltsin?
We can imagine better outcomes. We could easily imagine worse outcomes too. Worse would include more of the same before Putin.
On a grand historical scale he may not be the brightest light, but we are in this world.
It is dangerous to underestimate any enemy. The US has been prone to do that. That is a large part of the explanation for the Pacific War in WW2, for one large recent example. More recent might be the cakewalk expected in Iraq, while "real men go to Tehran."
I don't mean to portray Putin as some demi-god, but the man is dangerous, and underestimating him is dangerous too.
And who do we have, really, in charge anywhere right now? It is a contest.
4
@Josh Hill Putin has relied on his "brain," Aleksandr Dugin for his "strategy," which is to break up the EU, weaken the US and China and make Russia dominant, via resuscitating fascist governance, in "Eurasia."
Dugin's pipe dream is just that, but Putin is faithfully trying to carry it out, with meddling in the EU--supporting Le Pen, e.g., and all the far right parties, trying to establish dominance first in the Middle East and trying to promote dissension in the USA.
What he doesn't realize is that the whole world is getting wise to him. And he will ultimately fail. The desperation of his poisoning with Novichuk, and before that plutonium, his perceived critics and "enemies" indicates to me that he knows that Europe alone could turn his country to glass if he tried outright warfare.
1
@Josh HillPutin has relied on his "brain," Aleksandr Dugin for his "strategy," which is to break up the EU, weaken the US and China and make Russia dominant, via resuscitating fascist governance, in "Eurasia."
Dugin's pipe dream is just that, but Putin is faithfully trying to carry it out, with meddling in the EU--supporting Le Pen, e.g., and all the far right parties, trying to establish dominance first in the Middle East and trying to promote dissension in the USA.
What he doesn't realize is that the whole world is getting wise to him. And he will ultimately fail. The desperation of his poisoning with Novichuk, and before that plutonium, his perceived critics and "enemies" indicates to me that he knows that Europe alone could turn his country to glass if he tried outright warfare.
As long as Putin keeps helping to elect wanna-be strongmen/dictators like himself in governments around the world, we who believe im democracy must stay vigilant and resist his autocratic force everywhere its ugly little head emerges.
5
So, Mr. Kortunov says "Russians are bewildered because they keep getting very mixed signals...." Mr. Korunov, now you know how most Americans feel too.
Consider that just a few weeks ago, the president told a very energetic crowd that Mexico was going to pay for his wall. Then, just a few days later he declared he would have no problem shutting down the federal government if Congress didn't provide funding for his wall. Well, which is it?
Consider that he told the American people he would hire only the finest people. Since he took office, he has had the highest staff turnover of any modern president and, just yesterday he referred to one as a "lowlife." (Anyone remember Omarosa?)
And then there is the infamous Trump Tower meeting in 2016. He has provided more versions of that than can be counted. Ditto his reasons for firing James Comey.
We are all getting more confused and more bewildered. So, Russian dignitaries, I ask you the same thing our president did back in 2016 "Russia, if you're listening, it sure would be great to know what's on those tapes" with a slight variation: "Russia, if you're reading, it sure would be nice to know what you have on tape...of him."
1
Putin and Trump share one common trait, economic graft. The only thing that prevents them from successfully joining forces and thrusting the United States into the same economic gangsterism that Russia is experiencing is a few Americans in high places who are willing to enforce sanctions when necessary, to investigate Russian interference in our elections and push back against Trump and company's continued ethics violations. It is also helpful that while Trump is being controlled by either Putin or Koch Brothers or both, he is a willful idiot and prodigious liar. On message one moment and the next off on a narcissistic rant that negates any chance of compromise with intelligent leaders in our country and abroad. Of course the Republicans in the House, Senate and their voters, will follow him anywhere as long as he plays the racist card. All eminently fleece-able.
Trump is doing everything he can to disrupt countries that Putin would like to see weakened. He is now able to sell arms to Turkey because of Trump's thoughtless policies. Iran is in more economic turmoil, North Korea is getting more sympathy from China and the European Union will take a hardened stance against us, raising tariffs in response to Trump's again thoughtless and ill-conceived trade war. Our businesses and consumers will be weakened by this move, and less willing to move out of an isolation. The result of all these actions will be a weaker alliance against Russian aggression on its neighbors.
1
Putin wants respect after behaving very badly, like sara jeong. Few realize that Russian tanks were moving toward the Ukraine border during the Russian Winter Olympics closing ceremonies. Who could ask for a better camouflage?
2
Trump sides with Russia and Putin. Why? What does Russia have on Trump? Loans?Blackmail? It must be powerful; because Trump attacks everyone. Ray Sipe
2
The Time's treatment of Putin in this article is similar to The Time's treatment of the president here in the U.S. I'm not saying it's bad or good. I'm still trying to figure it out.
3
The United States hasn't had our lying mob boss for even 2 years, I don't know how the Russians can stand it.
4
I genuinely cannot decide which is the more bizarrely contorted: the defenses of Trump by Trumpists, or the defenses of Putin by, well, Trumpists.
Good grief, folks, we're talking KGB colonel here....you think Vlad spent those happy years in East Berlin running an organic grocery and taking in stray kittens? Marx knows, we've got our own long list of sin and evils, growing at least since the Anti-Imperialist League was founded. But we're not the Gestapo. The KGB was.
And we're talking about Trump either not knowing or not caring what his State Department does, so long as they don't publicly attack him for palling up with a murderous thief. You think this is a Good Thing? Some sort of Mental Wizard Strategery? Guy's an idjit, at best.
6
Want an end to Mueller's investigation? Drop all sanctions against Russia in exchange for all they have on Trump. Trump will be gone by Christmas.
1
Trump, Putin and the other GOP need to move to Russia where white people live.
We don’t need haters and greed . America is a land of hope for Everyone not just white folks go back to Russia your so in love with being whit go back to countries that are all white.
2
Yet many here think that the president is a puppet of Putin, if so Putin must be a very poor puppet master. Or it just might be something that people living in a fantasy alternative reality want to believe. Just because you are polite and would like a decent relationship does not mean you support someone, also a meeting means you are talking nothing else.
2
If Putin were more strategic, he would have given Trump a “win” at Helsinki. If he made it appear Trump conducted tough and successful negotiation, Putin would have open doors for himself going forward and Trump none the wiser. The overt celebrations in Moscow after the summit indicates Putin is not as smart as we were afraid he was.
8
Hopefully the Trump mob will not try to totally derail the sanctions effort. The sanctions are really being undermined by Trump’s lack of support. I wonder if Donald and Vlad discussed the sanctions in Helsinki.
1
The problem with our relationship with Russia can be summed up in 4 words: Lindsey Graham, John McCain.
The issue over Crimea was the fault of the US when it created the Budapest Memorandum which failed to recognize centuries of history in the regions, but instead humiliated Russia by ratifying the questionable politburo decree of 1954.
I see no valid reasoning for the Magnitzky act which was chiefly the work of McCain. American officials should NOT have been swayed by an American business, Browder, who was out for revenge.
The Skripal Case. Ignore Theresa May. There is no actual proof that Russia planted the Novichok poison. Russia is being blamed as it developed Novichok during the Cold War. Since then more than dozen nations have developer Novichok poison and the formula for it was been published in a book.
We really need to rein in Senators who, like Warner, are eager for tougher sanction. The US senate is filled with many politicians who listen to Graham and McCain, but in reality are ignorant of facts. What Graham and McCain say are not facts they are merely the opinions of highly vocal senators who are swaying senators like Rubio and Warner who have no knowledge of facts, history etc.
American must stop thinking it can run the world. That is the path to chaos and war and the fall of the US dollar.
8
This is an ideological war with opportunities for financial gains in shaping and forecasting (betting) the direction the pendulum of the narrative is headed. What are the odds that an outbreak of meditation and self-reflection will lead all parties involved to enlightenment? Can two groups of flawed people start from scratch? Ommmmmm! Or will it continue business as usual?
Strongmen like Putin and Erdogan and, in his mind, Trump, don't care how much their people will have to sacrifice.
As long as they hold power, they welcome any destruction to their enemies even at their own cost.
While their adversaries are weakened and their people hold them accountable, dictators pay no price and take advantage of the rebuilding process both home and abroad.
At home, they cultivate nationalism, surround themselves with military power, crack down on opposition, and live large no matter what happens.
Abroad, they infiltrate, divide, and undermine the sociopolitical systems of their enemies.
Trump is supposed to be leading the wealthiest and most powerful nation the world has ever seen, yet he makes "foes" of our allies and plays to the Alt-right chant, "Russia is our friend."
He wages war with our friends bit seeks to reward our biggest enemy, Russia, who is actively at cyberwar with us.
Because Trump doesn't care if Russia damages us -- Trump is the one so-called American who has something to gain:
The symbiotic relationship between Trump and other strongmen is what will keep him in power.
The collusion continues. Putin and Trump NEVER stopped helping each other.
1
Why should the west do all the heavy lifting to improve relations with Russia? Putin knows what he has to do to make it happen--don't invade neighbors; don't use chemical weapons; don't interfere in our elections. It's about time the oligarchs ditched him, and invested in democracy at home, and a diverse modern economy.
62
On the other hand, the West also knows what it needs to do to make relations with Russia better. Don't invade the other country, don't stir the trouble in other countries, don't support the coups, don't annex the territories of other countries. In short, don't be a hypocrite. if you want that countries follow the law, follow these laws by itself first.
2
@John Coleman:The US is the culprit by supporting and engineering the coup in neighborly Ukraine. How come the US engineered this coup against a elected President?.Which chemical weapons are you talking maybe the white phosphorus that we got caught using in Iraq?. It's about time brainwashed Americans started looking at our foreign policy on Russia's borders. last time I looked JFK didn't appreciate the Soviets in Cuba and that was over 50 miles away. Think about and don't believe Washington where the Intel agencies led by Mr Tenet guaranteed Iraq had nukes some 15 years ago.
5
@John Coleman
why is it our business to try to run the world
3
For all his vaunted KGB cunning and iron fist, and the relative success of the staging of the World Cup, Putin’s administration has recently been careening from one “public relations” disaster to another -at least vis à vis the West.
Quite apart from the illegal annexation of the Crimea which is slated to stay in the public eye with the Manafort trial and its revelations about his dealings with Russian oligarchs and deposed Russian puppet Victor Yanukovych, the poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal, the death in July of a British woman after exposure to the nerve agent Novichok, and now the arrest of Maria Butina as a Russian agent, are not conducive to the lifting of Russian sanctions even with the present spineless GOP Congress.
If Trump looked like an obsequious buffoon in Helsinki, Putin radiated all the benevolence of a gaboon viper and fortunately most Americans wouldn’t be caught dead donning a “I’d rather be Russian than Democrat” tee-shirt whatever Putin may imagine.
70
Pres. Trump implemented these sanctions (that had sat on the shelf for some time) only after his disgraceful performance in Helsinki.
The Russians understand "realpolitik" all too well and Mr. Putin knows Trump was backed into a corner of his own making. Trump had to do something to counter claims of being too cozy with Putin and to mollify members of his own party disgusted by his sycophancy.
Let's not overthink this - we still have a president with an inexplicable devotion to Russia; one that he knows the Mueller report is very likely to explain and document.
78
@Robert: If you hate Russia so much and wish a war against them then consider making sure your radiation fallout machinery is current. You should also consider what hero Snowden published about the NSA and our other dirty deeds but doubt you will.
3
@Robert And it's all pretty simple. The Russian Oligarchs are the only place from which Trump & family can get financing for anything, and Russians promise to help the Republicans win elections (the most likely Helsinki topic), and, sadly, the Republican Party doesn't care, indeed they love it. Many Republican Party members are, now, moving over to prefer Russia to America.
Putin has snatched defeat for the Russian people from the jaws of victory.
Before the 2014 Crimea annexation, Russia was considered one of the top countries for foreign investment to modernize its decrepit Soviet economy. Gleaming skyscrapers filled with international companies and banks crowded Moscow. Oil prices were sky high and the Russian Ruble traded around 30 to the US$.
Today Russia and its oligarchs stagger under international sanctions, the skyscrapers have been drained by the departure of international companies, Russian wealth is in flight to offshore banks and luxury real estate, talented Russians are emigrating and the Russian ruble trades at 66 to the US$.
The Kremlin clearly gambled that electing Trump would lead to sanctions relief. Trump campaign officials forced changes to the GOP platform favorable to Russia. A flurry of meetings held between Russian and Trump officials, Jared's proposal for a secret communications channel through the Russian Embassy. NSA and Russian asset Michael Flynn Inaugural text that sanctions relief would make his business deal possible and Comey's firing all were looking good for Russia.
But then Congress blocked Trump and imposed new sanctions.
In spite of an avalanche of evidence to the contrary, Trump continues to persuade his supporters he is "tough on Russia", even while proposing that Russia rejoin the G-7, holding secret talks with Putin and working hard on Putin's big project, weakening NATO and the EU.
Wow.
75
Wow exactly- pay attention to what Trump does not what he says.Helsinki was exhibit A on what he does- his tweet chattering is all obfuscation.
1
@Look Ahead "Before the 2014 Crimea annexation, Russia was considered one of the top countries for foreign investment"
Looks like you started reading newspapers in 2014.
The 2003 saw the color revolutions in Russia's neighbors, 2008 the Georgia war, 2012 the Magnitsky act, to name just the most visible US actions against Russia.
The article is plain wrong in claiming that Putin could have done anything to stop this. For the last 15 years the US has always found some excuse to punish Russia. The stench of financial malversations around Browder and the lack of evidence in the Skripal case are obvious for anyone who takes a second to look beyond the propaganda.Let's face the truth: the US is waging a long term economic war against Russia and it won't stop until it sees complete surrender.
US and European sanctions against Russia are based on questionable stories from agencies, like the CIA, with long histories of deceiving the US public, including planting agents posing as journalists at major US newspapers including the New York Times. Other sanctions are based on brazen deceptions made to cover financial crimes from tax-avoiding billionaires who looted newly privatized Russia state assets back when the US was meddling heavily in Russian elections and politics (the 1990s).
As for Crimea, the US supported a coup in the Ukraine, and the people of Crimea decided to leave. Russia only accepted annexation after confirming this was the will of the Crimean people in an 80%+ landslide democratic vote for annexation. While we sanction Russia for defending the right to self determination of Crimeans, the US continues to maintain occupation forces in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan, where we are very much not welcome.
There seems to be no effort in this "new analysis" to objectively consider international events. The analysts should have put the annexation of Crimea in context of the US-sponsored coup and in context of US unilateral invasions and occupations of non-aligned states in the Middle East. They should have additionally pointed out the absurdity of the British position on the Skipral case, in which the British government insists Russia prove a negative. The British position is: Russia is guilty until proven innocent.
Also, no mention of Browder? Remarkable.
26
@Jared No real understanding of the mistake we made in drawing up the Budapest Memorandum
@Jared
Highly doubt this conspiracy-laden piece warrants a gold star.
1
@Jared I'm so relieved to hear that Russia is faultless in all respects. Thanks for clearing that up.
I would venture to guess that Putin's accolade,Trump, may not be working out in his best interest. Putin has a foreign mind set and it does not serve him well on the larger world stage. Never the less, he will be around for some time.
2
Putin nimbly exploits differences. With potent mystical powers that hold the whole word under his sway. Putin has certainly reached the NYTs international enemy #1. Carrying forward Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer's angry denunciation of Trump for meeting with him.
5
@c harris
If he was so nimble, there wouldn't be international sanctions against Russia. And if he had real power, Russia would produce something the rest of the world wanted, besides a few natural resources.
1
@c harris I believe his rep is well deserved. Invading the Ukraine, poisoning his detractors, etc.
1
This is not 'analysis.' This is an editorial masquerading as analysis. The NY Times vociferously opposes any sort of rapprochement with Russia, despite compelling perspectives that make the case just for that (see Rand Paul). All this 'analysis' serves to do is allow the NYTimes to vent a bit its animosity towards Putin in a skewed way that caricatures him and caricatures lamentably what even the most respected organ of the free press will now stoop to.
13
@Christopher
Rand Paula? Surely you jest. I fear the Paul family genetic defects have been psssed from father to son.
1
Guy's a KGB colonel whose assignment was mostly in East Berlin before the Wall came down, a multibillionaire who cashed in on his country and threw anybody who got in the way into jail or had them shot, and Assad's main buddy.
Pretty hard to make that look worse than it actually is.
3
@Christopher is reporting that Putin invaded Ukraine and poisoned his detractors skewed propaganda? Sounds like accurate reporting to me.
2
Squeeze Russia until even their passive citizens are outraged enough to revolt against Czar Vlad.
17
@Susan Goldstein
That was precisely the plan for US sanctions against Iraq back in the 1990s. We were going to squeeze Iraqi citizens, make them desperate and hungry until they overthrew Saddam. Instead, Saddam gained power and political capital as the lie of "weapons inspections" was exposed when the CIA used UN inspections as cover for a military coup in 1994. CIA additionally used UN weapon inspection offices and headquarters in Iraq as cover for signals interception operations (spying). This is all well documented.
You might want to research the efficacy of our previous sanction regimes before encouraging their use against even more countries in far away places.
4
If Putin seriously thought that there would be no repercussions for twice using weapons of mass destruction as assassination tools on foreign soil, then he's dumber than dumb.
But he's not.
He's hardly likely to say: "Oh, you caught me fair and square, officer. Take me away." No, he'll toss his toys from his pram for a while no different to that other overgrown tantrum-child: Trump.
Putin weighs up the price of success with the cost of it, no different to anyone else. And in this, he thinks he's ahead, because what we think doesn't matter to him. What his own people think does. For there resides his survival.
14
Maybe he will learn not to poison people on foreign soil. Maybe not.
35
@Christy not to poison people PERIOD
1
@yves rochette
Please, like makers of Oxycontin...
Observations and best guesses:
1) All war is economic.
2) The loser of a war has to pay the winner for its costs.
3) Russia is still paying for losing the Cold War to the West.
4) Putin, finding his Idiot is no longer useful, will support Trump impeachment via meddling in select 2018 elections.
5)Putin already knows who's bought to replace Trump eg one of 7 GOP Appropriations Committee members who visited Russia July 4th. Meddling will ensure his re-election.
6) Putin's most useful measures, divide and conquer, are still his best bet eg Charlottesville.
16
@senior citizen In all battle "surprise" is a determinant factor; 2020 may be less easy for Putin to get a win like 2016 was...
Mike Flynn was negotiating with the Russians in December, on behalf of the Trump administration, to lift the sanction as pay back for the Russians helping Trump get elected.
America can be very thankful that the FBI was on the job and didn't let them get away with it.
26
@Ronny. But now we have the GOP undermining the intelligence department of our country.
Amid all his victories, Putin doesn't do much for his people.
Russians annual earnings per capita were $8500 in 2016.
US annual earnings per capita were $57,600 in 2016.
In the US that does NOT mean that the average family where both spouses work make $115,000. The per capita number skews higher because of people who make extreme amounts (Gates, Buffett, Trump, DeVos, etc).
Same with Russia. Even more so because the oligarchs are taking more even more cream off the top relative to their workers. Kind of amazing that Putin keeps getting re-elected.
5
@medianone
Amazing Americans keep electing the same idiots who get them into wars , yearly. Who have done zilch about the opiate epidemic, the obesity pandemic, the mass shooting orgy. And yet, Americans keep finding excuses to elect themsame criminals, day in, day out. Mind boggling.
2
@mediaone: Not when you consider how Russian news outlets have been turned into propaganda trumpets for Putin and his nationalist following. Which is why we need a free press more than ever.
3
And what were earning in Russia before Putin? Do Russian people live better now than before Putin?
2
Don't count Putin out yet, Trump has 2 more years to go, I am sure he will do everything he can to subside the sanctions and get Putin for a summit right at the White House.
And if he wins the reelection then watch out.
3
"For all the strategic success Mr. Putin has had — including diminishing NATO and the European Union by bolstering populist governments in Europe as well as Middle East autocrats..."
Sorry, but the claims of Putin's success are unimpressive, and some are outright hypocritical. The US has spent the last century bolstering middles east autocrats and various dictators around the globe.
But hypocrisy is the norm for liberal pundits and intellectuals when the discussion turns to Russia. They understand that vilification of Russia is what the power centers that they serve desire. So all of the CIA's election tampering in other countries,including Russia, must be left out of the discussion.
The Democrats need a bogeyman to blame their pitiful 2016 loss to the most ridiculous presidential candidate in US history. A party that would purposely inflame tensions with another nuclear weapons possessing country for political ends has no integrity whatsoever.
9
As Bob Dylan sagaciously wrote, "There's no success like failure, and failure's no success at all." Putin staged a coup in America and united the rest of the free world against him. Meanwhile, he diverted $200B from Russia's assets abroad, sooner or later his own people will rise up and he will learn who he should fear the most when it is too late to do anything about him.
2
Stop giving Trump credit for these sanctions, they are written by congress. If he signs the latest ones it will take 90% congressional approval to convince him politically. He is sill a traitor in my eye, forever. And certainly don't give the orange one credit for destabilizing Turkey, he is just playing to his evangelical base.
15
"Mr. Trump’s cozy attitude toward Mr. Putin backfired at home and the confrontation deepened." So, unlike at Helsinki, at his next private performance review with Mr. Putin, Mr. Trump is going to get low marks. After that, he needs to avoid small bottles of liquid - perfume, cologne, etc.
1
The degree to which President Trump smacks down Putin is stunning. Trump has inflicted more damage on Russia and Putin in less than 2 years than Obama and W. did in 16.
Arming the Ukrainians with anti-tank weapon systems.
Moving militarily assets to assist Poland on their eastern border.
Expediting missile defense system installations in Romania and the Czech Republic.
Sending 2 destroyers into the Black Sea.
Bombing Syria twice.
Killing over 150 Russian mercenaries in Syria.
Forcing NATO allies to increase militarily spending to defend against Russian aggression.
Backing out of nuclear agreement with Russian surrogate state Iran.
Economic sanctions.
Negotiating the sale of natural gas to Europe.
No more appeasing Putin like the last two administrations! Keep up the pressure Mr. Trump.
4
@LarryGr These are the actions of an ignorant Senate who lacking any real knowlede of the world or history, blindly follow Lindsey Graham and John McCain.
1
@LarryGr This is smoke and mirrors.
@LarryGr
Trump send the weapons in return for Ukraine ceasing cooperation with Mueller.
The missile defense system was about Iran, not Russia.
Iran is hardly a Russian surrogate and backing out of the deal doesn't help us.
He hasn't forced NATO to do anything they weren't already pledged to do.
The Russian mercenaries were killed when they attacked US-backed forces. US soldiers didn't need Trump's permission to defend themselves.
Kleptocracy being the surest way to empty the State's coffers, Putin has accomplished his mission. Now what?
1
Does a poll of the Russian Czar matter, when there is absolutely no opposition, and the ones that might speak up are jailed on ''trumped'' up charges, or mysteriously contract an illness from radioactive isotopes ?
Having said that, Russia has won by every possible facet imaginable. They have their man in the White House. All else is secondary. (especially opinion polls)
The Russian economy is essentially a large gas station, however, that is not how the oligarchs that surround the Czar (where he extracts his power from) necessarily make their money from oil and gas. (they have their multiple billions already anyways)
There is a long game going on and as far as push back to all of the Russian moves internationally, there is little to none.- that is the bottom line.
They don't care about sanctions if they gain territory and continue to dominate in every other election in the world . - especially in the United States.
They are making unimaginable money a variety of other ways.
5
Apparently the whole problem started with the annexation of Crimea . Crimea has been Russian since its birth, much longer than Hawaii has been a state . There was a referendum where
the population chose to be Russian . If that deserves world sanctions, what about Israel´s annexation of the occupied territories ? But instead the US sells arms to Israel to contain the Palestinian population in its fight for independence .
As for the hacking , it would be naive to think that the US does not try to influence elections abroad, at least in hacking the are no dead.
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@AGC What annexation, they actually gave back the Gaza strip, there is no annexation.
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@AGC
Basically none of what you said about Crimea is true.
1. Crimea has not been Russian "from birth." For most of its existence it was Islamic. It then was part of the Russian empire for a time in both its formal and Soviet varieties. It was legally transferred to the Ukrainian SSR a lifetime ago and Russia entered into multiple agreements promising to respect the sovereignity of Ukraine in the agreed upon borders - agreements which it then cheated on.
2. The referendum was an utter sham, and anybody pretending otherwise at this point is a blatant liar. For one, there was no 'status quo' option. For two, it was done under the guns of an invading military force. For three, it was full of documented irregularities. For four, it was clearly and unambiguously illegal under international law.
Maybe four years ago somebody might still believe the Russian lies about the fraudulent Crimean referendum. I really have to ask you who exactly do you think you're fooling at this point by pushing those tired lies. Shouldn't we be at "stage 5 of arguing with a Russian nationalist" at this point where you're shouting "Russia stronk!"
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Does a poll of the Russian Czar matter, when there is absolutely no opposition, and the ones that might speak up are jailed on ''trumped'' up charges, or mysteriously contract an illness from radioactive isotopes ?
Having said that, Russia has won by every possible facet imaginable. They have their man in the White House. All else is secondary. (especially opinion polls)
The Russian economy is essentially a large gas station, however, that is not how the oligarchs that surround the Czar (where he extracts his power from) necessarily make their money from oil and gas. (they have their multiple billions already anyways)
There is a long game going on and as far as push back to all of the Russian moves internationally, there is little to none.- that is the bottom line.
They don't care about sanctions if they gain territory and continue to dominate in every other election in the world . - especially in the United States.
They are making unimaginable money a variety of other ways.
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@FunkyIrishman
What did Rand Paul get from Putin???? In millions I would say--over$10 million.
From beginning to end this article takes all the Western criticism of Russia for granted. And that makes the reading of the article somewhat bothersome. For a starter I would recommend to the author Chicago professor John Mearsheimer’s article „ Why the Ukraine crisis is the West’s fault“. Secondly, as long as the final proof of Russia's attempt to poison Scripal has not been presented to the public either by the British or the American government I am inclined to criticize both governmenmts for not waiting until the proof is clear. Punitive actions against Russia could still follow once the facts are on the table. Thirdly, the accusation that Russia intervened in the American elections and according the American intelligence community is responsible for the divisions of the American society ignores the destructive ideology of Steve Bannon and his followers who played a central part in the elections. Including fake news, bots or the declared strategy to destroy the American establishment. The 11.000 dollars attributed to Russian trolls in Facebook pale in comparison to the massive financing of Breitbart news and Cambridge analytica by billionaire Mercer.
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It's a positive sign to see President Obama's economic sanctions working, along with the EU, Canada, and other Allies. As they say, money talks. The Russian Citizenry is no different than other countries, we will support you until it adversely affects our pocketbook, then watchout.
Maybe Trump is catching on after the Helsinki debacle, but probably not, likely someone at the State Department didn't get the word ad slapped more sanctions against Russia.
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@cherrylog754 So something that this president does is an Obama thing. More fantasy alternative reality living.
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The mixed messages from the President vs his own Administration is creating a Gordian Knot of policy for Russia. Conflict between Congress and the President is far more understandable for foreign policy makers.
There is danger here, because there is one known way to solve a Gordian Knot -- to cut it. Violence, to change the paradigm.
Russia did that twice already, once in Georgia and once in Syria, for a win on both.
Russia did it a third time in Ukraine. That has left a mess in Ukraine, but it solved Russia's more immediate problem of Crimea military bases and defense of the Black Sea.
So Russia would not resort to smashing the structure a fourth time? Why be so sure of that?
Options invite.
They could end the Ukraine problem the Syria way, with a sudden unexpected intervention. Say what you will, Germany and Italy and France are not going to send troops to fight a war in Ukraine. It would be game over, but for the fulminating and more sanctions.
They could send Little Green Men into the Baltic States, to "defend" the Russians living there, who in fact could use the defense. There is a real open question -- who would really do what about that? Not talk, but do, with enough force to win.
A general spiral of relations ever downward is not a sure win for the West. If status quo becomes too much of a loser for Russia, we've seen many times now that Putin is willing to cut the knot, while our policy makers are shocked and in denial that it happened.
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@Mark Thomason
Россия на Грузию не нападала. Россия на Украине не воюет.
Вы не задумывались, а почему ни Германия, ни Италия, ни Франция не отправляют войска на Украину? Да потому что США важно втянуть Россию в конфликт, США выгодно затягивать военные действия на Украине. Но именно у США эти планы уже сильно долго затянулись. А оставить тоже не могут. Так что войно на Украине будет ещё долго. Пока Порошенко не выполнит Минские соглашения.
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@Mark Thomason
What utter nonsense is this?
Russia had a basing agreement in Ukraine that was good through 2017. There was NEVER any talk of not approving its extension - in fact, the extension had been approved by a significant majority of the Ukrainian parliament before the Russian invasion of Crimea. There was no indication that this would change after the Maidan revolution - which was an anti-corruption revolution, not an anti-Russian one. Frankly, Ukraine needed the money and ultimately the basing agreement didn't particularly hurt Ukraine. As a side note, there was little popular support in Ukraine for joining NATO until the Russian invasion.
Russia invading the rest of Ukraine today? With what - conscript forces? Air strikes on shopping malls and petrol stations? It would be the greatest act of fascist aggression since WW2 to a country that has done absolutely nothing to actually offend Russia other than to be weak and thus appetizing. This would be transparently obvious to the world and utterly indefensible. Could russia win a lightning war on Ukraine? Sure. But this is no longer the Ukraine of 1993 or even 2006 - Russian occupiers would find themselves waking up with their throats cut in most of Ukraine - you try occupying a country of 40 million with a few hundred thousand soldiers (a cost Russia can't bear) and see how far you get. It's utter Russian fantasy.
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If Putin wants prosperity for Russia, then he should fold up his gangster government and give Russia and Russians some free and fair elections and a taste of actual democracy rather than the crony capitalism and staged elections it now offers.
He should try Making Russian Great Again by ending the oligarchic nightmare that is the current Kremlin mafia management.
Step off, Vladimir, and give your country and your people a fair chance instead of miring it in a backward petro-state.
But we know he can't because he loves power and money more than his country and his fellow citizens...just like his dumb boyfriend Donald.
Sad.
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@Socrates
Putin believes that the end of the CCCP was a great tragedy. What about you?
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It's good to note that "Everything and everyone Trump comes in contact with turns to mud" is born out internationally too. If Putin's approval rating is taking a dramatic hit, I couldn't be happier. Next time he should support a candidate who would make a useful political enemy instead of a useful idiot.
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Make Russia great without destroying our incomes? Sounds familiar. Trump and Putin, separated at birth? Twins? Russia's reduction of pensions and raising of taxes sounds a lot like our citizen complaints. As if lifting sanctions would end all popular economic oppression. How would it be if oligarchs, CEOS, and terrorists stopped siphoning and draining all the money out of every continent and hiding the theft in Swiss banks.
How would that be.
Economic and cyber warfare are the war games of the future. Militarizing space is just more contractor theft and more death.
Listen to William Browder and his support of the Magnitsky Act. Freeze the funds of terrorists, force the Swiss to open their banks, look more closely into the bank of Cyprus. As it stands, international monopolies and multinationals, oligarchs and dictators operate with virtually no global oversight.
This planet needs to take every global resource it has—the IMF, the World Bank, the UN, the ICH, PANDRH, APEC, Interpol, The Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, GIFCS, IAIS, IOSCO, ECG (The Enlarged Contact Group on the Supervision of Collective Investment Funds), The Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (“FATF”), all international agencies cooperating with the SEC—they need to converge and freeze these nefarious fund tunnels.
C'est toujours bien simple.
Cherchez l'argent.
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@Naples -- Russian taxes are very low, compared to the US, and even more compared to Europe. Income tax is a flat 15%.
Russian pensions were wiped out under Yeltsin. Gone. Now they're back. They've been growing.
In real terms on the local economy, the current pensions compare favorably to anything Russians ever had, and to what Americans get from Social Security.
I'm sure everyone wants lower taxes and higher pensions. Always. That does not mean bad government or realistic changes.
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The “militarization of space” has been happening for quite some time. https://www.cnbc.com/2017/03/29/space-arms-race-as-russia-china-emerge-a... Our Airforce has been working to protect our satellites for decades https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Force_Space_Command
Trump is a moron. Space Force is not necessary (because it already exists) but please educate yourself on the importance of space “security”. I’m sick of reading and hearing uneducated comments about our military’s involvement in space. Trump ruins everything he touches.
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“President Trump had barely finished catapulting a belligerent tweet and new sanctions at Turkey on Friday before Mr. Putin was on the phone with his Turkish counterpart, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.”
‘It was vintage Putin, showcasing an opportunity to divide the West. Yet recent events also highlighted the downside to Mr. Putin’s geopolitical escapades. The Western sanctions he hoped to get lifted have only been tightened, pushing the ruble down to its lowest levels in years.”
Trump is trying to overthrow Erdogan using economic warfare. This risks destabilizing the country and causing unrest well outside its boarders into Russia. Why wouldn’t it be in the interest of Russia to make sure that Turkey remains stable and thus Putin remain in close contact with him?
How about the US escapades? Our CIA was behind the Ukraine uprising where Nazi’s now roam freely. Our attacking of Iraq destabilizing the Middle East. Our killing of Gaddafi - Libya once the richest country in Africa, which now is a country run by terrorists and where slaves are sold. Our backing of Saudi Arabia in their war with Yemen, which is causing the world largest humanitarian disaster. Our military is the one that is dividing the West by its continuous wars.
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@steve
"Our CIA was behind the Ukraine uprising where Nazi’s now roam freely . . . Our military is the one that is dividing the West by its continuous wars."
Right out of the Kremlin playbook, and as absurd as Putin's other strategies. The West has hardly been divided by our "continuous wars," indeed, we went into Libya at the behest of England and France, and NATO joined us in Afghanistan. The main risk to the West right now is Donald Trump, and we will weather that, just as we have weathered previous attempts at Russian subversion, inevitably coming out on top.
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@Josh Hill -- That is the neocon story line, but as usual it is disconnected from reality.
The US has a system worked out, of which its insiders are very proud, to promote "color revolutions." They did it again in Ukraine, actually a second time in that country, after the original "Orange Revolution" there. This time the Russians has a long planned response waiting.
And yes, the left over anti-Stalin politics of Western Ukraine are in fact proudly Nazi. It is a real problem.
The American wars to remake the Middle East certainly have divided our support. "With us or against us" got some very nominal and resentful "with us." Imagining otherwise is like imagining flowers thrown at our troops in Iraq. Those allied contingents sent are very small, and come with severe limits on what they will do. They are nominal, a fig leaf.
@steve
How’s the weather today in St Petersburg Russia “Steve”?
Putin is the Third Millennium's version of Lucius Cornelius Sulla.
Sulla proscribed the enemies of his tyrannical regime in Rome. A bounty was offered for the death of those proscribed: Kill someone on the proscription list, and you got to split the wealth of the murdered with Sulla. The more wealthy citizens proscribed, the richer Sulla and his band of merry murderers. By the way, Sulla had his kangaroo "senate" declare him Dictator for Life, absolutely above Rome's laws.
Of course, Trump is totally ignorant, yet, somehow his brain stem seems to sense the allure of Sulla's acolyte Putin.
Leave it to America's Deplorables to worship a third rate copy of Lucius Cornelius Sulla.
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Russia is only relevant to the uninform and ignorant GOP-Stooges Mr. Putin still practices his spook techniques with his office staff and routinely slips secret notes looking for the Czechoslovakia romance that Trump once enjoyed but now regrets. He envies Trump in (all matter) overt like his name in lights with Trump branding, and his tall cold war trained wife. Putin is many time richer than Trump but cannot figure out what good the money is if he's unable to be a fool like Trump fliting from one golf course to the next.
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“You can expect anything from Washington now, it is a very unpredictable international actor,” said Dmitri S. Peskov, Mr. Putin’s spokesman.
Of course one can; Putin & Co., by their intervention in our democracy and the cash influxes into the NRA and GOP, not to mention GOP collaboration, makes this true.
It's the old, old story of "Be careful what you wish for. You may get it!"
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Why are you so glad about invlicting (more)suffering for the Russian
People?What do you think will be the effect of this suffering?Love for America?
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@kienhuishenk
The Russian people, who by in large live on the trickle-down from unearned energy wealth, have for years gleefully goose-stepped along to Putin's invasions of smaller neighbors. From the humblest babushka to the most educated intellectuals, they've allowed themselves to believe the most absurd lies in order to justify Russian malfeasance be it in sport, politics, or war. The Russian people haven't known much real suffering and Putin's Willing Liars are far, far down the list of people who deserve our sympathy at this point. In fact, it's quite the opposite: when the Putin's regime does fall, we should be wary for all the "it wasn't me" " I was against the regime from day 1" "i was only following orders' evasions that will inevitably seep from the Russian general populace. We've heard it all before.
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they are our enemies. they prove it by hacking into our elections and our electric grid. They threaten and invade our allies .
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Russia is being used as a foil to hold together the Democratic Party -- and it's a weak political strategy. While the Russian invasion of Crimea invited opposition, this act alone does not justify waging World War III against Russia, which is not an ideological adversary. Moreover, the allegations that the Russian Government has poisoned, assassinated, and hacked elections are largely unproven and overblown.
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@Louis Anthes
Ah, the false dichotomy - as if the only option we had with regards to Crimea was to start World War III.
" Moreover, the allegations that the Russian Government has poisoned, assassinated, and hacked elections are largely unproven and overblown."
sure, boris. Sure. Care to enlighten us with MH17 shootdown fantasy stories from Komsomolskaya Pravda while you're at it?
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@Louis Anthes
And what holds together the Republican Party? Money, Racism, and Evangelical hypocrites?
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@Louis Anthes
NATO is the US tool and shield for aggression in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, and Syria. NATO would just go away without the 'manufactured' threat.
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Thank you for this article. It's nice to see the west finally coming around to understanding the unabashed evil that is Putin's neo-fascist state. It's worth noting how the increasingly unsatisfied Russians profiled here haven't had any pangs of concience - their loyalties are directly tied to their financial well being and really not much else.
There continues to be an obvious and important step that the west might do right now - truly it would earn even the horrible trump something like a nobel peace prize - offer Ukraine and maybe Georgia NATO membership RIGHT NOW and implement it overnight. Sure, Ukraine might have to accept the loss of its invaded territories, but the majority of Ukrainians would go for it nevertheless. What a huge black eye for Putin that would be - the nonsensical fearmongering predictions invented by his propagandists come true! 40+ million new people happily in the west and of course Russia would never, ever, ever attack a NATO country.
This would be one of the most brilliant geopolitical tactical moves of all time. And, best of all, it would be consistent with our values and would be done for receptive audiences in Ukraine and Georgia. All it takes is a bit of courage. it could be done in a week and putin would have absolutely no response whatseoever.
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“You can expect anything from Washington now, it is a very unpredictable international actor,” said Dmitri S. Peskov, Mr. Putin’s spokesman.
The feeling is shared here -- and not in a good way.
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The interesting development is that Trump is making daisy chains with Putin as a strong sign of Putin’s ability to manipulate a proven supplicant in our weak leadership where Putin is the father figure to our President. The balance of our State Dept administration, despite signs of Trump’s hands being all over them, have a clear eyed view of the correct actions to apply to the Russians. This is encouraging. The Russians are certainly an irritant but our biggest problem is the screwball atop our leadership whose daily direction varies like a windblown field of grass.
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Russians feel landlocked and grow anxious if denied a port on the Black Sea with control of a land corridor leading to it. Trying to sanction or threaten them out of that deep desire is a hopeless cause. One might compare it to the desire of the US, unitl it achieved such, to control ports and land access to those ports on the Gulf of Mexico.
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@Penseur Ah, before 1803, then. As that's when the US acquired New Orleans.
@Susanna: Then somewhat later Houston, Corpus Christi, Jacksonville, Miami, Tampa -- on to Los Angeles, San Francisco, Anchorage, Honolulu and San Juan, etc. -- all of which were taken by force, or by "offers that could not be refused" or else. Even the French ambassador at the time of the Louisiana purchase acknowledged that.
@Penseur
“Uptown” is that a place in St. Petersburg? Have you ever looked at a map of the U.S. East Coast? It’s lined with great harbors that are ice free even in the worst winters.
After the Louisiana Purchase from France the new states in the middle of the U.S. shipped from New Orleans via the Mississippi River. The U.S. owns the land on both sides of the Mississippi.
Russia has treaty access to and from the Black Sea that’s why they have been so nice to Turkey these last few hundred years. Control of the Crimea has nothing to do with it. The Naval Base at Sebastopol does have something to do with Russia wanting the Crimea however.
Everyone else has access into the Black Sea under the same treaty. Russia doesn’t like that and harasses all non Russian warships in the Black Sea as much as it can.
1
Be honest, Democrats, liberals and progressives. Who was and has been tougher on Putin and Russia, Obama or Trump? Wasn't it Obama who off-microphone was heard to whisper to the Soviet ambassador that he needed to be re- elected before he could ease up on Russia? Wasn't it Obama who ignored Russia's annexation of Crimea? Wasn't it Obama who drew a phony red line in the sand on Syrian use of chemical weapons and then turned his back as the Russians continued to provided arms to the despot dictator Assad? And wasn't it Trump who exposed the German natural gas pipeline deal with Russia? And wasn't it Trump who has twice ratcheted up sanctions against Russia? Be honest. Look at the facts.
4
@paul Merriam-Webster: Whataboutism: "Tu quoque is considered to be a logical fallacy, because whether or not the original accuser is likewise guilty of an offense has no bearing on the truth value of the original accusation."
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@paul
as an overall obama supporter, i will say that obama's cowardly failure to support democracy in ukraine should go down as a giant black mark on his presidency - maybe even the biggest. it was cowardly and unprincipled (i said so at the time - most on both sides didn't but instead both republicans and democrats at the time - including most in these comments section - were, frankly, bamboozled by Putinist propaganda). So, while there were things that Obama did well to counter Russia (including saving Ukraine's economy in 2014-2015), overall he failed utterly to exercise either moral authority or practical might to stop Russia.
That said, I will also fully admit that Trump finally seems to be taking some steps against Russia - all without uttering a single positive word for the long-suffering democracy-hungry peoples of Ukraine or eastern europe. Instead, we get mixed signals along the lines of his strange adoration for Putin and other strongmen and constantly undermining NATO.
A president's words and posture are at least as important as the deeds, often done by underlings. Here's my scoreboard:
Obama on Russia: words: 0 deeds: -1
Trump on Russia: words: -1 deeds: 0.
So, in my view it's a dead heat - Trump's administration has done a bare minimum to keep Russia contained (hence: 0). He can do more (hint: Ukraine into NATO tomorrow!). But yes, Obama's non-actions were, again, cowardly and unprincipled.
Congress has been hard on Russia, not Trump. And I don’t consider blowing up some unused, empty buildings in Syria real retribution. The optics worked on some people...
7
mr. trump likes to "advertise" that he is the toughest on Russia but he doesn't want to "deliver" being tough on Russia for fear of ruining trump's relationship with Putin.
trump's most significant move against Russia was made in error when the US expelled 60 Russian diplomats. trump was furious when he learned how many, and he only wanted to expel a number equal to as many as Russia expelled US diplomats (6?).
This administration makes a big public relations spectacle of imposing sanctions and then back stage, silently refuses to implement sanctions. Remember, they have eliminated the office responsible for implementing the sanctions.
4
Finally Russis starts to feel some pain for all the political recklessness it has been exporting since 201x. A best case scenario would see this brewing into Mr Putin’s downfall and - ironically - a newly liberalized Russia stabilizing (by stopping its propaganda onslaught and Irrtümer dark machinations) liberal democracy in the West also. Fingers crossed.
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@Andreas -- Have you seen the opposition to Putin? They're nuts. Right wing hardly describes it. He's the moderating influence.
Be careful what we wish for.
2
@Andreas Keep dreaming.
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@Mark Thomason
The opposition consists of people like Alexei Navalny, Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Leonard Volkov. Marking them as "nuts" displays a reckless disregard for the truth. Ultimately, right-wing nationalist (and kleptocracy) is Putin's game.
Thanks to the strong defense of leaders like Angela Merkel is that Putin has been rejected in his geopolitical aspirations ... Putin's great triumph so far is the White House's submission by Trump ... if the American people do not react in November , maybe Putin will achieve his strategic aspirations at the expense of the power of the United States and the West and using Trump as his battering ram ...
21
Like most people who invested with Donald Trump over the years, the Russians have found it was a lousy investment.
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