What the heck is up with Russia?

[TylerM4]

Annexation of Chimera, hacking abroad, election meddling, announcement of new nuclear weapons arsenal that "renders NORAD useless", and now assassinations overseas.

Blind eyes can't be turned much longer. Is WW3 on the horizon?

[Catsumi]

Or, maybe just a string of strange stuff?

I fail to see how assassinating retired inactive spies foretells WW3. They've pulled this stunt off before.

I personally have more concern re the Trumpet and Lil Kim.

[TylerM4]

Or, maybe just a string of strange stuff?

I fail to see how assassinating retired inactive spies foretells WW3. They've pulled this stunt off before.

I personally have more concern re the Trumpet and Lil Kim.

?? I listed 5 very troubling events and you seem to have ignored 4 of them.

And strange? You call invasion of a foreign country, hacking of critical infrastructure (lives are on the line if it fails), declarations of "we could bomb you with nuclear weapons if we wanted to", and instigating social unrest as strange? It's far more than just strange to me.

I agree, any 1 of them by itself isn't super-concerning. But together it shows a pattern of increasing hostilities abroad.

I think you need to read up on who this person was. "Retired" is far from what his status was. "Defected and living abroad for his own protection" would be a better description. This was an assassination plain and simple. It was done on foreign soil using a very potent and deadly nerve agent (AKA a potential weapon of mass destruction). The chemical they used is so deadly the authorities are advising anyone who was in the area to take extra precautions due to the potential for collateral damage. There's a reason the world is condemning it and *bleep* off.

Watch your tune change when it happens in Orchard Park and you're told to wash your cloths if you went there in that last week. When it's you or your family that's impacted I doubt you'll call it strange.

[Merry]

I too am watching increasing Russian aggression with alarm. The West has been downplaying much of what has been happening in order to keep the peace, but that's only resulted in making Putin increasingly bolder. Sooner or later the West will be unable to continue ignoring Russia's provocations, and will be forced to take action. Just what that action might be, and how Russia will respond, should be of concern to us all.

[Silverstarqueen]

Up till recently U.S. presidents and admin have always been anti-Russia. Suddenly there's a U.s. president who thinks they are good guys. Not a surprise that Russia is taking advantage of this window in time. Trump has not said a word against Putin or the Russians. He thinks the FBI are all out to lunch, so won't sick them on the Russians to investigate anything. Putin could not have hoped for such a great set up if he had planned it all himself.

[StraitTalk]

USA may not be annexing nations, but consider some of what they have done over even just the past two decades, never mind three, and Russia starts to look pretty good.

[Catsumi]

Tyler, you are correct that my post seemed to ignore 4 of your points but thought that my statement that Russia has pulled these stunts off before covered all.

Russia does stuff like this constantly.

Without researching exact dates, Russia was blamed (and rightly so) of killing a spy in England with poisoned (ricin) tipped umbrella (what else?) about 20 or so years ago. Then I think another followed but not sure, involved Polonium.

Believe me, it was pretty darn scary for the world when they marched army and tanks into Chekoslovakia in 1968 (?). That was a pants filler to be sure, much like the Bay of Pigs, Cuban Missile crises. (I recall phoning pals for last chat as we heard over and over that This Was It. I bet you did the same. ). Anyway, th USA was poised to step in and then all fizzled and calmed down. I am sure you remember these times well too.

In just my lifetime there have been many instances of Russian saber rattling and the world does nothing but move on. Kruschev, who came right after Stalin, pigheaded as he was, at least could be reasoned with. Kennedy seemed to get through to him....Putin, in the other hand IMO is eel-like, smiles, goes his own way. He is uber-wealthy, why blow world up? Too much invested.

And yes, we should all be concerned and informed as much as possible, but when all is said and done,how much influence do we have to change a situation in another country without going to war? Look at our own troubles right here.

I stand by my comment about N. korea. Kim is a loose cannon barely under control.

[Even Steven]

Russians get a bad rep. For the most part they're reacting to threats made by NATO or US. The country is trying to be independent and fight off NATO that is getting closer and closer to their border. Annexation of Crimea was exactly that - fighting back NATO's movement into what was supposed to be a neutral country and minimizing the damage in case they succeed. Announcing weapons is not a declaration of aggression, more of them saying "don't attack us, we'll fight back and do some damage if we have to", not "We want to destroy you".

Meddling in elections and hacking are made up reasons to be *bleep* at Russia and for the most part, are only talked about by sore losers who lost the elections. Getting involved in other countries elections is nothing new and been done by the US around the world including Russia since 1990's.

Poisoning looks a bit like a setup. Why poison somebody with exotic compound when you can simply shoot them. I'm skeptical on this.

[FreeRights]

Meddling in elections and hacking are made up reasons to be *bleep* at Russia and for the most part, are only talked about by sore losers who lost the elections. Getting involved in other countries elections is nothing new and been done by the US around the world including Russia since 1990's.

To be fair, it's the ones who won the election that are now confirming that these hacks occurred. Meddling with elections is something that everyone does, but targeting another nation's infrastructure is new.

https://www.google.ca/amp/s/mobile.nytimes.com/2018/03/15/us/politics/russia-cyberattacks.amp.html

[Ka-El]

Or, maybe just a string of strange stuff?

I fail to see how assassinating retired inactive spies foretells WW3. They've pulled this stunt off before.

I personally have more concern re the Trumpet and Lil Kim.

?? I listed 5 very troubling events and you seem to have ignored 4 of them.

And strange? You call invasion of a foreign country, hacking of critical infrastructure (lives are on the line if it fails), declarations of "we could bomb you with nuclear weapons if we wanted to", and instigating social unrest as strange? It's far more than just strange to me.

I agree, any 1 of them by itself isn't super-concerning. But together it shows a pattern of increasing hostilities abroad.

I tend to agree it is at least possible. This all could be part of a far bigger game being played by Putin, a part of that game requiring Trump to become the president of the United States. Now we have everyone aligning on imposing trade embargos with Russia, while already looking at the possible risk of trade wars. If there ever was going to be a more hapless leader in a time of crisis, Putin is timing matters perfectly. Engaging in trade wars, enforcing embargos, entering the game of arms race and provocation, and dealing with rogue nations with a president unbalanced. What could go wrong?

p.s. There is also no reason to doubt Russia will make at least some efforts to start influencing our elections (if they haven’t already). They have already interfered with what our phone-addicted population considers or perceives to be news.

[Queen K]

Six more years for Putin. Like Russian opposition had a chance right?


https://www.castanet.net/edition/news-s ... htm#221409

That Putin needed someone like Trump in the White House is becoming ever more increasingly clear. He needed someone to undermine all National Security the USA has, and so far, the FBI have been in Trumps sightlines from the get go.

[Queen K]

I never thought of Russia as much of a threat, but when you have an American President talking openly about unconstitutional actions as Trump has, who needs an actual invasion?

All Trump has to do is keep discrediting the CIA and the FBI, firing their top players, intimidating the rest of them by threatening to ruin careers and families. Next is exposing operatives in other countries, who is to say that hasn't happened? Who is going to report that? The "fake news agencies" he's been brainwashing everyone to believe they are? All you have to do is corrupt the minds of millions is to convince them that what he tweets is real and the news broadcasters are "fake" and all other destructions against America can go unopposed.

No, this is a full frontal assault on America and values and what they hold in trust, FBI, CIA, News agencies and next? the 'net, net Neutrality......ohhh that's already been done!

Only those who can afford the open 'net will be able to use it without counting pennies in society where a great deal of good jobs have disappeared.

The FBI
CIA
News
Internet.
Guttng social programs to students, elderly and others by the billions.
Environmental destruction is "good."
oh and he was towed into line by the NRA. Oddly enough, If I'm right about the first six, we'll want well armed Americans.

What Have I left out?

Seriously?

[Queen K]

Oh and protecting Russia to the END.

Firing Mueller? Now of all times? Really? Trump lawyer to Mueller, "just end it"? Why? Because if there really is nothing there, what's to worry about?

https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/18/politics ... index.html

[Queen K]

Fox news is funny, you'd never know anything was going on with Trump and Russia, but you have to scroll down, down down to see it.

Here is a telling link: GOP warning Trump, "no more firings."

http://insider.foxnews.com/2018/03/18/j ... t-comments


"I think it was a horrible day for democracy," Flake told CNN, warning that Congress will not accept more key firings, including any potential dispatching of Special Counsel Robert Mueller.



CNN Politics
✔
@CNNPolitics
Sen. Jeff Flake says President Trump going after Robert Mueller is a “red line” #CNNSOTU

6:16 AM - Mar 18, 2018
340
179 people are talking about this

[Jack DeBear]

Oh, just the usual.

"Report: FEC Probing Whether NRA Took Russian Funds For Trump Campaign"

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/entry/fec- ... 3361b0f887