Caitlin Johnstone

25 Times Trump Has Been Dangerously Hawkish On Russia

CNN has published a fascinatingly manipulative and falsehood-laden article titled “25 times Trump was soft on Russia“, in which a lot of strained effort is poured into building the case that the US president is suspiciously loyal to the nation against which he has spent his administration escalating dangerous new cold war aggressions. The items…

Caitlin Johnstone
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CNN has published a fascinatingly manipulative and falsehood-laden article titled “25 times Trump was soft on Russia“, in which a lot of strained effort is poured into building the case that the US president is suspiciously loyal to the nation against which he has spent his administration escalating dangerous new cold war aggressions.

The items within the CNN article consist mostly of times in which Trump said some words or failed to say other words; “Trump has repeatedly praised Putin”, “Trump refused to say Putin is a killer”, “Trump denied that Russia interfered in 2016”, “Trump made light of Russian hacking”, etc. It also includes the completely false but oft-repeated narrative that “Trump’s team softened the GOP platform on Ukraine”, as well as the utterly ridiculous and thoroughly invalidated claim that “Since intervening in Syria in 2015, the Russian military has focused its airstrikes on anti-government rebels, not ISIS.”

CNN’s 25 items are made up almost entirely of narrative and words; Trump said a nice thing about Putin, Trump said offending things to NATO allies, Trump thought about visiting Putin in Russia, etc. In contrast, the 25 items which I am about to list do not consist of narrative at all, but rather the actual movement of actual concrete objects which can easily lead to an altercation from which there may be no re-emerging. These items show that when you ignore the words and narrative spin and look at what this administration has actually been doing, it’s clear to anyone with a shred of intellectual honesty that, far from being “soft” on Russia, Trump has actually been consistently reckless in the one area where a US president must absolutely always maintain a steady hand. And he’s been doing so with zero resistance from either party.

It would be understandable if you were unaware that Trump has been escalating tensions with Moscow more than any other president since the fall of the Berlin Wall; it’s a fact that neither of America’s two mainstream political factions care about, so it tends to get lost in the shuffle. Trump’s opposition is interested in painting him as a sycophantic Kremlin crony, and his supporters are interested in painting him as an antiwar hero of the people, but he is neither. Observe:

1. Implementing a Nuclear Posture Review with a more aggressive stance toward Russia

Last year Trump’s Department of Defense rolled out a Nuclear Posture Review which CNN itself called “its toughest line yet against Russia’s resurgent nuclear forces.”

“In its newly released Nuclear Posture Review, the Defense Department has focused much of its multibillion nuclear effort on an updated nuclear deterrence focused on Russia,” CNN reported last year.

This revision of nuclear policy includes the new implementation of so-called “low-yield” nuclear weapons, which, because they are designed to be more “usable” than conventional nuclear ordinances, have been called “the most dangerous weapon ever” by critics of this insane policy. These weapons, which can remove some of the inhibitions that mutually assured destruction would normally give military commanders, have already been rolled off the assembly line.

2. Arming Ukraine

Lost in the gibberish about Trump temporarily withholding military aide to supposedly pressure a Ukrainian government who was never even aware of being pressured is the fact that arming Ukraine against Russia is an entirely new policy that was introduced by the Trump administration in the first place. Even the Obama administration, which was plenty hawkish toward Russia in its own right, refused to implement this extremely provocative escalation against Moscow. It was not until Obama was replaced with the worst Putin puppet of all time Uthat this policy was put in place.

3. Bombing Syria

Another escalation Trump took against Russia which Obama wasn’t hawkish enough to also do was bombing the Syrian government, a longtime ally of Moscow. These airstrikes in April 2017 and April 2018 were perpetrated in retaliation for chemical weapons use allegations that there is no legitimate reason to trust at this point.

4. Staging coup attempts in Venezuela

Venezuela, another Russian ally, has been the subject of relentless coup attempts from the Trump administration which persist unsuccessfully to this very day. Trump’s attempts to topple the Venezuelan government have been so violent and aggressive that the starvation sanctions which he has implemented are believed to have killed tens of thousands of Venezuelan civilians.

Trump has reportedly spoken frequently of a US military invasion to oust Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro, provoking a forceful rebuke from Moscow.

“Signals coming from certain capitals indicating the possibility of external military interference look particularly disquieting,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said. “We warn against such reckless actions, which threaten catastrophic consequences.”

5. Withdrawing from the INF treaty

For a president who’s “soft” on Russia, Trump has sure been eager to keep postures between the two nations extremely aggressive in nature. This administration has withdrawn from the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, prompting UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to declare that “the world lost an invaluable brake on nuclear war.” It appears entirely possible that Trump will continue to adhere to the John Bolton school of nuclear weapons treaties until they all lie in tatters, with the administration strongly criticizing the crucial New START Treaty which expires in early 2021.

Some particularly demented Russiagaters try to argue that Trump withdrawing from these treaties benefits Russia in some way. These people either (A) believe that treaties only go one way, (B) believe that a nation with an economy the size of South Korea can compete with the US in an arms race, (C) believe that Russians are immune to nuclear radiation, or (D) all of the above. Withdrawing from these treaties benefits no one but the military-industrial complex.

6. Ending the Open Skies Treaty

“The Trump administration has taken steps toward leaving a nearly three-decade-old agreement designed to reduce the risk of war between Russia and the West by allowing both sides to conduct reconnaissance flights over one another’s territories,” The Wall Street Journal reported last month, adding that the administration has alleged that “Russia has interfered with American monitoring flights while using its missions to gather intelligence in the US.”

Again, if you subscribe to the bizarre belief that withdrawing from this treaty benefits Russia, please think harder. Or ask the Russians themselves how they feel about it:

“US plans to withdraw from the Open Skies Treaty lower the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons and multiply the risks for the whole world, Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev said,” Sputnik reports.

“All this negatively affects the predictability of the military-strategic situation and lowers the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons, which drastically increases the risks for the whole humanity,” Patrushev said.

“In general, it is becoming apparent that Washington intends to use its technological leadership in order to maintain strategic dominance in the information space by actually pursuing a policy of imposing its conditions on states that are lagging behind in digital development,” he added.

7. Selling Patriot missiles to Poland

“Poland signed the largest arms procurement deal in its history on Wednesday, agreeing with the United States to buy Raytheon Co’s Patriot missile defense system for $4.75 billion in a major step to modernize its forces against a bolder Russia,” Reuters reported last year.

8. Occupying Syrian oil fields

The Trump administration has been open about the fact that it is not only maintaining a military presence in Syria to control the nation’s oil, but that it is doing so in order to deprive the nation’s government of that financial resource. Syria’s ally Russia strongly opposes this, accusing the Trump administration of nothing short of “international state banditry”.

“In a statement, Russia’s defense ministry said Washington had no mandate under international or US law to increase its military presence in Syria and said its plan was not motivated by genuine security concerns in the region,” Reuters reported last month.

“Therefore Washington’s current actions – capturing and maintaining military control over oil fields in eastern Syria – is, simply put, international state banditry,” Russia’s defense ministry said.

9. Killing Russians in Syria

Reports have placed Russian casualties anywhere between a handful and hundreds, but whatever the exact number the US military is known to have killed Russian citizens as part of the Trump administration’s ongoing Syria occupation in an altercation last year.

10. Tanks in Estonia

Within weeks of taking office, Trump was already sending Abrams battle tanks, Bradley infantry fighting vehicles and other military hardware right up to Russia’s border as part of a NATO operation.

“Atlantic Resolve is a demonstration of continued US commitment to collective security through a series of actions designed to reassure NATO allies and partners of America’s dedication to enduring peace and stability in the region in light of the Russian intervention in Ukraine,” the Defense Department said in a statement.

11. War ships in the Black Sea

12. Sanctions

Trump approved new sanctions against Russia on August 2017. CNN reports the following:

US President Donald Trump approved fresh sanctions on Russia Wednesday after Congress showed overwhelming bipartisan support for the new measures,” CNN reported at the time. “Congress passed the bill last week in response to Russia’s interference in the 2016 US election, as well as its human rights violations, annexation of Crimea and military operations in eastern Ukraine. The bill’s passage drew ire from Moscow — which responded by stripping 755 staff members and two properties from US missions in the country — all but crushing any hope for the reset in US-Russian relations that Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin had called for.”

“A full-fledged trade war has been declared on Russia,” said Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev in response.

13. More sanctions

“The United States imposed sanctions on five Russian individuals on Wednesday, including the leader of the Republic of Chechnya, for alleged human rights abuses and involvement in criminal conspiracies, a sign that the Trump administration is ratcheting up pressure on Russia,” The New York Times reported in December 2017.

14. Still more sanctions

“Trump just hit Russian oligarchs with the most aggressive sanctions yet,” reads a Vice headline from April of last year.

“The sanctions target seven oligarchs and 12 companies under their ownership or control, 17 senior Russian government officials, and a state-owned Russian weapons trading company and its subsidiary, a Russian bank,” Vice reports. “While the move is aimed, in part, at Russia’s role in the U.S. 2016 election, senior U.S. government officials also stressed that the new measures seek to penalize Russia’s recent bout of international troublemaking more broadly, including its support for Syrian President Bashar Assad and military activity in eastern Ukraine.”

15. Even more sanctions

The Trump administration hit Russia with more sanctions for the alleged Skripal poisoning in August of last year, then hit them with another round of sanctions for the same reason again in August of this year.

16. Guess what? MORE sanctions

“The Trump administration on Thursday imposed new sanctions on a dozen individuals and entities in response to Russia’s annexation of Crimea,” The Hill reported in November of last year. “The group includes a company linked to Bank Rossiya and Russian businessman Yuri Kovalchuk and others accused of operating in Crimea, which the U.S. says Russia seized illegally in 2014.”

17. Oh hey, more sanctions

“Today, the United States continues to take action in response to Russian attempts to influence US democratic processes by imposing sanctions on four entities and seven individuals associated with the Internet Research Agency and its financier, Yevgeniy Prigozhin. This action increases pressure on Prigozhin by targeting his luxury assets, including three aircraft and a vessel,” reads a statement by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo from September of this year.

18. Secondary sanctions

Secondary sanctions are economic sanctions in which a third party is punished for breaching the primary sanctions of the sanctioning body. The US has leveled sanctions against both China and Turkey for purchasing Russian S-400 air defense missiles, and it is threatening to do so to India as well.

19. Forcing Russian media to register as foreign agents

Both RT and Sputnik have been forced to register as “foreign agents” by the Trump administration. This classification forced the outlets to post a disclaimer on content, to report their activities and funding sources to the Department of Justice twice a year, and could arguably place an unrealistic burden on all their social media activities as it submits to DOJ micromanagement.

20. Throwing out Russian diplomats

The Trump administration joined some 20 other nations in casting out scores of Russian diplomats as an immediate response to the Skripal poisoning incident in the UK.

21. Training Polish and Latvian fighters “to resist Russian aggression”

“US Army Special Forces soldiers completed the first irregular and unconventional warfare training iteration for members of the Polish Territorial Defense Forces and Latvian Zemmessardze as a part of the Ridge Runner program in West Virginia, according to service officials,” Army Times reported this past July.

“U.S. special operations forces have been training more with allies from the Baltic states and other Eastern European nations in the wake of the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation in 2014,” Army Times writes. “A low-level conflict continues to simmer in eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region between Russian-backed separatists and government forces to this day. The conflict spurred the Baltics into action, as Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia embraced the concepts of total defense and unconventional warfare, combining active-duty, national guard and reserve-styled forces to each take on different missions to resist Russian aggression and even occupation.”

22. Refusal to recognize Crimea as part of the Russian Federation

…even while acknowledging Israel’s illegal annexation of the Golan Heights as perfectly legal and legitimate.

23. Sending 1,000 troops to Poland

From the September article “1000 US Troops Are Headed to Poland” by National Interest:

Key point: Trump agreed to send more forces to Poland to defend it against Russia.

What Happened: U.S. President Donald Trump agreed to deploy approximately 1,000 additional U.S. troops to Poland during a meeting with Polish President Andrzej Duda on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York City, Reuters reported Sept. 23.

Why It Matters: The deal, which formalizes the United States’ commitment to protecting Poland from Russia, provides a diplomatic victory to Duda and his governing Law and Justice ahead of November elections. The additional U.S. troops will likely prompt a reactive military buildup from Moscow in places like neighboring Kaliningrad and, potentially, Belarus.

24. Withdrawing from the Iran deal

Russia has been consistently opposed to Trump’s destruction of the JCPOA. In a statement after Trump killed the deal, the Russian Foreign Ministry said it was “deeply disappointed by the decision of US President Donald Trump to unilaterally refuse to carry out commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action”, adding that this administration’s actions were “trampling on the norms of international law”.

25. Attacking Russian gas interests

Trump has been threatening Germany with sanctions and troop withdrawal if it continues to support a gas pipeline from Russia called Nord Stream 2.

“Echoing previous threats about German support for the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, Trump said he’s looking at sanctions to block the project he’s warned would leave Berlin ‘captive’ to Moscow,” Bloomberg reports. “The US also hopes to export its own liquefied natural gas to Germany.”

“We’re protecting Germany from Russia, and Russia is getting billions and billions of dollars in money from Germany” for its gas, Trump told the press.

I could have kept going, but that’s my 25. The only reason anyone still believes Trump is anything other than insanely hawkish toward Russia is because it doesn’t benefit anyone’s partisanship or profit margins to call it like it really is. The facts are right here as plain as can be, but there’s a difference between facts and narrative. If they wanted to, the political/media class could very easily use the facts I just laid out to weave the narrative that this president is imperiling us all with dangerous new cold war provocations, but that’s how different narrative is from fact; there’s almost no connection. Instead they use a light sprinkling of fact to weave a narrative that has very little to do with reality. And meanwhile the insane escalations continue.

In a cold war, it only takes one miscommunication or one defective piece of equipment to set off a chain of events that can obliterate all life on earth. The more things escalate, the greater the probability of that happening. We’re rolling the dice on armageddon every single day, and with every escalation the number we need to beat gets a bit harder.

We should not be rolling the dice on this. This is very, very wrong, and the US and Russia should stop and establish detente immediately. The fact that outlets like CNN would rather diddle made-up Russiagate narratives than point to this obvious fact with truthful reporting is in and of itself sufficient to discredit them all forever.

_______________________

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41 responses to “25 Times Trump Has Been Dangerously Hawkish On Russia”

  1. Jim Avatar
    Jim

    Your support of Putin is appreciated by Putin; trump’s just words have allowed Russia to flourish while damaging democracy and the US and no amount of rightwing spin can deny this. He is Putin’s puppet and everything he’s done has enabled and emboldened the dictators wildest dreams.

  2. Rose Hollins Avatar
    Rose Hollins

    Caitlin Johnstone’s detailed study – here focused on Russia – of Trump’s globally dangerous presidential ACTIONS – not mere words…

    Thanks, Caitlin, brillliant work!

    It’s long – but truly terrifying.

    (And I think we should all be even more afraid if US Vice-President Pence – or Pompeo – succeed him.)

  3. John Knox Avatar
    John Knox

    CNN publishes stuff like that because they need to keep us scared and agitated. Otherwise we would look at the world with clear eyes and cool heads and realize that we don’t really need war or capitalism, and their free ride would be over.

    1. Joe Van Steenbergen Avatar
      Joe Van Steenbergen

      CNN publishes this stuff because (a) it makes Trump look bad and (b) it makes Trump look bad. There are no other reasons under the sun for CNN to do this (other than, possibly, ratings). Immediately after Mr. Trump’s election, the bigwigs at CNN, who had vested personal interests in Her, decided that the results of the election had to be denied and, if possible, reversed, “by any means necessary.” It is that perceived personal connection between CNN and Her that is at the root of everything CNN does. It does not hurt that Zucker worked with, and loathed, Mr. Trump when both were working on The Apprentice. This is personal for CNN, not just politics and certainly not anything approaching “news.”

  4. ron campbell Avatar
    ron campbell

    Although Mr. Assange is still locked up and being tortured; Sweden has dropped the rape charge against him and the judge he has been facing has a ” conflict of interest ” beyond belief. Please peruse this:
    https://consortiumnews.com/2019/11/16/arbuthnot-out-as-assanges-judge-says-wikileaks-lawyer-jen-robinson/

  5. Michel Bélisle Avatar
    Michel Bélisle

    It is nothing but a big show.

    The ruling elites of every countries in the world are one big club.

    They are doing a show for their citizens equivalent to a protection racket.

    Notice that it never happened that members of ruling class in any country did not see plane wreckages in the Pentagone or in a field in Pennsylvania on 9/11 where there were yet no wreckage at all to be seen for ordinary folks.

    It is a violent society similar to the way it was in the days of Noah. And we are in the return of those days as it is written, so the return of Jesus is near and I pray the Rosary to hasten His Glorious Return because I have seen enough bullshit.

  6. peter mcloughlin Avatar
    peter mcloughlin

    Caitlin Johnstone’s list points to growing tensions with Russia. Failure of the political and media establishment to see this makes the task of avoiding world war three all the more difficult. In the West the end of the Cold War was seen as the dawn of peace. But the Cold War was the peace, a post-world war environment: we are now in a pre-world war environment.
    https://www.ghostsofhistory.wordpress.com/

  7. George Critch Avatar
    George Critch

    I may be open to criticism for this comment because #1) I have referred to Wikipedia for background and #2) I haven’t personally read the book. But, I heard about this book awhile ago and didn’t give it much thought, but one has to think that the Russians are NOT innocent victims. Inferring from the synopsis and some reviews, the timeline seems to be playing out. I am sure the book is part of the curriculum at the War College. Of course, one can ask should the world have a War College?

    https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35887243-foundations-of-geopolitics

    1. jrkrideau Avatar
      jrkrideau

      Where does one find this book? Even Amazon does not seem to have it

  8. JWK Avatar
    JWK

    Does not matter if a president wishes to improve relations with Russia. Agents of the Sociopaths in Charge just visit the white house and show the newly elected potus the Zapruder film.

    Only about 20 years of US history has its military not been actively killing somebody.

  9. ron campbell Avatar
    ron campbell

    Unfortunately, our ” leaders ” in Washington,D.C. still believe that a worldwide nuclear war is ” winnable ” so they continue to posture themselves in that direction. The pursuit of profit always blinds out and nullifies everything else for these deranged people. As the world heats up and the ice melts these lunatics are preparing to fight a war over the North Pole. Please peruse this:
    https://www.strategic-culture.org/news/2019/11/19/washington-wants-an-arctic-circle-of-confrontation/

  10. USA-ma Bin Laden Avatar
    USA-ma Bin Laden

    America is a country and culture that is perpetually at War. As such, the American worldview is so shaped by this war mentality that it pervades every facet of society–including the media and people themselves. The quote below is excerpted from a longer comment that strikingly captures this American mentality:

    To understand how this works one must first note that the United States is a nation at permanent war. Wartime psychology has become part of American culture. “Loose lips sink ships.” “Service on the Home Front.” America is under attack by mysterious forces that nobody really understands, but everybody is nevertheless certain exists in the shadowy places in the world, and considering how painfully ignorant most American are that is most of the world.

    https://www.moonofalabama.org/2019/11/opcw-whistleblowers-management-manipulated-reports-douma-chemical-weapon-attack-was-staged.html?cid=6a00d8341c640e53ef0240a4ebc94e200b#comment-6a00d8341c640e53ef0240a4ebc94e200b

  11. Warren Parsons Avatar
    Warren Parsons

    Thanks for this informative, truthful post!
    Why has Russia now morphed back into the Evil Empire, once again?
    They have the same economic system: unfeterred neoliberal capitalism.
    They have the same type of government: oligarcghy or inverted totalitarianism (democracy is for show only).
    They, like us, also have a powerful, conservative, religious bloc with influence: Russian Orthodox.
    Our astronauts (teamed with cosmonauts) continue to travel to the ISS via the Russian Soyuz spacecraftcraft.
    Russian NHL players, such as Ovi, star and are beloved in the NHL cities they play in.
    My millenial nephew works for a Russian-owned steel company in the western US. They pay union wages, hoffer great benefits and are reducing carbon emissions by shifting away from fossil fuel power plants to renewables.
    Why a new arms race like the 50’s and 60’s? Why the naked aggression on our part? Could it be that Russia wants to abandon the fiat (on life support) dollar and trade in a new reserve currency backed by gold? Probably!

  12. Eddy Avatar
    Eddy

    Quote, ” The US and Russia should stop and establish detente immediately. ” Unquote.
    Seriously ? There’s no point whatever, making demands of Russia for anything, they have established very clearly their position and have on many occassions pointed out the U.S. needs to sit down and talk with them. The U.S. on the other hand, has also made it’s position very clear, it has no intention of sitting down with anyone to talk, and the Russians simply need to bend the knee to U.S. demands.
    Clearly, given the above, the onus is on the U.S. to pull it’s head in, and pretend once again they are human and part of humanity that shares this planet. Chances of that happen are ???????? Snowball’s chance in Hell.

  13. Ignatius Avatar
    Ignatius

    What’s most disappointing about the CNN article? The fact, there are too many people out there who actually believe those lies! C,NN – Crap, Not News!

  14. Panegyrist of Perspectivity Avatar
    Panegyrist of Perspectivity

    Its also important to remember that despite all the screeching, mega bucks is still flowing into Russia from the Crown tax havens, albeit on Putins terms , which is really what bugs them. Busting open Russia has the potential to reboot capitalism for half a century of orgiastic plunder before we land right where we are now again, only worse. Democracy and nation states are just for show.

    The Real Sources of Russian Foreign Investment
    https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2019/11/06/where-russias-foreign-investment-really-comes-from-a68055

  15. GaryS Avatar
    GaryS

    Well this is all very confusing–whoever is in control–[and it’s not the Republicans nor the Democrats]–sure knows how to keep the average plebeian guessing. Intelligence pro Dr. Pieczenik seems have a clearer picture of who’s behind the misinformation and chaos: https://www.winterwatch.net/2019/08/out-the-book-door-questioning-the-death-of-jeffrey-epstein/?replytocom=10359#respond

  16. ron campbell Avatar
    ron campbell

    While the ” Evil-Empire and its cohorts ” go about making enemies of everyone; the Chinese are engaging the rest of this planet in an entirely different direction. As I was reading this article I had to keep reminding myself that Ms Johnstone did not write it:
    https://www.strategic-culture.org/news/2019/11/18/brics-summit-provides-a-clear-alternative-to-intellectual-mush-of-cultural-relativism/

  17. Khatika Avatar
    Khatika

    President Donald “peace through strength” Trump continues the full court press of aggression since 9/11. Someone needs to tell America they are not in charge of the world. If the US continues to use the dollar as a weapon against the world they may wake up one day and find they are no longer the reserve currency because of their abuse.

    1. George Critch Avatar
      George Critch

      Funny you should say that.

      Vladimir Putin: “The Dollar Enjoyed Great Trust Around The World. But For Some Reason It Is Being Used As A Political Weapon, Imposing Restrictions. Many Countries Are Now Turning Away From The Dollar As A Reserve Currency. US Dollar Will Collapse Soon.”

      ZeroHedge

  18. Roy Avatar
    Roy

    Sad; but what else can you expect when you teach your children to hate everything and everyone that doesn’t look or speak just like you? It is the most gross form of child abuse there is, and yet the rest of society has let these monstrous child abusers go unchecked for decades, and because of it we all deserve to die.

    1. Khatika Avatar
      Khatika

      No worse than telling little kids, you decide if you want to be a boy or girl. Biology doesn’t matter. Now that is abuse.

  19. samuel Avatar
    samuel

    Thank you for this counter-narrative.
    I wish you were in charge of the mainstream media!
    Your voice gives me hope

  20. piggly Avatar
    piggly

    Caitlin, re. Crimea, I’d like to add this snip from Wikipedia:

    “The results of the survey by the Broadcasting Board of Governors, conducted April 21–29, 2014, showed that 83% of Crimeans felt that the results of the March 16 referendum on Crimea’s status likely reflected the views of most people there. Whereas, this view is shared only by 30% in the rest of Ukraine.[156]

    “According to the Gallup’s survey performed on April 21–27, 82.8% of Crimean people consider the referendum results reflecting most Crimeans’ views,[157] and 73.9% of Crimeans say Crimea’s becoming part of Russia will make life better for themselves and their families, while 5.5% disagree.[157]

    “According to survey carried out by Pew Research Center in April 2014, majority of Crimean residents say the referendum was free and fair (91%) and that the government in Kyiv ought to recognize the results of the vote (88%).[158]

    “A poll of the Crimean public was taken by the Ukrainian branch of Germany’s biggest market research organization, GfK, on January 16–22, 2015. According to its results: “Eighty-two percent of those polled said they fully supported Crimea’s inclusion in Russia, and another 11 percent expressed partial support. Only 4 percent spoke out against it. … Fifty-one percent reported their well-being had improved in the past year.”[159]”

    USA and its bumboys loudly objected to the referendum on grounds it was not called by Ukraine, and that’s a fair dinkum legal point. But the truth, as survey after survey has shown, is that a huge democratic majority wanted to rejoin Russia.

    Does anyone think that Ukraine, being fully aware of Crimean sentiments, would ever have called a referendum?

    P.S. Your “I’m not a robot” test is a test for eyesight, not robotics. Took me two tries to pass.

    1. pretzelattack Avatar
      pretzelattack

      i got a “spot the palm trees” test and one photo had some tiny trees in the background, couldn’t tell what they were without reading glasses. i don’t think she’s responsible for the tests, though.

  21. ifreemantoo Avatar
    ifreemantoo

    Caitlin this is a good piece worthy of a contribution.

  22. Kurt Conrad Avatar
    Kurt Conrad

    Caitlin, your commentaries are the best, most instructive, most logical, most loving that I have ever had the privilege to read. I am nearing 71-years of age and read pretty much incessantly. I believe if you keep on
    writing these kind of analysis for the rest of your life, you will be one of the most valuable people who ever lived. I am a huge, huge supporter of Tulsi Gabbard and I hope she is reading your ALL of your commentary’s as they would help her formulate some of her arguments in debates, interviews, etc. You, Tulsi, Kim Iversen and Krystal Ball are a foursome of brilliant women. Love YOU.

    1. ifreemantoo Avatar
      ifreemantoo

      Hmm, while I agree about Caitlin’s observations and reasoning, I think you’re placing false hope in Tulsi. I bought into her persona until she jumped on board with the “impeach Trump” nonsense. By coddling this false narrative about Trump “the 25 hawkish…” analysis gets lost and buried deeper. Tulsi is either confused, lost or worst yet now an adopted child of the DNC like Bernie. She will roll over like the Bernie lap dog and do whatever the “DNC” or “party” wants in the end.

      If the reason we have Trump is because of Hillary’s mischief and the rejection of her and her mischief, why would Tulsi jump on board with Hillary’s continued attack on Trump. After all it all started with Hillary. Tulsi gets on Hillary’s train to tell her she’s evil, but doesn’t get off Hillary’s train and the next stop? Instead moves to the train car about impeaching Trump of the false narrative of Russian collusion Hillary paid a Russian to make up?! Really?!

      Looks like Trump gonna cruise through the next election cycle.

      All of the hate Trump narrative that he’s the source of all evil seems very effective in distancing the proper analysis of Hillary and her presidential DNC backed primary campaign that sidelined Bernie and the fact that the DNC doesn’t have to considered their voters wishes of shared support of their champion. I didn’t like Bernie but it was pretty easy to see who hijacked his campaign, because that is far more significant than the present narrative shoved down our throats about Trump.

      1. Kurt Conrad Avatar
        Kurt Conrad

        Hi, IFREEMANTOO, I agree that the “present narrative shoved down our throats about Trump” is absolutely ridiculous……even though I have mostly voted Democrat during my lifetime, I would side, much more, with Trump than with most Democrats at the present time.

        I, too, initially wasn’t thrilled with Tulsi when she began to back the Trump “impeachment inquiry”…………..but she is much less voracious about this then all the other candidates for President…..even when asked the other day by an interviewer if she would vote to impeach the President at this point in time, she said, “NO”. She is much more level-headed and willing to wait until the inquiry takes its’ course, unlike almost all of the rest of the bullheaded, out-for-blood Democrats………….headed by people like Hillary and Kamala Harris. I think Tulsi almost HAD to back an “inquiry” only because risking being branded even worse by the MSM as a Trump/Russian supporter and thereby losing more polling appeal……..which would diminish her chances to keep her campaign momentum going. I would still say this……………every other Democratic candidate has given in to the MSM more than the very small amount that Tulsi has…….and I believe the same would hold true if she were elected President.

  23. STAN MRAK Avatar
    STAN MRAK

    It’s useless to speculate on Trump’s relationship with Putin. Putin is cagey enough to make everything seem to be one way when it’s actually completely something else. It’s almost certain, however, that Trump is deep in financial debt to the Russians with no way out. Maybe we’ll see those tax returns some day and find out for certain.

    The real explanation for all of Trump’s behaviors is psychological. His public behavior provides endless textbook examples of a narcissistic personality disorder and psychopathy that seems endless, so we don’t need an expert analysis, but here’s a recent one. Buckle up, folks… it’s going to be a bumpy ride!

    https://www.salon.com/2019/11/18/psychologist-john-gartner-deep-inside-donald-trump-is-a-very-empty-and-sad-person/.

    1. Jack Lewis Avatar
      Jack Lewis

      I guess this comment would be alright if there was any speculation involved in the article above.

      “narcissistic personality disorder” You would be surprised how many presidents share this trait. Obama is no slouch in that department.

      1. STAN MRAK Avatar
        STAN MRAK

        I would not be surprised at all! Hillary is worse than either of them. Mitch McConnell? Nancy Pelosi? Dick Cheney?
        Most of the people high up in government are sociopaths, psychopaths and narcissists. Trump is just the most obvious because he has no filters.

    2. Russ Avatar
      Russ

      Meanwhile the only one speculating here, over and over, is you. Not to mention your complete detachment from reality.

      The above article, of course, contains zero speculation, 100% proven public actions.

      1. STAN MRAK Avatar
        STAN MRAK

        All of Trump’s behaviors are out there for everyone to observe. Educate yourself about narcissism! I have had several narcissistic relationships and have observed first hand.

      2. STAN MRAK Avatar
        STAN MRAK

        But the public actions don’t prove anything except that they happened. If my parents abused and beat me regularly as a child, it doesn’t prove that they didn’t love me.

  24. Brian Frederick Avatar
    Brian Frederick

    Good work! Thank you. This is a much-needed corrective to the mainstream narrative.

    1. STAN MRAK Avatar
      STAN MRAK

      Don’t underestimate Vladimir Putin. Nothing is ever as it seems, except the fact that he’s way smarter and cagier than Trump or anyone in the media.

      1. STAN MRAK Avatar
        STAN MRAK

        I imagine a conversation like this between Trump and Putin:

        Putin: “Donald, we have to maintain the perception that we are mortal enemies and that you are doing everything in your power to defeat us. To that end, I’m going to send you a list of military actions and sanctions that i want you to implement over the next few months that will reinforce those perceptions in the public and the media. You understand, of course, to follow these instructions implicitly or we will have to release those transcripts concerning your relationship with… ”

        “These actions won’t hurt me personally too much, and as far as my countrymen’s welfare, i care less about them than you do of yours.”

        1. ifreemantoo Avatar
          ifreemantoo

          That’s an interesting observation well hidden from the public domain don’t you think. In which case the narrative is still “Trump is a Russian operative an Putin’s best friend.”

          Stan you’re either less than well informed or less than intelligent or just someone trying to continue the false narrative. Well I certainly don’t think you’re less than intelligent.

  25. Joseph Olson Avatar
    Joseph Olson

    TRUMP GRABS PUTIN BY THE PU$$¥ > why beat around the bush ?

    1. STAN MRAK Avatar
      STAN MRAK

      That would be something that Putin would like to make you believe while he’s pulling the strings behind the curtain. Just sayin.”

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