Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump at the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany. (Reuters photo: Carlos Barria)
Elliot Kaufman, NRO: What Has Trump’s Policy Actually Been Toward Russia?
So far the Trump administration has pursued a tough-on-Russia foreign policy.
Anyone who knows anything about President Trump knows that there’s something up with him and Russia. Yesterday, Donald Trump Jr. basically admitted to at least attempted collusion. And there is the long list of often embarrassingly positive statements Trump Sr. has made about the Russian president. Frank Bruni compiled them in a recent column for the New York Times. Yet there is something missing from Bruni’s article, and often, from the larger narrative about the Trump campaign’s alleged collusion with the Russians: a single mention of policy.
That omission is telling. Trump’s comments might be suggestive, and his campaign team may well have sought and even used anti-Clinton information from Russian sources, but his policies have thus far been revealing—and not of any particular softness on Russia. Just the opposite: Where Obama was weak, the Trump administration has pursued a tough-on-Russia foreign policy.
Read more ....
WNU Editor: I see it differently .... U.S. policy towards Russia has been "tough and critical" .... but not as much as it could be .... and Moscow knows that, which is why Putin looked relieved after his meeting with Trump at the G20 summit.
10 comments:
Go, Jay, go! Make a pretty list! :)
Speaking of lists again:
https://youtu.be/qPAqAWKnV_A
"tough and critical but not as much as it could be..." Basically American leaders have gotten themselves into trouble by overblown and overheated rhetoric as well as rash actions based upon things they didn't understand nor did they serve our interests. Now they must be allowed an opportunity to climb down gracefully. Unfortunately some are to stupid to know they are stupid. Some remind me of seventh grade boys, essentially to stupid to even know they are stupid.
Actually tough and critical but not as much as it could be could also describe Russian policy toward the United States. For example, sanctions against Russia still haven't lifted. Also, the property stolen from the Russian diplomats by BHO in a temper tantrum over the election results has not been returned yet. The Russians have yet to retaliate against Americans for the theft of the Russian officials property and the retaliation against sanctions has not been what it could have been. Frankly, Russian patience has been exemplary far exceeding what mine would have been or would be in such circumstances. I'm sure such patience is not infinite.
As for Putin being "relieved," of course he was "relieved." By most accounts the two leaders had a productive meeting and he's perhaps thinking FINALLY some sanity in DC and America.
Good point B. Poster.
Russia could also have made the situation between the two countries more difficult .... but choose not to.
nah. It is Congress that will not removes sanctions. It is Congress that will not give the Russians back their lush estates...what has Trump done? 1. he accepted Putin's denial of Russian inteference, despite what our intel says. 2. he agreed to a cease fire in a limited area of Syria, that has already been broken and which gives Hezbollah more space to move about. In sum: Trump has really not done anything about Russia: Russian continues to support Assad, supports China in doing little or noting about North Korea
Fred,
1.)Given the track record of US Intel, trusting them would be unwise in the extreme. Furthermore they yet produce any solid evidence of Russian interference in the election. Since Putin has not adopted a position that is unreasonable, frankly I would find him more trustworthy in this regard than US "Intel" or lack thereof.
2.)I can see much that can go wrong in Syria with this deal. Assad is not going anywhere, as I patiently pointed out back in 2011. Part of formulating sound foreign policy is adjusting to reality and acting accordingly.
What do you want to do about North Korea? Suggestion: present something of value to China and Russia that might persuade them to help. Sanctions and heated rhetoric will not accomplish anything.
"It is Congress that will not remove sanctions. It is Congress that will not give the Russians back their estates." Agreed. Since the sanctions never should have been imposed and the property was seized in a temper tantrum by a sore loser the sanctions should be lifted and the stolen property returned. These sorts of things are worthy of tin pot dictators whom the US government has sanctioned and sponsored coups against in the past for doing allot less than this.
Perhaps Congress and POTUS should act reasonably. We'd be much more likely to get somewhere. Essentially we've acted to needlessly inflame a new Cold War that we didn't need and have gone out of our way to inflame it. So far, the Russians have held back on retaliating to the level they could have taking a wait and see approach hoping the change in Administration would bring about saner behavior. So far it hasn't worked out to the degree that some had hoped and I'm sure Russian patience on this not unlimited. Taking a more reasonable approach to Russia just might encourage them to work constructively with us.
While China is different from Russia, the same general principles apply. For example, when do we FINALLY leave South Korea? Maybe some reassurances here might help.
Yeah just give em back the compounds....since we have such a great nagotiator in office, im sure we will get something in return.....not....
SAD
Anon,
When you steal something and later return what you stole, you do not expect to get something in return. Perhaps you get to avoid jail time. Maybe this is something you can expect in return for returning stolen property.
As for being a great negotiator, he is used to negotiating from a position of strength. As POTUS, he is negotiating with those who equal to him and in some cases stronger than him or the country he represents. When one negotiates with one who is equal or stronger than they are, different strategies will need to be employed.
As for Russia, the sanctions need to be lifted and the stolen property needs to be returned. Note I say the property is stolen because no real evidence of spying on the part of the individuals whose property was seized has been presented nor has any evidence of Russian hacking/collusion or such been presented.
Lifting the sanctions and returning the property are going to need to be done before we can even get started on anything substantial. I would also add that if the Russians did interfere in US elections such is blowback and it can be a real b!tch. Endless meddling in Russian affairs, funding NGOs who are opposed to the government, endless color revolutions in former Soviet Republics in support of governments hostile to Russia, expansion of NATO to Russia's borders in violation of the agreements to end Cold War 1, and I could go on. Suffice it to say, when one throws punches at someone without provocation, some type of retaliation should be expected.
Now if Congress and POTUS cannot start behaving like statesmen and representing the interests of America, I would suggest they all GET OUT OF THE WAY and make room for those will do so.
Anon has the jist of it. I would bargain for a reversal of support for Iran. Another future North Korea. Syria is really just a land mass for a European pipeline that will eventually get there in one of several ways. And Assad? He knows his people better than anybody. You have to ask yourself by now that if you had a populace so unruly that you had to gas them wouldn't it be in your interest to ask yourself why? Arabs. You know nothing of their willingness to wage war.
The USA has few people with the experience to see what needs to be looked at but I think Rex and Maddox are doing a good job. And the Martian I've is you will never see it coming. We have been playing with the Middle East for centuries. Today it's less about the God than about the buck. And so far so good. I would be very concerned were I living in Europe however. Be very careful whom you invite to paradise. A running joke with me that people never seem to understand.
Be very careful whom you invite to paradise. A running joke with me that people never seem to understand.
Aaron, I am not going to forget that line. Because it is so true.
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