The Current Russia Meddling Story

For John, BLUF:  The story of Russian meddling in our presidential election seems built on shifting sands.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Obama’s secret struggle to punish Russia for Putin’s election assault

From The Washington Post, by Reporters Greg Miller, Ellen Nakashima and Adam Entous, on 23 June 2017.

Here are some excerpts, with comments:

In political terms, Russia’s interference was the crime of the century, an unprecedented and largely successful destabilizing attack on American democracy. It was a case that took almost no time to solve, traced to the Kremlin through cyber-forensics and intelligence on Putin’s involvement. And yet, because of the divergent ways Obama and Trump have handled the matter, Moscow appears unlikely to face proportionate consequences.

Really?  Maybe the Twenty-First Century, but surely within the last 64 years there have been other such actions.  The Iranian nation, or at least the Iranian Government, is patently unwilling to forgive us for the overthrow of Iranian Prime Minister Muhammad Mossadegh'S Government, back in 1952.  Then there is the overthrow of the Salvador Allende Government in Chile, which many see as the work of the US CIA.

“The punishment did not fit the crime,” said Michael McFaul, who served as U.S. ambassador to Russia for the Obama administration from 2012 to 2014. “Russia violated our sovereignty, meddling in one of our most sacred acts as a democracy — electing our president. The Kremlin should have paid a much higher price for that attack. And U.S. policymakers now — both in the White House and Congress — should consider new actions to deter future Russian interventions.”

How high a price do we want Russia to pay?  If they think we are messing with their internal systems will they see it as tit-for-tat or as an act of war?  And planting hidden disruptive programs within their internet systems will surely disturb them..  The Obama Official quoted may like the punishment before the trial approach, but I find it to be disturbing.

Early drafts accused Putin by name, but the reference was removed out of concern that it might endanger intelligence sources and methods.

But, now it is OK to tie his name to this?  What changed to remove the concern about intelligence sources and methods?  I am betting nothing and this is just reckless leaking and journalism.  Ego before common sense.

… Putin, motivated by a seething resentment of Clinton, was prepared to go beyond fake news and email dumps.

Now here is an important motivating factor.  Why would President Putin have "a seething resentment" of Ms Clinton?  Could it be because as Secretary of State Mrs Clinton meddled in internal Russian politics?  The alternative would likely be that Mr Putin felt he was betrayed in some financial dealings.

This carcass is beginning to smell.

Hat tip to Memeorandum.

Regards  —  Cliff