>Very familiar with the Cambridge Analytica debacle. But Putin
>and Russia has been running disinformation campaigns for
>decades, as have other countries (namely China & Israel) to
>intervene and meddle in our elections. Alike, we have meddled
>in countless elections, installed authoritarian governments,
>and have worked to influence elections on every continent. So
>I think in order to have a broader conversation on this we
>need to acknowledge this is unfortunately what world
>governments do in the current paradigm.

saying "whatever its what they do" does not change at all the danger that we face. I don't even understand what one has to do with the other. that's like me telling you someone is one the way to kill me and i'm scared and you say "oh well he's on the way to kill a bunch of other people too and people have tried to kill him too"

just say you don't care, and it will be much quicker.


>For sure. Russia (and Putin in particular) have become adept
>at cyber warfare and psychological manipulation, and their
>disinformation campaigns have been effective. They are
>certainly a problem - but I side more with Obama on this than
>those who are calling for a renewed Cold War and nuclear
>escalation:

i'm not watching a youtube video

>Obama understood that Russia's economy is disastrous, that
>it's largely an isolated state, and that its containment is
>relatively easy to achieve in the region -- and that building
>up a new Cold War narrative only empowers Russia and weakens
>our ability to exert diplomacy and build coalitions in the
>region both neutralize and isolate Russia.

You've contradicted yourself in the space of 2 paragraphs. if it was known that Putin is adept at cyber warfare and information manipulation, than Obama thinking he can be "contained" simply by isolating their economy was extremely naive and shortsighted, in hindsight. U.S. was arrogant to take their eye off Putin's interference and focus it solely on an feather-in-the-cap Iran nuclear deal.

while we weren't "looking", Putin was able to spend years laying the groundwork here and abroad for Trump's presidency and Brexit...

>Also - if Trump is a "Russian agent" or whatever the hot
>phrase is now - then he's not a very effective one.

then you're not paying enough attention. He's been VERY effective.

After Russia attacked and annexed a part of Ukraine (and was found to have interfered in our elections), Obama's admin levied heavy sanctions on Russia diplomats and oligarchs, kicked Russia out of the G8 and committed heavily to supporting Ukraine (and any other European country that might be threatened by Russia) with free money and weapons.

Those 3 things were devastating blows to Putin and Russia. Trump's job has been to undo those things and he's accomplished alot so far.

In fact, what he's been impeached for is directly related to him trying to undermine the safety and security of Ukraine, for his own gain yes, but to also deliver for Putin. a weak Ukraine at war with Russia is ideal.

Trump has tried several times to gut the spending bill that has money set aside to help Ukraine defend itself against Russia

He's argued for Russia to be let back into the G7

He has cirucumvented diplomatic sanctions. He has closed door, unrecorded meetings with Putin and allowed Oligarchs into the oval office at key intervals

Putin's long game is undermining and controlling US foreign policy. He's patient and its starting to work


He has
>gone after Russia's soft allies (Iran and China) - and despite
>his false claims that he was "getting out of Syria" - he has
>done anything but, continuing the long-standing U.S. policy of
>intervention in an effort to topple Assad (a Putin ally) by
>directly and indirectly supporting Sunni extremist militias
>like ISIS and Al-Qaeda.

i'd argue that military leaders are doing those things more than Trump is.


>What Putin/MBS relationship are you referring to?

I was specifically referring to the way they greeted each other in person..that's why i said "dap up"

MBS is
>waging war in Yemen and Syria (with our backing) and seeks to
>obliterate Iran from the region (a nation with close
>business/diplomatic ties with Russia)

Putin doesn't have allies or practice diplomacy in any real way. He's purely self serving around whatever keeps him rich and in control. He uses chaos in other places to get access to what he needs.