OPINION – The president’s performance at a joint news conference in Helsinki Monday was nothing less than a national disgrace.
Speaking side-by-side with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a former KGB agent, he stunned the free world by rebuking the United States and six of its top intelligence agencies – the CIA, FBI, National Intelligence, National Security Agency, Defense Intelligence Agency and National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. These agencies have concluded that Russia meddled in the 2016 election to tilt the results in his favor with a state-authorized campaign of cyberattacks and fake news stories planted on social media.
We should have seen it coming. Before the meeting with Putin, the president posted on social media that “Our relationship with Russia has NEVER been worse thanks to many years of U.S. foolishness and stupidity and now, the Rigged Witch Hunt!”
After the meeting he doubled down with reporters.
When asked if he believed U.S. intelligence agencies or the Russian president when it came to the allegations of meddling in the elections, he said, “President Putin says it’s not Russia. I don’t see any reason why it would be. … President Putin was extremely strong and powerful in his denial today.”
He got this from chatting with Putin alone for only two hours and decided to take the word of a former lieutenant colonel in the KGB over evidence uncovered during intense investigations by U.S. intelligence agencies that have determined otherwise.
“Frankly, the United States is under attack,” Dan Coats, the director of National Intelligence, said during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing in February. “Under attack by entities that are using cyber to penetrate virtually every major action that takes place in the United States. Influence operations, especially through cyber means, will remain a significant threat to U.S. interests. Russia probably will be the most capable and aggressive source of this threat in 2018.”
On Monday, Coats countered the president’s comments in Helsinki, saying “We have been clear in our assessments of Russian meddling in the 2016 election and their ongoing, pervasive efforts to undermine our democracy, and we will continue to provide unvarnished and objective intelligence in support of our national security.”
Whose judgment carries more water, that of a president who increasingly seems under the control of a hostile foreign power or an intelligence institution that has the manpower and means to root out this dangerous threat to the nation’s sovereignty?
The blowback to the president’s shameful performance was immediate and intense, splintering his own party.
“There is no question that Russia interfered in our election and continues attempts to undermine democracy here and around the world,” Speaker of the House Paul Ryan said in a statement Monday afternoon. “That is not just the finding of the American intelligence community but also the House Committee on Intelligence. The president must appreciate that Russia is not our ally. There is no moral equivalence between the United States and Russia, which remains hostile to our most basic values and ideals. The United States must be focused on holding Russia accountable and putting an end to its vile attacks on democracy.”
“I never thought I would see the day when our American President would stand on the stage with the Russian President and place blame on the United States for Russian aggression,” Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., said. “This is shameful.”
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said, “I’ve said a number of times and I say it again, the Russians are not our friends and I entirely believe the assessment of our intelligence community.”
And the list goes on.
“As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I am deeply troubled by President Trump’s defense of Putin against the intelligence agencies of the U.S. and his suggestion of moral equivalence between the U.S. and Russia,” Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., said. “Russia poses a grave threat to our national security.”
Longtime Republican stalwart Newt Gingrich also issued a statement. “President Trump must clarify his statements in Helsinki on our intelligence system and Putin. It is the most serious mistake of his presidency and must be corrected – immediately.”
Even Orrin Hatch, the elder senator from Utah, chimed in.
“Russia interfered in the 2016 election,” Hatch said in a statement. “Our nation’s top intelligence agencies all agree on that point. From the President on down, we must do everything in our power to protect our democracy by securing future elections from foreign influence and interference, regardless of what Vladimir Putin or any other Russian operative says. I trust the good work of our intelligence and law enforcement personnel who have sworn to protect the United States of America from enemies foreign and domestic.”
The most condemning comments came from former CIA Director John Brennan, who tweeted: “Donald Trump’s press conference performance in Helsinki rises to & exceeds the threshold of ‘high crimes & misdemeanors.’ It was nothing short of treasonous. Not only were Trump’s comments imbecilic, he is wholly in the pocket of Putin. Republican Patriots: Where are you???”
Yes, Republican patriots, where are you?
Last Friday, 12 Russian military officers in the Kremlin’s intelligence services were indicted by U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller for meddling in the 2016 election.
Republican Patriots, where are you? Why are you not demanding Putin put them on a plane to the United States?
Monday, it was announced that a Russian spy was arrested in the United States.
Republican Patriots, where are you? What will you do to censure Russia?
It is one thing to feign outrage for the news cycle soundbite, to get all puffed up and indignant for the sake of optics.
It is quite another, however, to actually do something, to take action to send a loud and clear message that this behavior is unacceptable.
This leopard has shown its spots, several times now.
We’ve seen him bestow unabashed adulation on Putin, we’ve seen him sidle up to the white nationalists with the same “both sides are to blame” irrationality he expressed about the fallout between Russia and the United States and we’ve seen him humiliate the essence of this nation by holding it up to ridicule in the world court by alienating and insulting its closest neighbors and allies.
There has been a lot of discussion about why. Despite his “America first” babbling, it is clearly obvious that Russia holds that position in his heart and mind.
I don’t think it has anything to do with alleged dalliances with Russian prostitutes or Playboy models or adult actresses.
I don’t think it has anything to do with his incoherence regarding freedom and liberty and the restrictions he has tried to impose.
I don’t think it is a lack of intellect. This president is obviously no Rhodes Scholar, but nobody can be that stupid.
My best guess is that he is in debt up to his little blond comb-over to the Russian mob.
This isn’t about patriotism, the Constitution or any of the other false flags he has hoisted. He doesn’t give a whit about any of that. All he cares about is money, winning, winning and winning and crushing his opponents, whether real or perceived.
It reminds us to remember the wise advice to always follow the money.
And in this case, that money trail will unquestionably lead to Russia.
How much it took for him to sell out his country remains to be seen, which is perhaps why he refuses to share his financial statements with the American public.
I just wish he’d take the money and run and allow the United States to return to some sort of normalcy.
No bad days!
Ed Kociela is an opinion columnist for St. George News. The opinions stated in this article are his own and may not be representative of St. George News.
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @STGnews, @EdKociela
Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2018, all rights reserved.
Ed you sure do a lot of bitching but you and all the snowflakes did nothing to solve any issue with Russia during the Obumby 8 years! Actually created more issues but you don’t mention that! You guys just can’t get over “YOU LOST”! Your Libbey thinking sure does work just look at California!
You da snowflake.
Hahaha… tell me bender… how is it bending over for Eddy while he has you against the “EDge?”
Good one Bender, if you you were a seven year old.
Careful Ed, many of your readers (commentators really — most of them don’t read more than the headline) observe great homage to the Great Orange Reality TV King. They don’t really know much about Mr Trump other than he seemed really rich and a super good businessman on The Apprentice. As you denigrate this thrice-married serial adulterer and self-described molester many will become uneasy. It hurts them personally when you criticize their pretend Billionaire whose lavish, and gaudy, lifestyle was built on the backs of investors and banks, whom he went bankrupt on multiple times, and small businesses that he habitually and maliciously sued and underpaid. That Trump has likely been involved in massive money laundering for the Russian kleptocracy does not upset some of your readers so much as the fact that someone has said it out loud. Be gentle on your snowflake Trump supporters. They’re having a bad day.
Damn we didn’t know that! We better get some schoolin! Now I hope Waters runs for President!
Careful Ed! Don’t drop the soap, but if you do bender will pick it up for you.
Dude, why the fascination with homosexuality?
Says the one with the name “bender”
I’m unfamiliar with the word being used in that context. Is it commonly used this way in the gay community?
Comment, I think the little snowflake likes playing stupid. Why else would he still be in mourning over the massive loss in 2016?
Agree on condemnation though all of the speculation at the end doesn’t help. Glad to see conservatives are calling the president out for his actions.
Trump’s back-stepping today was laughable at best.
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/23/trump-links-to-russia-an-explanation.html
Your point isn’t clear by just providing a hyperlink.
Are you critiquing my claim about “speculation”? If so, your own phrasing was “My best guess is that he is in debt up to his little blond comb-over to the Russian mob.”. You admit to guessing; my point is that such efforts are ineffective at best and unneeded with the amount of objective evidence we already have. Intention is almost always a subjective guess without testimony so creating a narrative now about “why” doesn’t help. I personally think its not worth much more than the petty jabs like “his little blond comb-over”.
It’s becoming increasingly clear to me that the safe money is on Trump laundered money of Russian oligarchs via real estate transactions.
Hahahaha… don’t forget Billary’s $400M
Is this really Ed???? Have to wonder if this isn’t his wife.. she is all over Facebook while keeping Eddy on a short leash.
Bender has been into the glue again right along with special eddy!
Ok, read entire article, and watched the Helsinki press conference live. Even saw protester get kicked out at the beginning. I agree with Rand Paul’s assessment. Not CNN, as clearly the article above just regurgitates the same talking points with nothing more to add. The Russians spy on us, the Chinese spy on us, even the Israelis spy on us. And we spy on them as well. Election interference has been a critical part of the espionage game since back in the 50s (post WW2) as an example, the CIA was responsible for the assassination of the democratically elected leader of Iran replacing him with the Shah of Iran to protect oil companies. There is nothing new here. Except the technology has changed and it is not as brazen as over a half century ago. There are two worlds, one for the American public to ponder,, and the real world, where there has been no doubt medling in every election. THE FACT OF THE MATTER, HILLARY LOST THE ELECTION TO TRUMP not because of foreign meddling. Remember prior to the election during the Republican primaries the Koch brothers had set aside over HALF A BILLION DOLLARS to fund candidates. What about Hollywood funding Hillary as well as the Television industry backing her, and she still lost. Do you think Soros threw some money her way. Stop bitching Ed, and lets come up with solutions. Partisan ranting, and propaganda does nothing. To fix the problem requires campaign reform, so it is not a battle of billionaires, from Jeff Bezos, the Kochs, Soros, to large corporate interests. The Citizens United SCOTUS ruling devestated this country, and my $1000 donation means nothing. All the ranting about Helsinki is sideshow Bob garbagio. The Russians are not our friends is a given. But I have no issue with how The Donald has approached them as it sure beats an oversized $500 plastic reset button and CNN fake journalists acting like cheerleaders. Get real.
Very well put. Soros and others like him are rarely mentioned by the left. The millions of dollars that they pump into their agenda, drive a huge spike into our country. The partisanship that exists right now is fueled on both sides by groups that rarely offer solutions. Ed is nothing more than a flame fanner, much like some of his adversaries on the radio. No bad days Ed? It’s hard to have a good day when you filled with so much hate.
I will say I think Ed’s constant name calling and attacks on anything right of progressive undermines these moments of objective, bipartisan criticism. Its why I’ve challenged my liberal friends in their overzealous threats of impeachment. I mean how are we to take that political seriously when its needed when its been invoked even before Trump took office?
Just as Trump displays canine like subservience to Putin, Trump voters are constitutionally unable to view their pudgy manchild king with anything other than reverance.
Aw, but Bended, he is light years ahead of Uncle Remus.
I’mma ask you one more time to stop PMing me nudes.
But bended one… you requested them. Make up your mind
People will attack this article just because of the author. They will also attack any normal supporters of Ed. I will just let the likes of Mitch McConnell and other Republicans state the obvious and avoid the negative comments this week. This is not a liberal thing anymore!
Cloggy, Ed has no “normal” supporters.
So, very possibly, Trump “misspoke” to the world.
That’s a big difference compared to Obama “misleading” the world…
Liberals will give Obama a break for eight years of embarrassing leadership, but, won’t give Trump a break on a comment…
Agreed. All the liberal sheeple got to use to being mislead
But Obama…
Trump is a poor man’s idea of a rich man, a stupid man’s idea of a smart man and a weak man’s idea of a strong man.
Keep bending bender Eddy wants another go
Sick burn Shakespeare.
Ok….
Damn Ed, you are packing them in tonight. Amen Brother Bender, Rodney King could not have said it better. You got to feel a little bad for these guys though; I put myself in their place, then I try to imagine what the 8 yrs of Clinton/Obama must have been like for them? Eleven seperate investigations into that Clinton Monster, and not only did they all ended in failure; but that brood B-Slapped every Republican in the room, every time someone questioned her. I swear, I either had to laugh, cry, or throw up watching that Ghidorah handle the Congress, and the Senate! And now they elect Trump who couldn’t keep from incriminating himself and/or others if his life depended on it. I enjoy the show even though I know what the ending will be; but, it was always going to end like this way. The only thing I really have against the dude, is that he showed us just how many really dumb, and ugly (only on the inside) people we have in our country; which, is roughly 35mil more than I already thought. I didn’t need, or want to know that! Clinton should never have apologized: freakin “Deplorable” is right.
If you are going to judge Obama in that fashion than integrity requires a similar harsh inspection of Trump. He didn’t just “misspeak”. His explanation doesn’t fit the logic of his many public statements in any fashion.
And that is the problem; its not just one “comment”. Its two years of behavior. He hired Manafort who has been indicted for failing to disclose/register work related to foreign, ie Russian, organization. He openly challenged Russians to hack the DNC. His campaign just happened to shutdown ordered advertisements in several states and shift buys to the midwest around the times of the hack (but before his famous comment). He hires Steve Bannon, a person with strong ties to Russian “traditionalism” and open goals to alter American democracy. He has spent 18 months undermining US intelligence that has all agreed on Russia meddling. He has openly critiqued everything to do with the Mueller invesigation, which has been one of the most successful special counsels in American history. Etc. Etc.
This isn’t about one incident.
You watch too much Fox news. Trump did not mis-speak, if you put the whole speech together, you can see how he spoke highly of Russia. If he would have condemned Putin when a reporter asked him and then made the mistake in his sentence maybe I would believe him. I bet you watched Hannity’s cut of the speech which was about 2% of it made to make him look good. Watch the whole speech unedited and even the likes you can see he was defending Putin and throwing our Intel community under the bus. Whether we agree on political sides or not, Trump screwed the pooch on this one and could very well be the final nail in the coffin of his demise, along with any other Republicans who support him.
Hardcore Trump partisans paint anyone dissing their man as libs. Understandable since their information sources rarely extend beyond spittle-flecked AM radio anger merchants, Fox News droning on the television in the background 24/7 and patently false Facebook posts. Pushback against Trump is racing fast and hard through the middle of the political spectrum… those who affiliate with neither party. Trump will always find support with the hardcore dead-enders on the fringe. His racial dog whistles and xenophobic rants are music to their ears. Boys, yer man ain’t right and you ain’t right for sticking by him.
Bender has spoken at length in the past about his wonder over the docile obedience displayed by commenters here towards Trump. A strong bully is always looked up to by weak and ineffectual men. Bender struggles to understand how a Trump bootlicker can stand to view himself in the mirror. Was there childhood trauma involved that destroyed these syncophants’ self respect?
I hear the TDS is strong, down Mexico way.
Don’t know nuthing about that but bully worship is strong here in the comment section. Reminds me of middle school and the hangers on to the ugly pimply punk who used to bully the chubby girl in science class. He would toss ugly insults from the back of the room and the poor girl would weep silently while the bully’s buddies snickered. The bully couldn’t face this girl in the hallway — avoided her gaze.
Now we got chubby POTUS tweeting ugly lies from the crapper each morning and his submissive devotees lapping it up like candy. What kind of character defect allows a grown man to be OK with constant lies, BS and insults and dismiss it as straight talking political incorrectness.
And then there’s treason….
Not only the TDS is strong but I hear they have a large supply of Carbona Spot remover..Typical signs to watch for that may indicate a leftist opinion columnist is engaging in huffing or similar types of substance abuse include:
Sores and irritated skin around the mouth and nose that may actually look like minor burns or like a rash
Confusion, disorientation, irritability and inability to focus or carry on a discussion
Nausea and vomiting
Headaches and vision problems
Tremors or shaking, muscle weakness
Extreme fatigue
Depression, despondency and isolation
TDS or STD
Bender keep watching CNN. It will make you feel better. You offer no solution nor observations, but rather just insult others that disagree with your views. Hey, I see a future for you in journalism. Sorry folks, the sky is not falling, and glad we are getting along better with Russia. Keep filling the liberal void with propaganda and fear mongering. Nothing else there anyway but us fringe Trump supporters with no brains. Oh by the way, where is that server? Just a battle of words, and words are cheap nowadays especially when the words are thoughtless rants. Read my original post.
But dude I don’t watch CNN.
Low information, and curiosity, Pollyannas subsisting on a diet of Trump friendly media are OK with the leader of the executive branch bowing and scraping before Putin. It’s giving the rest of us a big concern. I’m not really speaking to you pardner, you be a lost cause. It’s the other 80% of the population who have the good sense to value country over party (or tribe). Your man is, in the words of conservative columnist George Will, a “sad and embarrassing wreck of a man.”. I’ll leave it to you to figure out where that leaves Trump bootlickers like yourself.
Can someone help me figure something out here? Ed says that President Trump’s “performance in Helsinki a national disgrace.” I wonder what Ed had to say about Obuma’s 2012 hot mike moment when he got caught in Seoul, South Korea, when he told outgoing Russian president Dmitry Medvedev that Vladimir Putin should give him more “space” and that “[a]fter my election I have more flexibility.”?? Now that is outright treasonous. Obuma told Medvedev that he would cave in to Putin’s demands if he got re-elected. I wonder if there was Russians meddled in that election to get Obuma re-elected?
And let us not forget Obuma’s worldwide “Apology Tour” when he told virtually every country on the Earth that the U.S. is the villain of the World. And did Ed forget that the Bummer went around kissing other countries leaders rings? Or perhaps he didn’t know that Obuma bowed to the Saudi King?
But then again it must be that anyone who reads Ed’s columns must do so only for the fairy quality of his writings.
Written by Ed Kociela
July 17, 2018
But Obama!!!
Right?
Damn Obama.
Trump’s comments have been condemned by practically every sitting Congressman (except M.I.A. Love and Stewart)…even Hatch, as old and senile as he is, said it was improper and wrong.
But Ed is out of line?
Vintagehippie, you should write a comic strip! America is outraged…except a handful of myopic readers of St George News in Washington County UT.
Even Fox News questioned “what the heck” Trump was saying. So don’t go blaming CNN and the “fake news” like the giant Cheeto does. This one is all on 45, no one else.
Simply showing liberal hypocrisy
I mean Trump WTF? He’s a walking billboard for the seven deadly sins: lust, gluttony, greed, laziness, wrath, envy and pride. Yet somehow my fellow Mormons were convinced he was a reasonably moral lever pull at the ballot box? Cheated on all of his wives so he’s a great family man? Screwed over banks, investors and contractors. Lended his name to myriad outright scams like Trump U? Loans outweigh his assets. So he’s a successful business man?
Naw the dude’s an amoral grifter – a con man with no conscience and no morals. His only allegiance is to Trump, not country, not party. A clever man at reading a crowd though. He owes his election to raw demagougary — eliciting support by selling anger and fear.
History will not treat this clown well. And a pox on his enablers.
Oh bent one, the Clinton’s are the grifters…And as far as your inane ramblings about Trump, please enlighten us with some proof and that means something other than the left wing propaganda talking points you so haphazardly cling to. You are just another brainwashed useful idiot of the MSM. Please prove to us you are not!
Like I said above, even Fox news questioned WTF the Trumpster was doing. So dont go blaming MSM… You cant even tell me what media you say is NOT biased, but you love using “fake news” and “MSM” to sound enlightened. No one is buying it.
And if the Clinton’s are so guilty, why is it they havent been prosecuted? I mean, between Russian uranium and Benghazi and death of associates, it’s pretty surprising no one has landed in prison. I’m sure you have some conspiracy explanation for that.
Oh and lets blame Obama for something while we’re at it. All the guns we lost to Obama’s changes in gun law… I lost…let me count… oh, yeah, none. Never mind.
And yet trump still hasnt released taxes, hasnt relinquished control of his corporations like he said he would, has had a dozen resignations from staff positions, made deals so his daughter’s companies wouldn’t be affected by tariffs, dismissed findings from every American intelligence agency…. but that’s simply left wing propaganda.
You are a typical libtard, you just don’t get it. It’s all over your head! Keep buying those libtard talking points and we will keep laughing at your gullibility. You only think what they want you to think and when they want you to think it! You have given up your ability to make an informed decision on your own and have become one of their useful idiots..hahahahahahahahahahahahaha!
But the Clinton’s…
Everything Trump touches dies.
I know Democrats have a lot at stake in the collusion accusations. They’ve spent almost two years trying to unseat Trump but here’s the deal: there are no indictments of any Americans for tampering with the election of 2016 and the Russians accused of placing Facebook ads did so under the Obama watch and they had little or no bearing on the outcome of the election.
What did impact the election was voter fraud in two large blue states neither of which has voter ID but fortunately the election was over by the time the illegals voted in California and the right guy got elected.
What you’ve stated is a total myth. Voter fraud was negligible, and the intervention in the election by the Russians has been confirmed by EVERY SINGLE intelligence agency in our government. What is so difficult to understand about that? It’s a fact Russia meddled.
Your hatred for Obama is so intense, you just cant get over it. Rather than look at what Trump has done, you try to deflect by saying it’s Obama’s fault. I suppose Obama wrote Trumps comments with Putin, too…?
In all the time investigations of the Dems has been done by congress, including the Benghazi investigations by Chaffetz and his committee, NOTHING has been found. And yet as the indictments begin to flow from Mueller’s investigation, all you can say is it’s Obama’s fault, not Trump’s?
Please.
Local tourist sounds like rachel “the man” madcow…misinformed and totally unhinged
Not sure I can take 6 more years of Ed being bummed about our president. Count your blessings Ed. Find something to be happy about instead. ?
I think ed has a jumbo box of crayons with the sharpener on the side. So we can expect more of this trash for the next 7 years1
I dont think he’ll have to wait that long… resignation or impeachment can’t be far off.
Yawn.. there has to be a crime for either of those.. so far it’s all a NOTHING BURGER.. you libtards are laughable morons… keep it up, I’m waiting to see that Blue wave! hahahahahahaha!
Resignation doesn’t require a crime.
Impeachment … Its a political trial not a criminal one. The clause details what most of us consider the requisite crimes but never defines them.
I think anyone excited about the prospect of Impeachment doesn’t respect the consequences that will cause throughout our country. An Impeachment without overwhelming evidence of malfeasance could tear this country apart. Especially given how the left has been wielding the weapon against Trump even before his innaguration.
YAWN.. Not only are you a pompous blowhard, your’e incredibly boring!
I seem to always have your attention, John.
Resignation by Trump unlikely since the man is not capable of shame. As long as he’s in the news it’s all good. That’s his secret power.
Maybe the drugs will get him first or his age. Either way it prob won’t be long
And now Trump, in his Tucker Carlson interview, is openly criticizing NATO ally Montenegro and questioning the benefit of Article 5, ie mutual protection. Not shocking, Russia has been accussed by Montenegro’s prosecutors of starting the failed coup there in 2016.
What was promised in that closed door 1on1 meeting this week?
You’ll never know..hahahahahahahaha!
There is a good chance that is true. Interesting that you find that funny given your affinity to rag on Obama for much less.
I will say, if Americans aren’t preparing for the real possibility that Putin recorded their personal meeting then we haven’t taken his KGB experience seriously. We do know the Russian state media is already hyping up Trump’s alleged military promises to Putin. They are celebrating a major success. Could be misinformation or it could be true.
What a collection of childish comments! 53 as of 11am Wednesday.
Entertaining though
Ed Kociela, I’m ashamed of ever liking you. You wrote this about Trump’s rhedoric. Now if you want me back in your fanbase, write the one about his actions. You know, what Trump has done, not what he said in a 45 second clip. And tell us again how he is favoring Russia.
I don’t even think you believe what you just wrote.
Wasn’t there a time, not long ago that you would have called faul on the same intelligence people who had been so wrong about Iraq?
But now their infallible? Pretty darn convenient.
You know you’re just like those staunch conservatives who suddenly love Kanye, right?
This is a piece of derivative meat thrown to a crowd a wounded conservatives. You couldn’t have begged better for interaction, “any thing thing, & god bless…” well here’s my two cents.
It’s not original. You didn’t even put your own spin on this one. Were you forced to write this? I could understand if you know; times were tough, you needed to make a buck; so sell your credibility.
I read your articles before, I thought you were above pandering to hype. I’m ashamed of having admired you. I thought you of all people would know the difference between Trumps rhetoric and his actions.
I judged you as one not fast to join the mob.
This is just my opinion, but I’m probably not the only fan you just lost.
And you know, maybe I’m wrong? Maybe the intelligent agencies have evolved since President Bush? Maybe you’re right, maybe the difference between a good intelligence agency and a bad intelligence agency is who they support. If they support Hillary they are good but if they support Trump they are bad. Maybe I am wrong for thinking that there’s a little more to it than that?
I don’t want to hear Trump’s apology. I don’t even want to hear you apologize. But I would like to see a piece about the actual things Trump is doing in Russia right now concerning energy, Russia’s relationship with the rest of Europe, and opening natural gas markets for America. Yet all the head line, the ones before yours, say: “Trump really put his foot in his mouth this time?”
Give me a break.
The Iraq Intelligence issue is fair game but we now have, more than 15 years later, evidence that it was most accurately a CIA failure (or misinformation) not the entirety of the “intelligence community”. That matters, as the current issue is a consequence opinion not just the CIA. We have seen previously classified documents and testimony that much of our broader intelligence community found the CIA findings on Iraq suspect and unsupported by true evidence.
Should we always be skeptical? Yes, but the information about Russian interference is broad based and diverse in sources. We know they utilized Facebook, Russian spies to infiltrate special interest groups, infiltrated 21 states voting information, etc. And we know this fits the Russian and Putin model of psych ops.
You and your pointless irrelevant rabbit trails.. this piece has nothing whatsoever to do with Iraq..Pompous blowhard!
You lack basic literacy as always John. The person I responded to brought up Iraq, hence the context. And it is relevant in a conversation debating thr the intelligence community.
Again, leading people down a rabbit trail..Iraq was never a subject but then again you always chase stuff that isn’t there. You just have to prove that your’e the go to girl for all things known.. POMPOUS and Unliked..hahahahaha!
I’m sincerely worried about your ability to read and think coherently, John. Localdad said:
“Wasn’t there a time, not long ago that you would have called faul on the same intelligence people who had been so wrong about Iraq?”
Hence my reply. Do you not understand the basic structure of this forum, John?
Fair enough, Iraq, and the troops still there, old news. It’s certainly not hyper sensational. And I own that I am pompous, I am a blow hard; but I have my own voice.
Use merit then. In this article just reiterate everything CNN already said. So tell me how it’s not derivative?
So I Iraq was 15 years ago, what about the intelligence Community under Obama? What illegal wiretapping? Let me guess; that doesn’t matter?
John, you don’t care about those things the same way Ed Kociela thinks Trump’s one minute word fumble is more of a criminal act then Obama selling Mexican criminals military grade weapons.
It has nothing to do with merit. Because it’s not treason unless we’re at war, the Russians are innocent until proven guilty, and the facts are Obama and Putin played take-a-turn peekaboo on carpet bombing Syria, while Trump has been destabilizing the energy Market that Russia has been using singularly for exploiting the rest of Europe.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/07/trump-putin-summit-brings-frosty-russia-relations-180716162728239.html
I agree with you ..It’s B&F who takes it to more outrageous and irrelevant levels than even eddy can imagine. It’s tough because all these jackwads know is what is in the MSM on any given day. They have given up their free thinking minds over to a bunch of media controlled zombies who only can think what they are told to think and when to think it. It is obvious! Just catch what is on MSNBC in the morning and rest assured one of the clowns here will be spouting off word for word what MSNBC broadcast that morning. They are predictable and laughable and actually aren’t worth arguing with. Triggering them is more fun.
I wonder who exactly is the MSM? Anyone besides Fox News? That doesn’t really work since Fox News has the largest viewership in cable news, making them clearly mainstream.
Also, what’s a Lib? I see this name hurtled at anyone not on board with Trump even though a minority of them have anything close to a politically liberal viewpoint. George Will is a Lib?
Naw, I think Lib is a school yard taunt tossed by the weak minded and MSM is a code word for any media outlet who doesn’t fawn over Trump.
As always, anything Trump touches dies.
MSM: a campaign taunt that allows Trump to dismiss anyone in the media at will so his fans ultimately can only trust him.
I find it sad that partisans like John don’t realize MSM was never a tool to insult others but one used to manipulate Trump’s own base.
LocalDad,
John is a local troll. He never adds any ideas of value. He just regurgitates partisan insults.
Per, Iraq. I think we likely agree on much.
Per Obama…I didn’t think he handled Putin very well either. Nor Syria. He was an acceptable diplomat with allies but struggled employing meaningful policy with our enemies. But to be honest I haven’t seen a POTUS in my life be very effective in that arena, including Trump. That said, if he manages to protect America and our interests in the next 2-6 years better than others than I’ll give him credit.
Per Russia….we both know nobody indicted there will ever see justice. The only person that might currently is the spy arrested earlier this week. And that case has a ton of merit and much of its public record. We also have evidence Roger Stone is implicated in that issue.
And don’t forget Manafort. His trial starts next week. He, Stone and Trump have been professionally acquainted for decades. The only way Trump didn’t know about Manafort’s work with Russian interests is if he is truly mentally unfit for officem. Manafort was directly involved with the public figures responsible for the failure and ultimately the invasion of Crimea. He didn’t remotely try to hide it. Per guilt, like I said we’ll never see a trial but the Federal government has the Constitutionsl power to act with such criminal findings.
Per Fast and Furious….too many liberals turned a blind eye to Obama’s many failures. That is one. But we have to be consistent and indict Bush equally as the gun-running programs in AZ started in 2016 under him. They all lacked proper design and oversight which ultimately led to the death of innocent people.
Anybody that claims Obama’s administration was controversy free is ignoring the facts. The question is do we remain consistent and hold Trump equally accountable, especially given the history of Russia actively trying to undermine Western democracies?
Sorry to tell you this, but I’m not partisan.. again there you go chasing a rabbit trail.. All I do is tell the world that you are a POMPOUS know nothing loudmouthed blowhard. The only political bias I exhibit is LIBERALS ARE MSM brainwashed meat puppets who have gave up their right to a free thinking mind.. just like you!
You do provide me a good laugh every now and again Troll. Not a partisan, hehe.
Partisan, noun: a strong supporter of a party, cause, or PERSON.
Your’e crying again you triggered fool..hahahahahahaha!
Localdad, I’m gonna disagree that the Russians (in aggregate) are innocent until proven guilty. I would argue the reverse and so would have both sides of the political spectrum until Trump bizzarely sidled up to Putin. Am I missing your point?
You seem too smart to throw out the concensus view of all US intelligence of Russian interference because of a few past failures.
Like all of us, Bender, I don’t know what Russia did or didn’t do. Even those we are reading here, proclaiming to know everything, don’t know the half of it. I would “assume” Russia goes tit4tat with us and our CIA. I won’t get into what they are tasked with doing because I’m not talking to anyone who doesn’t already know what the CIA does, or that Russia has it’s own version. But if you’re still with me, I’ll be very clear… Trump saying he believed Putin, or “had no reason not to believe him” that isn’t treasonous. Yes I’m aware almost every large news agency has echoed the quote of the ex CIA directors basesless and frankly overzealous accusation, my point is I never thought Ed Kociela would remix an article out of that cesspool just to feed onward this continuous topic.
But if it’s the President I’m to defend, whom I’m not even a fan of and really don’t like, then I call it… It’s not job to defend the President, it’s the secret service’s, the fbi, the armed forces, the CIA and so forth. If there is really a treat they are this country’s defence, and the defence the administration. But what did the do? Two days before the President meets Putin, they filed indictments. Indictments we all know can’t be moved on, and throw the President between that situation, diplomacy, and having a record of saying some pretty dumb crap. Then while each of those intelligence agencies undermine the administration, were stuck reading rehashed work saying that the only undermining being done was from that one answer Trump blundered… That is what all our problems are from? That one dumb answer… It had nothing to do with every single one of the intelligent agencies’ failure to prevent the problem in the first placem Because who’s job was it to protect us from Russia? Our infallible intelligence agencies? No, according to the master news feed, the one to protect the country while he was campaign and while Obama was the president, was Donald Trump in all his infinite wisdom; he was supposed to protect us from cyber-espionage, post-facto, with two days notice, right there in front of Putin in that one answer..this is all his fault.. That sarcasm just to be clear…
Ok, so let me simplify this even more, lets reduce this and speculate an even clearer creamer proofNpudding pie; say Trump called Putin a flip’n liar and did what everyone is claiming he should have done, say he stood by our intelligent community and just smack Putin with the open hand of Truth across his Vodka hole, you honestly think CNN, and then Ed Kociela , wouldn’t have just written a piece about how the President of the United States failed at diplomacy? Are you telling me there was any action he could have taken where there wasn’t already spinsters setting ready to put a negative outlook on it? Trump didn’t comment treason, he was just stupid. He’s really “our” President if you think about, more so if you don’t.
Every day it gets worse. Every day.
http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/397701-white-house-trump-open-to-russia-questioning-us-citizens?amp&__twitter_impression=true
“White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Wednesday that President Trump is open to letting Russian investigators come to the United States to question U.S. citizens, including a former American ambassador to Russia.”
Seriously, what is the line for Trump supporters and the Republicans in Congress?
That article is above your head, you apparently don’t know the context, but then again we wouldn’t expect you to. Your’e too busy planning another irrelevant rabbit trail!
Do explain how its above my head, John. Impress me with your intellectual prowess.
I don’t argue with snowflakes, I make fun of them…Trust me , a lot of things are over your head!
Wow, John is channeling Trump. I actually heard this reply in Trump’s voice. No answer, just an awkward insult.
Everything Trump touches dies.
How stupid you are evades you.. you just don’t understand what kind of loudmouth jerk you always sound like.. that’s what’s above your head! You are clueless and everybody laughs at you! Nobody likes rabbit trails and nobody likes pompous loudmouthed jackasses.. The only degree you have is your deodorant. If you had half a brain you would be bender…
Nothing from Mueller indicates any meddling by any American in the elections. The few indictments of Russians were inconsequential hackers. This was known a decade ago but nothing was done. Were you influenced by Russian Facebook posts? Neither was I.
Obama’s use of government intelligence to infiltrate the Trump campaign is a much more serious issue. It makes Watergate look trivial.
Just to be clear, you are downplaying hard evidence of foreign interference in the 2016 and forwarding completely unfounded conspiracies about Obama? Just want to make sure I’m clear on this.
No he’s not! you are falling for the false fabricated narrative presented by the MSM.. Use your brain fish! Or maybe it is just a fish brain.. your the one chasing unfounded conspiracie.. Quit blaming everybody else for what you are guilty of like all the democrats do..#WalkAway
Mueller is not talking to the press, unlike motormouth carnival barker Trump. When he finishes investigation and releases report you can make your grand pronouncements. Remember though — everything Trump touches dies.
OH, bent one, clueless stupid bent one! hahahahahahaha, you get dumber with every comment
Mueller is not talking to the press because all he has is a mouthful of nothing burger..
Soldier on partisan warrior. Your cause is ignoble and your leader is disloyal — to his followers and his country.
Everything Trump touches dies.
Yawn. John / Bender;;; Bender / John;;; WASTED air. At least Bike & Fish has some substance regardless if I disagree. On that note John Trump, the President’s uncle who was a PHD at MIT worked with V.Bush, head of US BLACK projects back in the first half of tbe 1900s. John Trump was the guy sent by the deep state to Tesla’s hotel room under FBI watch, the day after he passed away, to gather up all his DOCS -which have never been seen again. Don’t underestimate the Donald. He was close to his uncle, and did mention awhile back that his uncle shared a few secrets. Maybe that tidbit will break the monotony of a bunch of emotional oneupmanship. 99 posts and counting.
We can learn alot from civil disagreement.
I’ve heard alot of people talking about Tesla the last few months. Was there a documentary or something? Will have to look into the history you describe.
blankandfool uses pompous blowhard substance, if you like somebody who can never stay on point and uses snopes and npr for sources and only cries louder when you correct her, your’e as much a moron as she is!
I’m very curious to hear how you T Rump supporters would react if the Mueller investigation proves beyond any doubt that T Rump is guilty of all that his political adversaries say is possible. Like for instance, Putin does have something on him and that is why he is so cozy with and submissive to Putin and adversarial to our allies and NATO. It’s common knowledge that Putin does not like NATO, is threatened by the organization and is willing to see how far he can go to test the alliance. What if it is proved beyond any doubt that T Rump did collude with the Russians to influence the election? Give him credit, he did speak one truth during the election. Remember during the campaign how he insisted that the election was rigged? I’m really curious to hear how his current supporters might respond if he’s found guilty of all the misdeeds that he’s been accused of.