Putin eats Trump's lunch in Helsinki -- This is no way to win against Russia

[Mileage Psycho]

As seen at Fox News.

Quote

 

Putin eats Trump's lunch in Helsinki -- This is no way to win against Russia

By Douglas E. Schoen | Fox News

Monday in Helsinki, President Trump left many deeply disappointed in his approach to his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

There was nothing inherently wrong with Trump’s summit with Putin. In fact, I would argue that in many cases, some of the best diplomacy comes through face-to-face meetings with adversaries. Still, the meeting was highly problematic in how little Trump delivered on the serious issues surrounding Vladimir Putin and Russia’s place in the modern world.

At their joint press conference, President Putin was calculated and in control. Conversely, President Trump seemed to lack authority, praising Putin when he should have been condemning him, and ceding opportunities to confront Putin on his most egregious actions of the past decade – including meddling in the 2016 election and the illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014.

During Putin and Trump’s prepared remarks, it was rather obvious who had led the discussion. While President Putin laid out a clear framework for advancing Russian interests within the context of U.S.-Russia relations, Trump appeared to have had little plan, alternating between vague promises of improving our relationship with Russia and spending too much time on U.S. domestic affairs, notably the 2016 presidential election. Instead of holding Putin accountable for his election interference, he referenced his defeat of Hillary Clinton.

For a sitting U.S. president to say publicly that he believes a foreign leader over his own intelligence team is shocking and admonishable. At a time when our democracy faces grave threats, it is deeply troubling that the president would side with the very country who attacked us.

When Trump said, “It’s a shame that there could even be a little bit of a cloud over it. People know that, people understand it,” it was a clear example of him circumventing the question.

At one point, President Trump even cited, incorrectly, the Electoral College tallies from over two years ago. This was all in an attempt to deflect questions that he was apparently unable to answer.

Crucially, there were no concessions from Russia on any of the issues that needed to be addressed. Even more concerning, Trump was unwilling to even make the United States’ case on these issues, and the failure to hear concessions from Putin mirrors the lack of follow-through on the grand promises of the recent North Korean summit with another murderous authoritarian, Kim Jong Un.

Despite each nation backing different sides in the Syrian conflict, Trump suggested he and Putin would begin working in conjunction to bring humanitarian aid to the people of Syria, regardless of the fact that the need for humanitarian aid largely stems from Putin’s unabashed support for Syrian dictator Bashar al Assad.

Additionally, Trump also failed to address the concerns of our NATO allies Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania in the Baltics regarding the territorial threats they persistently face.

Trump, throughout the entire press conference, failed to condemn or even acknowledge the illegality of Putin’s actions in Crimea and Ukraine.

When asked if he would hold Russia accountable for any of its past actions, Trump deflected and deferred. President Trump’s unwillingness to stand up to Russia on this issue only serves to weaken the Western alliance and encourage further Russian incursions into the territory of sovereign nations now that Putin knows Trump will give him a pass.

Most importantly, on election meddling, Trump refused to stand with U.S. intelligence and charge Putin with interference, saying he doesn’t “see any reason why it would be” the Russians carrying out the illegal meddling.

For a sitting U.S. president to say publicly that he believes a foreign leader over his own intelligence team is shocking and admonishable. At a time when our democracy faces grave threats, it is deeply troubling that the president would side with the very country who attacked us.

Additionally, Trump’s failure to distinguish between campaign collusion and Russia’s blatant attack on our democracy allowed Putin to sow more discord during the press conference.

“Could you name a single fact that would definitely prove the collusion? This is utter nonsense, just like the president recently mentioned,” Putin told a reporter.

Trump, and our country for that matter, can only win against Putin if we are assertive about American goals and our values. President Trump failed to accomplish that on Monday. 

Instead of standing up to Putin, Trump offered to cooperate with Russia on some of the very issues that Russia is causing.

As some very wise analysts have noted, this strategy is like allowing a criminal to investigate his own crimes. It is foolish and naive and President Trump must simply do better going forward. 

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2018/07/16/putin-eats-trumps-lunch-in-helsinki-this-is-no-way-to-win-against-russia.html

 

 

[Highmark]

Holy shit.   I can't believe a guy like that would write something so negative to Trump!

Oops.  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Schoen

In 2000, Ukrainian steel oligarch Victor Pinchuk hired Schoen on a $40,000 per month retainer.^[7] In 2004, Schoen introduced Pinchuk to Hillary Clinton.^[7] He also did work for the Hillary Clinton presidential campaign, 2008 and later became associated with the People United Means Action movement of disaffected Clinton supporters who refused to support Barack Obama.^[8][9] Schoen was a consultant for Jeff Greene in the 2010 Florida Senate election.^[10]

The firm was sold to WPP plc in 2001.^[6] Schoen left the firm later to work for news media.^[6] In 2010, Schoen hosted a fundraiser for Republican congressional candidate John Gomez.^[11]

Pinchuk would donated $13.1 million to the Clinton Foundation in the years after Schoen's introduction.^[7] In 2011, Schoen registered as a foreign agent lobbying on behalf of Pinchuk.^[7] Between September 2011 and November 2012, Schoen arranged nearly a dozen meetings between Pinchuk and senior State Department officials, including Melanne Verveer.^[7] In September 2015, Pinchuk donated $150,000 to the Donald J. Trump Foundation in exchange for a 20-minute video appearance by Donald Trump shown at a policy conference that year in Kiev.^[12] Michael Cohen solicited Schoen for the donation from Pinchuk, which was the largest outside donation the Trump Foundation received that year.^[12] In March 2017, former Trump aid Monica Crowley registered as a foreign agent working for Pinchuk under Schoen's direction

[BOHICA]

Most Americans don’t see Russia as an adversary anymore.  The belief that Russia is an adversary is so 1980’s/baby boomer type thing.  

[JEFF]

Lol. Poor Vince is becoming captain gut hooked. 

[Momorider]

1 minute ago, BOHICA said:

Most Americans don’t see Russia as an adversary anymore.  The belief that Russia is an adversary is so 1980’s/baby boomer type thing.  

Well their economy is about the size of Indiana's but they do have lots of nukes   

[Anler]

4 minutes ago, BOHICA said:

Most Americans don’t see Russia as an adversary anymore.  The belief that Russia is an adversary is so 1980’s/baby boomer type thing.  

I dont think Russia sees us a a friend. We have fucked with them alot. Obama put sanctions on them that were pretty harsh. And with the recent indictments and shit show over is Syria I wouldnt put them in the Ally category just yet. 

Neocons and neolibs are in the pockets of AIPAC and they definitely dont like Putin. 

[Sael]

7 minutes ago, BOHICA said:

Most Americans don’t see Russia as an adversary anymore.  The belief that Russia is an adversary is so 1980’s/baby boomer type thing.  

Show me that pole please. 

[BOHICA]

3 minutes ago, Nazipigdog said:

I dont think Russia sees us a a friend. We have fucked with them alot. Obama put sanctions on them that were pretty harsh. And with the recent indictments and shit show over is Syria I wouldnt put them in the Ally category just yet. 

Neocons and neolibs are in the pockets of AIPAC and they definitely dont like Putin. 

Trump could break down the barriers.  We could buy Russia oil instead of Mid East oil and Russia would forget about all the wrong that previous admins had done to Russia since they have become a democracy.

[franks pond]

here is your pole

[Momorider]

1 minute ago, Nazipigdog said:

I dont think Russia sees us a a friend. We have fucked with them alot. Obama put sanctions on them that were pretty harsh. And with the recent indictments and shit show over is Syria I wouldnt put them in the Ally category just yet. 

Neocons and neolibs are in the pockets of AIPAC and they definitely dont like Putin. 

General Patton should have been able to march into Moscow and taken them over when he wanted to imagine what difference in the last 70 years that would have made in the world   Ike was a shitstain for not obliging him 

[Highmark]

1 minute ago, Nazipigdog said:

I dont think Russia sees us a a friend. We have fucked with them alot. Obama put sanctions on them that were pretty harsh. And with the recent indictments and shit show over is Syria I wouldnt put them in the Ally category just yet. 

Neocons and neolibs are in the pockets of AIPAC and they definitely dont like Putin. 

So has Trump.   

I don't see them as an Ally but I don't see them as the threat they once were.  In reality I don't think the EU does either or they wouldn't be buying so much energy from them.

The spying and so called meddling goes on with friend or foe.   Everyone spies on everyone.   Hell we were listening in on Merkel's conversations.    

[oleroule]

6 minutes ago, Sael said:

Show me that pole please. 

haven't you seen enough pole?

[Anler]

Just now, Momorider said:

General Patton should have been able to march into Moscow and taken them over when he wanted to imagine what difference in the last 70 years that would have made in the world   Ike was a shitstain for not obliging him 

You are seriously retarded. Stalin was our ally in ww2 and i believe that the (Allies) let eastern Europe fall to the Soviets to keep Germany from ever rebuilding again. Learned that lesson from WW1. 

[steve from amherst]

4 minutes ago, Nazipigdog said:

You are seriously retarded. Stalin was our ally in ww2 and i believe that the (Allies) let eastern Europe fall to the Soviets to keep Germany from ever rebuilding again. Learned that lesson from WW1. 

IT was the same split control that led to north south korea.

[Anler]

4 minutes ago, BOHICA said:

Trump could break down the barriers.  We could buy Russia oil instead of Mid East oil and Russia would forget about all the wrong that previous admins had done to Russia since they have become a democracy.

Here's the problem, middle eastern oil is controlled by the Saudis and Israel. They dont want Russia (or Iran or Venezuela) to be players. Look at whats going on over there and ask yourself why we are attacking all of these countries and its not on the news here. 

2 minutes ago, Highmark said:

So has Trump.   

I don't see them as an Ally but I don't see them as the threat they once were.  In reality I don't think the EU does either or they wouldn't be buying so much energy from them.

The spying and so called meddling goes on with friend or foe.   Everyone spies on everyone.   Hell we were listening in on Merkel's conversations.    

I think we'd all be better off if we cut off Israel and the Saudis and stopped fucking around in the middle east and let countries be independent. That means, lift sanctions on Russia, Iran, Venezuela, Cuba and North Korea. If they arent fucking with us we should leave them be. 

And let me be clear, I dont disagree with Trump here. When neocons and neolibs and the CIA all agree on something, we definitely should be skeptical. 

[Anler]

2 minutes ago, steve from amherst said:

IT was the same split control that led to north south korea.

Same tactic that has been used throughout history. Cut off key economic engines to weaken a country's potential and stifle their ability to become too powerful. Also puts control of various commodities into the hands they want them in. 

[Momorider]

9 minutes ago, Nazipigdog said:

You are seriously retarded. Stalin was our ally in ww2 and i believe that the (Allies) let eastern Europe fall to the Soviets to keep Germany from ever rebuilding again. Learned that lesson from WW1. 

Stalin was a shitforbrains kind of like you NaziPigDog  

[Highmark]

Just now, Nazipigdog said:

Here's the problem, middle eastern oil is controlled by the Saudis and Israel. They dont want Russia (or Iran or Venezuela) to be players. Look at whats going on over there and ask yourself why we are attacking all of these countries and its not on the news here. 

I think we'd all be better off if we cut off Israel and the Saudis and stopped fucking around in the middle east and let countries be independent. That means, lift sanctions on Russia, Iran, Venezuela, Cuba and North Korea. If they arent fucking with us we should leave them be. 

And let me be clear, I dont disagree with Trump here. When neocons and neolibs and the CIA all agree on something, we definitely should be skeptical. 

I agree with cutting EVERYONE off but I disagree that Iran hasn't fucked with us.   If you want to debate that we've caused it by our presence in the ME I can accept that but you really need to watch that Showtime special where former leaders of Iran were very clear about some of the things they've done.  

BTW we have minuscule sanctions against Venezuela that didn't start until 2017.  

[Anler]

Just now, Highmark said:

I agree with cutting EVERYONE off but I disagree that Iran hasn't fucked with us.   If you want to debate that we've caused it by our presence in the ME I can accept that but you really need to watch that Showtime special where former leaders of Iran were very clear about some of the things they've done.  

BTW we have minuscule sanctions against Venezuela that didn't start until 2017.  

We made Iran our enemy a long time ago. If Trump wants to build bridges he can start with that one. Open them up to international trade and their own people will push out the radicals in pursuit of 1st world goals. 

[spin_dry]

Is there any doubt left that mueller is right on track?  Nope. 

[Highmark]

Just now, Nazipigdog said:

We made Iran our enemy a long time ago. If Trump wants to build bridges he can start with that one. Open them up to international trade and their own people will push out the radicals in pursuit of 1st world goals. 

Yep but its a two way street.   They need to stop supporting Hezbollah and Hamas. 

[Anler]

1 minute ago, Highmark said:

Yep but its a two way street.   They need to stop supporting Hezbollah and Hamas. 

Yeah well we should stop supporting ISIS, AlQaeda and Al Nusra. 

[Highmark]

1 minute ago, Nazipigdog said:

Yeah well we should stop supporting ISIS, AlQaeda and Al Nusra. 

We have.   Trump cut that shit off at the knee's.  

[Anler]

Just now, Highmark said:

We have.   Trump cut that shit off at the knee's.  

Not really. And it kinda takes away your position of being the position of righteousness because we did in fact support those organizations and wreaked havoc in the region. We have fucked with them plenty. 

[Momorider]

1 minute ago, Nazipigdog said:

Not really. And it kinda takes away your position of being the position of righteousness because we did in fact support those organizations and wreaked havoc in the region. We have fucked with them plenty. 

Not Trump .