On December 29, 2016, then-President Obama imposed sanctions on Russia for having interfered in the election. Incoming National Security Advisor Michael Flynn called Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak and asked Russia not to escalate the situation in response to the sanctions. The following day, Putin announced that Russia would not take retaliatory measures in response to the sanctions at that time. Hours later, President-Elect Trump tweeted, "Great move on delay (by V. Putin)." The next day, on December 31 , 2016, Kislyak called Flynn and told him the request had been received at the highest levels and Russia had chosen not to retaliate as a result of Flynn's request.
Interesting enough, Jill Stein was also in attendance, but, was not provided a seat next to the president of Russia. She and Flynn are also alone. Now, I am not saying I know the travel plans of these Americans, they may be traveling with spouses or a friend, but, it is noteworthy to realize they are seated at this table without anyone as a witness to conversations, except, other Russians. That isn't a smart thing to do. Both Flynn and Stein are compromised. The smart thing to do is to bring someone important to the gathering and insist they be seated next to them.
Putin had plans. He had the wife of Emir Kusturica sit next to Jill Stein. It was to allow Jill to feel at ease and comfortable. Putin always has an agenda. Ask any of the Russians at the table.
Sometimes public silence can be deafening or,(click here) for that matter, misleading.
For nearly two years now, the intelligence community has kept secret evidence in the Russia collusion case that directly undercuts the portrayal of retired Army general and former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn as a Russian stooge.
That silence was maintained even when former acting Attorney General Sally Yates publicly claimed Flynn was possibly “compromised” by Moscow.
The former Acting Attorney General Sally Yates was being to generous when she stated "possibly." There is ever indication Flynn was very compromised. Putin had made him a 'friend.' There is no "possibly" about that. Michael Flynn, Director of National Intelligence under Trump was compromised by the Russians.
No one serious about the national security of the USA will ever have the president of Russia as a friend. Not only was Flynn compromised, but, if monies changed hands and it was laundered Russian USA dollars, Flynn has broken the law and if those transactions were hidden in a bank somewhere, Flynn was guilty of more than possessing laundered Russian USA dollars. From one picture in the company of the wrong people with questionable context to that picture, the USA intelligence agencies have free rein to engage the question, "Is Michael Flynn, a former General of the USA, involved with Russia in a way that endangers the USA?"
End of discussion.
Don't think for one minute that Russian intelligence policy isn't as defined either. If a former Russia general was caught in the same circumstances, but, with Americans, there would be interrogations or worse.
The only way a Russian general would have friends that were Americans in a way that meant they could meet and enjoy dinner, a movie and a nightcap at an American home, is if that general defected. Even, then, there is Novichok.
Michael Flynn (click here) rose to the rank of lieutenant general over 33 years in the U.S. Army. He briefly served as President Donald Trump's national security adviser before resigning in February 2017. Later that year he pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI over reports of his contact with the Russian ambassador....
Michael Flynn was a target and a businessman. He as an intelligence officer. What was he thinking? That his military past would be erased once he was a civilian? That is a fantasy in the real world. If he wanted a more lucrative career after leaving the USA military he could have had it, either working for the USA or it's allies. But, Russia? Ain't no way that was going to turn out any differently than it did.
After three years as intelligence chief of the JSOC in Iran, he returned stateside for top bureaucratic posts, but was forced out as director of the Defense Intelligence Agency in 2014.
Donald Trump's company frequently have Russian women as residents for "birth tourism." So, for all intentions and purposes, Russia looks like a fairly normal country where women are allowed and even encouraged to give birth in the USA. Of course, the Russian government approves of such activities of Russian women.
But, from an American business perspective, it is good business. There is nothing and USA business is required to discourage. The business could close out such activity, but, then the Russian government would seek to open that venue anyway. So, for the Trump Company Russia is a good customer and the women seem nice, personable and very pregnant needing all the demands of any woman preparing to give birth.
Never in the wildest imagination of a Trump Company family member does Russia or China seem hostile or worrisome. It is easy then to state the USA is overbearing and oppressive in worrying about American national security in regard to an American business accommodating Russian women. To the Trump Company it is a win-win situation and the USA government should never be involved.
These Russian women are not spies. They are not interested in anything else, except, giving birth to a baby in the USA. Russian women, including the current woman of interest of Vladimir Putin, travel to Europe as well. Why? Because it is safer to do so.
So, these women can make friends with Americans and I am sure they do. But, the fact is the people they meet are not former intelligence officers. The dynamics at work are very different. Not every Russia that comes to American soil will be seeking to compromise the USA by hunting down information regarding national security. The dinner with Flynn and Putin is a far reach from activities of Russian Birth Tourists.
There is absolutely no reason to ridicule the FBI or CIA or the Special Counsel as "The Deep State." Their loyalty to the USA and their work is vital to American sovereignty and national security.
By the way, Birth Tourism is stated by the extreme right wing constituencies as something that should be controlled. Perhaps, but, don't have a double standard for Latin Americans because they are poor and come for asylum. The Russian babies born in the USA will have dual citizenship and Russia smiles at that fact.
Ambassador Kislyak is the rotund man in the picture. Oh, other than Donald Trump.
The other man in the picture is Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Lavrov has been Foreign Minister to Russia for as long as I can remember. He holds meetings with Russian young people and talks about the country. He is a decent person to watch when such interactions take place. He treats Russian young people with a great deal of respect and carries their concerns with him. I always believed if there could ever be a breakthrough in Russian - USA relations it would be with him. I am wrong. I would never expect such blatant disregard to American integrity by allowing this relationship with Trump to define the relationship with the USA.Russia invested a great deal in the 2016 elections and it was more than money, it was a national identity that would put The West in the crosshairs to end democracy and freedom as we know it.
January 14, 2018
By Brennan Weiss
Sergey Kislyak, (click here) the former Russian Ambassador to the US and alleged spy, has been at the center of the FBI's investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 election, including whether members of the Trump campaign colluded with Moscow to tilt the election in his favor.
But Kislyak, 67, was involved with Russian foreign policy in the US long before Trump even announced he was running for president. He's been at the forefront of US-Russia relations for decades....
Kislyak is no longer ambassador to the USA. He values himself as a Ukraine ethnic. Currently, he is an officer in the Federation Council, the upper chamber of the government. He represents Mordovia (click here), an ethnic oblast within Russia. It is considered autonomous because it has a representative to the government.
That is job security. That is what it is like being a Russian. They don't worry about the ups and downs of the stock market at The West does. They always have a job doing something. It only stands to reason that a former Russian ambassador would be provided a comfortable area of Russia to spend his later years of life. There are pensions in Russia. I suppose that is one of the socialist sides of Russia. But, in the past year the people were told their pensions would be cut due to financial struggles of the very large land mass country. Large countries such as Russia are difficult to defend at times. Russia has an exceptionally long northern coastline. But, I digress.
Just as a flavor to the kind of work the Russian Duma performs:
March 27, 2018
Russia's State Duma (click here) has approved legislation that would block websites that publish what the authorities deem to be "fake news" and penalizing websites that "insult" authorities, state symbols, and what the legislation vaguely describes as Russian "society."...
Sounds like Sarah Huckabee Sanders is already influenced by Russia and Russia's verbiage adapted from Trump's freedom of speech.
...The bill penalizing those who insult the authorities, state symbols, or Russian society was passed by a vote of 327-40, with one lawmaker abstaining.
The legislation would empower the state-run media watchdog Roskomnadzor to determine what constitutes "fake news."
It also sets maximum fines for publishing "fake news" of 100,000 rubles (more than $1,500) on individuals, 200,000 rubles (more than $3,000) on public officials, and 500,000 rubles (about $7,600) on companies.
The "fake news" bill says publications officially registered with Roskomnadzor, including online media outlets, will be given a chance to remove reports deemed as fake news before their websites are blocked....
My, my.
continued in next entry
