Donald Trump promises no lifting of sanctions on Russia until Russia returns Crimea to Ukraine

This is not what I voted for. If I wanted to pick a fight with Russia over Crimea, I would've voted for Hillary.

a reply to: Bone75

Hillary would have never picked a fight with Russia. Hillary and Putin are old friends going back decades. They have had deep ties. Hillary signed off on the Rosatom takeover of Uranium One only a few years ago.

originally posted by: allsee4eye
a reply to: Bone75

Hillary would have never picked a fight with Russia. Hillary and Putin are old friends going back decades. They have had deep ties. Hillary signed off on the Rosatom takeover of Uranium One only a few years ago.

But she was the one promising a no-fly zone in Syria, which Russia said they would consider an act of war.

I honestly thought voting for Trump meant that we were going to team up with Russia against ISIS. Am I seriously the only one who thought that?

a reply to: Bone75

Campaign rhetoric. She is not a hard woman on Russia. In fact, she is quite friendly with Russia.

America does cooperate with Russia in Syria against jihadists. Recently the state department designated HTS as a terrorist group and does air strikes in western Aleppo and Idlib.

Having watched the past few years as things played out, the following can be stated:

Is there a connection between Trump and Putin, the answer is yes. Far too many of those who are close to him, his advisors or even the cabinet positions have those deep connections. However, how deep it goes has yet to be determined.

This issue, that of Crimea, is one that is a bit confusing when it comes to Trump. During the campaign, and the platform he ran on, it was the one thing that he took a personal interest in and demanded that was removed from the Republican platform. We do not know if they are going to ease up on sanctions or keep them going as a response to Russia taking such away from the Ukraine.

But there are several possibilities, and some I believe are being played out right now that is starting to show some signs and are clearing up:

If Trump does ease the sanctions it will start to either raise up more suspicions on the part of the people that there is a connection. Oh they will say there is a deal that has been reached a compromise, but ultimately, it could result, and confirm some suspicions that US policies are being dictated or nudged by the Kremlin.

If Trump does not ease up sanctions, and damming information comes out, here again it will confirm what is suspected about Trump and the ties to Russia and his administration, further sending the federal government into chaos as the Republicans try to maintain control, like holding water in a hand, watching it slowly drip away, as confidence in the Federal government erodes further.

If Trump does not ease up sanctions and Russia does nothing, here again it will confirm and show that there is not a deep connection between Russia and Trump or his administration.

In either case with this will confirm one way or another about the ties there. Right now it is too early in the administration that is not fully staffed to determine what the outcome will be. We can only watch and see what all is going to happen.

originally posted by: allsee4eye
a reply to: Bone75

Campaign rhetoric. She is not a hard woman on Russia. In fact, she is quite friendly with Russia.

So you're saying she threw the election?

a reply to: Bone75

Russia probably would have liked her to win IMO. Russia knows her very well through the years. Russia knows nothing about Trump.

originally posted by: allsee4eye
a reply to: Bone75

Russia probably would have liked her to win IMO.

Then why did they help Trump instead of her (if you believe all the hacking stuff)?

This is all getting so confusing.

and so it goes on... I had hope for the better. Russia vs USA. Russia the bad guys Russia the hacker Russia the Cheaters at the olympics etc... business as usual.

originally posted by: Bone75
This is not what I voted for. If I wanted to pick a fight with Russia over Crimea, I would've voted for Hillary.

Whilst I could not vote, I agree with your sentiment. Hillary would be better than having a bunch of Neocons determining foreign policy. Trump needs to consign the ideas behind PNAC to the dustbin.

a reply to: UKTruth

I'd rather have Hillary with her finger on the button than McCain (or any of those other cretinous war mongering criminals in the Republican party)

Too bad you backed the wrong horse. Right now it is just a wait to see whether Trump will crack up and resign, whether the Republicans in Congress will get fed up and impeach him, or whether the Russians will release the much anticipated Trump porno video to wide acclaim.

originally posted by: allsee4eye
a reply to: Bone75

Russia probably would have liked her to win IMO. Russia knows her very well through the years. Russia knows nothing about Trump.

No, Russia did not care which candidate won, so long as America's faith in liberal democracy was crushed. If Hillary won, she would be dogged by rumors of criminal wrongdoing and the Republican controlled Congress would be tied up with investigations that made legislation impossible. Public confidence in government would wane, and the United States would lose influence on the world stage. Instead, Donald Trump has assumed the presidency, with much the same effect.

Russia's strategy was to deliver a blow against the United States and its form of government. It used propaganda to achieve it. Hopefully, the checks and balances laid out in the Constitution will correct the situation, making America even stronger.

I'm surprised Trump went this route. I was expecting him to give the middle finger to our allies and fold. Obviously this is a ploy to distance himself from Russia. The question is whether or not that means there's actually something there to distance himself from.

In the end the US sanctions don't have a huge effect on Russia. It's the European ones that are hurting Russia's economy. So while this move may be meaningless for the most part it is definitely the right move diplomatically. I just have to wonder what the ulterior motive is.

a reply to: Bone75

Personally, I don't think Russia hacked DNC in June 2016. The identity of Guccifer 2.0 is unknown. Russia has no history of hacking a party in another country's election. Russia denied hacking DNC in June 2016. It is possible Guccifer 2.0 is a Russian citizen but not part of the Russian government. At this point, there is not enough evidence to conclude who the hacker is.

originally posted by: DJW001
a reply to: UKTruth

I'd rather have Hillary with her finger on the button than McCain (or any of those other cretinous war mongering criminals in the Republican party)

Too bad you backed the wrong horse. Right now it is just a wait to see whether Trump will crack up and resign, whether the Republicans in Congress will get fed up and impeach him, or whether the Russians will release the much anticipated Trump porno video to wide acclaim.

This is not about backing the wrong horse, it is about removing the influence of neocons on foreign policy.
There was only one horse in the election, running against a run down decrepit old donkey in Hillary Clinton. That said a decrepit old donkey is better than Neocons.

Trump promised that? Well that and $5.00 will get you $5.00. Trump's promises are worth about as much as a degree from his 'University'.

a reply to: jtma508

And whose idea was the Trump University? Not Trump but a con man called Michael Sexton.

en.wikipedia.org...

a reply to: UKTruth

This is not about backing the wrong horse, it is about removing the influence of neocons on foreign policy.

Donald Trump is a Neo-Con. He never presented himself as anything else. America First, remember?

originally posted by: DJW001
a reply to: UKTruth

This is not about backing the wrong horse, it is about removing the influence of neocons on foreign policy.

Donald Trump is a Neo-Con. He never presented himself as anything else. America First, remember?

You clearly don't know what a NeoCon is.
I suggest you read the PNAC document.. authored amongst others by none other than Bill Kristol, an avid anti-Trumper.
I do find the lack of understanding by many Americans of their own political environment staggering.

a reply to: Idreamofme

Ahhh yeah, sorry, no. They also get no say. Crimea is Ukrainian territory.