Even if everything you say is true, you still have several "so what?" question to answer. How has the Trump administration helped Russia?
Arguably, Trump's challenge to NATO members to step up funding is enough of a NATO disruption to benefit the Ruskies. But it is quite another thing to say that Trump asked for funding because Putin requested that. Uncle Sam has funded the bulk of NATO for 70 years. Maybe Trump thinks our generosity has in fact weakened the NATO alliance by allowing members to skate on their anti-Russian readiness obligations--which they have done.
As I pointed out, most of Trump's domestic and foreign agenda has been tougher on Russia than preceding policies. This would specifically include our shipping lethal arms to Ukraine, a policy the previous administration specifically rejected. In those cases where Russia can be seen to benefit from Trump policy, there are other likely US motives that are in play, such as a general improvement of Russian/US relations, and pulling our GI's out of far-flung battlefields that now have little to do with our national defense. Trump has increased some Russian sanctions, and relaxed others. Some of those he has relaxed, such as aluminum trade, puts downward pressure on the price of aluminum which pressures China.
It's not that I don't believe all your dozens of posts and links outlining how Trump is in bed with Russia, rather, this is about what difference does it all make? The fact that there does not appear to be very much of a benefit to Russia would also lead me to believe your litany of circumstances does not necessarily lead to the conclusion that Trump is "hopelessly compromised by Putin".
So now it’s Ok to TRY to conspire with a hostile foreign power? So long as you’re not successful, right?
That’s what I read when I read this post from you.
I’ll play along.
Here are some things that Trump and his campaign did to help Russia.
- changed the republican platform to offer less assistance to Ukraine
- just recently, relaxed sanctions on business related to Oleg Derapaska- a guy VERY close to Putin, and one of the most powerful Russian oligarchs. Without explanation.
- spoke with Putin about “adoption”, on the sidelines of the G5 without any other American presence. This is code for the Magnisky act, which Russia absolutely hates.
- delayed the implementation of additional sanctions that congress passed.
- Trump parrots Russian views, which are unique to Russia. Like the terrorists in Afghanistan
- his campaign, and likely he knew, tried to secretly meet with Russians offering dirt on Hillary. There was a blocked phone call from Jr, that the republican intel committee in the house refused to follow up on. And Trump was literally in the building when this happened.
- Trump decided to pull out of Syria abruptly, despite the advice of everyone around him. And his defense secretary resigned because of it.
- Trump has repeatedly said that he believes Putin when he says Russia didn’t meddle in our election. Despite every intelligence agency stating other wise. Which makes us even more vulnerable to future interference.
Possibly unintentionally, he had attacked our allies, which makes Putin VERY happy.
There are many more examples. It’s not about effectiveness. It’s about intent.
I doubt Russia/Putin thought that Trump would ever be as effective in supporting Russia’s goals. However, I think he thought that Trump had more power to lift sanctions than he does. Thank god for our system of checks and balances. I’d bet Russia thought that the changing of the pub party plank re: Ukraine was a bigger deal than it was.
I don’t see how you don’t see a problem with all of this. He’s done so much in plain sight, it’s easy to lose track of just how out of bounds all of this is.
I should’ve expected this from you now, but it still amazes me that you can take this view. We’ve got a group in the White House that’s conspired to help Russia, at a time when they helped to swing an election for the same group. That’s about as bad as it gets.