Trump expelling 60 Russian diplomats in wake of UK nerve agent attack

[sunonmars]

https://edition.cnn.com/2018/03/26/politics/us-expel-russian-diplomats/index.html

President Donald Trump on Monday ordered the expulsion of 60 Russian diplomats the US identified as intelligence agents and the closure of a Russian consulate in Seattle in response to Russia's alleged use of a nerve agent in the United Kingdom.

Of those being expelled, 48 of the alleged intelligence agents work at the Russian embassy in Washington and 12 are posted at the United Nations in New York, senior administration officials said. The US is taking the action after joining the United Kingdom in accusing Russia of being behind the attempted murder earlier this month of a former Russian spy living in the United Kingdom.
"The United States takes this action in conjunction with our NATO allies and partners around the world in response to Russia's use of a military-grade chemical weapon on the soil of the United Kingdom, the latest in its ongoing pattern of destabilizing activities around the world," White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement.

.................

14 EU countries expelling too, Canada and others, massive expulsion, Putin is going to flip at all of this.

[oasis]

1. Why now, after giving the boot to McMasters and Tillerson?

What is Trump's angle? Did Putin give him the green light on this as long as Trump doesn't mention him by name?

[MineralMan]

2. That's an interesting action to take.

Let's see how Putin reacts. That will tell us something about all of this. He will object, of course, but at what level?

[sunonmars]

6. I'm amazed at the level of it....

[BSdetect]

3. This is probably a carefully planned deception move from Putin.

Probably just replacing this number with new faces.

Same old cyberwar to continue.

drumph is fully committed due to being blackmailed.

[stonecutter357]

4. distraction ...

[PearliePoo2]

5. Good! The bastards are being kicked out of Seattle too.

https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/03/26/596966272/us-expels-dozens-of-russian-diplomats-closes-consulate-in-seattle

snip:
"The consulate in Seattle is being shuttered due to its proximity to a U.S. submarine base and Boeing's operations there, a senior administration official said. Russia has been given the deadline of April 2 for its closure."