Jeff Sessions and the Russia Spin

[Red Knight]

I heard him on CNN this morning and I thought it was interesting to watch this rightwinger sort of embrace Russia. I don't know what his feelings were before or if Trump is forcing their hand, but his take was that Trump would offer a better relationship with Russia and this would make the world safer. He argued that this would turn down some of the tension between the two countries and the result would be a safer world.

So, interestingly, instead of trying to back the right AWAY from Trump on Russia, he seemed to be moving them toward it with this argument.

I wonder how this will play?

Look--certainly we don't want to go to war with Russia--no one wants that. But at the same time you have to approach that country like you approach a snake--with extreme caution. In some sense it's been a bit ignored and Putin has built up this Russian "nationalism" as the thing that gives him power--even if things are going crappy economically.

The problem is that Russia would love to rebuild the U.S.S.R. and if they are given the "greenlight" on certain issues they will take advantage of that to expand their territory--inching closer to Europe once again. if you have to pick sides and take Russia's side--what happens to our allies? I would tend to trust them more than Putin. I can see Putin USING Trump for his own goals and as long as Trump enriches himself in the deal I think he'd be okay with that. The GOP seems to be reaching for anything right now--even if it means suddenly promoting better relations with Putin, in order to save their candidate. I'm sure they feel they can control things after the election. So they may use this as a scare tactic of sorts.

Of course not all of the GOP will hop on board this train. But I think it may be a spin certain surrogates for Trump take. Certainly Jeff Sessions is doing that.

Again--I would like the U.S. and Russia to have better relations. It is better for the world. I get that.

But on the other hand--turning Russia loose also increases instability in the region and that comes with its own consequences with the United States right in the middle of it all. What do they think Putin would want for "better relations"?

Hint: it would not be a simple handshake and invite to visit.

He would want quite a lot.

We need a cautious leader in dealing with Russia.

I'm pretty sure that Hillary will not be the biggest Putin fan, after all that has happened. But at the very least she will have qualified advisers and be smart enough to deal with them in a sensible way.

In some ways I get the feeling that Trump would open the door and say, "Come on in--take what you want."

[pangaia]

1. Why is it that many, it seems to me,

republican politicians I see on the national scene, have what I might describe as... reptilian faces? I mean, actually, slimy (even though reptiles are generally not slimy.

Wait... I am thinking of the men.... humm.. that is interesting.....

anyway...

OK, lets just go with slimy. Their mouths also seem to be rubbery, even the ones with very thin or NO lips, like Ryan....

I am pondering, well, considering, the....individual psychology behind these features..

On the other hand, I'd rather not think about that any more, so I will soon go to LL Bean, to exchange a pair of hiking shoes and get a new rain proof windbreaker, and then go to the Y for a 90 minute workout..

[Snake Plissken]

2. If Sarah Palin ran head first into a wall repeatedly until she couldn't remember her name

If Sarah Palin ran head first into a wall repeatedly until she couldn't remember her name ... you'd basically have Trump's grasp of foreign affairs

[Tal Vez]

3. We don't want Putin making decisions for our country. We want our leaders to be

independent of foreign influence.

Putin obviously has a world view. His world view was shaped by his many, many years with the Soviet KGB. He has said that the breakup of the communist Soviet Union was tragic. The Soviet Union was committed to world domination. People all over the world lived as little more than slaves in nations that were Soviet satellites. We don't want Putin and his new American protege to recreate that horrible system.

It is imperative that the American people say no to Russia, Putin and Trump this November.

[Cayenne]

4. A couple of red lines

Rebuilding USSR is all conjecture as Putin has never said such a thing. He thinks it is a huge tragedy the USSR fell apart but that is not the same as vowing a return which he hasn't. There is not a scintilla of evidence that he is preparing to invade the Baltic states as claimed by neocons.

The Russians colonized Crimea from the 18th century on and have never left.

The neocons believe they can fight a limited war against Russia and win. They mean to take the Russians out of Kaliningrad, Ukraine, Syria, and the Black Sea. I think it will mean our destruction to but I don't think they care.

Meanwhile China actually does mean to take territory. To start Taiwan and the South China Sea.

[Red Knight]

7. You could be right

I've read a few books on Russia--and I'm certainly no expert. But there is no doubt that Putin has built his power on nationalism. He NEEDS this "us against them" mentality to hold power.

Well we know he is involved in the Ukraine. And of course Trump says he is NOT going into the Ukraine so maybe he would know.

And the point about neocons? I won't argue with you there either. They also have to be approached with caution.

My hope is that Hillary will not go there. That she will know when to back off. It's that or trust Trump to know how to deal with the smarter Putin. And yes--I know China is building islands and so forth in the South China Sea.

I guess I just don't trust Putin. He wants power, money and of course he is not likely to come out and proclaim that he's going to restart the U.S.S.R. That would be dumb. He would do something like that--if he were going to--piece by piece. He's no idiot.

So while I do not trust the neocons. Believe me--I am with you on that.

I also don't trust Putin.

I would hope and trust that Hillary will not start WWIII.

[jcgoldie]

5. Sessions is too far up Trump's ass to escape now...

I suspect a lot of the far right is horrified by the Trump/Putin connection. If Trump doesn't do something to distance himself from that he's going to start losing even douchebags like Tom Cotton from Arkansas who despises Putin.

[RonniePudding]

6. Sounds like Comrade Sessions is in love with Putin, too.

[thucythucy]

8. Weren't these the same people appalled at President Obama's overtures to Cuba?

Weren't they all highly critical of him lifting the embargo?

And Cuba hasn't invaded any of its neighbors, isn't a threat to our NATO allies, nor has it tried to interfere with American presidential politics or hack American computers.

If President Obama said exactly the same things about Russia and Cuba, Sessions & Co. would be howling with outrage. In fact, I recall quite a lot of right wing outrage when Secretary Clinton tried reaching out to Russia with her "reset button."

Just another example of IOKIYAR.