tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7924773307171301256.post4010997894012657680..comments2024-03-28T13:57:27.683-04:00Comments on Just An Earth-Bound Misfit, I : Press Gullibility ContinuesComrade Misfithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15404477636451308763noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7924773307171301256.post-39868811391136497202017-07-08T19:09:36.577-04:002017-07-08T19:09:36.577-04:00They are both kleptocrats. Putin is much better at...They are both kleptocrats. Putin is much better at it. Comrade Misfithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15404477636451308763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7924773307171301256.post-35716185842609055742017-07-08T14:53:02.400-04:002017-07-08T14:53:02.400-04:00Richard Engel predicted that in the absence of not... Richard Engel predicted that in the absence of note takers, the two different diplomats would be telling different stories of what happened in the meeting, and to watch for which story gets accepted as real to see who got more of their way, and more importantly, just what that way might consist of.<br /> Well it seems that Lavrov and Tillerson are indeed giving disparate accounts of how the meeting went down, with the most notable difference being Lavrov claiming that president four-year-old "fully accepted" Putin's claim that Russia did not, in fact, meddle in our election.<br /> Tillerson, for his part, seems to be emphasizing "working together" with Russia and "looking forward" and tentative agreements on cease fires in Syria (make that a small area of Syria) and a commission (or some such horse shit) on the conflict in Ukraine. There was also some cybersecurity stuff, which seems to nicely coincide with the massive voter suppression program they are launching. <br /> These can be broadly read as victories for Russia in that the normalizing of the situation in Syria is a retreat from our previous position (that Assad had to go) and the Ukraine thing is just a precursor to the lifting of sanctions, and of course if we do our own voter suppression it lessens the need for Russia's "active measures" which in large part were aimed at suppressing the Democratic turnout, when it is highly likely that we will be watching them more closely than last time.<br /> Then there is the gift to Putin that he, personally, really wanted: To share the international stage as the leader of a "superpower" instead of the kleptocrat that he actually is.<br /><br /> I guess they must just think we're really stupid, and I have to say that sadly, some of us really are.<br /><br /> -Doug in Oaklanddinthebeasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12941071534250216503noreply@blogger.com