Is Trump really Putin's puppet? Let's count the ways.

Stephen Cohen has noted that the democrats and media keep pushing Trump to show aggression toward Russia to prove he is not some sort of Putin puppet. The potential problem according to Prof. Cohen is that it will leave little to no room for Trump to negotiate around a serious event--say the downing of a Russia/NATO jet over the Black Sea.

The accusation will be that Trump is Putin's bitch as Cenk U. of the Young Turks likes to say. (I can't watch them anymore--in the last I ever watched Cenk want on a rant using homophonbic slurs against Trump and Putin--I guess his days as a conservative engaging in sexual slurs is not over). I fear diplomancy is pretty much dead as any accusation of talking to Putin will be seen as an act of treason. As Stephen Cohen also noted, we no longer have any channels between us and the Russians compared to the days of the Cold War.

So I was curious on how much Trump is Putin's puppet. My own memory and search leads me to believe that if Trump is Putin's puppet, I can't find any group of overt actions that point at that. In fact at least at a military level, Trump has been more aggressive toward Russia than Obama was. And by golly Rachael Maddow was there to watch that Trump did not withdraw so much as coffee filters from Russia's border.

So just offering up a bunch of links that show how the Trump administration has been acting in real, material ways (against) toward Putin and Russia. The list is in no particular order.

1. Roughly four weeks after the inauguration Tillerson announced that the sanctions put in by EU/Obama would remain. Following Obama’s policy.

Tillerson: US to maintain Ukraine-related sanctions on Russia until Crimea is returned
https://www.cnn.com/2017/03/31/politics/rex-tillerson-russia-ukraine/ind...

2. The US/NATO continues to build up on Russia’s borders under Trump.

U.S. Troops Reassure Allies in Poland Ahead of Trump’s G-20 Visit
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/u-s-troops-reassure-allies-poland-ahe...

WAR READY: Trump deploys TANKS to Estonia as NATO builds up HUGE army on Russian border
https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/764014/Trump-US-military-Estonia-Na...

USS Carney enters Black Sea as Navy ups patrols
https://www.stripes.com/news/uss-carney-enters-black-sea-as-navy-ups-pat...

3. Trump is going to do what Obama refused to do: heavily arm the Ukraine.

Trump administration approves lethal arms sales to Ukraine
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/josh-rogin/wp/2017/12/20/trump-admin...

US officials say lethal weapons headed to Ukraine
https://www.cnbc.com/2017/12/23/us-officials-say-lethal-weapons-headed-t...

And it will be neo-Nazis who will get those weapons. There is talk of prohibtion, but that is bullshit. Once those weapons reach the Ukraine there is absolutely nothing stoppping the neo-Nazis from getting them.

The US is Arming and Assisting Neo-Nazis in Ukraine, While Congress Debates Prohibition
http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&I...

4. Remember when Tillerson was nominated. The Russian Conspiracy Sphere went ape-shite. Oil. Russian dupe?

U.S. Rejects Exxon Mobil Bid for Waiver on Russia Sanctions
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/21/business/energy-environment/treasury-...

Oh, the oil puppet has made it known that the US is against Nordstream 2.

Tillerson opposes pipeline that would connect Russia and Germany
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/371026-tillerson-opposes-pip...

5. Trump gave Syria to Putin? I remember that phrase going around. Instead again, Trump is doing what Obama refused to do--boots on the ground in Syria, and by the looks of it, the number keeps getting bigger.

Tillerson: U.S. Troops Staying In Syria To Counter Assad, Iran
https://www.rferl.org/a/us-troops-staying-syria-indefinitely-open-ended-...

6. Military strategy and budget under Trump regarding Russia? And there is Trump's pressure on NATAO to increase their military budget. Shit, event the Swedes are under the spell.

New Pentagon strategy takes aim at Russia, China
https://www.politico.com/story/2018/01/19/pentagon-strategy-2018-russia-...

U.S. reshaping budget to account for Russian military threat
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-military-russia/u-s-reshaping-bud...

Sweden increases military spending and reintroduces conscription as Russia tensions mount
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/sweden-military-budget-in...

7. RT and Sputnik forced to register as foreign agents. And now even the State Department press person will not even allow Russian reporters to ask questions.

Russia's RT America registers with DOJ as a foreign agent
http://money.cnn.com/2017/11/13/media/russia-rt-fara/index.html

‘Oh, you're from Russian media? Next question!’ US State Dept snubs journalists during briefing
https://www.rt.com/usa/420246-state-department-russia-media-nauert/

8 What is happening at the UN with Trump’s delegation? Or what do major Trump officials say about Russia? Every major person in the Trump administration has bashed the Russians. There is a bizzare one where the Trump UN delegation stood up for gay rights in the Olympics.

US, France and Brazil have blocked efforts by Egypt and Russia to remove non-discrimination language from the Olympic Truce Resolution.
https://www.hrc.org/blog/egypt-and-russia-must-not-be-allowed-to-remove-...

Watch Nikki Haley's brutal takedown of Russia at the U.N.
http://theweek.com/speedreads/690467/watch-nikki-haleys-brutal-takedown-...

Nikki Haley, at Confirmation Hearing, Says Russia Is Guilty of War Crimes
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/18/us/politics/nikki-haley-un-ambassador...

James Mattis Strikes Far Harsher Tone Than Trump on Russia
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/12/us/politics/james-mattis-defense-secr...

Putin rues awarding U.S. top diplomat Tillerson Russian state honor
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-usa-putin-tillerson/putin-rues...

9. Trump bombed Russian ally Syria. Obviously a big one. But in democartic party websites most posters thought this was some sort of ruse, and it was really meant to help Putin. Go figure.

Syria Strike Puts U.S. Relationship With Russia at Risk
http://theweek.com/speedreads/690467/watch-nikki-haleys-brutal-takedown-...

10. Trump closes down Russian consulate in retailiation.

US orders Russia to close consulate and annexes in diplomatic reprisal
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/aug/31/us-russia-san-francisco-...

11. More scanctions. And this just in last month Jan 2018. Additional sanctions not under the sanctions recently just passed a few months ago: but previous sanctions of Magnisky Act which was passed under Obama about 5-6 years ago. Trump further added to sanctions.

U.S. Punishes Chechen Leader in New Sanctions Against Russians
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/20/us/politics/trump-sanctions-russia-ch...

Now Trump has refused to go further with sanctions passed by Congress. But as gjohnsit in a eassy
called "Russian sanctions are about to blow up in our faces" (https://caucus99percent.com/content/russian-sanctions-are-about-blow-our...)
points out, that implementing the sanctions will have the net effect of turning allies against the United States; as they are being asked to take a substantial hit, while ironically, maybe not so ironically, the US gaining in markets like energy by taking the place of Russians in Europe.

Germany threatens retaliation if U.S. sanctions harm its firms
https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-usa-russia-sanctions-germany/germany-t...

Oh, and this is what increasing right wing Poland wants:

Poland wants U.S. sanctions to cover Nord Stream 2
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-europe-nordstream-usa/poland-wants-u-...

Looks like the EU is not singing kumbaya on Russia all together now.

Oh, about Poland.

Poland's Jewish groups say Jews feel unsafe since new Holocaust law
https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/20/europe/poland-holocaust-law-jewish-commun...

Been awhile but I think somne number of years ago, Poland wanted the US to place our nukes on their soil, but under their direct control.

Just a fly by question. Is there a arc of fascist anti-Jewish/Russian countries forming on Russia's Eastern boder with the Baltics, Poland, and the Ukraine?

12. No more Russian flights over the US based on previous treaty. This sent TOP into orgaistic spasms when news the flights first came out, without of course context.

US 'to restrict Russian military flights over America'
US officials are reportedly preparing to announce restrictions on Russian military flights over America.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/us-russia-m...

Both Russia and the US are among the 34 signatories of the Treaty on Open Skies, which allows ratified member states to conduct unarmed aerial surveillance flights over each other's territory.

The flights are intended to foster transparency about military activity.

13 . More money for "information war" against Russia. Can anybody really count the hundreds of millions the US spends. Last figures I saw on Radio Free Europe et al get about $700 million. Trump does not seem to be backing down on information warfare.

Pentagon, State Department launch $40 million counter-propaganda effort aimed at Russia
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/pentagon-state-department-launch-40-mi...

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Rumor has it that Putin wants his $150,000 returned for throwing the election to Trump.

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The Aspie Corner's picture

This is a man who will do anything for a buck, including playing patsy to Billary and getting elected anyway. I simply find it funny how Mueller and co. are going after Trump on typical capitalist shit (i.e. money laundering) as a means of proving 'collusion' when Billary is just as guilty if not more so.

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Modern education is little more than toeing the line for the capitalist pigs.

Guerrilla Liberalism won't liberate the US or the world from the iron fist of capital.

@The Aspie Corner Yah, money-laundering maybe. Obstruction maybe. If money laundering, then maybe Trump can get the same deal as HSBC got from Holder/Obama. A top on the wrist and a fine equal to one months profit, which is tax deductible.

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Roy Blakeley's picture

The comment that the Democrat/media whore pressure gives Trump little working room is perceptive (although Trump can certainly screw up without being pressured). Lots of crap is happening in Ukraine (although rarely reported in US media) that could cause real problems in the coming months.

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@Roy Blakeley

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snoopydawg's picture

There is lots of information here to digest. Thank you for putting this together. I see a lot of Russian aggression, don't you? /s

Remember that Obama overthrew the Ukrainian government and then helped install Nazis to run the country after they agreed to let foreign companies in and take the resources. There is so much more to that story it would take another essay to cover it in addition to what you have done. Imagine if Russia overthrew the Mexican government and installed ISIS to run the government and let European companies take its resources. What do you think our government would do? Yep.

The biggest reason for Russia Gate is to keep Trump from making nice with Russia. He said during his campaign that he thought we should get along with our enemies, kind of like a young presidential candidate 10 years ago. Whether he would have done this is hard to know. But still, wouldn't that have been nice. This too reminds me of a candidate who said that he would speak to Iran without pre-conditions.

We know that Cenk sold himself out for $20 million from Hillary. Now we know why Amy did. I put this comment in Big AL's essay about Democracy Now in reply to another comment on how Amy Goodman has gone all in with Russia Russia Russia. Here's the reason why she did. And she didn't just sell out for Russia. She also sold out for the Syrian war. Who she had on her show was very disgusting.

Sibel Edmunds has been gagged for what she knows about 9/11. Here she talks a little about herself and a few other things. Worth a read, but at the bottom of it she tells who Amy's funders are. I guess that $1,000,000 a year is a good enough reason to sell one's integrity. Amy has sold herself out for less money than Rachel did and she's been a journalist for a lot longer than Rachel so I think she should have tried for more money. This is pretty sad in my opinion.

Sigh. Again.

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Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.

@snoopydawg I am not sure anymore if Trump personally knows of some of these actions. But the point is that anything he does that is anti-Russian is not good enough or will be ignored. In many cases there will be some conspiracy explanation as was the case with firing cruise missiles at Syria.

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nuking them wouldn't be enough for the Democrats and their phony #Resistance dupes.

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"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon

@dkmich I can see the deluded saying when the missiles start flying: "Thank gawd. I'm with Her" as their final thoughts.

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kharma's picture

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There is nothing which I dread so much as a division of the republic into two great parties.. This...is to be dreaded as the greatest political evil under our Constitution.--John Adams

TheOtherMaven's picture

@kharma

All our base are belong to Them. Wink

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There is no justice. There can be no peace.