That slice also likes a strongman. It’s a weird love-hate thing, because as much as Putin appeals to conservatives in certain ways they also missed the Cold War days of having Russia as an enemy. Putin happily provides that for them.
Not generally well known. Most Americans don’t pay attention to foreign affairs in general, the American neoCon meddling in Russia and the former Soviet republics and client states didn’t get a lot of attention in the American media when it was happening, and the situation is complex and hard to follow even for someone who has to pay attention.
The short version is that when Western banks (except for dysfunctional ones like Deutsche Bank and Wells Fargo) accepted that he was a grifter and stopped lending him money in the early 2000s, he went elsewhere. The Russian and “Cypriot” banks and the oligarchs he borrowed from only do business at Putin’s sufferance, so that provided an opportunity for the Kremlin.
Probably through a combination of flattering his ego and veiled threats about calling in loans, they convinced him he should run for President and “strongly suggested” that he hire people like Manafort, Page, Kelly, and the others who are working on behalf of Putin to work on his campaign. When he actually won – to Putin’s surprised delight, I’m sure – that programme just continued in line with Putin’s general promotion of right-wing populism in the West.
In context, “them” is “powerful members of the Gun Rights Organization” (NRA) who were given a free trip to Russia to meet with “high-level Russian government officials”
Prosecutors say Butina acted under the direction of Russian bank official Alexander Torshin (who has disappeared)
Anywhere I have seen this story they mention her handler has disappeared and then just leave that part of the story dangling.
Where was he seen last? If he was last known to be in the US, is it suspected he is still here in hiding, secretly fled the country, returned to the motherland or was disappeared by people?
Wow, thank you. Interesting read. Also interesting how easily he can come and go. Meanwhile, some mothers with babies at the border are about to overthrow America. :-\
