Putin-linked thinktank wrote plan to swing 2016 U.S. election in Trump's favor

[xeni]

Originally published at: http://boingboing.net/2017/04/19/putin-linked-thinktank-wrote-p.html

…

[anon48584343]

Insert ‘SHOCKED!’.gif here

And how many thinktank plans does the U.S. have in it’s past and present arsenal to swing elections in foreign countries?

Kudos to Reuter’s staff: Ned Parker and Jonathan Landay, additional reporting by Warren Strobel and Arshad Mohammed; Editing by David Rohde and Ross Colvin. Stay safe.

[Yri]

Huh. Imagine that.

Now, if we could only prove collusion on the part of the campaign, I’ll truly celebrate.

[Boundegar]

…to encourage U.S. voters to elect a president who would take a softer line toward Russia than the administration of then-President Barack Obama, the seven officials said.

Count on a Republican to be soft on Russia and weak on defense. I hear they’re planning to cut the VA, too. Why do they hate our troops?

[Brainspore]

@Boundegar

Count on a Republican to be soft on Russia and weak on defense.

Nonsense, Trump is easily the most defensive politician I’ve ever seen.

[werdnagreb]

I didn’t think that whether or not the Russians had interfered in the election was a question anymore. My understanding is that the current question is: to what extent did the Trump campaign and Trump himself know about this and collude with the Russians to make this happen?

It may be that the answer is 0. But there is so much circumstantial evidence otherwise that I would be surprised if this were the case.

[gracchus]

Allow me to save the boys and girls in St Petersberg and Putin’s useful idiots abroad some keystrokes:

• Show me Putin’s name on the shareholder list for this think tank. I thought not.
• America is just as bad at interfering in foreign elections, ergo nothing to see here.
• Why would Putin want to swing the U.S. election when he’s all about Russia? It’s not like he wanted one of his strongman fanbois in the Oval Office or like he wanted to undermine confidence in Western liberal-democratic institutions.
• Just more Trumpophobia. He won the election fair and square. Sigh.

[there, that covers the most typical bogus talking points they trot out in these threads]

@Yri

Now, if we could only prove collusion on the part of the campaign, I’ll truly celebrate.

I doubt we’ll ever find that out. A good KGB hand from the old days understands the value of twice- and thrice-removed cut-outs and useful idiots and heavy-duty kompromat.

The best we can hope for is the regime continuing to bleed Russian shills like Flynn, Manafort and Page and to get a look at all the Russian bank loans on the president’s* corporate tax returns.

[Papasan]

[vonbobo]

@gracchus

I doubt we’ll ever find that out.

I have my doubts as well. I feel like this squabbling over “they did vs they didn’t” is all just part of the game we the people, are trapped in.

[kpkpkp]

@gracchus

He won the election fair and square.

Good luck with that

[alahmnat]

@werdnagreb

It may be that the answer is 0. But there is so much circumstantial evidence otherwise that I would be surprised if this were the case.

To stretch an analogy to the limits of its usefulness, at this point there’s so much smoke we’ll be lucky to see the fire through it.

[roomwithaview]

@vonbobo

I have my doubts as well. I feel like this squabbling over “they did vs they didn’t” is all just part of the game we the people, are trapped in.

The first question should always be, “What other things are going on that this news is distracting people from noticing?”

[Brainspore]

@roomwithaview

The first question should always be, “What other things are going on that this news is distracting people from noticing?”

I wouldn’t characterize this as a “distraction.” Many horrible newsworthy things are happening at once. This is one of them.

[werdnagreb]

@gracchus

Why would Putin want to swing the U.S. election when he’s all about Russia?

Simple, a weakened America makes Russia stronger. This would have happened in one of two ways:

1. Eroding trust in the US election undermines the democratic processes.
2. If in some crazy universe, Trump is elected then helping to install a more Russia-friendly regime is good.

And what do you mean “he’s all about Russia”? Of course he is, he wants to Make Russia Great Again.™

[gracchus]

@kpkpkp

Good luck with that

But he veen een Electoral College? Eez not fair? You do not like democratic eensteetuion? Throw out entire seestum. No need to reform, vee hav alternative democracy.

[popobawa4u]

This is why countries are for n00bz, and sane people don’t trust their societies to be run by overgrown territorial children.

[GagHalfrunt]

@werdnagreb

@gracchus

Why would Putin want to swing the U.S. election when he’s all about Russia?

Simple, a weakened America makes Russia stronger. This would have happened in one of two ways:

1. Eroding trust in the US election undermines the democratic processes.
2. If in some crazy universe, Trump is elected then helping to install a more Russia-friendly regime is good.

And what do you mean “he’s all about Russia”? Of course he is, he wants to Make Russia Great Again.™

You’re replying to a hypothetical example of something a paid Russian keyboard warrior might say.

[Mongrove]

@Boundegar

Why do they hate our troops?

I’m just guessing here, but… because they had the audacity to come back? And to expect that military service somehow entitles one to the things promised in exchange for military service, like social services, health care, and pensions?

[anon48584343]

@Mongrove

And to expect that military service somehow entitles one to the things promised in exchange for military service, like social services, health care, and pensions?

Socialism? Say it ain’t so! /s

[TheGreatParis]

Time to relaunch Stargate.

Stargate Project