So why exactly is Trump having a summit meeting with Putin ?

@windinhishair We are fast approaching a situation where the US is going to be considered a hostile power by the Europeans.

@RodionRomanovitch Yes, and if we are subject to sanctions by the rest of the world, I cannot say that I blame them in any way.

@Ynotisay I couldn't believe he actually repeated that again.

@RodionRomanovitch Me too. It was telling.

Snowden is a traitor and the information he put into the public domain was good for mankind. Quite the dilemma. @MartinII

@MartinII I agree. What is Trump after he (on the suggestion of Putin; Who else) had the Russian ambassador and foreign minister in the Oval office and told them both about a deep cover MOSAD agent in the Middle East who was relaying back vital intel to the western spooks. Oh, and although the Russian press were invited, the US press wasn't.

@MartinII 'Trump, whatever you might think of him, is not a traitor.'

The whole premise of this question is that he is. I've heard nothing yet to dissuade me.

@RodionRomanovitch Yes, sanction relief will be our chief carrot in whatever discussions will happen. And certainly, what exactly we'll be looking to get from the Russians is the big question here.

With Bolton's visibility in all of this, I am concerned that this is groundwork for some kind of escalation with Iran. If that would come to pass, we'd really like the Russians to sit it out, and limit their S-300 deliveries.

@QuixoticSoul As credible as it sounds , I really do hope you are wrong about Iran.

@RodionRomanovitch John Boulton has never been right, not once, about foreign policy. He's pushing for an invasion of Iran, or an aggressive regime change move.

The trouble is, GOP voters, in general, have no clue, when it comes to foreign policy, so he gets away with the Iraq war, creating the refugee mess, and generally speaking, fucking up the world. What the GOP voters see: Obama did it.

This morning, Trump "called" the Saudi King, and ordered him to increase oil production by 2M barrels per day. Trump said that this is because of the turmoil in Iran and Venezuela. The GOP voters, will blame Iran and Venezuela. In reality, we placed sanctions against these countries, effectively blocking them from selling oil.

Iran is too strategic of an asset to Iran, and Putin is not going to play ball on this.

@Northwest Obsess much

@eli1601 are you OK buddy? It took you 3 days to find this post. I’m worried

@SW-User Undoubtedly

@RodionRomanovitch You make assertions as if they were facts. Some people consider Russia to be a hostile power, some don’t. Among those who think Russia is, or might be, hostile, some think the US should engage with Russia, some don’t. Throughout history nations have talked to actual or potential enemies, while others have ignored them or fought wars with them - sometimes successfully, sometimes not, in all cases!

@MartinII I have asserted nothing. Try asking the intelligence chiefs , the generals and almost everybody in Congress whether they consider Russia to be a friend or a foe. And , of course, engaging with them is not necessarily a bad thing .... but it is the motives for doing so that both interest ,and alarm , me and others.

@RodionRomanovitch Your posts are full of assertions. Just read them!

I’m pretty sure that most intelligence chiefs, generals and relevant members of the cabinet would give a nuanced answer to your question. No doubt there are many views in Congress, and some Democrats will be influenced by their belief that Russian intervention had a decisive impact on tbe Presidential election. As to your last sentence, I agree with you.

@ChipmunkErnie And maybe he needs to get away from the White House before he spills any more classified secrets to them.

@sunsporter1649 You mean like Trump ?

@jackjjackson [quote]if the President is involved it must be wrong (knee jerk non thinking reaction)[/quote]


Trump would need to make dramatic (and likely impossible) changes to his attitude to both the adversaries and allies of the US before he convinced thinking people he wasn't a stooge for Putin.

I can't imagine the hysterics that Putin's close circle of officials have when Trump says nice stuff about Putin and Putin just returns a smirk.

I get it. You don’t support the president. @Northwest

@jackjjackson [quote]I get it. You don’t support the president. [/quote]

You're projecting, with your blind support for Trump.

Unlike you, I consider every single position, or proposed position, on its merits.

We just folded on Dara'a, with absolutely nothing in return.

@beckyromero He couldn't afford it.

@monte3 Too funny! 😉

@monte3 A+

@Random1Thoughts 'How is the issue between Russia and Ukraine attacking American democracy?' - it isn't but meddling in your election is.

@Random1Thoughts That's not what the quote stated. Those were separate issues.

@Pianist1234 guess who

@hunkalove It doesn't distract to meet with Putin in private---it bolsters the idea that there must be a huge reason they don't want us to know about for why the two MUST have this meeting in private.

Trump is completely embroiled in an investigation to determine what kind of hold Putin has on him--yet further meetings with Putin is soooooooooooo important to Trump that no matter how it looks--he's got to be alone with Putin anyway.

If you knew the FBI and half a dozen other IT agencies were trying to find enough to impeach you for playing ball--a treasonous game of ball with Russia behind the scenes---wouldn't you do your best to distance yourself from Putin, Putin, Putin--instead of DEMANDING to be allowed to meet with him behind closed doors? Whatever Trump has to say to Putin--give to Putin in the way of U.S. government classified information---or whatever it is must have a huge payoff for trump---to cause him so much backlash and suspicion--and further investigations----for doing this. Everything points to Putin owning our president---completely.

@anythingoes477 I couldn't agree more. He's upto his eyes in it.