Home»World»Russia Chooses Not to Respond to Obama’s Unproven Allegations and Sanctions

Russia Chooses Not to Respond to Obama’s Unproven Allegations and Sanctions

0
Shares
Pinterest WhatsApp

Only Barack Obama could make the Russian government seem levelheaded by comparison.

On Thursday, President Obama issued an executive order sanctioning 9 different entities associated with the Russian government and expelling 35 Russian diplomats (that the president calls “intelligence operatives”).

Today, I have ordered a number of actions in response to the Russian government’s aggressive harassment of U.S. officials and cyber operations aimed at the U.S. election. These actions follow repeated private and public warnings that we have issued to the Russian government, and are a necessary and appropriate response to efforts to harm U.S. interests in violation of established international norms of behavior.

All Americans should be alarmed by Russia’s actions. In October, my Administration publicized our assessment that Russia took actions intended to interfere with the U.S. election process.  These data theft and disclosure activities could only have been directed by the highest levels of the Russian government. Moreover, our diplomats have experienced an unacceptable level of harassment in Moscow by Russian security services and police over the last year.  Such activities have consequences.  Today, I have ordered a number of actions in response.

I have issued an executive order that provides additional authority for responding to certain cyber activity that seeks to interfere with or undermine our election processes and institutions, or those of our allies or partners.  Using this new authority, I have sanctioned nine entities and individuals:  the GRU and the FSB, two Russian intelligence services; four individual officers of the GRU; and three companies that provided material support to the GRU’s cyber operations.  In addition, the Secretary of the Treasury is designating two Russian individuals for using cyber-enabled means to cause misappropriation of funds and personal identifying information.  The State Department is also shutting down two Russian compounds, in Maryland and New York, used by Russian personnel for intelligence-related purposes, and is declaring “persona non grata” 35 Russian intelligence operatives.  Finally, the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are releasing declassified technical information on Russian civilian and military intelligence service cyber activity, to help network defenders in the United States and abroad identify, detect, and disrupt Russia’s global campaign of malicious cyber activities.

These actions are not the sum total of our response to Russia’s aggressive activities. We will continue to take a variety of actions at a time and place of our choosing, some of which will not be publicized. In addition to holding Russia accountable for what it has done, the United States and friends and allies around the world must work together to oppose Russia’s efforts to undermine established international norms of behavior, and interfere with democratic governance. To that end, my Administration will be providing a report to Congress in the coming days about Russia’s efforts to interfere in our election, as well as malicious cyber activity related to our election cycle in previous elections. 

While any Russian attempt to infiltrate our electronic security should be taken seriously and should be met with an appropriate response (in fact, if true the US response to Russia should be much more severe), the government still refuses to explain what evidence they have implicating Russia for the DNC/Clinton campaign hacks or how they “know” it was done in an effort to interfere in our electoral process.

In connection with the President’s statement, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of National Intelligence, and the FBI also issued a press release asserting that the Russians have been involved in a decade-long hacking campaign against our nation.

Today, DHS and FBI released a Joint Analysis Report (JAR) which further expands on that statement by providing details of the tools and infrastructure used by Russian intelligence services to compromise and exploit networks and infrastructure associated with the recent U.S. election, as well as a range of U.S. government, political and private sector entities.

This activity by Russian intelligence services is part of a decade-long campaign of cyber-enabled operations directed at the U.S. Government and its citizens. These cyber operations have included spearphishing, campaigns targeting government organizations, critical infrastructure, think tanks, universities, political organizations, and corporations; theft of information from these organizations; and the recent public release of some of this stolen information.

This is something that we already knew, have known for years, and should expect is also being carried out against us by at least a dozen other nations (including China)… but the memo was likely meant to reinforce President Obama’s executive order.

Why would the President choose now to react to the Russians meddling when, as the security statement makes clear, the Russians have been doing this for more than a decade? It seems that the only reason for the diplomatic discipline would be the insinuation that the Russians were specifically attempting to meddle in our electoral process. However, no evidence is offered to show this to be the case. It seems more likely that the Obama administration continues to grasp at straws (any and every straw) to explain how Hillary Clinton could be defeated by Donald Trump, and that by continuing to shift the blame to Russia, Obama and the Democrats can avoid owning up to their responsibility in the historic loss.

Whatever the reasons for choosing now to sanction them, the Russian government was not impressed and chose to react by mocking the Obama administration.

https://twitter.com/RussianEmbassy/status/814564127230271489

Normally, the Russians would likely respond in kind by sanctioning certain US agencies and expelling a similar number of American diplomats. In fact, on Friday morning they even signaled that they would do exactly that, but just a few hours later Putin and his team seemed to have shifted course. Instead of reacting as the world thought they might, Putin spoke benevolently about trying to ensure better relations with the Trump administration by choosing not to retaliate to Obama’s provocations.

As it proceeds from international practice, Russia has reasons to respond in kind. Although we have the right to retaliate, we will not resort to irresponsible ‘kitchen’ diplomacy but will plan our further steps to restore Russian-US relations based on the policies of the Trump Administration.

The diplomats who are returning to Russia will spend the New Year’s holidays with their families and friends. We will not create any problems for US diplomats. We will not expel anyone. We will not prevent their families and children from using their traditional leisure sites during the New Year’s holidays. Moreover, I invite all children of US diplomats accredited in Russia to the New Year and Christmas children’s parties in the Kremlin.

It is regrettable that the Obama Administration is ending its term in this manner. Nevertheless, I offer my New Year greetings to President Obama and his family.

My season’s greetings also to President-elect Donald Trump and the American people.

Putin even chooses to wish President Obama and his family a Happy New Year!

I’m not 100% sure what the calculations here were, but I don’t buy the “kinder, gentler” routine from Putin. My gut tells me that while Putin considered expelling certain American diplomats he probably believes that by refusing to respond in a “tit-for-tat” manner he ends up looking like the adult in the room, while Obama looks like the whiny brat. This decision is likely all about optics; Putin looks magnanimous now and uses this small mercy to start things off on a better foot with Donald Trump come January 20th.

Article posted with permission from Constitution.com. Article by Onan Coca.


The Washington Standard

Previous post

America's Economy - Before & After Obama

Next post

Texas Town Comes Under Attack For Displaying Christian Cross