Security Leakers Lose Trust

I notice the news media seems to have largely missed the point in the Trump -Russia meetings. Trump blurted classified information which by that voluntary action declassified it. The howls for treating him as the GOP would have treated Hillary are true to fact but useless. The GOP is not hostile to nor bent on destroying Trump. The salient point is the damage done to our national security apparatus which cannot be undone while Trump holds office. Allies will no longer freely share data that may reach the loose lips and eager-to-please Russia commander in chief. Russia, Mr. Lavrov in particular, has achieved a powerful moment over the US. By virtue of the meeting and the exclusive broadcast back to Russia, Russia has diminished US intelligence capacity. The pipeline now will reflect the guarding needed to protect sensitive data from Trump. It appears that the Russians have weakened our national security apparatus for the price of a round trip airfare Moscow to Washington. hdm

Syria Feeds the Trump Base and Putin's Russia

The recent and widely publicized bombardment of a Syrian government airfield dominated enthusuastic headlines. As news media seized the event with epic coverage and the Trump political base was seen in full Peacock. Beneath it all was a different version more close to truth, and it sugests that Trimp is following a script of Russian origi, a path pursuing Russian interests that exist in plain  opposition to US interests.

Following Putin's Script

The Russian connection began prior to the fall campaign and included some strong indications of  outside political influence and control, They include the below-listed items from the campaign and Convention.

• Weaken NATO -Policy change on NATO to reduce financial support, military involvement, and  political support
• Accept the Invasion of Ukraine- The Trump campaign proposed platform language and political support for Russia's illegal annexation and occupation of Crimea in the Ukraine.
• Reduce and eliminate Sanctions- The Obama Doctrine imposed severe sanctions on Russia fir its military aggression in Ukraine. The sanctions combined with oil slump have damaged the Russian economy and limited its ability to extend military power. Trump has proposed lifting the sanctions.

For a more fill discussion of Syria and Russian domination of US policy , one can start with this link and sources.  The Russia -Trump connection is a subject of a criminal investigation and possible obstruction of justice in the firing of FBI Director James Comey.

The Trump Base

Trump supporters are a key to future US elections and they have demonstrated a remarkable resilience in the face off evidence of lies and false promises. To the base, the Syria missile attack proved Trump defies Russia. They ignore that Trump gave Russia and advance warming of the attack, that Russia was a potential role in countenancing the use of nerve gas weapons. They do ot connect Trump's acceptance of the Assad regime with the attack a few days later. They d not see that giving a small license to a murderous dictator puts millions at a large risk of harm.

Sources

R=The Washington Post reported posible collusion between  the Nationl Security Advisor and the Russian government to remove the economic sanctions aginst Russia,
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/national-security-adviser-flynn-discussed-sanctions-with-russian-ambassador-despite-denials-officials-say/2017/02/09/f85b29d6-ee11-11e6-b4ff-ac2cf509efe5_story.html?utm_term=.062d3a5fecd8