Pushing U.S.-Relations to Cold War lows, 55-year-old President Barack Obama weighed the U.S. response to alleged Russian hacking to government Websites. U.S.-Russian relations hit a Cold War low when the Pentagon and Kremlin were actively considering military strategies should both countries come to blows in Syria. Russia backs the sovereign government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, while the U.S. backs the nearly six-year Saudi proxy war seeking regime change in Damascus. When you consider the U.S. position of backing unknown terror groups to topple al-Assad, it’s no wonder Russian President Vladimir Putin has little respect for U.S. foreign policy. Joining the Saudi proxy war by funding rebel group to topple al-Assad, Putin sees the U.S. foreign policy as supporting terrorists, creating more chaos and spreading instability to the region.
Rattling sabers in the U.S. Senate, Sen. John McCain (R-Az.), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, urged Obama Oct. 6 to set up a no-fly zone, threatening to shoot down Syrian and Russian warplanes. Engaged in an aggressive air campaign in Aleppo, McCain agrees with his friends in the European Union to act decisively to stop Putin’s air strikes. McCain’s suggestion to start shooting down Russian or Syrian warplanes could lead to WWIII, with Russia rejecting U.S., EU and Saudi demands for al-Assad to leave Damascus. Saudi Arabia’s 56-year-old Foreign Minster Adel al-Jubeir said publicly March 5 that the war in Syria won’t stop until al-Assad leaves Damasus. Putin recognized al-Assad as the sovereign power and won’t give in to U.S. and Saudi demands. Obama and Democratic nominee former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton sees Putin as the aggressor.
Threatening unspecified retaliation against alleged Russian hacking attacks, Obama outlined his options. “There are a rang of responses that are available to the president, and he will consider a response that is proportional,” said White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest traveling on Air Force One on a campaign stop for Hillary. “The president has talked before about he significant capabilities that the U.S. government has to both defend our systems in the United States but also to carry out offensive operations in other countries,” said Earnest antagonizing the Kremlin. While pointing fingers at Russia, the U.S. government has no proof of alleged Russian hacking. “We do not interfere in the internal affairs of the United States, neither by my statements nor by electronic or other means,” said Russia Amb. Sergev Kislak, rejecting Hillary’s Election Year rhetoric blaming Moscow.
Hillary’s belligerent talk against Putin, calling him a “bully,” only harms the worst U.S.-Russian relations since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. With Russia possessing the world’s most sophisticated nuclear arsenal, Obama and Hillary shouldn’t throw gasoline on the fire. When GOP nominee real estate mogul Donald Trump talks of improving U.S.-Russian relations, Hillay’s quick to insinuate he has business dealings with Moscow. Trump’s said consistently if the U.S. were better allied with Russia, it would be easier to fight the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria [ISIS]. Accusing Russia of interfering in the 2016 campaign, Hillary continues the anti-Kremlin rhetoric. “They’re doing it to try to influence the election for Donald Trump,” said Hillary, blaming Russia, without any proof, of trying to get Trump elected by hacking Democratic Websites like the Democratic National Committee.
Tying Trump to Putin is nothing more than a crass campaign strategy designed to win votes but trash U.S.-Russian relations. When you really examine Putin’s position on Syria, he’s opposed to arming terrorists to topple a sovereign government. Putin told the U.N. General Assembly Sept. 28, 2015 that he opposed toppling al-Assad because it would spread more death, destruction and terrorism in the region. Neither Obama nor Clinton have explained why it’s in the U.S. National Security interests to topple al-Assad. Nor have they explained how driving U.S.-Russian relations into a possible confrontation in Syria helps U.S. or world security. McCain suggests protecting Syrian civilians by shooting down Syrian and Russian jets. How that does anything other than lead to WWIII is anyone’s guess. Obama and Hillary’s antagonism toward Moscow tosses out 60 years on U.S.-Russian diplomacy.
Responding to White House threats of a “proportional response,” Putin warned the U.S. against confrontation. “Of course there is a reaction. As far as Russia sees it, as Putin sees it, it is full-scale confrontation on all fronts. If you want a confrontation, you’ll get one,” Retired Lt. Gen. Evgeny Buzhinsky told the BBC. “But it won’t be a confrontation that doesn’t harm the interests of the United States. You want a confrontation, you’ll get one,” said Bushinsky, urging the U.S. to think twice before weighing a response to Moscow. Calling allegations of Russian hacking “nonsense,” Putin’s Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov rejected Obama and Hillary’s call for a “proportional” response to alleged Russian hacking. When you consider there’s no U.S. national security treat in Syria, it’s madness for U.S. officials to risk WWIII to confront the Russian Federation.
