Trump Rejects New Sanctions on Russia
by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org - Home - Stephen Lendman)
Piling on more may come later, not now. Most all Trump’s geopolitical moves have been polar opposite what responsible leadership is all about.
US-led overnight Friday aggression on Syrian targets could have been devastating. According to the Wall Street Journal, raging hawk John Bolton urged massively terror-bombing multiple Syrian military targets to inflict “ruinous” damage to its capabilities.
Defense Secretary Mattis and Joint Chiefs chairman General Dunford were more cautious, calling for more limited strikes.
Their view prevailed, a potentially wider conflict avoided for now. Most missiles launched were destroyed by Syrian air defense systems.
Others striking targets left Syria’s military capability unaffected. Moderation prevailed this time despite aggressive attacks launched.
Maybe next time things will be different. For the moment at least humanity can exhale. Given Trump’s hardened war cabinet, escalated aggression in Syria is possible, I believe likely.
On Monday, Trump unexpectedly held off imposing new sanctions on Russian enterprises.
They were announced by raging Russophobe Nikki Haley and US ambassador to Moscow Jon Huntsman - to be imposed for Kremlin involvement in combating US-supported terrorists in Syria, for foiling Washington’s imperial aim in the country, short of all-out war, all bets off if occurs.
Press secretary Sarah Sanders announced the change of plans, saying the administration is “considering additional sanctions on Russia. A decision will be made in the near future.”
Trump reportedly was upset about announcing new sanctions he wasn’t comfortable about imposing. On Sunday, Russia’s embassy was told about his decision.
According to the neocon/CIA house organ Washington Post, Trump was furious about his administration’s expulsion of 60 Russian diplomats because of false information given him.
According to WaPo, he was told he’d “be ousting roughly the same number of Russians as its European allies - part of a coordinated move to punish Moscow for the” false flag incident the Kremlin had nothing to do with.
According to an unnamed senior administration official, Trump believed he was matching European numbers.
When he learned France and Germany were expelling four Russian officials, he was enraged about his administration portrayed as being by far the toughest on Russia over this incident.
According to WaPo, harsh words were exchanged, “curse words, a lot of curse words.”
Trump is bombarded with Russophobic rhetoric from war cabinet officials, pushing him to be tough on Moscow and Putin.
A previous article explained he largely knows rubbish fed him in daily briefings, as well as what extremist neocons infesting his administration tell him along with Fox News disinformation, his favorite channel - all of the above manipulating his thinking.
Holding off making already dismal Russian/US relations still worse is small comfort given the direction of aggressive US behavior - notably against all sovereign independent countries.
Administration, congressional and Pentagon hardliners consider Russia America’s top enemy.
It’s just a matter of time before another hostile US shoe drops, further straining bilateral relations.
Chances for improving them is virtually zero. Clear evidence speaks for itself.
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