Senate Republicans squeeze Trump over Russian bounties

Why is there no thread about how Donald Trump allowed Russia to put bounties on American soldier's heads and did nothing in response.

If he truly wasn't briefed on the matter, what the # is he going to do about it now??

Senate Republicans squeeze Trump over Russian bounties

Senate Republicans are vowing to get to the bottom of bombshell reports that Russia offered bounties to Afghan militants for targeted killings of U.S. troops overseas — and suggesting that retaliation against Moscow may be in order.

Key committee chairs made clear on Monday that they will press the White House for answers about the intelligence assessments, and GOP senators pushed President Donald Trump to exact severe punishments on the Kremlin if the claims are true — even as the president asserts that he was never briefed on the matter.

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“I want to understand how it’s conceivably possible that the president didn’t know. How does that possibly happen?” Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) said. “Number two, what is their plan to make sure that our enemies know that if you target American servicemen and women, the consequences are going to be draconian? And right now, I want to hear their plan for Taliban and GRU agents in body bags.” GRU refers to Russia’s military intelligence agency.

Senators have already proposed harsh repercussions, including imposing new sanctions and designating Moscow as a state sponsor of terrorism — a step the Trump administration has thus far refused to take.

Trump and Russia’s Vladimir Putin Spoke Five Times in Just Three Weeks in an ‘Unusual Amount of Communication’

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NewsUS News
RUSSIAN TO THE PHONE Trump and Russia’s Vladimir Putin spoke FIVE TIMES in just three weeks in an ‘unusual amount of communication’
Callie Patteson
17:46 ET, Jun 29 2020Updated: 0:14 ET, Jun 30 2020
IN LATE March and early April, President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke on the telephone five times over three weeks.

The communications between the two has been considered unprecedented and unusual.

Earlier this year, President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke on the telephone five times over three weeks
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Earlier this year, President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke on the telephone five times over three weeksCredit: Reuters
At the time, Trump told reporters the first call on March 30 was "great."

The Kremlin, according to RadioFreeEurope RadioLiberty, described it as "lengthy", saying Putin and Trump both expressed concern of the scope of coronavirus.

The Kremlin said Putin and Trump both expressed concern of the scope of coronavirus
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The Kremlin said Putin and Trump both expressed concern of the scope of coronavirusCredit: AFP
Diplomats for the United States and Russia spoke at least three times during that same period.

Additionally, an "unusual" shipment of coronavirus-related humanitarian aid from Russia to the United States coincided with the same period..


Dmitry Suslov, a professor and foreign affairs expert at Moscow's Higher School of Economics called the amount of communication "unusual".

"...but these are unusual times," Suslov said. "This explains more the intensive interaction."

A Kremlin spokesman said Trump and Putin "absolutely understand each other", RadioFreeEurope RadioLiberty reported....

While Trump has been shadowed by allegations of Russia conspiring to influence the 2016 election, Eugene Rumer, the former national intelligence officer for Russia and Eurasia at the National Intelligence Council said there is nothing inherently bad in the phone calls.

However, he warned Presidential phone calls aren't random.

"There has to be an agenda that has to happen," he said.

Mom of Marine killed in Afghanistan wants investigation of claim Russians paid Taliban to kill U.S. soldiers

The mother of a Marine killed last year in Afghanistan wants an investigation of reports that her son and two other Marines may have been the targets of Taliban-linked fighters who collected a bounty on U.S. soldiers offered by a Russian military intelligence unit.

Felicia Arculeo, whose son Cpl. Robert Hendriks died in the April 8, 2019, attack, also told CNBC “that the parties who are responsible should be held accountable, if that’s even possible.”

President Donald Trump has said intelligence officials did not brief him on suspicions that a Russian unit was offering bounties for the deaths of American soldiers. Trump also said intelligence officials did not find the claim credible.

AP sources: White House aware of Russian bounties in 2019

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AP sources: White House aware of Russian bounties in 2019
By JAMES LaPORTA
2 hours ago

Top officials in the White House were aware in early 2019 of classified intelligence indicating Russia was secretly offering bounties to the Taliban for the deaths of Americans, a full year earlier than has been previously reported, according to U.S. officials with direct knowledge of the intelligence.

The assessment was included in at least one of President Donald Trump’s written daily intelligence briefings at the time, according to the officials. Then-national security adviser John Bolton also told colleagues he briefed Trump on the intelligence assessment in March 2019.

The White House did not respond to questions about Trump or other officials’ awareness of Russia’s provocations in 2019. The White House has said Trump was not — and still has not been — briefed on the intelligence assessments because they have not been fully verified. However, it is rare for intelligence to be confirmed without a shadow of a doubt before it is presented to top officials.

Well, read the articles and let's hear the defenses conjured. This seems a whole lot worse than Ben Ghazi. Or missing emails for that matter.

Thoughts??

Fake news??

ETA: As to what Trump should have done, start with not demanding Russia be let back into the G7, for one maybe?

a reply to: lightedhype

Hey Trump and the last few Presidents are in Afghanistan cultivating opium.

They also toppled Hussein when word got out that he was going back the Dinar with Gold. The Rothschilds weren't happy.

So the bigger question is why are the US soldiers being killed with low pay, and # benefits - doing the dirtywork of the Banksters and drug pushers?

a reply to: lightedhype

There is a thread.

And what would you like Trump to do?

You do realize we've been in periodic proxy wars with the Russians for some time right? Afghanistan, Ukraine, and Syria pop in my mind real quick, as I'm sure there's more.

As an American, I still find it heinous... But no one cares other than the fact they can pin it on Trump. No one cares about those troops both parties send to dumb wars. This is merely a political football. I don't hear anyone saying the accountability should be on every elected official who sent them, only Trump.

a reply to: CriticalStinker


Umm well let me put this in a way you can understand.
If I am in charge of some store of over 100 employees and something goes completely wrong.
Even if something was out of my control. Who has to take blame? Most certainly not my employees. Not my other managers who are under as I am the one in charge.
So ya this one is solely on Trump.
No beating around the bush on this one.
Trump is done and for good reason.

originally posted by: CriticalStinker
a reply to: lightedhype
And what would you like Trump to do?

Do you have to ask?

The opposite of whatever he does, every time, without fail. That's what they want.

you mean like this thread www.abovetopsecret.com... started 9n june 26th

originally posted by: lightedhype
Why is there no thread about how Donald Trump allowed Russia to put bounties on American soldier's heads and did nothing in response.

If he truly wasn't briefed on the matter, what the # is he going to do about it now??

Senate Republicans squeeze Trump over Russian bounties

Trump and Russia’s Vladimir Putin Spoke Five Times in Just Three Weeks in an ‘Unusual Amount of Communication’

Mom of Marine killed in Afghanistan wants investigation of claim Russians paid Taliban to kill U.S. soldiers

AP sources: White House aware of Russian bounties in 2019

Well, read the articles and let's hear the defenses conjured. This seems a whole lot worse than Ben Ghazi. Or missing emails for that matter.

Thoughts??

Fake news??

originally posted by: lightedhype
Why is there no thread about how Donald Trump allowed Russia to put bounties on American soldier's heads and did nothing in response.

I've watched several "negative Trump" stories to see if they'd show up here on ATS.

Some never did.

originally posted by: Allaroundyou
a reply to: CriticalStinker


Umm well let me put this in a way you can understand.
If I am in charge of some store of over 100 employees and something goes completely wrong.
Even if something was out of my control. Who has to take blame? Most certainly not my employees. Not my other managers who are under as I am the one in charge.
So ya this one is solely on Trump.
No beating around the bush on this one.
Trump is done and for good reason.

Thank you, Mr. Manager, for framing this in a way that CriticalStinker can understand.

I always read his posts and I'm like "whoa, this guy doesn't get it. He needs a blue collar example, then maybe he'll get it".

a reply to: Ksihkehe

You are very welcome dude. I’m generally a hit and miss and it seems like I had a hit!

annee a thread for this was started 3 days ago www.abovetopsecret.com...

I know when trying to do a seach everthing is faded and hard to read and it was never fixed

a reply to: Annee

a reply to: Allaroundyou

I wasn't completely absolving Trump as he is president, a job he asked to do. I'm often pretty critical of him as well.

My point wasn't to deflect any accountability from him. My point was this issue has been ongoing, and something many elected officials of all parties have contributed to.

I was also highlighting the apathy of the public about our wars and subsequently our troops until we decide to use them as a political football. This is something I've talked about constantly for years.

I asked a very important question along with my post. What would everyone like Trump to do about this issue (assuming nothing has been done)? Should we go to war with them?

Now, there is still something I didn't touch on. The only named source I see so far in these allegations he knew prior to this comes from Bolton. Bolton has proven time and time again to be a war hawk, snake, and political opportunist. I've never used him as a trustworthy source for anything... And just to show some good faith, Trump was truly a dumbass for ever getting Bolton involved in his admin. The man is insufferable.

a reply to: lightedhype

As someone who actually THINKS for themselves Anytime we see something with Un named sources or former employees making statements that have no evident trail i consider it Bullshiite. These news agencies recyle the same story with a few different words and say see its not made up.

Your name is very apt. Hype is all this is.

One story I read was that he wasn't notified because they didn't trust him with the information. The President himself posed a danger to the national security of the United States because Putin completely outplayed him.

a reply to: Ksihkehe

Haha, while very true I often need comparisons to grasp the macro side of a situation... Colorful pictures and or graphs (not too complicated) never hurt 😂

a reply to: CriticalStinker

Well, Bolton said something against the bad orange man. So in this case he's a paragon of virtue and must be believed.

a reply to: lightedhype

Make sure you have a plan to get back at the Fake News, after Donald Trump is re-elected. You're going to need take out your anger and frustration on someone. Since they are the ones lying to you, start with them.

originally posted by: watchitburn
a reply to: CriticalStinker

Well, Bolton said something against the bad orange man. So in this case he's a paragon of virtue and must be believed.

Bolton is an excellent double-agent. His book paints both Obama and Trump as ill-suited to be President.

If he had written what he said while employed (i.e. told the truth), no one would buy the book.

Thankfully, the DOJ has seized all profits.

The thing is: if Trump was briefed on it and had a plan or response, why would he announce his plan to the world?
So you could trash him for giving away the plan?

Strange "coincidences" happen all the time even with 10 year old stories !!! 🔮

Article from September 2010

msnbc.com staff and news service reports
updated 9/5/2010 9:56:51 AM

Iran is paying Taliban fighters $1,000 for each U.S. soldier they kill in Afghanistan, according to a report in a British newspaper.

The Sunday Times described how a man it said was a "Taliban treasurer" had gone to collect $18,000 from an Iranian firm in Kabul, a reward it said was for an attack in July which killed several Afghan government troops and destroyed an American armored vehicle.

The treasurer left with the cash hidden in a sack of flour, the newspaper said, and then gave it to Taliban fighters in the province of Wardak. In the past six months, the treasurer claimed to have collected more than $77,000 from the company.

The Sunday Times said its investigation had found that at least five Kabul-based Iranian companies were secretly passing funds to the Taliban.

a reply to: xuenchen

I wonder how much of the money Obama paid to Iran ended up lining the pockets of terrorists.