Russian Bounty on U.S. military in Afghanistan.

[Ronson]

Another reason this whole thing makes no sense is because the Taliban were already targeting US forces - for decades. And now they aren't. Where exactly did the Ruskies slip in there to provide greater motivation toward a goal that was already in place? It would be like the US offering a bounty to Soviet soldiers to kill German soldiers during WWII. They were already doing that! DuH!

I'm also not convinced the Taliban is motivated by cash payments.

[DivineOb]

Just out of curiosity, barring pulling our troops out, what would the leftists in here suggest Trump do in this situation?

Steps one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, and ten is not *reward* Russia by inviting Russia to rejoin the G7

Beyond that
Impose sanctions
Introduce evidence at the UN
Publicize the information widely
Introduce a statement of disapproval in Congress and get unanimous agreement
Significantly increase material and symbolic support for UKR

I'm a Computer Scientist not an International Relations Scientist but those seem like pretty obvious steps.

[Leonhard]

Just out of curiosity, barring pulling our troops out, what would the leftists in here suggest Trump do in this situation?

I'm not sure anything should be done. At most some public finger wagging at Russia? Or do you have something else in mind?

[JimL]

Another reason this whole thing makes no sense is because the Taliban were already targeting US forces - for decades. And now they aren't. Where exactly did the Ruskies slip in there to provide greater motivation toward a goal that was already in place? It would be like the US offering a bounty to Soviet soldiers to kill German soldiers during WWII. They were already doing that! DuH!

I'm also not convinced the Taliban is motivated by cash payments.

The US was in peace talks with the Taliban at the time. This was Russias attempt to undermine that effort.

[seanD]

I'm not sure anything should be done. At most some public finger wagging at Russia? Or do you have something else in mind?

Like I said, pull out the troops, that's my stance. But that doesn't seem to be the sentiment of folks in here, so I want to know what Trump is doing wrong and what he should do? Threaten Russia with retaliation?

[seanD]

Steps one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, and ten is not *reward* Russia by inviting Russia to rejoin the G7

Beyond that
Impose sanctions
Introduce evidence at the UN
Publicize the information widely
Introduce a statement of disapproval in Congress and get unanimous agreement
Significantly increase material and symbolic support for UKR

I'm a Computer Scientist not an International Relations Scientist but those seem like pretty obvious steps.

We've imposed sanctions. They apparently don't work, or they just don't care , or they find ways around it. Most of what you've brought up seems pretty tame and thus would be ineffective.

[Leonhard]

Like I said, pull out the troops, that's my stance. But that doesn't seem to be the sentiment of folks in here, so I want to know what Trump is doing wrong and what he should do? Threaten Russia with retaliation?

Eh, they can trade insults for all I care. Empty symbolical politics.

[Whateverman]

Just out of curiosity, barring pulling our troops out, what would the leftists in here suggest Trump do in this situation?

I'm not a leftist but I'll respond:

Trump should have come out as the lead on this story, explained how it wont be tolerated, then listed sanctions he'll be asking congress to impose on Russia. Then he could have secretly implemented some kind of low-level / covert proportionate military response that we wouldn't have heard about until after he'd left office.

You know, like a competent president would have.

[DivineOb]

We've imposed sanctions. They apparently don't work, or they just don't care , or they find ways around it. Most of what you've brought up seems pretty tame and thus would be ineffective.

1) You ignored the fact that Trump *rewarded* Russia after learning about their actions!
2) You are wrong about the sanctions being ineffective. They were highly effective and are the only way we will get Putin out of power.
3) You can call it 'tame' but at least it's *something*. Trump did *nothing* to punish Russia and actively *rewarded* them.

There is no line a Republican will not cross in order to fellate Putin. This incident is the proof.

[JimL]

We've imposed sanctions. They apparently don't work, or they just don't care , or they find ways around it. Most of what you've brought up seems pretty tame and thus would be ineffective.

Well, you certainly don't reward them by supporting their return to the G-7. The opposite could have been done, i.e. he could have denounced Russia possible return to the G-7 for their actions. Russia was thrown out of the G-8 for invading Crimea, and now Trump defends their return to the G-7 as his only response to their paying the Taliban to kill Americans and US allies.

[seanD]

1) You ignored the fact that Trump *rewarded* Russia after learning about their actions!
2) You are wrong about the sanctions being ineffective. They were highly effective and are the only way we will get Putin out of power.
3) You can call it 'tame' but at least it's *something*. Trump did *nothing* to punish Russia and actively *rewarded* them.

There is no line a Republican will not cross in order to fellate Putin. This incident is the proof.

You're a bit unhinged. We've enacted sanctions on Russia since Obama, yet where are we now? If you think they'll work, okay cool. As to what Trump did or said, I haven't looked into it in detail because most of the time the left just lies about him or takes things he does say out of context. So by default, I naturally doubt anything the left claims Trump says or does. Maybe I'll look into it more if the occasion arises.

[JimL]

You're a bit unhinged. We've enacted sanctions on Russia since Obama, yet where are we now? If you think they'll work, okay cool. As to what Trump did or said, I haven't looked into it in detail because most of the time the left just lies about him or takes things he does say out of context. So by default, I naturally doubt anything the left claims Trump says or does. Maybe I'll look into it more if the occasion arises.

Well, try if you will, to look more into what Trump is doing before you vote.

[seanD]

Well, try if you will, to look more into what Trump is doing before you vote.

I didn't vote. I was just curious if there was anything y'all wanted Trump to do beyond what you claimed he said or did about the matter, that's all. More sanctions and telling UN that Putin is a really bad boy. Okay, got it.

[DivineOb]

You're a bit unhinged. We've enacted sanctions on Russia since Obama, yet where are we now? If you think they'll work, okay cool. As to what Trump did or said, I haven't looked into it in detail because most of the time the left just lies about him or takes things he does say out of context. So by default, I naturally doubt anything the left claims Trump says or does. Maybe I'll look into it more if the occasion arises.

And that's why the Republican party is full of traitors. This is Trump's largest scandal *by far*, and one I struggle to imagine could be topped. Apathy towards this betrays it a fundamental disloyalty to the United States.

[Ronson]

The US was in peace talks with the Taliban at the time. This was Russias attempt to undermine that effort.

I didn't see that in the NYT article. Only tons of speculation by unnamed people.