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What could be more counter productive that reinstituting the Cold War?

Big Al
January 10, 2017

Dear Friends of the Ron Paul Institute:

What a strange beginning to 2017. Just when we thought the “Russia hacked our elections” narrative might quiet down, the intelligence agencies released two unclassified reports meant to prove President Obama’s claim that Russian President Vladimir Putin personally ordered his intelligence services to launch a “multi-pronged” operation to make sure that Donald Trump is elected president. It really is the stuff of a 1960s Cold War spy thriller, but unlike in any decent Hollywood production the actual reports both fell flat. No smoking gun, not even a squirt gun.

Even those cheering a new Cold War with Russia were disappointed in the intelligence reports. The Daily Beast, which is among the most vociferously anti-Russia news sites, moaned that, “US Spy Report Blames Putin For Hacks, But Doesn’t Back It Up.”

What may have been the strangest part of the second report, titled “Background to ‘Assessing Russian Activities and Intentions in Recent US Elections’: The Analytic Process and Cyber Incident Attribution,” was that it devoted at least 50 percent of the actual text to a several years old assessment of the activities and intentions of the Russian-government sponsored television network, RT. Perhaps the salacious stories about how RT is brainwashing Americans into believing Putin over their own government is meant to divert attention from the fact that the real meat of the report — evidence that the Russians hacked the DNC to ensure a Trump victory — was in fact pretty thin gruel. And certainly these dramatic accusations were meant to divert attention — successfully, in the case of the mainstream media — from the actual content of the DNC emails: the real “hack” of the election was the Democratic Party establishment conspiring to steal the primary from Bernie Sanders in favor of Hillary Clinton.

We are also supposed to ignore Hillary Clinton’s at-home server, from which she regularly sent highly classified information to individuals outside the US government. According to Judge Andrew Napolitano’s excellent analysis here, these emails were hacked (or “intercepted”) by foreign intelligence services including from Russia, China, and Israel because the server was not secure. Aside from the good Judge and perhaps others on his network, has anyone else seen much on this real scandal of the election?

What is the real fallout from the sensationalist “Russia hacked our election” hysteria? Forget e pluribus unum: the real motto of the US government is “never let a crisis go to waste,” and this “crisis” is no exception. As ABC News reported over the weekend, US Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson is designating the US election systems “critical infrastructure.” That is in effect a federal government takeover of what are according to the US Constitution individual state elections. The Russia hysteria provided the convenient excuse for what RPI Board Member Lew Rockwell rightly called, “a coup.” Does anyone feel safer — regardless of who is president — knowing that control of the electoral process is now concentrated in a few (politically-appointed) hands?

Whew! That’s a long diversion from the topic of this RPI update. I was supposed to write about the confirmation hearings for Attorney General nominee Senator Jeff Sessions and Secretary of State nominee Rex Tillerson, which begin today and tomorrow, respectively. But it all comes back around. What can we expect President Trump’s Attorney General to do about Hillary Clinton’s reckless mishandling of some of the most sensitive of US government secrets? She left the doors and windows open with a whole batch of cookies on the table and the Russians, Chinese, and Israelis let themselves in and gobbled them up. Is that not a prosecutable offense? Will incoming Trump ignore such a breach of national security? Look for a question in today’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing for Sen. Sessions about this.

And Tillerson? He will be grilled by the Senate for having the audacity to do business with Putin’s Russia — the same Russia that “hacked” (according to the US intelligence community) the US elections. The Hillary campaign already — shockingly — stated that the next US president is an agent of the Russian government. How about a top US businessman who has done business in Russia for years?

So pop the popcorn and watch the Senate hit on (or most likely miss) some of these important points over the next few days.

And please remember, your tax-deductible donation to the Ron Paul Institute is critical for our survival. These are strange times and we unyieldingly stand on principle — peace and prosperity.

Please scroll down for a complete list of our publications over the past week. This is what you are supporting when you support the Ron Paul Institute.

Stay tuned for more and please don’t hesitate to email me with questions or comments.

Daniel McAdams
Executive Director
Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity

 

Discussion
34 Comments
    CFS
    Jan 10, 2017 10:40 AM

    Luckily the traitor in the White house leaves soon.

      Jan 10, 2017 10:17 AM

      Not necessarily a traitor, Professor, just a man with an agenda somewhat different than perhaps yours and, to a degree, mine.

        CFS
        Jan 10, 2017 10:23 AM

        History will judge him a liar and a traitor.

          GH
          Jan 10, 2017 10:06 AM

          +1

        Jan 10, 2017 10:21 AM

        Radically different. He had the means and deployed them = TRAITOR.

    Jan 10, 2017 10:43 AM

    Jeff the Lacker to retire ………Fed is now changing guard….

      Jan 10, 2017 10:16 AM

      Only one member, Jerry

    Jan 10, 2017 10:43 AM

    Another hand out…………

      Jan 10, 2017 10:20 AM

      Please elaborate, Jerry.

        Jan 10, 2017 10:24 AM

        Hello Owl…..I was being a smart a.. , I saw the donate button above and it just struck me funny, everyone wants a donation…….

          Jan 10, 2017 10:27 AM

          I could agree, but in this case I believe that they are simply looking for capital to continue their valuable work.

            Jan 10, 2017 10:32 AM

            I think we do valuable work around here……..how about a donation button 🙂

    Jan 10, 2017 10:45 AM

    There is a silly amount of money to be made from a new Cold War with either Russia or China.

    Think about all those submarines, surface ships, aircraft, missiles., guns, etc. The US military has a huge shopping list of new kit that it wants to buy. Sadly, a new Cold War, via all these arm purchases, could help drive the Western economies.

    Russia cannot afford to compete though so the ‘sensible’ person to turn into the evil enemy is China.

      Jan 10, 2017 10:49 AM

      It is a Neocon delight……never stops.

        Jan 10, 2017 10:53 AM

        I think part of the plan in swamping Europe with millions of islamic nutjobs is to turn Europe into a huge battlefield just like Syria. The neo-cons are so evil that they would not think twice about 600 million fellow Westerners being thrown into a Syria-like war with islamists.

        Think about all the weapons that you could sell Europeans fighting to protect civilisation from the islamist barbarians… and give the islamists the same weapons for free so that the war can go on for several decades.

          Jan 10, 2017 10:14 AM

          power and money

          Jan 10, 2017 10:26 AM

          Unfortunately your train of thought could definitely be correct.

          Bob, I think that Trump’s election possibly changed the negative direction of the world. Now, let’s wait and see what happens in the next couple of years.

            Jan 10, 2017 10:25 PM

            Yes, I think and hope so also Al. I think if Clinton had got in then we would be at war soon, if not already, with Russia.

        Jan 10, 2017 10:24 AM

        OOTB, do you consider Trump to be a Neocon? I personally do not.

          Jan 10, 2017 10:27 AM

          I am waiting 100 days before I would consider him one or not. I am giving him every benefit of a doubt.

            Jan 10, 2017 10:29 AM

            I think that we all are OOTB. It very probably will take more than just 100 days. There are a lot of roadblocks that have to be navigated.

            Jan 10, 2017 10:36 AM

            remember he now has …..the executive order pen in his pocket……. 🙂

      Jan 10, 2017 10:23 AM

      Not sure, Bob, that China could compete at this point.

      My opinion is that a new Cold War would certainly be incredible counter productive. If it does occur, I would guess that it would be part of the democratic agenda. Let’s see what happens since they lost all effective power!

    CFS
    Jan 10, 2017 10:46 AM
      Jan 10, 2017 10:31 PM

      We did post this video, in its entirety, Professor as it was a good one.

    CFS
    Jan 10, 2017 10:49 AM

    There’s still time to investigate Hillary, her treachery to the US, and her financial corruption.

      GH
      Jan 10, 2017 10:08 AM

      Let’s see if Obama gives the Clinton circle a blanket pardon. I think he will.

        Jan 10, 2017 10:32 PM

        I believe, GH, that the new attorney general will be bringing this up.

    Jan 10, 2017 10:56 AM
      Jan 10, 2017 10:25 PM

      Thanks for the link, Silverdollar. I found the article to be an interesting review of “kind of old news.”

    CFS
    Jan 10, 2017 10:41 AM

    The Resurrection of the cold war is merely a weapon of mass distraction from the bankrupt ideas of the Democrat party and some Republicans.

      Jan 10, 2017 10:33 PM

      Maybe, but I certainly would hope that is not the case.

        Jan 10, 2017 10:50 PM

        The MIC. want more money, they are not happy with billions , they want trillions & are not happy with Trump as he just may have stopped them in their tracks.
        I get the feeling something nasty could happen on the 19th. of this month, in the US.

          Jan 10, 2017 10:22 PM

          Depending on how you define “nasty”, I think you can count on it.

          I would not want to be in the proximity of the inauguration. Too many ignorant and uninformed nutcases around there.