Despite Trump's hopes, US-Russia relations are getting chilly

[DonViejo]

By Nicole Gaouette, CNN

Updated 8:25 AM ET, Sun December 24, 2017

Washington (CNN)In the space of a week, the Trump administration has named Russia a "rival power," sanctioned a close Putin ally, and decided to give Ukraine anti-tank weapons to help in its fight against Moscow-backed militias.

It's a series of steps that has been paired with tougher rhetoric from the State Department about Moscow's destabilizing activities in eastern Ukraine, and serious charges from the Pentagon that Russia is intentionally violating de-confliction agreements in Syria.

The slew of actions highlights a decided turn away from the warmer, more cooperative relationship with Russia that President Donald Trump called for during his campaign and early in his presidency.

As Trump nears the one-year mark in office, a number of factors have intruded on those plans. He has been hemmed in by the domestic political constraint of an ongoing investigation into Russia's interference with the 2016 election, as well as a widespread distrust of Russia and its continuing cyber activities that persists among the intelligence community, diplomats, the Pentagon and lawmakers.

more
http://www.cnn.com/2017/12/24/politics/trump-us-russia-chill/index.html

[Irish_Dem]

1. Doesn't Trump know what Putin does to people who turn on him? nt

[ProudLib72]

2. He sics comrade prosecuter Muellerevsky on them?

[Iliyah]

3. Better yet, Roger Stone.

I would love to see Stone's comeuppances.

[Irish_Dem]

4. Generally it is worse than that.

But who knows, Putin may have assets inside the FBI.
Makes you wonder if Putin had anything to do with the FBI anti-Hillary cabal.