State Dept. Was Granted $120 Million to Fight Russian Meddling. It Has Spent $0.

[DonViejo]

Source: The New York Times




By GARDINER HARRIS MARCH 4, 2018

WASHINGTON — As Russia’s virtual war against the United States continues unabated with the midterm elections approaching, the State Department has yet to spend any of the $120 million it has been allocated since late 2016 to counter foreign efforts to meddle in elections or sow distrust in democracy.

As a result, not one of the 23 analysts working in the department’s Global Engagement Center — which has been tasked with countering Moscow’s disinformation campaign — speaks Russian, and a department hiring freeze has hindered efforts to recruit the computer experts needed to track the Russian efforts.

The delay is just one symptom of the largely passive response to the Russian interference by President Trump, who has made little if any public effort to rally the nation to confront Moscow and defend democratic institutions. More broadly, the funding lag reflects a deep lack of confidence by Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson in his department’s ability to execute its historically wide-ranging mission and spend its money wisely. Mr. Tillerson has voiced skepticism that the United States is even capable of doing anything to counter the Russian threat.

“If it’s their intention to interfere, they’re going to find ways to do that,” Mr. Tillerson said in an interview last month with Fox News. “And we can take steps we can take, but this is something that once they decide they are going to do it, it’s very difficult to pre-empt it.”



Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/04/world/europe/state-department-russia-global-engagement-center.html

[bullimiami]

1. A response so passive it must be active.

[MBS]

14. YES.

My thoughts as well.
This situation gets creepier by the minute.

[keithbvadu2]

2. Plenty of money to buy new furniture

[turbinetree]

3. Why in the fuck isn't Tillerson brought before a open committee hearing to fucking explain himself

and then bring in that orange hair fuck and ask him the same fucking question.....................

Why because of the fucking traitors McConnell and Ryan, are not being questioned by the fucking corporate media.............................................but it's just fine and dandy to have fucking Sinclair broadcasting bringing there fucking terrorist warning shit up on the newly established control of the fucking 271 market or Fox Noise handing out KY jelly on democracy





November 2018 cannot get here fast enough

[BigmanPigman]

5. Ditto!

[Angry Dragon]

6. +10,000.......is Tillerson a Russian agent??

[summer_in_TX]

7. That wouldn't surprise me!

I've long wondered if Grover Torquiest might be. His idolatry of the No New Taxes and wanting to shrink government down to the size that the GOP could strangle it in the bathtub has hollowed out America's ability to pay for health, education, and infrastructure.

Tillerson's behavior is inexplicable, unless he's a Russian agent. Mind-boggling!

[turbinetree]

10. That Grover asshole....................

is a asshole, he makes a living off hurting human beings, and then goes around and blames our government has being the problem, he blames you, me and others who are the government ( we the people) as being leeches, when in fact that douche bag is a walking talking fucking hypocrite.................and a fucking scammer..................his tax exempt status should be thrown out the fucking window, just like the ALEC, American Enterprise, to me, all they are are hedge funds -----------that don't come close to being regulated

Tillerson is a fucking traitor...................and I would hope that when he walks out of the state department someone is there with a sign saying your a fucking TRAITOR asshole

[dalton99a]

12. +1

[bronxiteforever]

4. Kick and recommend for visibility

[SergeStorms]

8. I imagine a scenario like this.

Ding Dong!

"Who's there"?

"Why it's me Donald, your old friend Vlad! I've come to examine your election system, to make sure there's no one interfering with your elections, and it certainly wouldn't be us if someone was!"

"Oh, I know that Vlad. You've told me so many times you didn't do anything to our election. I believe you. Vlad, I'm in the shower right now, but the keys are under the mat. Help yourself to anything you need, my computer, my phone, you know. All my passwords are the same, 'Ivanka36/28/36'. If I can't trust you, who can I trust, right? There's the world's greatest chocolate cake in the fridge, and a 24 pack of Diet Coke if you guys get hungry".

"Why thank you Donald. Take your time. After your shower why don't you enjoy some 'executive time'? I know how overworked you are. My friends and I will probably be here for quite a while. I'll lock up when we leave".

"Thanks Vlad. I am a little sleepy. I was up tweeting about crooked Hillary all night. SO UNFAIR! You've been a real pal. Tweet me if you find anybody stealing our election, OK"?

"Spasiba, Donald".

"Gesundheit Vlad".

And the rest, as they say, is history.

[Upstate One]

9. It's almost as if Putin once gave Tillerson an award

[riversedge]

11. #trumptrain needs to derail itself NOW

[poboy2]

13. Extinction level event. The fall or the western world in the balance.-eom

[sandensea]

15. Probably just as well.

Whatever they would have spent, would no doubt have gone to make Uncle Vlad's job even easier than it is.

[lindysalsagal]

16. Why hire our own state workers? Putin's already got them.

<sarcasm for those with no irony>