Russia Isnt the Only One Meddling in Elections. We Do It, Too.

[Judi Lynn]

By SCOTT SHANE
FEB. 17, 2018



Bags of cash delivered to a Rome hotel for favored Italian candidates. Scandalous stories leaked to foreign newspapers to swing an election in Nicaragua. Millions of pamphlets, posters and stickers printed to defeat an incumbent in Serbia.

The long arm of Vladimir Putin? No, just a small sample of the United States’ history of intervention in foreign elections.

On Tuesday, American intelligence chiefs warned the Senate Intelligence Committee that Russia appears to be preparing to repeat in the 2018 midterm elections the same full-on chicanery it unleashed in 2016: hacking, leaking, social media manipulation and possibly more. Then on Friday, Robert Mueller, the special counsel, announced the indictments of 13 Russians and three companies, run by a businessman with close Kremlin ties, laying out in astonishing detail a three-year scheme to use social media to attack Hillary Clinton, boost Donald Trump and sow discord.

Most Americans are understandably shocked by what they view as an unprecedented attack on our political system. But intelligence veterans, and scholars who have studied covert operations, have a different, and quite revealing, view.

“If you ask an intelligence officer, did the Russians break the rules or do something bizarre, the answer is no, not at all,” said Steven L. Hall, who retired in 2015 after 30 years at the C.I.A., where he was the chief of Russian operations. The United States “absolutely” has carried out such election influence operations historically, he said, “and I hope we keep doing it.”

More:
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/17/sunday-review/russia-isnt-the-only-one-meddling-in-elections-we-do-it-too.html

Editorials and other articles:
https://www.democraticunderground.com/1016201713

[Snackshack]

1. Yes.

We have been. America’s actions in the South America thru 70’s/80’s alone are atrocious. Naomi Kline’s book “Shock Doctrine” provide a small glimpse into our behavior and we did not just limit ourselves to there.

I don’t think it would be a big stretch to imagine if the tables were turned we would do the same thing if we are not already.

[Frustratedlady]

2. I think many of us would have to admit to having knowledge of interference in 3rd world countries

elections and affairs in the past, and suspect it continues. I guess the difference is we are hopefully better at picking candidates than the Russians, as evidenced by the present occupant of the Oval Office.

Too bad we can't all go home and tend to our own business...which is vastly neglected.

[TomSlick]

3. False equivalence.

We spy on other countries. Nevertheless, we prosecute spies from other countries.

Whether or not the U.S. has attempted to influence foreign elections, U.S. citizens are not free to aid other countries attempting to influence ours.

It does not violate Russian law for Russians to attempt to influence U.S. elections. However, it does violate U.S. law for foreign countries and nationals to attempt to influence U.S. elections. It was a violation of U.S. law for any U.S. citizen who knowingly assisted the Russians in attempted to influence our elections.

Any U.S. citizen who knowingly assisted the Russians in their attack on the U.S. election system must be prosecuted - or impeached.

[asiliveandbreathe]

4. Exactly - false equivalence - nails this reporting...tks eom