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Russia Is Accusing the US of 'Direct Interference' In Its Elections (businessinsider.com)
schwit1 shares a report from Business Insider (alternative source): Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on Tuesday accused the U.S. of a "direct interference in our electoral process and internal affairs" following the State Department's criticism of Russia's decision to bar opposition leader Alexey Navalny from running in the upcoming presidential election against Vladimir Putin. "This State Department statement, which I'm sure will be repeated, is a direct interference in our electoral process and internal affairs," Zakharova wrote Tuesday on Facebook. In a statement shared with Business Insider on Tuesday night, a State Department spokesperson expressed concern over the Russian government's "ongoing crackdown against independent voices, from journalists to civil society activists and opposition politicians." "These actions indicate the Russian government has failed to protect space in Russia for the exercise of human rights and fundamental freedoms," the statement said. "More broadly, we urge the government of Russia to hold genuine elections that are transparent, fair, and free and that guarantee the free expression of the will of the people, consistent with its international human rights obligations." Zakharova pushed back. "And these people expressed outrage over alleged Russian 'interference' in their electoral process for an entire year?!" she said.
"Pointing out that the Kremlin is interfering in its own election is not interference," adds schwit1.
Russia's Precious Snowflake, Putin, can't handle the heat? Is that what I'm hearing?
As usual, things are only bad when other people do them to you. But are fine when you do them to them.
Why do I suddenly feel gaslit?
Minimum threshold fixed. Thanks!
Explain.
There are russian elections? I thought it was all rigged in the first place.
Russia Is Accusing the US of 'Direct Interference' In Its Elections
Place boot on other foot, insert rectally with swift kick.
Because overt rude comments are out of order, but covert attacks combined with overt insults and direct corruption are fine and not even worth mentioning.
Well if Putin is not elected and thrown completely out of the government, then I might think there was a 2% chance this is true.
Maybe a printer in the US was sub-contracted to print ballots with an X already in Putin's Box :)
The shoe is on the other foot, too bad you canâ(TM)t get two shoes in your commissary or whatever
The Russian elections are a total sham. There's no way Putin isn't going to win.
You put peanut butter on my chocolate!
Palaces, barricades, threats, meet promises
In Soviet Russia, kettle mocks pot!
Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
And if there's anything you can expect Trump to do, it's keep his promises. Trump will totally not at all interfere in your totally legitimate and unquestionably fair elections, except possibly by tweeting some inane banter that makes even your own populace reject your overweening corruption and dishonesty.
Look, you might as well just give up now, and go live in a frozen icy palace in Siberia. If you sing the right song, you might even win an Academy Award.
You need to have more than one candidate for your election to mean anything. Putin won't leave office until a coup or revolution displaces him.
Seriously...
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Of course it is. But, it's entirely aboveboard, unlike the secret (at the time) Russian interference.
That's not to say the US isn't doing their own dirty tricks in secret, but that's not what the article is about.
"National Security is the chief cause of national insecurity." - Celine's First Law
What election? Putin has no legal political opponent that has any chance of winning.
I ignore Anonymous Coward posts. If you want to discuss something, that's awesome. Log in.
I am American and this is yet more evidence that our USA behavier is WORSE than anything Russia accused of in fake news CNN who hate Trump for no reasons. Also data from democrat party was copies so fast it was INSIDE JOB and then worker was found dead and added to Hillary Clinton kill list of people who die for getting in way of secret saudi plot to destroy our country.
I have it on good authority that Vladimir Putin runs a pizza joint which is a front for child trafficking. Also, he was the cause for Benghazi. He wants to take your guns. He also has violated IT policy on several occasions. Please tell all your friends on Facebook or you face certain disaster.
Man, it'd be a real shame if Anonymous (or some other, similar, group) were to, you know, ACTUALLY interfere in those Russian elections.
We should hack their elections and make Hillary win.
Newsflash: Most countries try to influence other countries, and they do it in a lot more ways that social media and fake news. This has only become 'news' because certain people feel the need to believe this past US election was somehow different. Sad bunch of morons.
CIA has been doing this for decades. Sabotage, espionage, and attacking other countries with covert means is what they do. Doesn't make it right though, they should rightly be labeled a terrorist organization.
They want to interfere in other people's governments but whine when they think others are doing the same to them?
Fuck them, I hope America is interfering with their election. They started it.
Typical 1959 KGB manual of election interference in foreign nations.
-- Tigger warning: This post may contain tiggers! --
All of these little faked up controversies and other games that Putin and Trump are playing to try to pretend that Trump isn't a Putin puppet are getting very, very old. They need to just get a room, break out the leather goods for Putin and diapers for Trump, and go at it. Anyone that can't see how much Trump creams over Putin who has 50 times his wealth and is headed for over 20 years of dictatorship is blind.
And what in the heck is this article doing on Slashdot?
If a woman becomes President of Russia, it would be poetic justice for all the hacking they did to get Trump elected.
Assuming Russia was behind it, which you claim to have proven by a lot of after-the-fact nonsense that makes no real sense, the "interference" was telling us the truth about what Clinton was up to. Giving hard proof to the media collusion and the fact that they actively look the other way during every scandal, even to the point of holding secret fundraisers the DNC's own lawyers forbade with the WaPo. Yes, yes, but you'll point me to some Macedonian nonsense instead of all the DKIM-validated proof we have of wrongdoing.
Anyhow, feel free to expose all the corrupt people you want, everyone at the Podesta group can go down for all I care. But as much as you cry "selective" as if Wikileaks was a hacker group instead of a group that publishes leaks they receive from others, you sure don't mind when the media ignores things like us helping to collapse Syria. But who cares about how much we enabled ISIS, right? Surely that isn't as important as whether or not someone Russian had a stake in airing your dirty laundry. Here's the part where we cue a racist rejoinder about anyone posting things that are backed by openly documented facts as being Putin's slave, no?
It's funny they don't want to investigate stuff like the private server wiped post-subpoena, isn't it? We only have the emails to prove the classified info she was mishandling, even that email from Hillary to Colin Powell detailing the intent to violate the Presidential Records Act and use personal devices for classified matters. I love the part where Powell dismisses the idea that the NSA knows anything about SIGINT, as well.
But you won't see THAT in the media, it's not "important." Mumble mumble Trump tweeted something and buttery males, who cares about stupid things like holding those in power accountable? Never mind that there are like half a dozen media giants telling everyone what to think and directing our attention as they please. Half the time they're making noise it's to distract us from something more important. Any press designed to outrage you is trying to control you. Oh yes, Trump's also bad on that. He sold us out on Net Neutrality and is now helping more large media mergers. I hate that just as much now as I did when Obama did it. I expect to be disappointed next election, too.
Then again, a lot of creeps are finally getting their due these days, so maybe some good is happening. There's something to be said for not letting either of the parties get any too comfortable. Sad thing is that our most viable 3rd parties actually appear to be puppets used mainly to siphon votes. They didn't promote that crazy wedge candidate in Utah to get Mormons to vote for nothing, after all.
Right, every major government on Earth influences the politics of other countries. The U.S. has actually done more of it that anyone else. But Russia, China, the EU, UK, Israel, Germany, Saudi Arabia and more all do it all the time.
Elections are phony
Government is a joke
Never trust a politician
That account has been active for ten years. Did Russia plan commenting on Slashdot in reference to the 2016 election 10 years in advance?
You are a tool.
Newsflash: Most countries try to influence other countries, and they do it in a lot more ways that social media and fake news. This has only become 'news' because certain people feel the need to believe this past US election was somehow different. Sad bunch of morons.
Allegedly, the 2016 US election was different.
It's one thing for a foreign government to try to influence(*) another country's election. It's yet another when one of the campaigns in an election colludes with a foreign power to gain an advantage in that election. Whether that happened or not, and to what extent, is what Robert Mueller and his team are investigating.
(*) By "influence" I mean an active effort (overt or covert) by Country A to try to sway the election towards a particular candidate in Country B. That is not the same as the government of Country A speaking out on candidate policies or electoral procedures in Country B that affect the interests of Country A.
If it weren't for deadlines, nothing would be late.
Unfortunately the chances of that with Slashdot's oh so sensitive population is about nil these days.
A new method to sway Russian election is needed so a new person compromised by the CIA can win Russian election.
Use full powers of CIA anthropologists to study Russian mind.
A diverse set of US graduates end up working for CIA, many will have good ideas on how to alter Russian elections.
The past efforts of innovate Colour revolution https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... attempts are now well understood by most nations security services the CIA wants to change governments in.
Security services watch US and UK embassy, see who is moving funds to NGO front, pro democracy groups funded by CIA, fake political party.
Use local Russian funds from Russians with no link to US embassy and NATO EU embassy.
Find Russian educated in West. Law or business degree from top US, UK university is good start for list. A hidden, compromised, decadent lifestyle in West that CIA, MI6 knows about and can control Russian candidate years later with is best.
Make sure the Russian candidate is photogenic and can speak good english. Good english for 24 hour US news cycle.
Give them lots of money via CIA front Russian NGO, Russian pro democracy support groups, CIA backed civil society fronts in Russia. Russian money from CIA direct supporting Russian candidate. No funding direct from US embassy out into Moscow that can be discovered.
US embassy staff drive car full of cash, change coat, put on wig does not work anymore.
Ensure CIA backed candidate is not sick and will not have health related problem seen on camera when visiting all over Russia.
Do not dress CIA candidate in Mao suit.
Keep appearance to latest Moscow fashions or for appropriate sport event.
Ensure candidate is fit, healthy, charismatic and can do some sport. Stage such news and sport events all over Russia.
Never allow CIA candidate to lecture many people who will vote outside Moscow about their way of life. CIA candidate should have stamina to visit all parts of Russia and give good quality speeches many times.
Make speech relevant to that part of Russia. Use local terms, know city name, sport result, talk of past visit to area and mention local culture. Jobs, health care, education, sport, energy costs, pension, science, food, computers, math, chess, dogs, bears, looking after nature, religion are safe topics in Russian and people can enjoy.
Make sure candidate is not sick, has energy to give speech on time and for set time all over Russia. CIA really has to understand that part is vital to win in Russia. A healthy candidate wins hearts and minds.
Talking to tame press on flight for 5 mins is not a speech.
Pay for CIA candidate to use social media and traditional media to maximum advantage. Radio, television, internet, US social media. Ensue US media and social media owners understands this is pro America candidate that is to get positive coverage and all interviews. Make tame US social media owners totally derank all other Russian news. Use NSL to ensure total compliance. Ask US law enforcement to chat with recalcitrant US media owners who do not fully support CIA plans for Russia.
US media and EU media has to be on message with CIA candidate in Russia for full 24h news cycle.
Make candidate be supported by older people and voters who vote for first time in Russia by using positive words in long speech voters can enjoy.
What to do just before election?
Do not just hack Russian election computer results after vote. Russia is good at math and a vote count that will not add up looks strange. Use CIA teams to support different individuals all over Russia to fill in many extra votes. Then it looks like regional support and vote count math is correct. Sway vote at many ballot box. Altering count after vote is too late and people can add up the hacked vote changes. Dont add more fake votes than actual voters in part of Russia. 250% election win attracts unwanted questions.
Domestic spying is now "Benign Information Gathering"
So that is why you have American advisers working with candidates in their countries elections, because hypocrites.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova was quoted as stating, "We in Russia don't want to let any nut job run for President. Such would be detrimental to a democracy. Look at President Donald Trump as an example. Or a psychopath like Vladimir Putin." Maria Zakharova's body was found shortly afterwards floating face down in the river and shot in the back with twenty bullets. Police are ruling it as one of the worst suicides of the political season.
Reading Wikipedia page on Alexey Navalny, it will be difficult to make one's mind about that story: the anti-corruption candidate is banned from election because he was convicted in a corruption case.
Of course that could be a dirty trick to get rid of him. The ECHR invalided a first ruling, because Russia had violated Navalny's right to a fair trial. There has been a second ruling where he was also convincted, and he is going to the ECHR again. We do not have the final word.
Collude? Like stopping an investigation into a foreign uranium company bribing $millions? Or colluding by backers of said company donating $143 to your foundation and then paying "hubby" 500K for a speech?
It isn't the interference that is the issue. It is that Russia pwned the US election process to put in a bubble headed wanna be dictator as president and empower a fringe nationalist movement that is pushing the US towards civil war that is the problem. It is one thing to push a vote but to turn the world's superpower into a banana republic on the verge of breakup is not only a concern but a slap in the face to anyone who ever cared about this country.
You failed to refute any point the OP made.
Whataboutism is not a rebuttal.
Tim S.
It isn't the interference that is the issue. It is that Russia pwned the US election process to put in a bubble headed wanna be dictator as president and empower a fringe nationalist movement that is pushing the US towards civil war that is the problem. It is one thing to push a vote but to turn the world's superpower into a banana republic on the verge of breakup is not only a concern but a slap in the face to anyone who ever cared about this country.
Newsflash: Most countries try to influence other countries, and they do it in a lot more ways that social media and fake news. This has only become 'news' because certain people feel the need to believe this past US election was somehow different. Sad bunch of morons.
Ah, collusion of a different sort. One of the its okay because it occurred before in some case or another. In short a variation of whataboutism. In shorter you don't care.
For democracy to have meaning, the voting population must have correct information. If the result is changed by propaganda, then that is a failure of the democracy to function correctly. It is arguably the job of those running to point out their opponents errors and lies, well them and the American press.
When you have targeted campaigns to spread fake news and disinformation, they must be fought and stopped. It is the duty of each American to help defend the country against all threats foreign and domestic. One of those threats is real fake news and interference that prevents our election system from functioning correctly.
It is not a duty that we are allowed to give up on, at least if we give a damn about the good of the country. There is still a difference between right and wrong and no amount of whataboutism is going to change that.
Zero investigations is ridiculous and not taking future preventative measures is boarding on treason in and of itself.
The totally biased media may be one reason for this. But Russians like a "strong" man and Putin would easily win even if the elections were fair.
Said the Trump faggot on his way to bitch fuck-me-in-the-ass prison
'The biggest "fuck you" would be if we made it so trump wins their election too.'
-/u/nuck_forte_dame
non-participation link
I heard the US hacked russian elections to make trumpovski win.
No. its the DNC that rigs elections against Sanders. Then they complain that elections they can't rig are rigged against them because the outcome is not predetermined by them.
Why do we have evidence of Clinton colluding with Russia to affect our election and THAT isn't investigated? Why do we have evidence of the DNC rigging their primary and THAT isn't investigated? But we don't have evidence of Trump colluding with Russia and its been investigated for 18 months.
Pretty much shows us that the US is no longer interested in fair elections.
It's yet another when one of the campaigns in an election colludes with a foreign power to gain an advantage in that election.
I'm pretty sure every puppet regime America ever created involved colluding with the party that took power.
So, the American people get democracy with a Russian doll method?
Did Trump get these tactics from Russia, or is it the other way 'round?
You feel the need to believe the past US election was perfectly normal, and everyone knows who the moron is.
Fake news? The Germans created a wonderful term for fake news: Lügenpresse. You could here it chanted and shouted at the rallies of a particular German leader with a funny mustache back in the 1930's.
Some things never go out of style I guess. Heil Fuchs und Freunde!
'"Pointing out that the Kremlin is interfering in its own election is not interference," adds schwit1.'
I'd generally agree but then for the most part the "Russian interference" mostly amounted to highlighting that one of the US major political parties was interfering in the US Election by stacking the deck against the popular candidate (Sanders) in favor the establishment leader (H. Clinton).
Clinton claims she wasn't complicit in that but if it's revealed that you've been winning the poker tournament with a stacked deck you become complicit if you take the pot rather than folding and withdrawing immediately. Clinton took the pot in a very public decision when she still could have withdrawn. Her friends at CNN and the major media spent no time even mentioning this politically suicidal ethical breach, instead they suggested that the protests at the DNC and throughout the city were "sore losers" of some sort.
During the primary CNN repeatedly spun Bernie Sanders, a Jewish man who was literally arrested fighting for civil rights as the candidate of old white men. Does that sound like unbiased reporting to you?
After the primary you repeatedly saw shrugging off the D leadership primary cheating, it being no surprise they wanted the "real democrat" to win. Regardless of what letter he has beside his name at any point; is there really anyone who can claim with a straight face that Sanders hasn't been constantly and consistently more blue than Jimmy Carter since college with no evidence of flip flopping positions for political expediency? It's a preposterous position and it isn't credible that multiple well educated major media figures don't know that.
You can talk about Russian interference and debate fake news all day. It's all intended to distract us from the fact that we openly teach and preach we have two party system and free media but the ruling major party was caught trying to rig that system in favor of someone who lacked the moral integrity to stand aside in favor of the other democrat.
And if that free media is truly free, it was and is still most definitely spinning the news hard in favor not merely of a political lean but in favor of certain specific individuals. You can't tell me that better ratings couldn't have been had by highlighting Clinton's dirty move and the outrage rather than shrugging it off.
I don't live in Russia. I don't care about their elections, we fought a revolutionary war to oust a crazy monarch and they are welcome to do the same if they don't approve of their internal structure. If Trump had some deal with Putin, great, that would open the door to finally start building a relationship with Russia with huge economic and political advantages for both nations and I don't give a damn about the entrenched military powers running our intelligence and military-industrial complex who want us officially in a new cold war.
You can't really call it an election if there is only one candidate on the ballot.
Navalny couldn't have been registered with a standing criminal record.
The whole world is grateful that America can waste all its time arguing about coal jobs and fake news, so that is's too busy to start too many new wars.