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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?
Why do I suddenly feel gaslit?
Minimum threshold fixed. Thanks!
Explain.
Tell that to the Clinton's that were caught doing it during HIS time in the WH. Kinda funny how they are pissed at them for repaying the favor.
There are russian elections? I thought it was all rigged in the first place.
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.
Just like it's only "fake news" if it's something you don't like or want to hear.
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 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."
Seriously...
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Oh look, yet another Russian puppet account.
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
As usual, things are only bad when other people do them to you. But are fine when you do them to them.
Making public, fully attributed, on the record press statements isn't even remotely like what Russia has been doing to other countries. Its basically the opposite.
The way I see it, the most interesting part of this story is Putin getting his panties in a twist over such a small thing. It reveals that, contrary to all of the shirtless photos of him performing as the most manly strong-man on the planet, he's actually deeply insecure about his position on top of the throne over there. And really, he ought to be.
Putin served as a way for the corrupt-as-fuck Yeltsin to get off the throne without losing his head in the process, but who is going to do that for Putin? His corruption has grown 100x worse than Yeltsin. He's looted the country so much that he's now the richest man on the planet. Nobody is going to sign up to cover for him because there is no upside, you can't get much richer than Putin already is. But you can get deader.
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 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.
We should hack their elections and make Hillary win.
President Clinton interfered with Yeltsin's 1996 re-election, and of course President Obama directly funded the campaign to try to oust Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Yeah, we do interfere in other elections...
Browsing at +1 - no ACs, I ignore their posts. So refreshing!
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.
Typical 1959 KGB manual of election interference in foreign nations.
-- Tigger warning: This post may contain tiggers! --
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.
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"
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.
And they interfere with ours as was proven.
[Citation needed]
Browsing at +1 - no ACs, I ignore their posts. So refreshing!
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.
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.
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.
You whined about a source without bothering to address anything stated. Which means you concede the point, because if you could rebut it, you would.
You mean butthurt American Exceptionalism at its most obnoxious. There's a Time cover linked upthread of the U.S. boasting about interfering to get Yeltsin elected. As opposed to Russiagate, which has no evidence to back it up and never will, as it's hysterical partisan Birther-type bullshit. Except now it's coming from Democrats.
Bill Clinton was President of the United States in 1996.
Boris Yeltsin was President of Russia in 1996.
Both were running for reelection.
Should our president not be allowed to talk to presidents of other countries who are running for reelection? Should certain topics have been forbidden?
Maybe Russians could be upset about this but Clinton was acting in what he believed the interests of the United States were at the time.
I'm not seeing any scandal there.
So because the results were worthy, it was OK for the US to participate and work to actively influence a foreign election?
Browsing at +1 - no ACs, I ignore their posts. So refreshing!
'"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.
Yes,
Let's suppose another nation was having an election and there was a choice of an incumbent who was US friendly but the challenger promised to nationalize all the foreign industry that had invested in their country and built plants.
Should the President of the US not even talk to the current President of that country and offer him or her some words of wisdom.
This is entirely different from launching a propaganda campaign to influence the electorate.
And if Netanyahu wants to openly praise Trump or offer him advice on his campaign for reelection that's perfectly okay. And if some other world leader wants to openly criticize him I'm okay with that too.
Has the whole world gone insane?
Presidents shouldn't talk to each other or voice their opinions openly for fear of being accused of meddling in other country's political affairs? Are you insane? You may not agree with everything the President says or who he says it to, but that doesn't mean he can't say those things.
So then, because Russia is supposed to have helped elect President Trump, and that saved us from another 4-8 years of Clintons, then we should be happy that Russia did whatever they were supposed to have done, right?
Browsing at +1 - no ACs, I ignore their posts. So refreshing!
To draw a closer analogy you would have to say Putin called up Hillary and advised her on how to run her campaign, but that's not what people suspect.
The theory is that Russia (at Putin's direction) flooded social media with divisive political rhetoric. To what end? Perhaps political revenge? Bill Clinton did support Yeltsin in '96. Putin has been accused of much worse than unleashing an army of Facebook trolls.
I can't say what Putin thinks, but I suspect anything that weakens NATO and the US is a win for him. A divided USA is a good result for him. We're so busy bickering about whether or not to move our embassy to Jerusalem that we're missing out on the big picture - and also abandoning any hope of a real peace.
I wish people would stop trying to justify Trump's policies by saying it was either him or Hillary. That may have been a valid argument before the election, but now that Trump is President he needs to stop campaigning against her.
Trump needs to man up! He can't just rely on "at least I'm not Hillary".