["Dear reader, ask yourself, how did communications with Russians in the interest of peace and the reduction of tensions become a criminal act? ***Have laws been passed that it is forbidden for US officials to speak with Russian officials*** (emphasis added)?" (Source: <http://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2017/03/03/done-paul-craig-roberts/>.)
Paul Craig Roberts has here evidently grossly distorted the precise context of the controversy through the act of vital omission. But before coming to that straightway, let us ask why on earth Trump did ask Michael Flynn his hand-picked NSA, to resign? (See: <http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/feb/14/trump-asked-michael-flynn-resign-over-lack-trust/>.) Did not Trump ask himself the same question as put forward above by Paul Craig Roberts? Why not? Did Michael Flynn argue in the same vein in his self-defence, and make it public? Why not? The answer is, he did conceal the facts of his contacts with Russia during the "transition" period (when he was *yet* to become a US official). And, conduct of foreign policy issues by private individuals is barred by US laws. He did not come clean and got exposed later. Broadly similar is the case with Jeff Sessions, the incumbent Attorney General. ***Most importantly, the whole controversy has arisen in the context of alleged hacking of the DNC email-server by Russian hacks, leading to leaks of a large number internal mails, in order to favour Trump in the Presidential poll.*** ***It's a charge of attempted/actual manipulation of the electoral process by a foreign power.*** The perception/fact that the US itself, in the past, did engage in similar skulduggery, in quite a few countries, is, in the present case, no mitigating factor. Of course, the charge remains to be fully/officially established. But demands for investigations are made. It is in this specific context, the uncovering of more and more facts as regards contacts between the members of the Trump campaign team during the poll campaign with the functionaries of the Russian state gains special significance and is drawing so much attention, causing such turbulence. Trump himself has attempted the same trick - just erasing off the precise context, as done by Paul Craig Roberts. "Trump supporters have struck back with stories and photos of Democrat leaders' engagement with Russians going back several years, and the ***President appears to have picked up the refrain, effectively equating all contacts with Russia, including official ones from the distant past*** [emphasis added]." Here is a tweet by Trump: Donald J. Trump ✔ @realDonaldTrump Just out: The same Russian Ambassador that met Jeff Sessions visited the Obama White House 22 times, and 4 times last year alone. 5:12 PM - 4 Mar 2017 32,080 32,080 Retweets 98,171 98,171 likes (Ref.: 'Donald Trump accuses Obama of tapping his phones' at <http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/donald-trump-accuses-obama-of-tapping-his-phones-calls-him-sick-guy-as-ties-with-predecessor-get-ugly/articleshow/57468800.cms>.) So, that's that.] http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/donald-trump-accuses-obama-of-tapping-his-phones-calls-him-sick-guy-as-ties-with-predecessor-get-ugly/articleshow/57468800.cms Donald Trump accuses Obama of tapping his phones Chidanand Rajghatta | TNN | Updated: Mar 4, 2017, 10.46 PM IST HIGHLIGHTS Trump accused his predecessor Barack Obama of tapping his phones and called him a "sick guy" The US President offered no evidence for his allegation Earlier, Trump had hit back at critics over the growing controversy surrounding his and his surrogates links with Russia WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump accused his predecessor Barack Obama of tapping his phones and called him a "sick guy" as the traditionally convivial relationship between current and past occupants of the White House went down the tubes amid partisan wrangling over the so-called Russian links. "Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my 'wires tapped' in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!" Trump tweeted from Florida on Saturday morning in a flurry of messages that concluded with "How low has President Obama gone to tapp (sic) my phones during the very sacred election process. This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy!" Follow Donald J. Trump ✔ @realDonaldTrump Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my "wires tapped" in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism! 5:05 PM - 4 Mar 2017 45,612 45,612 Retweets 121,227 121,227 likes Follow Donald J. Trump ✔ @realDonaldTrump How low has President Obama gone to tapp my phones during the very sacred election process. This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy! 5:32 PM - 4 Mar 2017 45,231 45,231 Retweets 131,128 131,128 likes In between, he asked "Is it legal for a sitting President to be 'wire tapping' a race for president prior to an election? Turned down by court earlier. A NEW LOW!" and said "I'd bet a good lawyer could make a great case out of the fact that President Obama was tapping my phones in October, just prior to Election!" Follow Donald J. Trump ✔ @realDonaldTrump Is it legal for a sitting President to be "wire tapping" a race for president prior to an election? Turned down by court earlier. A NEW LOW! 5:19 PM - 4 Mar 2017 32,054 32,054 Retweets 102,229 102,229 likes Follow Donald J. Trump ✔ @realDonaldTrump I'd bet a good lawyer could make a great case out of the fact that President Obama was tapping my phones in October, just prior to Election! 5:22 PM - 4 Mar 2017 32,308 32,308 Retweets 107,447 107,447 likes The US President offered no evidence for his allegation, and it is not clear what prompted the early morning (6.30 a.m.) tweetstorm. But a few hours earlier, Trump had hit back at critics over the growing controversy surrounding his and his surrogates links with Russia+ , tweeting photos of Democrat leaders Charles Schumer and Nancy Pelosi engaging with the Russian leadership and demanding an investigation into it. Follow Donald J. Trump ✔ @realDonaldTrump I hereby demand a second investigation, after Schumer, of Pelosi for her close ties to Russia, and lying about it. http://www.politico.com/story/2017/03/nancy-pelosi-sergey-kislyak-meeting-235653 … 2:32 AM - 4 Mar 2017 Photo published for Photo contradicts Pelosi's statement about not meeting Kislyak Photo contradicts Pelosi's statement about not meeting Kislyak The Democratic House leader sat with the Russian ambassador and other officials in 2010. politico.com 37,146 37,146 Retweets 110,667 110,667 likes He called Schumer a "hypocrite" and accused Pelosi of lying about her "close ties" with Russia. View image on Twitter View image on Twitter Follow Donald J. Trump ✔ @realDonaldTrump We should start an immediate investigation into @SenSchumer and his ties to Russia and Putin. A total hypocrite! 11:24 PM - 3 Mar 2017 51,934 51,934 Retweets 140,755 140,755 likes The President and his associates have been under the spotlight for their dodgy engagements with Russia and its surrogates during a presidential election campaign, which some US intelligence analysts say Moscow subverted to favor Trump. Not disclosing such meetings and dissembling about it has led to the resignation of Trump's National Security Advisor Michael Flynn after only three weeks on the job, and the recusal from an inquiry into the issue of Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Other Trump surrogates have also been forced to disclose meetings with Russian diplomats. Trump supporters have struck back with stories and photos of Democrat leaders' engagement with Russians going back several years, and the President appears to have picked up the refrain, effectively equating all contacts with Russia, including official ones from the distant past. "Just out: The same Russian Ambassador that met Jeff Sessions+ visited the Obama White House 22 times, and 4 times last year alone," Trump said in the Saturday morning tweetstorm, after claiming that the "first meeting Sessions had with the Russian Amb was set up by the Obama Administration under education program for 100 Ambs..." Follow Donald J. Trump ✔ @realDonaldTrump Just out: The same Russian Ambassador that met Jeff Sessions visited the Obama White House 22 times, and 4 times last year alone. 5:12 PM - 4 Mar 2017 32,080 32,080 Retweets 98,171 98,171 likes Follow Donald J. Trump ✔ @realDonaldTrump The first meeting Jeff Sessions had with the Russian Amb was set up by the Obama Administration under education program for 100 Ambs...... 4:56 PM - 4 Mar 2017 21,453 21,453 Retweets 73,439 73,439 likes Obama, who post-presidency lives in Washington DC just a few miles from the White House, has not responded to the charges at the time of writing, but a former aide fired back at Trump. "No President can order a wiretap. Those restrictions were put in place to protect citizens from people like you," said Ben Rhodes, a former official of the Obama White House. Trump and Obama appeared to get along civilly enough after a bruising election campaign in which Obama actively and openly campaigned for Hillary Clinton and was disdainful of Trump, who in turn called Obama weak, ineffective, and a disaster, among other things. The exiting President too seemed to accept the election result gracefully enough and engaged Trump and his wife at the White House during the transition process, with the incoming President saying some complimentary things about the First Couple. That has now ended, with Trump's supporters virtually accusing Obama of running a shadow operation aimed at undermining the President through leaks and trying to execute a "silent coup." Amid the flurry of charges on a busy Saturday morning from his estate in Florida, Trump also found time to diss the actor-politician Arnold Schwarzenegger, who succeeded him in the reality show The Apprentice. Top Comment Didn''t know that the Kenyan goat and the three chimpanzees are staying in DC. Thought they left for Kenya. ToThePoint "Arnold Schwarzenegger isn't voluntarily leaving the Apprentice, he was fired by his bad (pathetic) ratings, not by me. Sad end to great show," the US President tweeted. Follow Donald J. Trump ✔ @realDonaldTrump Arnold Schwarzenegger isn't voluntarily leaving the Apprentice, he was fired by his bad (pathetic) ratings, not by me. Sad end to great show 6:49 PM - 4 Mar 2017 19,047 19,047 Retweets 83,111 83,111 likes -- Peace Is Doable -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send an email to [email protected]. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
