3 ms·

> Nobody is doubting that "Russian interference" exists Well, I for one doubt it. The reason being that I have listened to the words that the Russian Presiden

> Nobody is doubting that "Russian interference" exists Well, I for one doubt it. The reason being that I have listened to the words that the Russian President had to say on the matter, as translated by a Youtuber (Inessa S) who gets a few quid from Patreon subscribers rather than as filtered into soundbites by Western media who get a few quid from the arms-trade. Sometimes you have to listen to what people say and the explanations that they provide for their behaviour. Sometimes listening may involve reading subtitles. Listening is different to assuming and going along with what other people tell you to think. The Russian President is an extremely smart thinker and as he saw it, even if meddling was possible, this would not help matters further down the road. Russian reputation in the wider international community would be undermined whatever the outcome had interference gone on. This would undermine whomever they 'interfered with' to get elected. This is the key reason why there was no 'interference'. Although nobody including the Russian President knew the outcome of the U.S. election until it happened, it was clear to people in Moscow that Trump suited the mood of the times and that he did have genuine and popular support despite the many obnoxious things he said and had done. It was also clear to them that Trump and 37% of Republican voters had a lot of respect for the Russian President whilst that Clinton woman was a hater towards Russia. So, coming from a nation that is better at chess, the Russian President really had no incentive to meddle. To believe otherwise is foolish thinking and to misunderstand the multi-lateral world based on the rule of law that Moscow wants for the world. There is no 'they influenced it a bit', Moscow stayed out of it, neutral. The shoe is actually on the other foot when you go down the rabbit hole of what 'Cambridge Analytica' was all about.

freeflight 8y ago
I just don't think the Russian government, and it's intelligence services in general, are as much of a monolith, as they are being painted as. Even your comment makes it look like Putin is personally responsible and in oversight, of literally every single thing going on in Russia. Which is usually a narrative used to make him personally responsible for literally everything negative Russia as a state does. I'm not a fan of either of those two, governments and countries, especially of that size, are way too big and complex to run them in such a direct "in person" style.

freeflight 8y ago

I just don't think the Russian government, and it's intelligence services in general, are as much of a monolith, as they are being painted as. Even your comment makes it look like Putin is personally responsible and in oversight, of literally every single thing going on in Russia. Which is usually a narrative used to make him personally responsible for literally everything negative Russia as a state does. I'm not a fan of either of those two, governments and countries, especially of that size, are way too big and complex to run them in such a direct "in person" style.