[jimjam]

Trump is currently funding a coup to overthrow a Venezuelan government that the Russian government heavily supports. Anyone who sees this and still thinks Trump is a Putin puppet is delusional and not paying attention.

Possibly there are other considerations. Venezuela sits atop the largest known oil reserves on the planet.

Russia has had a military naval base in Syria for decades, Don wants to remove American troops from Syria.

Don, while not actually removing sanctions on Putin's oligarch buddies, has engineered some double talk bullshit in congress that, for all practical purposes, has removed them.

Don's NATO bashing is the stuff of Putin's wet dreams.

[Red_Army]

I also want to remove American troops from Syria and think NATO is stupid. That doesn't make me a Putin puppet.

[Hindsite]

Possibly there are other considerations. Venezuela sits atop the largest known oil reserves on the planet.

The oil was mismanaged by a socialist dictator.

Russia has had a military naval base in Syria for decades, Don wants to remove American troops from Syria.

America does not need a military base in Syria.

Don, while not actually removing sanctions on Putin's oligarch buddies, has engineered some double talk bullshit in congress that, for all practical purposes, has removed them.

No Trump has not removed any sanctions on Russia.

Don's NATO bashing is the stuff of Putin's wet dreams.

Trump was just pointing out that many NATO members nations were not paying their fair share for NATO defense and the USA was paying too much in order to make up for it. That is not NATO bashing.

[Godstud]

The only reason the sanctions weren't lifted, was because of the people around Trump... primarily the GOP lawmakers, who nixed Trump's attempt to lift sanctions. Trump tried to lift them, because he's Putin's sock-puppet/cock-holster.

[jimjam]

The oil was mismanaged by a socialist dictator.

It doesn't matter if the oil was being managed by Mickey Mouse. The largest known oil reserves in the world are ….. the largest known oil reserves in the world. Politics of Russia or Venezuela are irrelevant. Controling the largest known oil reserves in the world is relevant.

America does not need a military base in Syria.

Not the point. Syria is in Russia's sphere of influence and Comrade Donald is recognizing this.

No Trump has not removed any sanctions on Russia.

Right, but he has made sanctions on Putin's oligarch buddy irrelevant. ie: Oligarch So and So is forced to give up control of a phony "charity" that gives school books to children and launders billions of dollars and ruples for the Rich Boys Club (of which Comrade Donald is a member in good standing). Oligarch So and So now controls only 25% of the phony charity while his uncle controls 75% . Only a moron cannot see through something like this.

Trump was just pointing out that many NATO members nations were not paying their fair share for NATO defense and the USA was paying too much in order to make up for it. That is not NATO bashing.

Correct … and Comrade Donald is correct. Comrade Donald is also talking about withdrawing from NATO and his bull in NATO's china closet behavior is causing general confusion and consternation in NATO. NATO is Russia's enemy. Confusion and consternation amongst your enemy is a good thing and fuel for Putin's wet dreams.

I like you Hindsite. You and I are proof that free speech in America is alive and well. However, your views lack depth and understanding of reality.

[Beren]

Soooooo, not "Make England Great Again". Okay. Makes sense. England's fine, apart from this Brexit controversy

This must be sarcasm because England is actually super-fucked by that Brexit "controversy".

I also want to remove American troops from Syria and think NATO is stupid. That doesn't make me a Putin puppet.

But it still could make you a useful idiot.

[jimjam]

I also want to remove American troops from Syria and think NATO is stupid. That doesn't make me a Putin puppet.

America has about 800 military bases in 70 countries. I would like to see this greatly reduced but we cannot overlook the fact that Syria belongs to Russia and Vladimir would prefer having a free hand there.

Russia has been essentially expansionist for a few centuries. NATO needs to be downsized but it serves as a check on Russia's expansionist meddling just as Russia serves as a check on America's expansionist meddling.

I doubt that "puppet" is the most accurate word to describe Comrade Donald's relationship with Russia but he has been, essentially, Russia's American Oligarch ever since he was shunned by western banks for his unfortunate habit of going bankrupt and accepted Russian money to finance his business. Russia's meddling in election 2016 is just one piece of a larger jigsaw puzzle. Long story short …. Russia helps Donald and Donald helps Russia. In Comrade Donald's words, "That's the way it works. "

Donald and Vladimir's relationship is not unlike that of two crime family bosses cooperating for mutual benefit.

[Beren]

Donald and Vladimir's relationship is not unlike that of two crime family bosses cooperating for mutual benefit.

But Vladimir is higher in the hierarchy because Donald laundered his money, not the other way around.

[Red_Army]

@jimjam We haven't pulled out entirely from Syria and we have also done nothing to disrupt NATO while we are trying to overthrow Putin's closest ally in Latin America. I don't see how you see this as mobsters cooperating.

[jimjam]

@jimjam We haven't pulled out entirely from Syria and we have also done nothing to disrupt NATO while we are trying to overthrow Putin's closest ally in Latin America. I don't see how you see this as mobsters cooperating.

I am familiar with the dynamics. I went to high school with sons of Mafia in Brooklyn. Let's just agree to disagree.

[Beren]

As a matter of fact Trump seems a rather weak president that has serious problems with going through his own administration with his policies. He clearly pushes for a full withdrawal from Syria, although he can't get through with it, he disrupted NATO as he could by generating conflict with allies all the time, and maybe he just didn't make any pledges to Putin regarding Venezuela. In my opinion Venezuela is a more important key geopolitical issue to the US than Syria is, so Trump doesn't have such a free hand in that case.

[SpecialOlympian]

Russiagate is nonsense. The $5k Russia spent on facebook ads did not "influence" the election in any meaningful sense. This shit is Qanon for liberals and both serve the purpose of removing the blame for corruption, incompetence, and failure to deliver on promises from the dems and reps. Trump is currently funding a coup to overthrow a Venezuelan government that the Russian government heavily supports. Anyone who sees this and still thinks Trump is a Putin puppet is delusional and not paying attention.

Counterpoint: Paul Manafort is going to die in prison and that fucking owns.

[Hindsite]

I am familiar with the dynamics. I went to high school with sons of Mafia in Brooklyn. Let's just agree to disagree.

Yeah, because you are dead wrong and don't want to admit it.

[jimjam]

Yeah, because you are dead wrong and don't want to admit it.

I'M right and you are wrong .

[Godstud]

You're wrong, @jimjam! Trump is totally innocent because @Hindsite said so!