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Dennis Donovan

(18,770 posts)
Mon Jun 29, 2020, 10:38 PM Jun 2020

AP sources: White House was aware of intelligence on Russian bounties in 2019(!)

https://apnews.com/425e43fa0ffdd6e126c5171653ec47d1

By JAMES LaPORTA
11 minutes ago

Top officials in the White House were aware in early 2019 of classified intelligence indicating Russia was secretly offering bounties to the Taliban for the deaths of Americans, a full year earlier than has been previously reported, according to U.S. officials with direct knowledge of the intelligence.

The assessment was included in at least one of President Donald Trump’s written daily intelligence briefings at the time, according to the officials. Then-national security adviser John Bolton also told colleagues he briefed Trump on the intelligence assessment in March 2019.

The White House did not respond to questions about Trump or other officials’ awareness of Russia’s provocations in 2019. The White House has said Trump was not — and still has not been — briefed on the intelligence assessments because they have not been fully verified. However, it is rare for intelligence to be confirmed without a shadow of a doubt before it is presented to top officials.

Bolton declined to comment Monday when asked by the AP if he had briefed Trump about the matter in 2019. On Sunday, he suggested to NBC’s “Meet the Press” that Trump was claiming ignorance of Russia’s provocations to justify his administration’s lack of a response.

“He can disown everything if nobody ever told him about it,” Bolton said.

</snip>




Julie Pace @jpaceDC

WASHINGTON (AP) _ AP sources: White House was aware of intelligence on Russian bounties on US troops in 2019

10:33 PM · Jun 29, 2020



11 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
AP sources: White House was aware of intelligence on Russian bounties in 2019(!) (Original Post) Dennis Donovan Jun 2020 OP
Negotiationing price underpants Jun 2020 #1
It gets worse and worse.😔 dewsgirl Jun 2020 #2
I feel sick. I mean, I thought things were bad under Dubya... SMC22307 Jun 2020 #3
Link to a story on WTOP soothsayer Jun 2020 #4
A bit more soothsayer Jun 2020 #5
This is sickening Johnny2X2X Jun 2020 #6
And Bolton is confirming he himself briefed Trump Bev54 Jun 2020 #7
And John Bolton knew and didn't brief Congress Intell Committee MagickMuffin Jun 2020 #8
AND now he's siding with Putin to claim our own intelligence is "not credible." SunSeeker Jun 2020 #9
kick nt steve2470 Jun 2020 #10
No excuses dotard Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin Jun 2020 #11

soothsayer

(38,601 posts)
4. Link to a story on WTOP
Mon Jun 29, 2020, 10:46 PM
Jun 2020
https://wtop.com/government/2020/06/ap-sources-white-house-aware-of-russian-bounties-in-2019/

Snip

Top officials in the White House were aware in early 2019 of classified intelligence indicating Russia was secretly offering bounties to the Taliban for the deaths of Americans, a full year earlier than has been previously reported, according to U.S. officials with direct knowledge of the intelligence.

The assessment was included in at least one of President Donald Trump’s written daily intelligence briefings at the time, according to the officials. Then-national security adviser John Bolton also told colleagues he briefed Trump on the intelligence assessment in March 2019.

soothsayer

(38,601 posts)
5. A bit more
Mon Jun 29, 2020, 10:53 PM
Jun 2020

Snip

The intelligence that surfaced in early 2019 indicated Russian operatives had become more aggressive in their desire to contract with the Taliban and members of the Haqqani Network, a militant group aligned with the Taliban in Afghanistan and designated a foreign terrorist organization in 2012 during the Obama administration....

Concerns about Russian bounties flared anew this year after members of the elite Naval Special Warfare Development Group, known to the public as SEAL Team Six, raided a Taliban outpost and recovered roughly $500 thousand in U.S. dollars. The funds bolstered the suspicions of the American intelligence community that the Russians had offered money to Taliban militants and other linked associations.

MagickMuffin

(15,943 posts)
8. And John Bolton knew and didn't brief Congress Intell Committee
Mon Jun 29, 2020, 11:05 PM
Jun 2020

Another coward:
Bolton was a supporter of the Vietnam War, but avoided combat through a student deferment followed by enlistment in the Maryland Air National Guard. During the 1969 Vietnam War draft lottery, Bolton drew number 185. (Draft numbers were assigned by birth date. Numbers 1 to 195 were eventually called up.)



And just looking at his draft number. He surely would have gone if not for the cowardliness in him.

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