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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsCIA official chose not to tell Trump of Russia bounty report, top adviser claims
CIA official chose not to tell Trump of Russia bounty report, top adviser claims* Robert OBrien condemned for deflecting blame on to briefer
Julian Borger in Washington
The Guardian World News
Wed 1 Jul 2020 23.48 BST
Read more here: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jul/01/cia-official-trump-russia-bounty-robert-o-brien
Excerpts:
.....OBrien told Fox News, adding: She made that call and, you know what, I think she made the right call, so Im not going to criticize her. And knowing the facts that I know now, I stand behind that call.
He added: We now know that the information was included in Trumps written PDB, which is how the intelligence community regularly flags items that the President needs to know. Nothing in the PDB is discretionary; everything in that short document is in there because in the estimation of the intelligence community the president needs to know it to fulfill his charge.
A former senior US official confirmed to the Guardian that reports of Russian bounties were circulating inside the White House before the summer of 2019, and raised concern, but at that point had not been fully corroborated.
......He doesnt like hearing bad news about all kinds of things, unless hes forced to, the former senior official said.
KY........
Mike 03
(16,616 posts)Is this Bolton?
Associated Press reported that Bolton told colleagues he briefed Trump on the Russian bounties in March 2019.
But then Bolton himself declined to comment.
Bolton needs to pick a side. He's trying to have his cake and eat it too.
C_U_L8R
(45,020 posts)Last edited Thu Jul 2, 2020, 11:56 AM - Edit history (1)
They've been stumbling over themselves for a week trying to find an excuse. Seems they've found a convenient middleman to blame (but they were briefing NATO at the same time?). The bullshit is deep in Trumpland. And still there is no explanation why action isn't being taken while our troops are presently being targeted by Putin. Fuck you Trump.
ananda
(28,876 posts)nt
sop
(10,243 posts)25th Amendment time.
Frustratedlady
(16,254 posts)For one, any official who learned that our military was being targeted by the Taliban and paid by the Russians would surely be angry enough to want this stopped. Not sure if it was true? Dig deeper, but give the POTUS a chance to demand more investigation and do it quickly. I'm sure the CIA wanted revenge, as they are also caught up in dangerous situations and could easily be the target (if known who/where they are working).
Trump wants a way out. Plain and simple. Someone is a fall guy.
shanti
(21,675 posts)They made sure they pinned it on a woman.
Frustratedlady
(16,254 posts)I slid right over that point.
ProfessorGAC
(65,168 posts)...would be to say "We have a possible matter of great importance, and we'd like the authorization to confirm."
But, decided to say nothing?
Not believing it.
UTUSN
(70,740 posts)brush
(53,847 posts)all their shilling and covering for him comes to lightespecially the ones like Kellyanne Conway who have stayed for the entire time and have witnessed and known of his inability to do the job.
PRETZEL
(3,245 posts)it's beyond just trying to scapegoat someone at the CIA in order to cover their own asses.
I heard this morning that she has had a 30+ year career at the CIA and is extremely well respected.
To use her to cover up for your own incompetence goes beyond the pale.
Ponietz
(3,004 posts)Nevilledog
(51,197 posts)shanti
(21,675 posts)It's what they do.
crickets
(25,983 posts)Seriously, this comment alone is unacceptable:
What this tells us is that trump is absolutely unqualified to handle the job, and everyone around him knows it, and has known for some time. It also tells us that his enablers are grossly unqualified to do their jobs. There is no capable hand at the wheel. We are on our own.
Thanks for letting us know, guys, as if we couldn't tell already. Oh, and doubling down on insulting your intelligence resources is stupid.
Good luck to them after pulling this stunt. They're gonna need it.
RussBLib
(9,035 posts)He would have likely said the same thing way back when.
Someday we will get to the bottom of why he believes what Putin says over our own intelligence agencies, and I hope it's long before he's dead.
ScratchCat
(2,002 posts)Their story keeps changing everyday. Its one of two things:
They either told Trump, like we are hearing...or
They didn't tell Trump because they knew he would tell Putin.
Either way, people need to be demanding he resign NOW!
SoonerPride
(12,286 posts)Throw the CIA under the bus. Fine.
We know Donny Dumbfuck also got this intel in his PDB in written form but doesn't read. So he's still derelict in his job.
And now it is 5 days later since the whole world knows the Russians put bounties and PAID bounties for dead Americans.
And what is fuckface doing to punish Russia?
Nothing.
Because he is a goddamned traitor.
uponit7771
(90,364 posts)kentuck
(111,110 posts)They are putting out lies faster than the big, red, bullshit machine can handle it.
Solly Mack
(90,785 posts)kentuck
(111,110 posts)They have to realize that they are only making matters worse by covering for Donald Trump's ass.
KY_EnviroGuy
(14,494 posts)When I read what the CIA has actually said, this thing has been blown out of proportion and is focusing on the wrong issue.
Consider:
* The US has know for years (reportedly since 2014) that Russia pours money into the Taliban's coffers and probably weapons and ammo as well. That money ain't being used to plant gardens or buy TV sets - it's been used to kill and injure U.S. and coalition troops for many years. Therefore, this bounty program would seem an expansion of the same program.
* The big problem with any intelligence relating to Russia and Afghanistan is that Russia always covers their tracks perfectly with any operation and virtually nothing coming from Afghan sources can be believed. That's why evidence is so difficult to corroborate.
* Bolton said in an interview there had been chatter about unverified intelligence on the bounty thing since last summer but it was too shaky to act on.
* The CIA just made it clear the intelligence on the alleged bounty payments was based on "unverified intelligence that had not been fully corroborated. Therefore, the agent that briefed tRump decided it was not credible enough to bother the chief idiot with it.
* If "sources" New York Times used for their article that triggered this debacle knew the intelligence was shaky, why didn't NYT report it that way?
So, what we obviously have is a president who is known by our intelligence officials (and others) to be incompetent and too inept to be bothered with items of concern (but unverified) because they know he does not pay attention to that sort of item.
The fundamental issue then is that Donald Trump simply does not have the ability to fullfill his duties and not one of him not acting on a particular item. Just as we've said here thousands of times, he's totally focused on self-interest and not that of the nation.
Lord help us, and the GOP does not care.
KY rant done.
lagomorph777
(30,613 posts)See how long he survives afterward.
Turbineguy
(37,365 posts)I once worked for a company that would not buy parts when I ordered them. But I sent in orders anyway, because that's the job. Just because others in the chain refuse to do their job does not relieve you of doing yours.
Dread Pirate Roberts
(1,896 posts)Right-the CIA develops intelligence just for the heck of it. They then shake the Magic 8 ball to see if they should share it with the President and his staff.
Oh Magic 8 Ball, did the CIA withhold intelligence from the President?
lagomorph777
(30,613 posts)I didn't think so. Obvious bullshit.
chriscan64
(1,789 posts)We are getting excuse whack-a-mole with every question. If it's in the book, it's credible enough for him to be briefed about it. The least objectionable scenario is that it was in the PDB, and he didn't read it. To me that doesn't pass for "not briefed". "Consuming intelligence verbally" 2 to 3 times a week when he watches Fox & Pals 5 times a week is in itself cause for removal.