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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsUS 'in peril over president's stance' - BBC News
Last edited Sun Nov 12, 2017, 04:48 PM - Edit history (1)
Two former US intelligence chiefs say Donald Trump's stance on Russian meddling in last year's presidential election is putting the US at risk.
The US president sparked uproar by suggesting he believed Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin when he said there had been no interference.
The two leaders briefly discussed the allegations at an Asia-Pacific summit.
US intelligence has long concluded Russia tried to sway the vote in Mr Trump's favour.
Trump's Asia tour leaves observers perplexed
"Every time he [Putin] sees me he says I didn't do that, and I really believe that when he tells me that, he means it," Mr Trump told reporters.
"I think he is very insulted by it, which is not a good thing for our country."
Mr Trump also disparaged key figures in the US intelligence community who concluded in January that Russian meddling had taken place, including former national intelligence chief James Clapper, ex-CIA director John Brennan and sacked FBI chief James Comey, whom he called "political hacks".
Mr Trump has since sought to mollify critics of his comments following uproar at his apparent defence of Mr Putin.
Ex-intelligence chiefs go on the attack
Mr Clapper said he was alarmed by the president's comments.
"Putin is committed to undermining our system, our democracy and our whole process," he told CNN.
"To try to paint it in any other way is, I think, astounding and in fact poses a peril to this country."
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-41962023
This is a man who, nearly a year after the election, is still using the "crooked Hillary" shtick.
In my 60 years, I don't recall a single President referring to their predecessor by insulting "pet names".
God help us.
Irish_Dem
(47,453 posts)orangecrush
(19,624 posts)And a lunatic is behind the wheel.
Irish_Dem
(47,453 posts)moondust
(20,006 posts)why these days Russia is considered more of an adversary than they were even 5 years ago?
orangecrush
(19,624 posts)Would be Putin's designs on Ukraine, and the expansionist ideas of Surkov and Dugin being put into action.
Buns_of_Fire
(17,197 posts)But let Kim refer to him as a "dotard" (which he is), and Poor Widdle Donnie gets a massive sad. "I just w-w-w-wanted to be his f-f-f-friend," he sobs.
It's like having a real-life Eric Cartman as president.
orangecrush
(19,624 posts)And dangerous.