Notice: Putin Is Calling in His Markers on Trump.

[MineralMan]

Marker 1: Pull US troops out of Syria
Marker 2: Get rid of sanctions on Russian aluminum producers.
Marker 3: Who knows?

Watch for more Trump concessions to Putin in the coming days before January. This could be his attempt to go around the upcoming Democratic-controlled House, or it could be taking care of unfinished business with Putin before Trump has to leave office.

Anyhow, Trump is doing what Putin wants him to do. We will probably see more of this soon.

[brush]

1. That could very well be the reason for the Syria pullout. I was wondering about that.

Putin also wants the oil sanctions rescinded as well on the Rosneft oil deal worth billions, right?

[MineralMan]

3. I don't doubt that for a minute.

[TheBlackAdder]

101. Putin also signaled for the US to pull out of Japan around Dec. 20th.

.

MOSCOW (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that the United States' military presence in Japan was complicating the search for a formal peace treaty between Moscow and Tokyo.

Russia and Japan have been in dispute for seven decades over island territories captured by Soviet troops in the last days of World War Two. As a result, they have still not formally ended hostilities.

Putin told reporters at his annual news conference that Moscow was concerned by the deployment of a U.S. air defense system in Japan.

https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2018-12-20/putin-says-us-presence-in-japan-complicates-signing-of-peace-treaty

.

[dewsgirl]

102. This is a very big part of the dossier.

[watoos]

103. There's also a gas pipeline,

the Iran-Iraq-Syria gas pipeline that needs to be built to supply natural gas to the EU and Putin wants Gazprom to be the investor/operator of the pipeline, that is why Putin came to Assad's aid. The US was backing a Sunni pipeline with natural gas from Qatar but Assad won't give permission for that pipeline to cross through Syria, that's why we have pushing for Assad to be deposed. It's not about Assad gassing his people, that was probably a Saudi false flag operation, it's about pipelines. Follow the money when wars break out.

Read, War is a Racket, by General Smedley Butler.

[brush]

106. Thanks for the additional info on the gas pipeline.

I have read Smedley Butler's book on war profiteers. He was also a real hero in exposing the traitors of the American Liberty League.

[BlueJac]

2. Trump knows his days are numbered!

To bad his party does not see that!

[MineralMan]

5. Or Putin knows. Either way, Trump is paying up.

We may, possibly, perhaps, be seeing the beginning of the end for Trump. He's just going to hate the Nancy Pelosi House. They're going to start digging immediately, and Trump has no cover to prevent them from investigating and issuing reports.

The pressure is on, and Putin's adding to it by demanding that Trump follow through on some promises.

If I'm right, we'll see more of it shortly.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

9. note Coulter is saying he might not last his full term

Smells like an excuse to resign and run away.

[ Edited: Had the wrong crypt-keeper in the title. Coulter, not Conway ]

[MineralMan]

12. And as he goes, he's going to burn down the fields.

Scorched Earth. He may well try to do as much damage as possible on his way out. Putin will be glad to help him think of things he can do, too. Dangerous times, I believe.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

15. wait and see may not work here

I sincerely hope there are people keeping a close watch on that traitorous bastard. We don't have a VP we can trust to step in.

[Turbineguy]

52. It's what Trump's hero

Hitler did.

[MineralMan]

55. Exactly.

A place in history...

[spike jones]

61. After Benedict Arnold did his treason,

he moved to England (the enemy) to live out his life.

Trump is preparing to move to Russia and live in his new hotel there.

[RVN VET71]

80. It would be a fitting end

for a man without a sense of honor or dignity.

Living at the will of Putin.

Kept alive at the will of Putin.

Ultimately, shifted out of sight, maybe to a modest but not uncomfortable dacha on the Black Sea, there to count down his remaining days alone, without Ivanka or cheeseburgers.

I doubt his end would be through violence. Putin would enjoy so much more just watching him slowly dissipate, having lost all hope, all glory, all sense of purpose and wealth.

[Texin]

32. Yeah, he's going to be having the screws put to him from all sides.

Hmmm. Where's a fella to go when he needs to get away? The Bahamas? Nah. He probably would think there are too many brown people there. I hear Andorra's nice.

[calimary]

98. And Putin probably realizes his asset is on borrowed time.

Not much time left to make good easily on the promises he extracted from trump. Whatever they talked about in Helsinki in secret that day, for two hours behind closed doors with nobody but their translators in the room, Putin knows trump only has a little time left to follow through.

Probably - and realistically- more like NO time left, now that the Democrats own the House and all the power to investigate, unchecked. It’s gonna be a lot harder to sneak stuff under the radar now.

That said, it could mean Putin can really toy with him now. Twisting the tourniquet tighter and tighter. It might be a case of “let’s see how much we can get out of him now that he’s getting desperate, and his way out of this mess is starting to close down. Let’s have some fun...” Particularly if Putin has a sadistic streak in him.

[Iliyah]

22. Dumb ass GOPs know . . .

cashing in I guess or they just don't care.

[SergeStorms]

62. Party before country...

always with the GOP. The only way the GOP will start to renounce him is if their phony-baloney jobs are threatened. If voters from the Party of Trump start to abandon him, they'll kick him to the curb in a nano-second.

[irresistable]

4. Maybe it is just a coincidence that Trump does exactly what Putin wants, 24/7

A crazy, wacky coincidence.

[MineralMan]

7. Sure. Of course. Coincidence.

Yeah, that's the ticket...

[jmowreader]

93. To paraphrase Aldo Raine...

We got a word for that kind of coincidence...and the word is Suspicious.

[pecosbob]

6. I think the real meat in the sanctions is Arctic oil and gas

Trillions, as in thousands of billions...I wonder what Wilbur Ross is up to these days?

[MineralMan]

8. One thing at a time...

[BootinUp]

10. The timing is interesting. I thought maybe

He was going say he now will have money for his stupid wall.

[MineralMan]

14. I think he knows he's screwed.

I wouldn't put it past him to sabotage everything he can on his way out the door.

[LiberalArkie]

63. I do not think Trump has any idea of what he is doing. It all depends on the people that are

telling him what to do. We have no idea about them.

[Hamlette]

76. who told him to pull out of Syria?

Miller? Bolton? I agree he doesn't come up with these things by himself but I'm not seeing this in any of his advisors. While I find it difficult to believe Putin is calling the shots, this one is so strange I can't see who else is pushing it.

[erronis]

79. Putin? Koch bro? Exxon-Mobil? Spectre? President Brain Fart?

There's some serious evil afoot. Makes me want to start believing in devils.

[olegramps]

87. Could it be that he wants Iran to succeed so that he and his PNAC cronies can attack Iran.

[Hamlette]

89. no, Trump has no policy ideas, he gets them all from others

Why the hell anyone wants to go to war with Iran is beyond me but one thing I am sure of, it ain't Trump. Not only does he not think about shit like that (unless it is on Fox) but he's too weak and chicken to start a war. He is the most gutless president in my lifetime.

[Beartracks]

97. If Putin wishes it, and why wouldn't he?

Get all the policy goals you want AND kneecap your global nemesis at the same time? Priceless.


==========

[wiggs]

11. Weaken Nato. nt

[MineralMan]

20. That has been the dream of conservatives in the US for a long, long time.

[rurallib]

27. my version would be to end the western alliance

Brexit may be the first step in ending the EU.
Killing NATO would give Russia what it has wanted since WWII

[UpInArms]

13. This is just crazy making

We need to get this thing behind bars ASAP

[maryellen99]

16. Marker 3

It’s going to be trump looking the other way when Russia rolls over Ukraine,The Baltics and E Europe.

[MineralMan]

18. I don't think so, in the near future.

Putin will wait until things are in even greater disarray before doing that, I believe.

[maryellen99]

23. I think Putin may invade Ukraine over The Ukrainian Orthodox Church splitting from the ROC

Russia is said to be furious over this. The ROC in Russia is basically a branch of the Kremlin.

[FakeNoose]

67. If Syria falls the way Pootie wants, he may not need Ukraine

I'm just thinking back to my old days playing the board strategy game "Risk."

But this is no joke - I complete agree with Mineral Man. This is being orchestrated by Putin all the way. Honestly I don't believe Cheeto gives a hoot 'n holler about Syria. He probably couldn't even find it on a map. They don't build Trump Hotels there.

Dems in Congress - both the House and the Senate - need to fight this.

[peggysue2]

17. Trumpski is backed into a corner . . .

Of his own making. Putin & Pelosi are both closing in on the Squatter-in-Chief.

Nowhere to run, no place to hide.

The collapse is in sight and the Mad King is flailing. Even arch-righties are taking potshots.

The danger still exists, however. Because cornered animals do desperate, crazy things.

[pwb]

19. I'm fine with us getting out of Syria.

Now lets get out of Iraq and our 17 year war in afghanistan.

[MineralMan]

21. Yes. Out of the entire Middle East as far as I'm concerned.

However, this Syria withdrawal is exactly what the Russians have been wanting for some time.

[pwb]

24. Syria always has been a Russian ally.

They deserve each other.

[Progressive dog]

25. According to CNN, the administration

never actually imposed the aluminum sanctions. They kept giving them more time to restructure ownership of the company. Now they expect that the restructuring will finish in 30 days. Then Trump can remove that aluminum producer from the sanctions list.
https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/19/business/treasury-sanctions-lifted-rusal/

[0rganism]

26. marker 3: cede some Ukrainian territories to Russia

marker 4: who knows? return Alaska maybe?

[Texin]

28. Definitely agree. And look for what Putin does next WRT Ukraine.

He will expect tRump to look the other way if he just decides to roll his military right over the borders and take the country by force.

I think this also may explain why the supine congress has let tRump get away with everything up to now, because they're busily raiding the country's coffers to line their pockets as fast and furiously working as they can, because they know tRump's gonna have to leave, and they've got a limited time to act on their own avarice before jig is up.

[MineralMan]

30. Some conservatives are leaving Trump's camp over the Wall cave.

Trump's not going to demand his $5 Billion, and it's pissing off the far right to no end. If he loses their support, he's not just toast; he's burnt toast.

[Anon-C]

29. It seems that whatever secret deal Trump struck with Putin in Helsinki it's slightly worse than...

Last edited Wed Dec 19, 2018, 06:11 PM - Edit history (1)

...the one Lando Calrissian struck with Darth Vader.

[MineralMan]

31. Perhaps so. Looks like he's running out of time and running scared.

It really does, at least to me.

[Mopar151]

33. He's disappointing dear Vladimir

He had so many opportunities to get it right, and every time, he fails to properly close the deal. Dear Vlad is starting to feel that he may have misjudged his protoge`, and is hoping for some successes soon.

[MineralMan]

34. I think it may have gone beyond that point.

Trump is going to be somewhat slowed by the Democratic House, so time's short to make things happen. Putin has little patience. Pressure is being applied.

[barbtries]

35. that actually makes sense.

the dems are coming and life is going to change.

[marble falls]

36. I think Putin had two agendas:

1. Gig the US.
2. Totally fuck Trump.

[triron]

37. Yup. MSM doesn't seem to acknowledge the obvious.

[MineralMan]

41. MSNBC is on it.

[EleanorR]

38. I can't help but think this has something to do with Flynn and Turkey as well

Trump talks to Erdogan last Friday, Flynn is told to go think about what else he can give up in terms of info, and today trump says we're withdrawing all troops plus selling Turkey a 3.5 billion dollar US Patriot Missile system?

Or maybe Erdogan's threat to attack the Kurds was just to give trump cover to withdraw and not look like Putin's little puppet?

[Pantagruel]

39. Just caught this

Trump admin to lift sanctions on firms owned by Russian oligarch Deripaska


https://thehill.com/regulation/national-security/422122-trump-admin-to-lift-sanctions-on-firms-owned-by-russian-oligarch?

[MineralMan]

42. Yup.

[Blue_true]

100. That guy is one of Putin's favorite oligarchs. nt

[PeeJ52]

40. Geesh... Don't get your panties in a wad...

It's only a few friendly Christmas gifts from one devout Christian to another. There are much bigger markers for Vlad to call in. He still wants that penthouse and 1 billion dollars...

[MineralMan]

43. Oh, wait...there's more...

[Yavin4]

44. Marker 4: Dance for me Donald! Dance! n/t

[redstatebluegirl]

45. He knows that Rump is not long for the office.

He has to get his value before the end date for the product he bought.

[MineralMan]

47. Yes, exactly.

[flibbitygiblets]

46. Marker 3 is the Magnitsky Act, and Drumph can't deliver on that one

his stupid children and son in law sharted all over any hope Putin had of getting that rescinded With a little help from the late John McCain (which is the REAL reason Drumph hated him so much).

[griloco]

48. Ukraine...nt

[MineralMan]

49. Possibly, but maybe not right now.

[WeekiWater]

50. Putin has one overriding goal.

A warm water port. The US has been on of the strongest forces stopping that as Russia feels it needs to take land in order to get it. They won't simply accept leases and travel through other countries to get it. They want it to be theirs.

[MineralMan]

51. Makes sense.

I was stationed in Turkey at a USAF base overlooking the Black Sea, and know you're right about that. That's all I can say, though.

[hedda_foil]

81. In a few years he'll have his warm water port ... In Murmansk!

[WeekiWater]

86. Currently the only port in the world to host it's own fleet of nuclear powered ice breakers.

It's very close to being a warm water port as the warm ocean current keeps it almost ice free. The long winter, freezing conditions, and its location still make it awful with respect to it being an economic shipping port.

You are right. Every year conditions keep heading in Putins favor for that port becoming more viable. Except for its location, of course.

[Quixote1818]

53. I think this has crossed a lot of peoples minds today. nt

[MineralMan]

54. No doubt. It's pretty obvious.

But, it hadn't been mentioned, so I mentioned it.

[Quixote1818]

77. Sure, it's a good post.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

56. hate to rub salt in a wound,

Wouldn't it be great if we had a President right now?

Dear Hillary, Please say something to distract Traitor-Tot. Thank you.

[MineralMan]

57. Yes. How do you like me now?

We fucked up big time!

[cstanleytech]

58. Actually I suspect marker 1 is "Weaken NATO".

[grandpamike1]

59. Rumor

Has it, that a deal was made with Turkey, to suppress the actual tape of the Jamal Khashoggi, and not let it be aired in public, in return we would remove out troops, and that in turn would put our allies, the Kurds in danger, as the Turks have always wanted them destroyed, and they would not have us there to protect them. Sounds reasonable to me. while Putin, sits back, let's the Turks take care of the Kurds, and then Putin declares victory, and he and Assad continue to kill those that are against the regime with no interference. ?

[PhrankT]

65. I just read about & posted on this exact thinking.

This has to be stopped or I fear there is no turning back.
We are sitting at the apex of Putin's intent, the long planned purpose for the coup on the USA.

Trump will be Dictator, bowing to Putin & his criminal mob boss, Semion Mogilevich.

The GOP could stop this now, but instead they are heading home on Christmas break.
With Stocks tanking rapidly, our economy facing a Recession, Russian sanctions being lifted, & our abandoning Syria, the next 2 weeks are entirely in a state of teetering on the edge of crisis.
And our leader is Donald Trump. We should be worried.

[PhrankT]

60. Erdogen's gonna show proof that Trump & Kushner ordered Kashoggi's murder.

(Turkey will slaughter the Kurds)

Pull out of Syria or else.

Putin's orders.

"Turkey will go all out on the Kurds without interference.
Putin and Assad will destroy anyone opposing Assad in Syria.

"Wag The Dog". Is that reckless & irresponsible Syria tweet just a distraction from the signed letter of intent for Trump Tower Moscow?"

Everything Trump does is sadly obvious. #TrumpRussia #MSNBC

Trump seems in an awful hurry to fulfill Putin's intent.
End sanctions, leave Syria.
Odd that this hurried rush today comes as Mueller closes in on 'Trump Tower '.

Wagging the Dog or all out War , & greenlighting Putin, Assad, Turkey to slaugter our allies.

Our Military could step in & deliver an Article 25.
Their 1st allegience is to defend the US against all enemies foreign & domestic.

The 25th Amendment, proposed by Congress and ratified by the states in the aftermath of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, provides the procedures for replacing the president or vice president in the event of death, removal, resignation, or incapacitation.
*Does this include a President compromised by a foreign enemy?*

Trump is either wagging the dog or burning down the world as he becomes Dictator of the USA. Putin's intent.
And another Democracy dies.

This is critical mass.

[KPN]

64. Yeah, that's what I was thinking with the Syria

announcement. It came out of nowhere. Why? Putin must be thinking Trump’s time is short. The orange one must be feeling squeezed pretty tight right now.

[MineralMan]

70. So it seems to me, too.

[PhrankT]

72. Isn't Trump getting a bit close to abdicating his oath of office?

Oath or Affirmation:-"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

Mueller's got him cornerd & he knows it. That is freakin scary since he allies with anyone who'll offer to save his sorry ass.
He'll save himself first.

[R B Garr]

66. Yes, I think you are right on with this.

[moondust]

68. Pooty has choppers

that can land in a prison yard.

[BobTheSubgenius]

69. Use It Or Lose It.

The window of opportunity for Puin is narrowing.

[MineralMan]

71. Yes.

[Xolodno]

73. Ukraine...but I'll disagree about the extent...

..and it may not be marker 3, but further down the line.

I see one of two things happening:

1. Putin takes the part in revolt and some extra real estate. He doesn't want the whole, the western part is not viable and doesn't want Russian rule.

2. Poroshenko strikes a deal with Putin, that's very unpopular and an "attempted coup" occurs. Putin moves in to restore order and restore Poroshenko. The rest of Europe, sick of the antics in Ukraine, send strongly worded condemnations....and pretty much ignore what happens. Followed by easing sanctions as the "civil war" goes away.

I'm thinking No. 2 is the most likely. However, the timing will occur when our political system is in the most upheaval. Impeachment proceedings, etc. We won't have time nor the capacity to focus on Europe.

[muriel_volestrangler]

74. Tory MP: "Bizarrely, or not maybe in this case, it plays right into the Russian hands"

This is Bob Seely, a Conservative MP who served in Iraq and is now on the Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee, on the sudden tweet to evacuate Syria:

"There are two problems: firstly, it's very rushed, and secondly, bizarrely, or not maybe in this case, it plays right into the Russian hands"

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0001l8c (at 44:30)

An ex-military man in a centre-right party of an ally is more or less expecting the Republican US president to favour Russian foreign policy over American.

[McCamy Taylor]

75. Marker 3. Look the other way when Russia invades the Baltic States.

[MineralMan]

78. Could be.

There are many things Putin wants. If there is no strong opposition, he will take what he wants. Trump offers no opposition at all, for whatever reason.

[grantcart]

82. Yep

[LudwigPastorius]

83. 2A. Disrupt NATO and call into question...

the United States’ commitment to the organization.

Trump is a fucking traitor to this country and is purposely degrading our national security.

[ProudLib72]

84. Hmmmm, I'm curious about the role MSB is playing in this

With Saudi right between the allies Iran and Syria. And that handshake he gave Putin. Hmmmm. It seems to me there are multiple players in this game.

[FakeNoose]

94. Yes absolutely

Trump has at least 2 puppet masters now. I believe Mueller has been looking into the Saudi connection to Trump and Kushner, and maybe others too.

[ProudLib72]

95. Think about it

Rump immediately pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal. Now he is pulling out of Syria. While I understand the relationship between these two countries and Saudi, I remain unsure of how this affects Russia. We know damn well that MSB has something going on with Putin. But what is it? Control of the most of the world's oil supply? But that seems too simple. I really wish I better understood the dynamics between Saudi and Russia.

[jimlup]

85. The president is an open traitor and the Republicans are his facilitators /nt

[gordianot]

88. Trumps' end is in sight call them now while you still can.

There are still several questions:

1. Who else in the GOP was compromised wittingly or unwittingly? Plenty of wittless Republicans to choose from.

2. Too bad that NRA money is tainted. You get paid you got to play.

3. How do you get your kids out of a jam you set up?

4. Where do you go when all the cards collapse and you clearlly lost?

Trump needs to face it his enemies grow by the hour.

[MineralMan]

91. Yes, exactly.

[dlk]

90. Putin is a Savvy Operator and Sees Trump's Time is Short & He's Getting His Rewards While He Can

[MineralMan]

92. I agree completely.

[UCmeNdc]

96. Agree！！！

100% Correct.

[uponit7771]

99. Marker 3: Deplete US international depts of influence of resources. Maddow started out with this ...

... months after Red Don's inauguration

[ansible]

104. Underestimating Putin is one of the worst mistakes in American history

Obama fucked up really, REALLY bad.

[Buckeyeblue]

105. But anything 45 does the next president can undo

So Putin needs 45 to ride this out to reap the benefits. I don't think Putin realized how bad 45 would be at this. He and his campaign left too many tracks that are really easy to follow. As a president, he has been too polarizing. He should have taken the position of trying to bring both sides together. Once he got some wins, then he could start giving back to Putin. If his approvals were high enough he would have had some room to work.

But 45 has done the wrong thing consistently. My guess is that Putin needs to figure out how to manage the damage when everything comes out.