Beltway Insider: Trump/Russia Square Off; UK/Russian Nerve Agent; Nat’l Guard at Borders; Syria Unleashes Chemical Weapons

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President Donald Trump, in a continuing response to Russian President Vladimir Putin for the assassination attempt of a double agent on British soil, has imposed the harshest sanctions to date against members of Putin's government and inner circle.

According to Gallup, President Trump job approval, over the past week, remained constant at 40% of those polled who approve of his effectiveness as President and those who disapprove of his effectiveness as President also remained constant at 55%.

Trump/Russia Square Off

President Donald Trump in a desire to create a new era of U.S./Russian relations have implemented an exhaustive set of sanctions designed to point out unacceptable practices and behaviors employed by the government of newly elected Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The sanction, which target Seven Russian oligarchs, 12 companies and 17 top government officials and allies of the current administration are designed to implement a tough love position with the Soviet leadership in order to secure a solid relationship.

"[The] sanctions and the totality of the administration's actions, which are in keeping with Congress's wishes, prove the President is absolutely correct when he says no one has been tougher on Russia. We want a positive relationship with the Russian government, but for this to happen, there must be a significant change in their behavior," said White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders.


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The sanction which are segmented into five parts include Standing up to Russia; Reinforcing a strong sanction regime; Confronting Russian interference in America; Responding to Russian aggression; Countering Russian aggression

Standing Up To Russia

In consideration of the Administration's January 2018 Report on Senior Foreign Political Figures and Oligarchs in the Russian Federation, the President executed the following in a tough love stance signaling to Putin the onset of a new era in American relations.

The Trump Administration has essentially set the gauntlet in place indicting to the Russian leader the necessary changes to his behaviors and influences should he decide he wishes to be work with the Trump Administration.

These sanctions will help ensure the Russian oligarchs who profit from Russia's destabilizing activities face the consequences of its actions. Included in the sanctions are the state-owned weapons trading company which provides military equipment and support to the Government of Syria, enabling the regime's continual attacks against Syrian citizens.

Reinforcing A Strong Sanction Regime

"The new sanctions announced today will further the Administration's efforts to confront destabilizing and malicious behavior by Russia," The White House announced.

Within the determined actions the administration has listed key dates and violations of the Russian government in maligning American interest both domestically and internationally.

Responding to the continued and proven meddling in the 2016 Presidential Election the Trump Administration "imposed sanctions against 16 Russian entities and individuals for their roles in Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. The Administration also imposed sanctions against Russian intelligence agencies and officials for their significant efforts to undermine U.S. cyber security."

The Trump Administration also ramped up sanctions against Russia for the violation of territorial sovereignty of the Ukraine and its continued occupation of the Crimean peninsula adding 100 additional sanction targets, which occurred, and was met with harsh globally sanction penalties, during the Obama Administration.

The White House also noted Russian sanctions were already in place from December 2017, related to the Sergi Magnitsky and Global Magnitsky programs.

Magnitsky, a lawyer and vocal anti-Putin leaders, was detained by Russian authorities, placed in detention, held in the harshest conditions for nearly a year, subject to depravations tactics, and eventually died in prison. His situation sparked an outcry from Human Right Organization around the world that petitioned for his release and demanded retribution for his death.

The Trump Administration also "imposed export controls against two Russian companies that were helping Russia develop missiles which violate the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) and designated Russian actors under Iran and North Korea sanctions authorities."

Confronting Russian Interference In The United States

President Trump has taken action to call out and confront Russian efforts to undermine the United States.

On seven separate occasion the Russian have been found to be responsible for cyberattacks and the destabilizing of cyber infrastructure as well as the destruction of cybersecurity throughout the world and especially United States targeted entities.

Without admitting to election meddling "The Trump Administration has maintained the closure of two Russian compounds and the expulsion of 35 diplomats in response to Russian interference in the 2016 election and in March 2018, Trump expelled 12 Russian intelligence officers from Russian Mission to the United Nations in New York pursuant to the UN Headquarters Agreement, for abusing their privilege of residence," The White House said.

The belief of Election Meddling was so strongly held, although not admitted, within the Trump Administration that the president continued to elevate securities during recent state campaigns.

"In 2017, the Trump Administration established the Election Infrastructure Government and Sector Coordinating Councils to increase coordination among government and private sector providers of voting and registration systems. During the 2017 elections, the Trump Administration provided onsite cybersecurity support to States, which have the responsibility to ensure that their electoral infrastructure is secure, and will continue to provide this assistance in 2018."

The Administration's unprecedented sanctions clearly show the expectation of the U.S.S.R. is, unlike bordering nations and weaker EU states, not a ground advance. While the diplomats were guests in America they posed no actual physical threat.

The next move on the United States by Russia will come in the form of cyberattacks. Dismantling air flight grids, which they have boasted is possible, hacks into national utility grids, is a second wave escalation.

The first Russian cyber wave is simply a test to determine if it is possible, which they have done, and secondly how dedicated are American citizens to the principles of the nation.

Chances are not very, as cyber runners carry purchase orders of Russian businesses who have purchased Search Engine Optimization packages for implanting in American website. The standard fee coders receive, $1500.00 per link, is nominal to what the European middle men are receiving for gathering Russian businesses and individuals who are seeking access and gaining it illegally.

This is the first wave and it has been extremely successful.

Responding To Russian Aggression

Beginning with an unprecedented move in modern history, Putin has continued to gradually increase his actions which directly undermine the sovereignty and security of the United States and our allies.

The most recent chemical weapon attack, an attempted assassination of a Russian Double Agent on British soil is considered an act of aggression against the United Kingdom and British people and was met by a global response which resulted in a coordinated 20 nation response, 18 European Union States, the United States and Canada, expelled Russian Diplomats, and closed consulates. It was the strongest action to date and labeled by scholars as a return or reentry to the Cold War era.


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Putin in order to silence the voices of dissent, or those whom he once held in esteem or confided in his long term plans, has been methodically having them killed. Russia launched a cyber-attack against Estonia in 2007; invaded Georgia in 2008 and Ukraine in 2014; Annexed Crimea in 2014; and supported a coup attempt in Montenegro in 2016.

Countering Russian Aggression

"The President is strengthening our alliances and standing up to Russia's malign influence across the globe. The Trump Administration released a new National Security Strategy that makes clear that Russia is undertaking actions that threaten the security of the United States and our allies, and outlines steps to stop Russia's malign interference," The White House announced.

UK/Russian Nerve Agent Investigation Continues

In the weeks since the brazen daytime assassination attempt on former Cold War Soviet Spy/Double Agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia, currently living in Salisbury, England, turned more sinister with the discovery the pair were poisoned by Russian developed chemical weapons.

As the investigation progressed, unequivocal evidence determine the nerve agent Novichok developed by the Russian scientists over a period of twenty years, from 1971 to 1993 covering three separate Russian Administration including Leonid Brezhnev, who served from October 1964 to November 1982, Mikhail Gorbachev who served from 1985 to 1991, Boris Yeltsin, who became the First President of a unified Russia, which dissolved the Soviet Union, served from 1991 to 1999, was the nerve agent used against the pair and inadvertently affected another 39 residents of the United Kingdom.

After the scientific testing produced the necessary data to both approach the G7, presenting the evidence and moving to strike back phase determining the best and most effective course of action which would send an unfiltered message to the Russians.

The deadlines didn't work and finally Allies of the U.K. including the United States, Canada and the European Union nations stood in solidarity expelling diplomats.

Reports that anti-terror agents had found a Novichok producing laboratory in the U.K. which was then announced through social media and picked up by local newspapers proved to be false. The release of limited information, in this case didn't harm any ongoing investigation, although it created a media feeding frenzy.

The probability that Putin sanctioned a Novichok producing laboratory in the United Kingdom, anywhere, is the plot of disaster film artists. More than likely, and while small amounts may still be in a safe house or at some undisclosed location, the attempted assassination should have been a quick hit, move in, lace the door handle, and leave.

As it is Putin has alienated himself again from the allies, ruined his chances of reinstated to the G7, and has essentially returned his nation to the days of the Cold War, and with that the full employment of the entire advanced military technological arsenal from each of the nation's standing with the United Kingdom.

National Guard at Borders

President Trump has sent out request to border states to move members of the National Guard into position along the Southern border regions of these states as the amount of illegals entering the United States has continued to rise.

Border Control agents, who target the most trafficked pathways, have been effective in the pockets they patrol. Unfortunately with 2300 miles of open border to police the agents, even with the sophisticated military equipment available, are limited.

Even as California has made the determination to review the President's proposal, "we'll continue moving forward with the other border states. We're working with states' governors right now to go through this process, and we hope to have National Guard on the ground as soon as possible. The President thinks that's a good first step, to have 2,000 to 4,000. And if we determine that we need more, we'll make that decision at the time.And we're going to continue to work with California, and we're hopeful that they'll do the right thing and help protect our borders," White House Press Secretary Sanders said.

Syria Release Chemical Weapons

Syrian President Bashar al- Assad, has reportedly orchestrated a devastating chemical weapons attack on his own people living outside the capital of Damascus killing dozens as shocking photos are circulating of children dead from apparent suffocation.

"Rescue workers in Syria reported finding at least 42 people dead in their homes from apparent suffocation, and antigovernment activists circulated videos of lifeless men, women and children sprawled out on floors and in stairwells, many with white foam coming from their mouths and nostrils," reported the New York Times.

The continued resolve of the leaders in the rebel held enclave of Douma outside the capital of Damascus, appeared to be broken as they agreed to leave the area and hand over the bombed out, destroyed, utility deprived neighborhood to Syrian leader al-Assad.

Al-Assad has made these promises to rebels in the past and has gone to great lengths to cover his genuine intent, even as far as having the buses fully loaded, and begin to move out, when they were bombed killing all on board. His past actions have proven his word is not to be trusted.

Putin Pictured with al-Assad and Iran's President Hassan Rouhani

Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani have been photographed with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in what appears to be a tri-lateral pact to end the seven year civil war through the use of force, beat down, merciless bombing and death to all remaining Syrians if needed.

Russia's continued involvement with Syrian President Bashar al Assad was also added to the list of sanctions as Putin has continued to elevate himself as director of the campaign to subdue and destroy rebel held areas of Syria subjecting the innocent people of Syria, women, children, to depravation tactics and continued, merciless and unprecedented bombing raids. Putin has continued to sell weapons to Syria.

For more information on President Donald Trump: www.whitehouse.gov

Sources: Whitehouse.gov, Wikipedia.com