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#yiv6314478116 -- filtered {panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}#yiv6314478116 filtered {font-family:Calibri;panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}#yiv6314478116 p.yiv6314478116MsoNormal, #yiv6314478116 li.yiv6314478116MsoNormal, #yiv6314478116 div.yiv6314478116MsoNormal {margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;font-size:11.0pt;}#yiv6314478116 a:link, #yiv6314478116 span.yiv6314478116MsoHyperlink {color:#0563C1;text-decoration:underline;}#yiv6314478116 a:visited, #yiv6314478116 span.yiv6314478116MsoHyperlinkFollowed {color:#954F72;text-decoration:underline;}#yiv6314478116 span.yiv6314478116EmailStyle17 {color:windowtext;}#yiv6314478116 span.yiv6314478116EmailStyle18 {color:#1F497D;}#yiv6314478116 .yiv6314478116MsoChpDefault {font-size:10.0pt;}#yiv6314478116 filtered {margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}#yiv6314478116 div.yiv6314478116WordSection1 {}#yiv6314478116 The Boston GlobeCommentary July 9, 2017 Fariborz S. Fatemi There he goes again, Trump, Putin’s “useful idiot.” After almost five months in office, he goes to Europe and once again, embarrasses himself by his lies and the United States by demeaning his office and security institutions of his country. As one intelligence officer told me, “Only a fool, pretending to be the leader of the U.S., goes abroad, criticizes his nation’s leaders and its institutions.” Trump’s wink, wink that he “strongly pressed Putin” about the Russian interference, helping him win, did exactly what Putin wanted. This allowed Putin to deny collusion and then Trump, the always denier-in-chief, accepting Putin’s words. In the meantime, our Nation’s security community is aghast at the damage being committed to US national security interests by Trump and his acolytes. One said, “how in the world, with their sordid background and records, did Bannon, Miller, Gorka, Watnik, to name a few, get security clearances and jobs in the White House? What secrets are they telling their Russian and Arab friends? There are things that could damage US interests for decades. What a calamity.” What does Putin hold over Trump that has made Trump Putin’s lap dog? Some have reported that Trump, his family and associates are in hock to the Russians, the Saudis, and Gulf States, close to one trillion dollars. Money, money, money. As all this unfolds day by day, the silence from the Republican swamp is deafening. Imagine if these revelations were about Secretary Clinton, the Republican collective hairs would be on fire threatening to burn down the Capitol.
Then there is Pence, (“I knew nothing”) who was in charge of transition when comrade Flynn was placed as national security advisor. Before Pence, there was Christie in charge of transition. What did they know about the Russian connection of all these Trump aides and even Trump himself? If they did not know, was it sheer incompetence or complicity? These questions must be answered as the revelations of Russian interference and collusion with the Trump campaign continue on a daily basis. At the center, Trump, the man who knows nothing, does not know he knows nothing and does not care, continues to behave more and more destructive of every civilized norm, isolating the US from its allies, and making the US the butt of jokes. All the while, endangering democracy as we know it and endangering the national security of the United States. How very sad. A version appeared in the Financial Times