.
8/6/2017, “Playing Politics with the World’s Future,” Alastair Crooke, Consortium News
“The strategy of neutering President Trump in his dealings with Russia – and his administration’s own ignorance about complex Mideast issues – are combining to create grave dangers, writes ex-British diplomat Alastair Crooke.”
“Finally…the U.S. Congress has produced a piece of legislation, [“The Countering America’s Adversaries through Sanctions Act,”also known as “The Russia Sanctions Review Act of 2017″]. And it passed
with quasi-unanimous, bi-partisan support. [98-2 in Senate, 419-3 in the House].
Only its substance is not so much a deep reflection on the foreign policy interests of America, but rather, the desire to hurt and
incapacitate the U.S. President in any future dealings with Russia.
(And never mind the worrying impulse towards conflict with Russia this entails, or its collateral damage on others)….
This aim simply has overpowered any other considerations – such as likelihood that the outside world will conclude that America’s ability to pursue or even to have a foreign policy is non-existent.…
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev wrote in response:
“The signing of new sanctions against Russia into law by the U.S. president leads to several consequences.
First, any hope of improving our relations with the new U.S. administration is over.
Second, the U.S. just declared a full-scale trade war on Russia. Third,
the Trump administration demonstrated it is utterly powerless,
and in the most humiliating manner,
transferred executive powers to Congress.…
The American establishment completely outplayed Trump.”…
[Image: Medvedev and Obama agree to cut nuclear arsenals, March 2010, AP]
The key new provision in law is dubbed
The Russia Sanctions Review Act of 2017 [part of “Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act.“]
It codifies into law past sanctions on Russia imposed by previous Administrations,
and prohibits the President from lifting any existing sanction against Russia
without the prior permission of Congress.
The law states that the process of securing such consent requires that the President send to Congress a (prior) report stating and arguing the presumed benefit that would accrue to the U.S. through the lifting of any sanction. The Congress then may institute hearings on the President’s report, and on the merit of his argument about the potential quid pro quo – justifying his proposed action. In the light of these hearings, Congress may then consider a resolution of approval or disapproval (within 30 days of receiving the President’s statement).
The influential Lawfare site points out, however, that “the provision is drafted
quite broadly to cover actions that have any ameliorative effect
despite falling short of formally lifting sanctions. For example,
congressional review is required for a waiver, “a licensing action that
significantly alters
with regard to the Russian Federation,”
and any action which would allow Russia to regain access to properties in Maryland and New York” (Emphasis added).
In short, Congress gave itself a 30-day review period to vote down any changes Trump tries to make in terms of America’s foreign relations with Russia.
Offending Europe
These are the teeth, but the Act has other little flourishes: The legislation targets the Russian energy sector,
companies involved in developing Russian oil pipelines.
It “would almost surely affect a controversial pipeline project between Russia and Germany known as Nord Stream 2 which is owned by Gazprom but includes financial stakes from European companies. The project aims to carry Russian natural gas under the Baltic Sea, bypassing countries like Ukraine, Poland and the Baltic States,” as the New York Times reports.”…[“EU is uneasy, and divided about US sanctions on Russia,” 7/25/2017]
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Ed. note: Image above of Medvedev and Obama was added by Susan. It didn’t appear in Mr. Crooke’s article.
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Comment: Re: “On July 28, [2017] Congress passed the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act.”
“Adversaries?” Only the US attempted to overthrow 57 governments between WWII and 2014:
“The Deep State…considers global conflict as the
price to pay for maintaining its largesse from the US taxpayer.
Continuous warfare is its only business product.”...
(parag. 4)…11/7/2019, “Deep State on the National Security Council: Colonel Vindman Is an ‘Expert’ With an Agenda,” Strategic Culture, Philip Giraldi
Above image: US Grim Reaper, “State Dept’s Mission: Coup d’etat,” Technocratic Tyranny.
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Added:
WWII to 2014, “Overthrowing other people’s governments: The Master List,“ By William Blum
57 “Instances of the United States overthrowing, or attempting to overthrow, a foreign government since the Second World War. (* indicates successful ouster of a government)”
- China 1949 to early 1960s
- Albania 1949-53
- East Germany 1950s
- Iran 1953 *
- Guatemala 1954 *
- Costa Rica mid-1950s
- Syria 1956-7
- Egypt 1957
- Indonesia 1957-8
- British Guiana 1953-64 *
- Iraq 1963 *
- North Vietnam 1945-73
- Cambodia 1955-70 *
- Laos 1958 *, 1959 *, 1960 *
- Ecuador 1960-63 *
- Congo 1960 *
- France 1965
- Brazil 1962-64 *
- Dominican Republic 1963 *
- Cuba 1959 to present
- Bolivia 1964 *
- Indonesia 1965 *
- Ghana 1966 *
- Chile 1964-73 *
- Greece 1967 *
- Costa Rica 1970-71
- Bolivia 1971 *
- Australia 1973-75 *
- Angola 1975, 1980s
- Zaire 1975
- Portugal 1974-76 *
- Jamaica 1976-80 *
- Seychelles 1979-81
- Chad 1981-82 *
- Grenada 1983 *
- South Yemen 1982-84
- Suriname 1982-84
- Fiji 1987 *
- Libya 1980s
- Nicaragua 1981-90 *
- Panama 1989 *
- Bulgaria 1990 *
- Albania 1991 *
- Iraq 1991
- Afghanistan 1980s *
- Somalia 1993
- Yugoslavia 1999-2000 *
- Ecuador 2000 *
- Afghanistan 2001 *
- Venezuela 2002 *
- Iraq 2003 *
- Haiti 2004 *
- Somalia 2007 to present
- Honduras 2009 *
- Libya 2011 *
- Syria 2012
- Ukraine 2014 *
Q: Why will there never be a coup d’état in Washington?
A: Because there’s no American embassy there.”
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“Map of US Military and CIA Interventions since WWII [to 2010],” William Blum
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7/31/2019, “Whatever the sympathy we may have for the people of the United States,
their country is still the main predator of humanity.
We can in no circumstance claim to share their “values.””…Manlio Dinucci
Above image: US Grim Reaper, “State Dept’s Mission: Coup d’etat,” Technocratic Tyranny.
Wondering: How is an “American Adversary” defined? Does Congress vote
on the definition? Does congress compute the harm done to millions of
innocent families and children via their “sanctions?” No one should be able to do this. This exemplifies why the US must be broken up into at least 3 separate countries.
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