U.S. National Intelligence Director Says Russia Is Paranoid, Aggressive

[uhnope]

Source: Moscow Times

Russia is “paranoid” about NATO and is likely to continue “aggressive” actions this year to support its claim to great power status, U.S. National Intelligence Director James Clapper said in Senate testimony Tuesday. In a report on “Worldwide Threat Assessment” that Clapper presented to the Senate, Russia topped a list of “leading threat actors,” followed by China, Iran and North Korea.

“Russia is assuming a more assertive cyber posture based on its willingness to target critical infrastructure systems and conduct espionage operations even when detected and under increased public scrutiny,” Clapper said in the report.

“Russian cyber operations are likely to target U.S. interests to support several strategic objectives: intelligence gathering to support Russian decision-making in the Ukraine and Syrian crises, influence operations to support military and political objectives, and continuing preparation of the cyber environment for future contingencies.”
...
“I think the Russians fundamentally are paranoid about — about NATO,” Clapped testified in the Senate. “They are greatly concerned about being contained. And, of course, very, very concerned about missile defense, which would serve to neuter what is the essence of their claim to great power status — which is their nuclear arsenal.”

Read more: http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/us-national-intelligence-director-says-russia-is-paranoid-aggressive/559181.html

[TwilightGardener]

1. Has James Clapper--or anyone in DoD--answered for the intelligence-manipulation

scandal that was aired last summer? Clapper was calling CentCom's head of intelligence literally every day. Why?

[uhnope]

6. Yes he has. & this is relevant to Russia paranoia & aggression how?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jul/01/james-clapper-apology-congress-erroneous-response

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jul/02/james-clapper-senate-erroneous

http://thehill.com/blogs/defcon-hill/policy-and-strategy/305031-rep-amash-calls-for-dni-clapper-to-resign

[TwilightGardener]

10. Well, none of your links show that. I haven't heard anything more

about the big CentCom ISIS-intel scandal that he supposedly played a role in. Russia is paranoid and aggressive, I agree with that. But I am not a fan of Clapper.

[bemildred]

2. Clapper, Clapper, he was involved in the Snowden fiasco, wasn't he? nt

[AgingAmerican]

3. AKA right wing

[uhnope]

17. wait what?

The Obama admin is RW now?

[Punx]

4. If Russia was doing in Mexico

What we have been doing in the Ukraine, this country would be way past Paranoid. But do you hear this from the MSM?

[sulphurdunn]

5. Russia would be foolish

not to be paranoid of NATO, especially since it engineered the overthrow of the elected government of Ukraine and continues its eastward expansion into the former Soviet Union.

[uhnope]

7. This conspiracy theory about the change of government in Ukraine has been thoroughly debunked

countless times on DU and the real world. Welcome to it

[sulphurdunn]

8. Nonsense. Nothing has been "thoroughly debunked"

about the overthrow of the Ukrainian government except the canard that it wasn't engineered by the west. Anyone who has paid any attention to the expansion of NATO since the end of the Cold War knows that. Do your homework, then talk about the real world.

[uhnope]

9. lol. The Kremlin will have you believing that space aliens & Bigfoot occupy the White House

your "homework" obvious involves RT, TASS, Pravda, right?

[sulphurdunn]

12. Insults rather than arguments

are a pretty good indication one cannot back up his claims with evidence. Put up or...well, you know.

[uhnope]

14. sorry if you think that was insulting.

Seeing this CT over and over gets to me.

However, in terms of putting up: that's what I asked you to do, albeit indirectly.

Not only has the canard of some secret, orchestrated plot behind the events in Ukraine been thoroughly debunked, it originated in RT (that is, it's Kremlin BS).

Here are some links for you
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1017&pid=240267

This explains it in detail

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/17/crimea-crisis-russia-propaganda-media

2. Rebrand the revolution
Putin, for whom recent events in Kiev have been not only unfavorable but a threat, wants to rebrand history in such a way that it protects him. To that end, a constant theme spouting from Russian sources has been the Ukrainian revolution’s alliance with “fascists” – a vague word that’s become a catchall for anti-Semites, terrorists, insurgents, anarchists and thugs.

5. Follow your script
By spreading talk of fascists, of gangs of unknown armed men, of coups and self-determination and persecution – while sending armed men into Ukraine, egging on real and staged protests, bribing politicians and blocking the media – the Kremlin is enacting and realizing its propaganda on the ground. The Ukrainian government and military has shown remarkable restraint in not falling for the ploy, but Putin appears prepared to increase the pressure, especially as protester clashes grow more violent.

[Bernin]

16. So you're saying

I dreamed that whole $5 billion and "Fuck the EU!" phone call?!

Gotta bridge to sell you.

[uhnope]

22. overpaid

[sulphurdunn]

18. OK, thanks for the links.

I've read them. Here are some for you to read and consider on the coup in Ukraine and on NATO expansion. By the way, I don't read Russian newspapers. I think this is a better way to have a disagreement.

https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/russia-fsu/2014-08-18/why-ukraine-crisis-west-s-fault

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-18010123 (This is an interesting timeline. You will notice that in November 2013 the first mass demonstrations in Ukranian history seem to come out of nowhere, not unlike they do in tradition overthrows of elected governments through the manipulation of the CIA). http://www.mercenary-wars.net/cia/

http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2015/02/evidence-connection-ukrainian-coup-crimeas-breakaway.html

https://consortiumnews.com/2015/01/06/nyt-still-pretends-no-coup-in-ukraine/

http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/nato-s-eastward-expansion-did-the-west-break-its-promise-to-moscow-a-663315.html

https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/united-states/2014-10-29/put-it-writing

[uhnope]

20. it wasn't even a "coup".

you should avoid linking to Consortium News or Eric Zuesse (Washingtonsblog) if you want to be taken seriously. The opinion pieces are Mearsheimer are just that--the POV of a rather obvious apologist.

The general articles about US-Russia relations are fine but they don't change the facts of the retreat of Yanukovych to Russia (You do know that's where he lives now, don't you?) as his puppet gov't collapsed around him in classic Soviet/Russia style. The change of gov't in Ukraine should be hailed by progressives like you as a victory for people power.

[Bernin]

21. Ukrainians are not so impressed.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/187931/ukrainians-disillusioned-leadership.aspx

[sulphurdunn]

23. You may also rest assured there will be no

armed overthrow of this government no matter how unpopular it becomes now that it's on the 'right side.'

[sulphurdunn]

24. Actually, I've never read any criticism

of Consortium News on points of fact, which is more than I can say for the NYT, which by its own admission, is the official voice of the Washington establishment. Where Yanukovych went after his democratically elected government was overthrown is as irrelevant to the argument as is your offhand dismissal of legitimate and accredited sources that do not reinforce your world view. If you wish to be taken seriously you must stop shooting the messenger and aim at the message. To claim that the overthrow of the Ukrainian government was not influenced by Western powers becasue the Wurlitzers of the Times and The Guardian say so is incredibly naive.

[uhnope]

25. so you pretend to be open to facts but then shut down and go Full Parry

Never go Full Parry! I suppose you'll mention Nuland cookies next.

you obviously didn't even read the pieces I sent. The documentation of those events is pretty painstaking--but you just reject it because it was in the NYT. It exists in lots of places, btw.

Go ahead and believe in fantasies. The Russian-backed gov't collapsed under the weight of the Ukrainian people being sick of it being such an obvious puppet of Moscow & blocking any moves to get friendlier with western Europe (you do know that just about all of central and eastern Europe is dying--sometimes literally thanks to Putin--to be a part of the west, don't you?). Gov't snipers fired on protesters who occupied the main square, Yanukovych lost support of his own cronies & security apparatus and he fled to Russia.

Spin it and let spinmeisters spin you til the cows come home--it doesn't change anything, or the arc of history that bends toward freedom and away from fascists like Putin.

[sulphurdunn]

27. OK, but don't blame me becasue I'm unwilling

to be bullied and insulted into conceding your point.

[Downwinder]

11. Good thing we aren't paranoid, aggressive.

Think it is necessary?

Well OK

[840high]

19. right

[Orsino]

13. Kettle Black. n/t

[Bernin]

15. You beat me to it!

[Monk06]

26. Just because your paranoid doesn't mean the US military industrial complex isn't out to get you

Truth is the military hate Reagan for ending the cold war It was their major gig Their whole reason for being Without an agressive Russian they would actually have to go back to defending the country on a modest budget Like it was during the 1930s when Lt George Patton was a supply officer

[daleo]

28. And in return Russia says

"I know you are, but what am I?"