{"id":25663,"date":"2016-12-30T12:19:15","date_gmt":"2016-12-30T20:19:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/?p=25663"},"modified":"2016-12-30T12:19:15","modified_gmt":"2016-12-30T20:19:15","slug":"obama-sanctions-putin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/2016\/12\/30\/obama-sanctions-putin\/","title":{"rendered":"Obama Sanctions Putin"},"content":{"rendered":"

I rarely find myself agreeing with Paul Ryan (R-WI), but when I first learned that Barack Obama was taking steps to punish Putin (R-RU) for trying to influence the the Fuhrer’s electoral-college only win, my reaction was, "It’s about time."  I understand Lyin’ Ryan said the same thing.  However, since his party opposed informing the American propel to begin with, he was probably lying for show, when he said it.<\/font><\/p>\n

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\"1230Trumpputin\"<\/p>\n

President Barack Obama issued on Thursday a series of sanctions against Russia for its role in tampering in the United States presidential election through cyber-attacks that worked to benefit President-elect Donald Trump.<\/p>\n

The executive actions included several elements. The United States closed down two Russian compounds, in Maryland and New York, \u201cused by Russian personnel for intelligence-related purposes,\u201d Obama announced. It also expelled 35 Russian diplomats described as \u201cRussian intelligence operatives\u201d by the president, calling them \u201cpersona non grata\u201d and giving them 72 hours to leave the country. The president also issued sanctions on four top Russian intelligence officials, the Russian spy agencies GRU and the FSB, and \u201cthree companies that provided material support to the GRU\u2019s cyber operations.\u201d The treasury department also issued economic sanctions against two men that were already on the FBI\u2019s most wanted list for their alleged cyber crimes.<\/p>\n

The New York Times reported<\/a> that the sanctions against the intelligence officials were mainly symbolic, as such officials rarely conduct business in the United States or visit the country. Obama also hinted at other retaliatory gestures. \u201cThese actions are not the sum total of our response to Russia\u2019s aggressive activities,\u201d his announcement read. \u201cWe will continue to take a variety of actions at a time and place of our choosing, some of which will not be publicized.\u201d<\/p>\n

The intelligence officials expelled were removed in response to what the administration characterized as a campaign of harassment<\/a> against U.S. diplomats in Russia. \u201cThe harassment has involved arbitrary police stops, physical assault, and the broadcast on State TV of personal details about our personnel that put them at risk,\u201d State Department spokesperson Mark C. Toner said in a statement reported by the Washington Post.<\/p>\n

Vladimir Putin\u2019s government was promising to respond to the sanctions in kind and his embassy in the United Kingdom taunted Obama as a lame duck…<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

From <Slate<\/a>><\/font><\/p>\n

MSNBC had some good coverage of the story.  In the Rachel Maddow Show<\/a>, Ari Melber interviewed David Sanger.<\/font><\/p>\n