# White House announces Russian sanctions. **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [December 29, 2016, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-announces-russian-sanctions/775863 "2016-12-29T20:31:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 14
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2017, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-announces-russian-sanctions/775863/261 "2017-01-05T00:14:52Z")
Paul Ryan calls Assange a sycophant for Russia, says Trump doesn’t know what he’s talking about. > [@](#): > > [http://thehill.com/policy/international/312632-paul-ryan-calls-assange-sycophant-for-russia](http://thehill.com/policy/international/312632-paul-ryan-calls-assange-sycophant-for-russia) > > Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) said early Wednesday that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is a “sycophant for Russia.” > > “He leaks, he steals data and compromises national security,” Ryan told conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt. > > Ryan declined to comment on President-elect Donald Trump’s tweets quoting Assange early Wednesday. > > “The last thing I’m going to do is start commenting on every little tweet or Facebook post. That is just not what I do with the president-elect or when he’s president," he said. > > "I think he has not received his Russia briefing yet. I believe that is scheduled for Friday, so hopefully he’ll get to up to speed on what has been happening and what Russia has or has not done. And he’ll be better informed on that.” Sure, Paul. Hold your breath and wait for Trump to get informed and start acting sober. Let us know how that works out for ya. ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2017, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-announces-russian-sanctions/775863/262 "2017-01-05T00:29:31Z")
Buckle your seatbelts. > **[Classified Election Hacking Report Complete, President Obama to Be Briefed](https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/classified-election-hacking-report-complete-president-obama-briefed/story?id=44553895)** > > POTUS and PEOTUS will be briefed on report findings Thursday and Friday. > [@](#): > > The classified report requested by President Barack Obama detailing Russia’s alleged role in cyberattacks during U.S. presidential elections dating back to 2008 is now complete, and he is expected to receive the first briefing on its findings on Thursday afternoon, U.S. officials tell ABC News. > … > Officials familiar with the report say an unclassified version of its findings is not expected to made public until Monday, the same day Congress gets its classified briefing. Although the unclassified version will be far less revealing, pushing the public findings into next week will likely prolong the ugly spat between Trump and Democrats and the intelligence community over who is responsible for the cyberattacks. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2017, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-announces-russian-sanctions/775863/263 "2017-01-05T00:32:27Z")
> [@GrandWino](#): > > You’re embarrassing yourself. No kidding. It’s straight out of Trump’s playbook: gets called on complete nonsense that shows a spectacular misunderstanding of well-known issues, and goes on the attack. I wish I knew if he had a Twitter feed. I’d like to know what he’s saying about me. I bet it is hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2017, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-announces-russian-sanctions/775863/264 "2017-01-05T00:32:39Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > Well, Trump wonders why we have nukes if we don’t use them. Should I be worried? How much does it cost annually to maintain the US nuclear arsenal? $20 billion per year? It’s not unreasonable to ask what it does to justify that cost, as long as you’re willing to concede the point when you get a logical answer. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2017, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-announces-russian-sanctions/775863/265 "2017-01-05T00:49:50Z")
Yes, but the question came from the person who will soon have his finger on the button and it sounds like he might be asking, “Why _not_ use them?” Just the fact that he asked the question scares people. And that’s one of the things he has to realize. Things he say can cause a panic or at least an international incident. About 32 years ago, [Ronald Reagan jokingly said](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_begin_bombing_in_five_minutes) to radio techs during a pre-air sound check, “My fellow Americans, I’m pleased to tell you today that I’ve signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes.” That sort of thing can cause armies to go on high alert. ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2017, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-announces-russian-sanctions/775863/266 "2017-01-05T01:37:41Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Assange is great now, according to Trump and his fans. Don’t look at what Trump and his fans said before. Those statements are now inoperative. Both sides flipped re: hacking and leaks. Liberals loved it when they were exposing Bush and Iraq secrets. When they went after Hillary, now they’re sinister Russian puppets. That Republican quote about Wikileaks doing the job “the MSM won’t” was a strong sentiment in liberal circles back then, especially around the time of that drone double tap video. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2017, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-announces-russian-sanctions/775863/267 "2017-01-05T02:00:24Z")
No, asking the question isn’t ok either. If you’re running for president and you don’t already know why we have nukes you’re not fucking qualified to be president. Is “why shouldn’t I jam a cactus up my ass?” a good question? Well… it’s something that’s good to know, but not already knowing the answer says something about you. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2017, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-announces-russian-sanctions/775863/268 "2017-01-05T03:50:38Z")
> [@](#): > > Vin: Fella I once knew in El Paso, one day he took all his clothes off and jumped in a mess of cactus. I asked him the same question, why? He said it seemed to be a good idea at the time. Steve McQueen’s character in _The Magnificent Seven._ ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2017, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-announces-russian-sanctions/775863/269 "2017-01-05T03:59:14Z")
> [@marshmallow](#): > > Both sides flipped re: hacking and leaks. Liberals loved it when they were exposing Bush and Iraq secrets. When they went after Hillary, now they’re sinister Russian puppets. That Republican quote about Wikileaks doing the job “the MSM won’t” was a strong sentiment in liberal circles back then, especially around the time of that drone double tap video. I don’t recall liberals EVER saying anything like “thank God for Wikileaks!” Do you happen to have a cite showing anything like that enthusiasm for Wikileaks? ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2017, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-announces-russian-sanctions/775863/270 "2017-01-05T07:51:45Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > I don’t recall liberals EVER saying anything like “thank God for Wikileaks!” Do you happen to have a cite showing anything like that enthusiasm for Wikileaks? Before I proceed, are you making a distinction between corporate, establishment, often pro-war liberals versus leftists, progressives, socialists, anti-war/anti-empire dissidents, and so on? If yes, then you’re right, liberals often wanted Assange jailed or killed for exposing American secrets. By “liberal” here I just meant more general opinion on the left. The kind of stuff you’d see on Daily Kos or Huffpo. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2017, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-announces-russian-sanctions/775863/271 "2017-01-05T08:03:05Z")
> [@marshmallow](#): > > Before I proceed, are you making a distinction between corporate, establishment, often pro-war liberals versus leftists, progressives, socialists, anti-war/anti-empire dissidents, and so on? If yes, then you’re right, liberals often wanted Assange jailed or killed for exposing American secrets. By “liberal” here I just meant more general opinion on the left. The kind of stuff you’d see on Daily Kos or Huffpo. Oh, I won’t argue that. Plenty of liberals on Facebook praising whistleblowers and such. I was trying to think of any Democrat politicians expressing the rapturous glee some Republicans are showing. To be fair though, in today’s news I’m seeing other Republicans criticizing that. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2017, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-announces-russian-sanctions/775863/272 "2017-01-05T16:34:07Z")
So, was that the big “Tuesday or Wednesday” announcement from Il Douche? The secret stuff he knows that he was going to tell us, that was it? ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2017, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-announces-russian-sanctions/775863/273 "2017-01-05T16:35:58Z")
It’s amusing to see some liberals holding up the FBI as exemplars of truth and damning the whistleblowers. I happen to think that people like Assange and Snowden are the good guys and the intelligence community is at times totally untrustworthy, especially in political broils ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2017, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-announces-russian-sanctions/775863/274 "2017-01-05T16:43:25Z")
Just for those keeping track, I just listened to the Senate Intel Committee cybersecurity hearing with National Intelligence Director James Clapper, Cyber Command Chief Admiral Mike Rogers, and Defense Undersecretary Marcel Lettre. (Senator Claire McCaskill tried to get Clapper to call Trump a traitor by asking if Trump’s dismissive attitude towards the intelligence community aided our enemies!) The hearing was not specifically about Russia but Russia obviously came up. They said they are 100% confident it was Russia and much more confident today than they were last time they spoke about it in October but didn’t want to talk about it until everyone has the report. They said the report is almost ready. They’ll be giving a classified version to Obama, Trump and Congress and will hold classified meetings with Congress to discuss it at the first of the week. They’ll also be releasing the unclassified version Monday for the public. Clapper said that while they do have to protect some sources, they’re going to push the envelope in favor of openness and make it as informative as possible since this is so important to the public. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2017, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-announces-russian-sanctions/775863/275 "2017-01-05T16:43:27Z")
I think Trump may end up regretting burning the McCain bridge. “Every American should be alarmed by Russia’s attacks on our nation,” the Arizona Republican said in opening remarks at a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, which he chairs. “There is no national security interest more vital to the United States of America than the ability to hold free and fair elections without foreign interference.” > **[Clapper: Trump rhetoric on intel agencies alarming U.S. allies](https://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/russia-hacking-us-response-john-mccain-233218)** > > “I think there’s a difference between skepticism and disparagement,” Director of National Intelligence James Clapper says. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2017, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-announces-russian-sanctions/775863/276 "2017-01-05T16:48:38Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > So, was that the big “Tuesday or Wednesday” announcement from Il Douche? The secret stuff he knows that he was going to tell us, that was it? I can’t believe that turned out to be bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2017, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-announces-russian-sanctions/775863/277 "2017-01-05T16:50:28Z")
Trump tweets he’s “a big fan of intelligence”. I’m sure this is true; Trouble is, he’s a big fan of Russian Intelligence. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2017, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-announces-russian-sanctions/775863/278 "2017-01-05T16:52:14Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > I think Trump may end up regretting burning the McCain bridge. > > “Every American should be alarmed by Russia’s attacks on our nation,” the Arizona Republican said in opening remarks at a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, which he chairs. “There is no national security interest more vital to the United States of America than the ability to hold free and fair elections without foreign interference.” > > [http://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/russia-hacking-us-response-john-mccain-233218](http://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/russia-hacking-us-response-john-mccain-233218) McCain is an old school Republican. Modern Republicans know that the only important thing is The Party. And if it means that you have to collaborate with Russian oligarchs and criminals to get your party elected, it does not matter if you toss your country under the bus. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2017, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-announces-russian-sanctions/775863/279 "2017-01-05T16:55:56Z")
I screwed up my post. I’ll try again. This is not a reply to another post. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2017, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-announces-russian-sanctions/775863/280 "2017-01-05T17:00:40Z")
Seems Trump would like to dial back our spying/intelligence capabilities. Wall Street Journal- is that Lib MSM? > **[Donald Trump Plans Revamp of Top U.S. Spy Agency](https://www.wsj.com/articles/lawmakers-officials-frown-on-donald-trumps-dismissal-of-u-s-intelligence-1483554450)** > > President-elect Donald Trump, a harsh critic of U.S. intelligence agencies, is working with top advisers on a plan that would restructure and pare back the nation’s top spy agency, people familiar with the planning said. “President-elect Donald Trump, a harsh critic of U.S. intelligence agencies, is working with top advisers on a plan that would restructure and pare back the nation’s top spy agency, people familiar with the planning said.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-announces-russian-sanctions/775863.md?page=13) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/white-house-announces-russian-sanctions/775863.md?page=15)