"The Kremlin has rejected the hacking accusations, while the WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has previously said the DNC leaks were not linked to Russia. A second senior official cited by the Washington Post conceded that intelligence agencies did not have specific proof that the Kremlin was “directing” the hackers, who were said to be one step removed from the Russian government.
Craig Murray, the former UK ambassador to Uzbekistan, who is a close associate of Assange, called the CIA claims “bullshit”, adding: “They are absolutely making it up.”
“I know who leaked them,” Murray said. “I’ve met the person who leaked them, and they are certainly not Russian and it’s an insider. It’s a leak, not a hack; the two are different things.
“If what the CIA are saying is true, and the CIA’s statement refers to people who are known to be linked to the Russian state, they would have arrested someone if it was someone inside the United States.
“America has not been shy about arresting whistleblowers and it’s not been shy about extraditing hackers. They plainly have no knowledge whatsoever.” Craig Murray
———–
David Habakkuk brought this article by Craig Murray to our attention.
A couple of things stand out in it for me:
1. Murray says he knows the supposedly American leaker and implies that this person was motivated by disillusion with the Democrats and the Clintons.
2. Murray says the CIA is spreading the idea that the FBI is conspiring to conceal Russian interference in the 2016 elections.
Well, pilgrims, the notion that the FBI is in league with the Russians is so funny as to reduce me to ROTFL. And furthermore, the belief that the IC agencies are apolitical purveyors of truth arrived from God's lips to their ears is also ridiculous. These agencies are headed by political appointees like John Brennan or by rapaciously ambitious civil servants who live by their wits in the jungle worlds of Washington, London, Paris, Berlin, etc.
In fact the struggle within these agencies by competent and conscientious analysts to speak truth to power is endless. This struggle is often against the bosses themselves. Having been an often dissident boss within this system I assure you that the very highest bosses are often quite willing to lie in order to curry favor with the politicians. In a case in which the CIA's top boss, Brennan, will be departing with Obama … Well … pl
https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2016/12/cias-absence-conviction/
How much of this is sour grapes? Is this a question of wanting Hillary so badly as to rile up the Democrats to the point where violence against Trump/Rs is acceptable? Or is it more a question of trying to hamstring his administration before it starts as a way of paying back McConnell and the Rs for what they did to Obama? Do the Dems have dirt on the IC community/CIA or vice versa? It seems like they’re really playing with fire here considering how agitated the population is/was about the election. What is the end game?
Whatever the reasons for these stories, it certainly is doing nothing in terms of rebuilding civic trust amongst the population and amongst the population and our institutions. And the media has much to account for in this regard–particularly since egregiously crossing the Rubicon of outright propaganda in 2003. If there is definitive proof, publicize it. If not, stop this madness.
Col. Lang
I don’t know why folks have their panties in a wad in the claims by Robbie Mook and Brennan and the WaPo editors that the Russians hacked the DNC and Podesta’s emails to swing the election to Trump.
Why should we trust any of these people and the institutions that they run? We know how Tenet’s “slam dunk” turned out on Iraq’s WMD claim. We know that Clapper lied under oath with respect to mass surveillance. We also know that the MSM and the establishment of both parties were in the tank for the Borg Queen during the lead up to election day. We’re supposed to trust Lindsey Graham and McCain on the matter of Russian hacking?
The Democrats instead of self-reflecting on why they rigged their primary to steal the nomination from the candidate that could have won the general election are mired in conspiracy theories. It’s will not help them. They should ask themselves why their supposed sure thing Borg Queen under-performed by millions of votes relative to the Chocolate Messiah. They should be taking seriously the contents of the emails that have not been refuted and cleaning house. Does anyone believe they’ll do that? Do they instead epitomize the Borg party?
Some folks are still predicting that Trump will not be President come January 20…?
It is incredible that there are people who are willing to blow up the building for partisan reasons. These reports, even if they are false, might be enough to derail Trump appointments if they are perceived as being pro-Russian, especially since McCain and Graham will join with the Democrats.
The heart of the new allegations is that the CIA is claiming that the RNC was hacked by the Russians but their emails were not leaked and therefore the Russians worked to have Trump win the election. The RNC communications director vehemently denies that they were hacked, as does the FBI.
Trump can do a lot to defuse tensions with Russia.
1. Release satellite data we have about MH17. I don’t see why this has been withheld.
2. Document the amount of aid we have given anti-Assad rebels to eliminate the ‘we did nothing’ meme.
3. Release dissenting opinion from our Intelligence regarding the Ghouta chemical weapons attack.
4. Educate himself on classified material to strengthen his resolve even he keeps it under his hat (which he should).
The Porkchop Express,
There may be an element of payback-joy in it for any Dem connected operatives who are connected with all this Russia-diddit fake theory and all the downstream MSM fake news flowing from it. But I don’t think “payback for McConnell” is the primary motive.
I think the primary motive is to preserve the OverClass’s narrative and agenda of Cold War 2.0 with Russia and supporting the Globally Organized Axis of Jihad ( the GOAJ) and the Cannibal Liver Eating Jihadis ( the CLEJ). All the Davos/Bilderberg/Bohemian Grovers who own and run the Clintobamacrats and the Country Club-Wall Street Republicans are marshalling all their officeholders to pre-weaken Trump enough that he can’t re-normalize relations with Russia, so that he can’t end support for the GOAJ and the CLEJ, and so that he can’t reject the pending Trade Treason Agreements.
I am also seeing some of the commenters over at Naked Capitalism speculating that the Putin-diddit narrative pushers are trying to prepare the mass social brainscape for a set-aside of Trump’s election to save us from ” the Russian coup” against Clinton and the election.
OT, but ISIS has taken Palmyra… Apparently this attack was very well planned and organized, with little indication of how large an attack this was. Much detail on this at Cassad.
I can see it. And I certainly appreciate the sentiment, and it may be more on target than not. It just seems too fantastically conspiratorial. The simplest explanation that crossed my mind was payback. But there’s always the possibility that whenever those with power or money are embarrassed, they simply cannot take responsibility for fucking up to begin with. A litany of excuses generally come tumbling out to cover for their own inherent or perceived weaknesses. Which are fairly understandable given human nature, and particularly politicos who lack honor or integrity. But, then again, that presupposes the Clintons’/media wielding an inordinate amount of power over our polity, which leads into more circular conspiratorial explanations.
To what end is there a benefit of another Cold War with Russia–with the exception of possibly papering over an impending or realized financial calamity that seems on the horizon (brought on by the same political class, no doubt)? Money for defense contractors, intelligence budgets? That seems like a lot of detrimental effort to the benefit of a small few. Even still, I do not understand the “Russia is an existential evil that must be subjugated at all costs” narrative. The hatred for the Russia borders on weird and for our political class, pathological. The Russians aren’t exactly angels but the inability to drop the Cold War (anti Bolshevik?) irascibility baffles me to no end. If anyone has a theory on the present justification for Western antipathy towards Russia, I’d be happy to hear it. I cannot for the life of me figure it out. Are our leaders so blinded by hubris and so obsessed with global domination that it is necessary that we view Russia as the devil incarnate and not simply a competitive power fighting for its interests?
Mr. Peralta,
I agreed in large part with your comment, but I must say, when I encountered your use of “the Chocolate Messiah” to refer to the POTUS, I switched off completely. I should not need to announce that I am not a “person of color,” but I will. I am a simple color-blind American despite my handle.
Thanks for this info! It has always made more sense that a disgruntled insider was the leaker.
Larry Johnson has a couple of recent posts worth reading…
Unraveling the Russian Hack Conspiracy Propaganda–DOUBLE UPDATE http://www.noquarterusa.net/blog/79458/unraveling-russian-hack-conspiracy-propaganda/
Washington Post Fake News and CIA Spin http://www.noquarterusa.net/blog/79460/washington-post-fake-news-cia-spin/
5000 CLEJs paraded all the way from Mossoul and Idlib in the desert using open top Toyotas, guns blazing, under the watchful eyes of drones, fighter aircraft and many other overhead gear….all the way to Palmyra and took it in 48 hours, but no one saw this coming and no one mowed those bastards with warhogs or other platforms….???
Something is quite fishy and doesn’t add up here….
This story smells of the latest spate of Fake News that seems to afflict us!
What is the chain of command inthat scenario?
Does the oval office get filled by congressional vote/appointment?
Michael Weiss is elated that ISIS is in Palmira: http://www.thedailybeast.com/contributors/michael-weiss.html
His pro-Israel activities have been already noticed: “Pro-Israel neocon hawk Michael Weiss brags, in a new piece in Foreign Affairs Magazine, that he has drafted a blueprint adopted by the Syrian opposition, which includes a call for foreign military intervention:” https://www.richardsilverstein.com/2012/01/12/michael-weiss-pro-israel-neocon-authors-blueprint-for-western-military-intervention-in-syria-approved-by-syrian-ex-pats/
Weiss is a senior editor at The Daily Beast…” “The Beast is owned by IAC/InterActiveCorp of New York City, with Joey Levin serving as its CEO. The website is so “inside,” and not in a complimentary way, that it has Chelsea Clinton on its board of directors. What could be wrong with a web publication tied by family links to the infamous Herbert Hoover and past president “Slick Willy” Clinton and his wife, the coronation-hungry Hillary Rodham Clinton.” http://www.waynemadsenreport.com/articles/20160228/print
It’s a phrase that accurately sums up liberal attitudes toward Obama – his black identity was a panacea for all the issues they alleged faced America.
Re Double Update WAPO quote “The CIA has concluded in a secret assessment that Russia intervened in the 2016 election to help Donald Trump win the presidency, rather than just to undermine confidence in the U.S. electoral system, according to officials briefed on the matter.”
And it would be hard to wager if news media or DNC intervened even more for the same result? All of that free DT media attention with WAPO leading charge against Sen Sanders (see WallStreetOnParade chronicles), and DNC refusing to accept 12 pt margin spread estimates in a Sanders-Trump contest.
Its suspicious they launch a major assault right when loyalist forces are about to break the back of the opposition
Sam,
Nice to see someone else using Chocolate Messiah. Don’t let em language police you.
It does appear that the foundation of the “secret assessment” is the noise that emanated from the MSM and the DNC last summer.
“Murray says the CIA is spreading the idea that the FBI is conspiring to conceal Russian interference in the 2016 elections.”
Stupidity is the gift that keeps on giving. This reminds me of Joe McCarthy trying to snag the Army in his witch hunt. Somebody is going to come out looking very, very bad.
I’m withholding judgement until some sort of official report is issued (and discussed), but that was a REALLY interesting read. The idea that the material was leaked by a disillusioned insider does not sound at all far-fetched. Certainly no more so than the idea that the emails were hacked by Russians (and not necessarily on the gov’t payroll).
Also interesting was the first reader comment by Madeleine Love who suggests that Murray is not without an agenda.
trinlae,
Read Article 2, section 1 of the U.S. constitution about selecting the president. The third paragraph has been changed by the 12th Amendment to the constitution, and the sixth paragraph was changed by the 25th amendment–
https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution-transcript
The 12th, 20th, and 25th amendments apply and can be read here; part of the 12th amendment was changed by section 3 of the 20th amendment–
https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/amendments-11-27#12
How tantalizing that Craig Murray announces he knows who the leaker is. So, without actually revealing the identity of said leaker, presumably to keep him/her alive, the key nugget steps past the question of leak vs. hostile takeover of information, thus assuming the assumption.
I agree that the inside job is more likely than a Russian cybertheft, but absent smoking gun I take this, however attractive idea, with a spoonful of salt. Why would Mr. Murray put himself at risk?
Wag the Dog https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-FXkj-r9Mc
apparently the weather was very bad, with heavy mist.
It cheapens your argument, which I agree with most, when you use the “Chocolate Messiah” language. It is distasteful, to say the least.
Assange suggested the existence of Democrat leaks in his statement right before the election:
“At the same time, we cannot publish what we do not have. To date, we have not received information on Donald Trump’s campaign, or Jill Stein’s campaign, or Gary Johnson’s campaign or any of the other candidates that fufills our stated editorial criteria. As a result of publishing Clinton’s cables and indexing her emails we are seen as domain experts on Clinton archives. So it is natural that Clinton sources come to us.”
https://wikileaks.org/Assange-Statement-on-the-US-Election.html
How about they simply want to dismember Russia, seize its resources/wealth ?
The timing, given Aleppo and the hacking imbroglio, etc is all too perfect.
All true. Plus, like the Obama/birthed meme, now Trump will never really be prez because it was evil Rooskie interference in our sacred election.
Mainly they wish to enrage the unwashed over the next four years to where they bubble over frothing to demand to die in a nuclear Holocaust when bossmen say so.
Anna,
I want Putin and the SA to light them all up!!
The Madsen article about Rubio.,.LMAO. So he’s compromised. It remind me of what happened to McGreevy in NJ.
Tony,
This is whining from someone who is on the end of effective rhetoric and seeks to language police because they don’t have a response.
“The hatred for the Russia borders on weird and for our political class, pathological. The Russians aren’t exactly angels but the inability to drop the Cold War (anti Bolshevik?) irascibility baffles me to no end. If anyone has a theory on the present justification for Western antipathy towards Russia, I’d be happy to hear it. I cannot for the life of me figure it out. Are our leaders so blinded by hubris and so obsessed with global domination that it is necessary that we view Russia as the devil incarnate and not simply a competitive power fighting for its interests?”
The inner court are long time (generational) followers of the political philosophy of Leon Trotsky and want revenge along with global domination.
“Release satellite data we have about MH17. I don’t see why this has been withheld.”
Because it reveals that certain officials in government purposely lied about the event to sway public opinion in favor of intervention.
I came across this after reading a post by the blogger, Emptywheel:
https://www.emptywheel.net/2016/12/10/evidence-prove-russian-hack/
Wikileaks provided a copy of the actual email used to hack Podesta: https://wikileaks.org/podesta-emails/emailid/34899
The Smoking Gun explains how the hack worked. A phishing e-mail (supposed to be from Google) warned that, “Someone has your password.” The alert says that a sign-in attempt from an IP address in Ukraine was thwarted and that, “You should change your password immediately” and provided a “CHANGE PASSWORD” box to be clicked.
Similar messages were sent to the Gmail accounts of other Clinton campaign officials around the same time. Prominent Republicans and GOP groups were also targeted, as were George Soros’s Open Society Foundation and Philip Breedlove:
http://thesmokinggun.com/documents/investigation/tracking-russian-hackers-638295
It looks like the emails were hacked, not leaked, although who did the hacking is not definite, IMO, anyway.
Good for Trump. Long past time some one waved the BS flag at the PDB. This is especially true of stuff that comes out of the CIA alone.
Take a look at declassified PDBs from decades ago. From books on the PDB the most common comment from readers is “I get the same thing from unclassified media”.
The good news is that every President gets the PDB “his way”. I suspect that Trump will use a “gate keeper” (Flynn? CoS?) to screen the daily PDB to see if there is anything that POTUS needs to know. If there is, he will set up a face to face briefing with the analysts that wrote the articles(s) of interest. The gate keeper may also task topics to agencies.
Also look at the historical PDBs and see how much they got right and how much they got wrong. Assessments (what is happening) at best are educated guesses. Projections (what is going to happen)is akin to fortune telling; and although it is the most important intelligence possible to decision makers, it is also more often wrong. It is also the most controversial as senior diplomats and general officers are often more proficient in these subject areas than kids out of collage playing instant expert analyst.
I cannot wait to see what NSA has to say (if anything) about Russian hacking in this case? They have been the gold standard on all things cyber as reported in the news. The fact that the other agencies did not sign off on the CIA findings is a huge “red flag”. The real “meat” of intelligence reports to professionals is the foot notes where others disagree with the findings and why (see declassified NIEs, the most coordinated report around, sometimes there were more foot notes than text).
I say bring on the hearings. I cannot wait to see what passes as “evidence” at CIA.
Vic
“I am a simple color-blind American despite my handle.” A virtue signaler all the same.
The Chocolate Messiah is being labeled as such as the “community organizer” used race and all that “Hope & Changey” rhetoric during his campaign. Not that it did much good for the hood in Chicago!! Maybe your memory is short of the 2008 campaign. Do you recall what Slick Willie said during that campaign?
“the notion that the FBI is in league with the Russians is so funny ”
If I am reading you correctly, you are saying that all of the intelligence agencies are influenced by politics. In this case, you seem to be saying that the FBI is uniquely not so influenced. (I am assuming that the FBI is in league is bit of hyperbole, that the FBI is really just differing in opinion.) Is there something special about the FBI which insulates them?
Steve
“theory Western antipathy towards Russia”:
(1) Poles seem to hate Russians ancestrally. Zbiggie seems bent on stomping Russia into the turf. Aleksander Kwaśniewski co-director of oil company Burisma with Devon Archer and Hunter Biden was President of Poland, I surmise works with Right Sektor hired by Kolomoisky to run ethnic cleansing in Donbass as land grab. Poland wants Russia wiped out by NATO.
(2) Russian Jews still seem to hate Russia viscerally for past pogroms. I propose Kagen and Nuland fall in this category.
I am just an analog layperson, so perhaps a digital master can correct me on this. I have always thought that phishing is just a form of social engineering. It isn’t breaking into anything. It is just letting the fool on the receiving end of the phishmail trick hermself into biting the hook ( opening the link and responding).
Whereas a hack is an actual break-in to somebody’s system or computer from somebody else on another system or computer . . . without fooling or asking permission from the person who’s computer is being remotely entered.
If John Bolton gets his No 2 spot at the State Dept, surely “who did what to whom, when” will get dealt with! (sarcasm alert!)
All,
Listen the CIA? NO!
https://sofrep.com/67808/three-green-berets-killed-isis-infiltrator-cia-ignored-warnings/
different clue
Phishing’s just step 1. I’m not an expert so I can’t explain how it works, but clicking on that link on a phishing email then allows the hacker to install malware on your device.
Sam Peralta
Thanks. Suspicions confirmed.
Col.,
Well it looks like the FBI has come out in favor of the Russian hacking theory. I’m old enough to have been a “hacker” back when “hacking” meant prodigious acts of programming and “cracking” was what people did who broke into systems. Alas.
What bugs me the most about these claims and theories is that there is very little detail disclosed about how they are identifying the attackers. So far the only report I’ve read that contains some detail is the one commissioned by the German Left party. Someone in the know claims there is a match between that attack and the DNC hack.
So far all of these statements on Russian hackers are basically “trust me, it was The Dukes.” Well, I’m not the trusting type.
Edward,
“Phishing” is an evolving term, but it is a form of social engineering, i.e. getting someone to take action or grant permission so that an exploit can be made, usually by pretending to be a trusted entity. Phishing basically involved moving this approach to mass email. Some criminal gangs have gotten quite sophisticated, warning you not to respond to the email or links, but rather to dial up their call center. If they’re able to compromise your social media presence, they can get all sorts of personal information that helps complete the con.