THE MEETING. Seems to have gone well; press conference. (Eng) (Rus). Two good ones: Putin daring Mueller to bring his accusations to Moscow and prove them and Trump answering another question on Russian interference by asking where the DNC server was. Meltdowns all round: "treason" says Brennan; let's have a coup says some Dem apparatchik. The chattering class is driving itself crazy over its unexpected loss of power. I am impressed that Trump made the move: he has evidently decided that the neocon/humanitarian bomber alliance Obama created is on its way out. More to come.
BROWDER. Another good one – verrrrry interesting. BTW, those of you who still think Browder is a credible witness might spend some time on his 2015 deposition; very poor memory. Part I here.
HISTORY. A VtsIOM poll shows 43% have a positive and 22% a negative attitude towards Nikolay II. One should understand that, unlike some other countries with difficult histories, Russians see whole: they've stopped tearing down statues (although they are adding and restoring plenty). The Lügenpresse only notices Stalin, but they're all there.
US TREASURY BONDS. Moscow got rid of more in May.
KERCH BRIDGE. According to the government head, the Kerch bridge (the road part is operating) has increased the flow of tourists to Crimea by a third. (VOA get quotes from the usual people so it can claim Crimeans are "divided" on the bridge.) Russia is well aware of threats and is ready.
WORLD CUP. I expected it would be done well but not be "the best ever" as the FIFA head calls it. The British video is nearly 500K views. (Fools say they were paid!) “Everything they told us about this place was a lie”. Yes it was. And they knew it was a lie. And I think many people now realise that that everything means everything.
RESPECT AND TRUST that Russia is earning in the Middle East is incalculable; watch this.
NATO TRUMPED. Well, it was the question, wasn't it? If you say Russia is the enemy (and Merkel just did), then why are you buying gas from it? If you think it's a reliable supplier, then why are you calling it an enemy? And, if you really think Russia's an threat, why do you spend so little on your defence?
CUTTING THE GORDIAN KNOT. I wrote a piece six months ago suggesting that Trump was purposely stomping around the place slashing family portraits and smashing the china to get others to kick Uncle Sam out of the guest bedroom. That was how to "make America great again". He's moving. NATO, Russia and now direct talks with Taliban.
AMERICA-HYSTERICA. A staged attack I think: first the indictment, then the questions at the press conference designed to stoke the outrage even higher. Two exhibits: the NYT cartoon of a love affair (remember when the NYT at least affected a certain decorum?) and traitor Trump shooting Uncle Sam. But, as Trump asked, where are the DNC servers? I stopped my Putin Derangement Syndrome series because I thought it couldn't get worse; but it has. A whole section of the Kommentariat has gone insane. Who knows what will happen next? They're expecting the Dems to do well in November and impeach Trump, but I'll bet they'll be disappointed. What then? Mass suicides? It's time for Trump to go on the offensive and un-redact the document so we can find out which "private contractors" had access to "raw FISA information". (And why is McFaul nervous?).
CLINTON E-MAILS. China had them all and the FBI/DOJ covered it up. (Another source). I suspect everybody who could got them – probably the biggest leak in US history: the foreign minister's communications for four years. A lot of things to distract attention from. Turn up the volume on Russia.
TRUMPUTIN DERANGEMENT SYNDROME. Today's winner: "Will Trump Be Meeting With His Counterpart — Or His Handler? "A case like this presents an easy temptation for conspiracy theorists" says the author, but assures he's not one because his theory originates inside the government. Which would make it a conspiracy, not a theory. (In the real USA, BTW, Russia hardly registers as a concern.)
PROBLEMS WITH THE NARRATIVE. "'No Nerve Agents' In Douma: OPCW Report Demolishes White House Sarin Narrative". So the OPCW has honest people. Lügenpresse does its best though.
UKRAINE. Poroshenko speaks to an empty room at NATO. Another sign people are losing interest in the never-changing story.
HISTORY. Gramps wasn't a hero bravely fighting Stalin; he was a Jew-murdering nazi wannabe. Lots of stories like that but most grandchildren accept the story and don't look further.
© Patrick Armstrong Analysis, Canada Russia Observer
