Russia

As noted previously, at some point today the White House is set to unveil new sanction, and other retaliatory "measures" against Russia and specifically the Kremlin, in retaliation for what according to a constantly repetitive narrative has been Russian hacking of the US election. Obama will do so by using a 2015 executive order that would allow the president to freeze the US assets of Russians overseas who have engaged in cyber acts, even though such order only applies to actions that have threatened U.S.

With the Obama administration set to unveil a fresh round of sanctions against Russia as soon as today, allegedly in retaliation for the Kremlin's "hacking" of the US elections, President-elect Trump had a few words of his own what he thinks the best steps for the US are: move on.

“I think we ought to get on with our lives,” Trump told reporters Wednesday night outside of Mar-A-Lago, his Florida resort, also casting doubt on the government's assessment that Russia hacked U.S. political organizations.

Yesterday we reported that, in what was the latest "PR fiasco" for the outgoing Obama administration, Turkey and Russia sat down, and appeared on the edge of hammering out a ceasefire plan for Syria between the two nations - something which the UN has been unable to achieve for years - in a deal which would not include the United States and be distinct from separate intermittent U.N.-brokered negotiations, which have so far failed to end the fighting in the proxy Syria war.

As Washington prepares to unleash new sanctions on Russia, it appears Putin won't take this laying down. If U.S. adopts new sanctions against Russia, govt in Moscow will resort to counter-measures, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova warns in a website statement.

What is Henry Kissinger Up To?

Paul Craig Roberts

The English language Russian news agency, Sputnik, reports that former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger is advising US president-elect Donald Trump how to “bring the United States and Russia closer together to offset China’s military buildup.” https://sputniknews.com/politics/201612271049024500-kissinger-trump-russia/