The US State Department has admitted in its statement on the US closing the Russian Consulate in San Francisco that the move comes amid a “downward spiral in our relationship.” This is an unusual admission that relations are both at an all-time low, and continuing to worsen at a rapid pace.
While the latest hostile US move comes with some lip-service about the US hoping to “improve relations,” this doesn’t seem sincere expectation. Rather, the State Department’s comments seem more interested in trying to shift the blame.
The State Department credited itself for only closing one consulate and two annexes, saying they “have chosen to allow the Russian government to maintain some of its annexes” to try to keep the situation getting worse.
One official was quoted as saying that “it is our hope that the Russians will recognize that they were the ones who started the discussion” on facility closures, citing the recent US loss of a warehouse in Moscow and a vacation house.
Absent in all official US comments were the December 2016 US moves to expel Russian diplomats and seize two vacation houses. While Russia couched their closures as retaliation for that, US officials are choosing to ignore December and present today’s moves as retaliation for Russia’s closures.
The comments about hoping for better relations don’t appear realistic, as the closure of a consulate is a major step forward in escalation of tensions, and will almost certain oblige Russia to take further moves. These tit-for-tat measures show no sign of ending any time soon. The best we can hope is that it doesn’t further escalate.
It’s the US that is on a war path.
Translation: Russia must accept US hegemony, disarm and self destruct. Then the DC political class will have friendly relations with the Russian Federation.
“were the December 2016 US moves to expel Russian diplomats”
Washington still able to restart “history” when it wants and the mainstream media go along with it. Until Americans stop forgetting what happens. this will continue to happen.
Most Americans are idiots.
How we could be anything but idiots when we have been force fed propaganda against Russia for almost a 100 years .A lot of this was not true especially the last 20 years
I blame the assholes in my own government. FOOLS!!!!!!!!
This is a classic move by the US when it is losing a battle(s). Ukraine, Syria, Iraq, Yemen not going the way the US wants so, take it out on Russia. Sore losers. The chickens will come home to roost. I’m surprised they havent blamed Russia for using there Upper Troposphere Weather nuke which created Hurrican harvey. Idiots.
America breaks things, it’s up to others to fix them to our satisfaction.
Anyone with a lick of sense should see that it’s the U.S. escalating tensions and not Russia. All because Hillary won’t accept the blame for being the biggest political loser in American history.
it doesn’t take a lot of brains or a fortune teller to see where all this is going….
The stupid, crazy Americans must realize that they have a common interest in not blowing it all up.