In a 411-10 vote, the House of Representatives issued a statement “strongly condemning” Russian President Vladimir Putin for assorted slights both real and perceived.
The bill includes a bizarre litany of complaints, starting with President Obama’s announced “reset” of Russian relations in 2009 and then accusing Russia of doing things in response, including things that happened in 2008 or before like the Russo-Georgian War.
It also complains that the Ukrainian military isn’t as big as Russia’s military, which seems like the obvious result of Russia being a way, way bigger country.
The most bizarre aspect of the bill, however, comes near the end, when they complain about Russia’s state-sponsored media broadcasting in languages other than Russian across Europe and the rest of the world to gain influence.
Which Russian state-sponsored media does, but the bill then explicitly turns around and calls for the US state-sponsored media to expand dramatically across Europe, and particularly in Russian language, insisting this is vital for “multi-lateral cooperation.”
The bill also demands Russia “seek a mutually beneficial relationship with the United States” in clause 21, after half of the 20 previous clauses call on President Obama or others to take explicitly hostile action toward the Russian economy or military.
"In a 411-10 vote"…
reading what are most likely majority progressive(?) left comments – so many hostile to Putin & the Salon article – explains that vote –
Salon – Patrick L. Smith – New York Times propagandists exposed: Finally, the truth about Ukraine and Putin emerges
NATO was the aggressor and got Ukraine wrong. Many months later, the media has eventually figured out the truth http://www.salon.com/2014/12/04/new_york_times_pr…
Our Empire must be stuck in freefall, irreversibly stuck in downfall mode as it makes contradictory demands impossible to comply with that can only cause greater misery for itself.
This is a joke, right?
The largest prison state in human history, as documented by the ACLU in their US prison crisis report, calling Russia authoritarian? When was the last time Russia waged a war of agression? How many countries is the US empire waging war in now?
And what was Putin's answer?
''Piss off, Yankee pigs!''
Good grief. What morons sponsored this idiocy? 95% of the house are a bunch of neocon puppets, how pathetic is that? What hope is there?
There is really ONLY one hope, and that is to have states assert their constitutional right and assert rights over commerce. So, all the stupid sanctions that are just creating a tangled web of neocon morass will be removed, and trade resumed with all. The states can also demand that their representatives in Congress and Senate represent only the interests of the citizens of state, as expressed through state institutions — not the interests of parties. There are many other goodies in the Constitution that States can tap into to rearrange financial relationships, ease burdens of own citizens, and make feds pay for many services that they get on their soil, while not paying taxes. The way must be found to eliminate the stranglehold of neocons over federal government.
I haven't heard about any governor's intention of taking advantage of their options. Too disruptive. People just want to get along.
It's sadly true that many people, including many in state legislatures, believe the controlled mass media narrative about Russia, which is almost uniformly negative. My Repub. Rep. voted for this bill, and votes "yes" to every pro-Israel or pro-war piece of legislation that comes his way, yet he was re-elected in November by 75% of those who voted.
Federal largesse – primarily money – to the states is also a consideration. Most states would be in dire straits without federal money coming in.
This is a joke
Nope, it's for real. Institutional hypocrisy is now a US "core value." https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/hous…
When wasn't it?
Why don't they just pass a resolution declaring Russia to be a US colony and demand all Russians to commit mass suicide. Next week they can pass the same resolution for Iran, Cuba, Venezuela, and anybody else "we" don't like.
Would be nice to know which ten of our Representatives don't have their nose up Israel's butt.
At 72 ,I won't live to see America's renewal, but I bet I live long enough to get to see the Mighty Crash – that won't be long in coming.
Richard, here's the roll call. The ten are down under the 'nays' and also the 'no votes' below them.
FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 548 http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2014/roll548.xml
This is a government that spies on it's own citizens in violation of it's own Constitution, engages in torture in violation of it's own laws, military law and international law, strangles to death minorities for selling untaxed cigarettes, pepper sprays dissidents in the face who are just standing there and already in police custody, is arming their police departments with weapons of war, lies to it's citizens about everything, feeds it's citizens endless war propaganda, …………..and they got that balls, the chutzpah to point a finger at any other country and call them authoritarian? Are you kidding me?
Russia's "crime" is that the USA can not control it. It is a threat to US-Zionist global hegemony. Go Russia, GO!
Putin…"FCUK YEAH"
Yet, these same lunatic House of Reps say absolutely nothing about the Saudi Regime??? Or Israel's massive slaughter of innocents in Gaza last Summer. All I can say is here come the NEO-CONS again.