Unlike the novel we’ve read before, this is really happening. This being, the whole Russian influence on democracy, and freedom globally, the overall subterfuge and scandal emanating from Moscow.

Let’s go back to when the price of oil really fell. The Ukraine, out of nowhere, became a key battleground. About this time, authoritative Middle Eastern governments were being disrupted by citizen’s voice and power, many of which now harbor terrorists and extremists. Such chaos allowed governments to form new alliances. Europe was held ransom by energy pricing. One country took wholesale action to enhance their Olympic chances through doping and cheating. Then they stole a country, Crimea. Since then, it’ been about hacking – hacking other governments to affect their processes or hacking businesses and industries to uncover and disseminate secrets. Stealing wealth, equity, and innovations. It’s also been about leaking, protecting leakers, declassifying dangerous information. And now evidence shows long-term concentrated government-run practice impacting foreign governments elections and embassies filled with intelligence officers. Through it all, Russian mobsters, traffickers, slave-owners, drug cartels and gangs have all increased violent activity and market power.

Bravo, Russia, since the price of oil has dropped, you’ve done everything you can to try and remain powerful and relevant and in doing so, have torn evil edges into our world. And the Russian people are no better for it.

Like a brooding and beaten bully sulking toward the horizon, Russia tries desperately to hold onto last bits of power, cheating everywhere it can. Run by a leader who must have the smallest penis in the world to be so narcissist he can’t see his own people or history. Holding on desperately to an old filthy resource. Russia and its international network of illicit under-lords do the bidding of a newly minted plutocracy, spreading non-democratic and repressive values, bullying, iron-fisting, hating, harming and undermining.

When hackers are government, we are at war. Right now it’s about data but it could soon be about utilities, satellites or nukes. Neither can attack  because the whole thing will come down. A new nuclear race – now we have two.

I feel bad. Russian people are great. Why do they put up with this, this 100-year Depression, a few blips of hope, but generally non growth and exclusion from world affairs. Along with bad demographics, a widening abyss between rich and poor, Russia itself appears to be a tinderbox fueled by corruption and youth hostility. Such great people, why haven’t they run Putin out of town already?

I’m generalizing and stereo-typing here, of course. The point is, the world needs to go after Russia. It’s time to fight the larger battle in world affairs, no more proxy wars.

Who’s putting Russia in its place? Clearly, not my new president. Is Trump in bed with Putin (eww!), we’ll probably never know.

Update: Actually we do know. They are in bed together. The most recent headlines scream it, in fact, evidence showing not only significant victory for Putin, but ownership over the new US President who “has ceded the battle space—physical, virtual, moral—to the Kremlin, weakening U.S. tools for defending its interests and security from the country that defines itself as America’s “primary adversary.”

We’re living in a bad comic book, people. It’s time to face the music on Russia. Why don’t leaders get together and take action in defense of less conflict, attack the origin of crime and horrible governance. The man with the very smallest penis in the world who stands for nothing good must be put in his place.

 

/ / KJS DC 7 7 2017