Putin Takes the High Road in Flap Over Obama’s Expulsion of Russian Diplomats

While the focus of this piece is Mr. Obama’s spectacular failure in his dealings with foreign nations, especially with Russia, it could also be pointed out that he hasn’t fared much better domestically. He will be remembered for Obamacare which is a disaster, and those who are willing to look will conclude that there was cause to try the man for treason for his deliberate misdeeds. Maybe he should extend his vacation in Hawaii indefinitely and hope America just forgets about him.

The latest flap over the alleged hacking by Russia of Democratic party emails has served several purposes. For one thing, it has been used a feeble attempt to blame Hillary’s loss on Russia — a position that even Democratic party officials find hard to support.

But more importantly, it has been used by Mr. Obama as well as members of both parties to point an accusing finger at Russia, and Mr. Putin in particular. Never mind that any evidence that exists of Russian misdeeds regarding DNC emails is unsubstantiated. It gave Obama a perfect opportunity to “retaliate” against Russia, complete with his usual meaningless, empty, bellicose comments.

So Mr. Obama announced more sanctions against Russia and expelled 35 Russian diplomats. In return, Mr. Putin made Obama look like a fool.

Russian President Vladimir Putin held his rival Barack Obama up to ridicule on Friday by declining to engage in tit-for-tat expulsions – and instead inviting U.S. diplomats’ children to the Kremlin to party.

The Russian strongman’s actions were accompanied by a fusillade of abuse aimed at Obama from Moscow underlings, who called him a ‘political corpse’ and said his administration was made up of  ‘angry and shallow-brained losers’.

Putin had been expected to mirror Obama’s decision to expel 35 intelligence agents with Cold War style revenge expulsions.

What do you say to something like this? Ignoring the Daily Mail’s editorializing by calling Putin the “Russian strongman,” this whole affair puts Obama in a pretty bad light. Regardless of our opinion of Vladimir Putin, Obama is no match for him. Putin simply took the high road, refusing to engage in “tit-for-tat” expulsions. And then to polish Obama off, he invited US diplomats’ kids to an official party.

And it wasn’t just Putin who weighed in on this, but other top Russian officials as well:

Konstantin Kosachev, head of the upper house of the Russian Duma’s committee on foreign affairs, was reported by The Observer to have called Obama a ‘political corpse’.

‘The leaving administration has no reason and no political or moral right for such drastic and disruptive steps with regards to bilateral relations with Russia,’ he said.

‘Forgive me for being harsh, but I just cannot find other words: this is the agony of not the lame ducks, but of political corpses.’

It was part of an attack which saw the foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova claim the US and American people were ‘humiliated by their own President’ in what she described as the Cold War-style measures against Moscow.

What is clear is that Moscow has written Mr. Obama off as a nuisance, and is now looking forward to improved relations with soon to be President Donald Trump. It’s a bit awkward to say as we do not wish to seem unpatriotic, but a lot of Americans likely feel the same way.

Source:  Daily Mail