Russia’s meddling in U.S. voting does not question the legitimacy of Trump’s victory but indicates Russia’s hostility and disregard for the standards of democracy and international law. The White House might change narratives to get out of the domestic political deadlock.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security officials have issued orders for their analysts to diminish Russia’s meddling in the presidential election when making out intelligence reports, The New York Times reported, citing the complaint by the department of intelligence and analysis ex-first deputy head Brian Murphy.
He wrote in a statement that Acting Secretary of the Department Chad F. Wolf had instructed him to stop preparing Russia’s interference assessments.
Another official, Kenneth T. Cuccinelli, ordered him to change his intelligence assessments, making the issue of white suprematism “less serious” and to add reporting on aggressive “left” groups.
When Murphy reported this to senior management, he was stroked back. He was dismissed in August 2020 after he collected an intelligence report on protesters and journalists in Portland, where rallies against police violence triggered by George Floyd’s murder broke out.
U.S. intelligence has repeatedly put the blame on Russia for meddling in elections. This applies both to the past presidential election of 2016 and to the one to be held in November 2020.
The ongoing denial policy by the Trump Administration puts more questions amid total Russian nihilism towards the sovereignty of foreign states, Moscow’s interfering in domestic affairs, sponsoring political organizations, bribery, political assassinations, backing terrorist organizations and annexing territories of independent states. The denial policy will not make Russia step back from aggression, will not make its political elites support democracy and human rights, and will not reverse Russia’s craving to build an empire.
That way, the attempt by the White House to ignore the fact of Russia’s subversive activity against the United States and our allies limits our capacity to defend national interests and a consolidated response to the challenges and threats Russia poses to the democratic world.
We are in a position similar to the Cold War edge. However, unlike the historical period, the White House does not want to unite Americans regardless of party proclivities in protecting national interests, security, and values, fearing the alleged risks as for the presidential election legitimacy.
Such approach is dangerous and wrong-headed, as Russia’s interference in U.S. politics will just grow. The Kremlin, via Putin, who feels nostalgic for the Soviet Union and takes its collapse as a private tragedy, views the United States as its main adversary. It means the Kremlin will not give up on its hostility and will keep on subverting regardless who is the President. This is a question of the Russian mentality and the operational code by Russia’s political leaders that have hardly changed since the fall of the communist regime in Russia.
The Russians have drawn a conclusion from their defeat in the Cold War since 1991, double downing in this struggle. Moscow started a series of large-scale subversive operations in the United States, using the internal vulnerabilities of American society. Such operations were not possible until 1991 due to Washington’s clear policy on risks and threats.
The United States cannot afford party conflicts, while denying visible hostile actions when the enemy is operating within our territory and threatening our way of life and values.
Defending the United States from Russia’s interference could be the direction for the Trump Administration’s policy that will unite the political forces of Democrats and Republicans and lead America out of domestic conflict.
