[Peace-discuss] Prof. Stephen Cohen on Russia

[Karen Aram]

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Princeton Russia Expert Stephen Cohen: Assault On President Trump From "Fourth Branch Of Government" Designed To Undermine U.S.-Russia Alliance Against Terrorism
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Posted By Tim Hains<http://www.realclearpolitics.com/authors/tim_hains>
On Date May 17, 2017


NYU and Princeton professor of Russian studies Stephen Cohen told FNC's Tucker Carlson Tuesday night that the baseless accusations of treason against President Trump in the media have become a security threat to the U.S. and could potentially damage any hope of a diplomatic rapprochement, and alliance against Islamic terrorism, with Russia.

When asked if the president could have given unauthorized information to the Russians, Cohen said: "No."

"Nor have I in all these decades ever heard an elected memnber of Congress say that we should have no relations with the Russians at all<http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2017/05/16/schumer_demands_transcripts_of_trump_meeting_with_russian_ambassador.html>," he explained. "Presumably that would also include nuclear weapons control?"

"When I see, I guess it was a Democrat... asking what are the Russians doing in the White House anyway? Well they're dealing with President Trump over the national security of our nation. What's at stake here is a proposal by Putin of Russia and Trump of America to join hands in an alliance against international terrorism<http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2017/02/05/pence_trump_will_not_let_semantics_get_in_the_way_of_working_with_russia_to_destroy_isis.html>. And if you had asked me a few days ago: What is the #1 threat to the United States today, I would have said international terrorism. I don't know if you agree, it is certainly up there."

"Today, I would say it is this assault on President Trump. It has been going on a year," he said.

"Can we be clear? What he's being accused of is treason. This has never happened before in America, that there is a Russia agent in the White House. And we have a whole array of allegations from Putin helped him get in the White House, to his associates are doing wrong things with Russians."

"There is no evidence there was any wrongdoing, and indeed Flynn should have talked to the Russian ambassador. That was his job. This is beyond belief now... This has become a national security threat to us in and of itself,"he explained.

"Two motives have dirven this false narrative about Trump, that he is somehow a Kremlin agent. There have been two forces. One is the Clinton wing of the Democratic Party, which doesn't want to admit she lost the election... and that may be because she wants to run again.... At the same time, there has long been in Washington, let's call it the fourth branch of government -- the intelligence services, who have opposed any rapprochement or cooperation with Russia."

"Remember, in 2016, President Obama worked out a deal with Russian president Vladimir Putin, for military cooperation in Syria. He said he was going to share intelligence with Russia, the way Trump and the Russians were supposed to do the other day. Our Department of Defense said they wouldn't share intelligence, and a few days later, they killed Syrian soldiers ["by accident<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_2016_Deir_ez-Zor_air_raid>"] violating the agreement, and that was that," he explained.

"So we can ask: Who is making our foreign policy in Washington today?"

Host Tucker Carlson presses him to explain and Cohen says: "You and I have to ask a subversive question. Are there really three branches of government. Or is there a fourth branch of government? These intel services? What we know for a fact, Obama tried not very hard, but he tried for a military alliance with Putin in Syria against terrorism, but it was sabotaged by the Department of Defense and its allies in the intelligence services. Trump sais on the campaign trail, 'Wouldn't it be great to cooperate with Russia?<http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2017/01/11/trump_an_asset_not_a_liability_that_putin_likes_me_does_anybody_think_hillary_would_be_tougher_on_russia.html>' My answer is, it would be great. And Trump wants that to happen, but he is being thwarted. Every time he gets close, we get a new leak of a story."
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