Trump Revealed Classified Information to Russian Foreign Minister - WashPo

[Garnier Fructis]

Would it kill you to look at an alternate or opposing viewpoint? I rather think that it would not.

The problem is that looking at an alternate viewpoint and accepting an alternate viewpoint are very different things.

[Deleted]

Oh, come on... You seriously think Russia doesn't have full list of countries supplying intelligence to US, and all parties involved with ISIS?

Also, Russia isn't your enemy in regard to ISIS. Everyone wants them gone.

Say this information was provided by the Kurdish rebel forces, or Turkey or some other group/nation that are opposing the Syrian regime. Congratulations, you have now revealed a secret agent of theirs to the enemy.

[araine]

But people were screaming about similar things during Obama's reign. Hell, remember "more flexibility after election" hot mic moment with Medvedev? That's more collusion with Russia then anyone ever proved for Trump. And Obama wasn't removed from office.

Also, most of the stuff Donny abuses now was created by Obama - like president ability to share anything with anyone on terror plots on whim.

He did, he wasn't, and neither will Trump. Time to accept it.

Exactly what i wrote this denial of the facts is the main problem we have in USA today it is denial and party over country at all cost

[Uzkin]

Okay you see what you wrote here? This is you trying to save face. "More imaginary enemies the better" is ridiculous. The US operated with ONE enemy - The Soviet Union - for 50 years, and it was enough for budgets that dwarf our current one as a percentage of GDP.

And no, the US military says very stern things about China and their illegal actions. The difference is, right now, the US could conceivably beat the shit out of China six ways to Sunday. With Russia, the US could more than take it in a conventional war, but a nuclear war would only be "winnable" only very specific circumstances and otherwise be highly destructive.

Russia is the greater immediate threat by far. China is the greater long term threat. Remember: Russia has talked about building stealth fighters and aircraft carriers for years, while China is actually doing it.

In the past, the competition with the Soviet Union alone was enough to justify all that huge military spending by the US.

Today, it is beneficial for the US military to portray China, in addition to Russia, as the enemy since this can better justify all that naval and counter-naval spending. The traditional anti-Russian rhetoric is still alive and well, though, and continues to serve its purpose in securing more funding. These US military generals simply cannot be trusted to be objective in their assessment about Russia. Not to mention the psychological aspect; when one spends much of his career preparing to and training for some conflict vs. the Soviet Union and/or Russia one easily starts to see it as the enemy.

[TZucchini]

Most of the posts are by people that aren't Americans. The thing is, the OP has proven to false.

Sorry? What in the OP has been proven to be false, specifically?

[Seranthor]

He CAN declassify any information he wants, but there is a clear process. And even if he does he could theoretically still be charged with treason because you could make a case that the information that he shared with the russian officials(its not declassified until he actually goes through the process of declassifying it, which it seems to be that he has not done) which could be construed as aiding an enemy nation. Its one of those checks and balances sort of things. He can declassify the information but there is a process. And he is not at liberty to divulge said information to another nation. The only real thing saving his ass is that we are not in an open war with russia so the "enemy" label likely doesnt apply.

What is this declassification process, and was that process used when the previous administration revealed that Seal Team Six were the ones that took down Bin Laden?

[alexw]

The problem isn't that its classified according to Washington Post a foreign Intel agency gave us the info and we should have asked them first before sharing. But thats not a law its just common courtesy.

Its more than common courtesy. Trump shared in granular detail highly classified intelligence information including the city from which that information originated. That places the on the ground agent of our ally, whoever it is, in mortal danger. Russia will share that information with their ally in the middle east, Iran. It will go to Hezbollah, etc.

One thing you just don't do is willingly give up agents on the ground. ESPECIALLY of an ally. This has the potential to be tremendously damaging to our national security interests as other nations now know that anything they share with us has the potential to be shared with Russia. That makes them less likely to want to share such information with us in the future. Indeed already high level officialdom in Europe is making remarks along these lines.

[Azadina]

The person I was replying to when you quoted me. Read the WaPo article. McMaster states no source or technique was revealed. He was in the room.

That just leaves us with....Oh, just all the information gathered by the source and technique used.

[Tinykong]

The problem isn't that its classified according to Washington Post a foreign Intel agency gave us the info and we should have asked them first before sharing. But thats not a law its just common courtesy.

I'm not the only person who isn't shocked that Trump thinks he is the most important person in the world, and that everyone else just exists to serve him.

[Skroe]

Trump is isolated.


Now... hit him with another salvo when he's out of the country this week.

[Nathreim]

A courtesy where violating it is already jeopardizing our intelligence relations with allies.

They probably don't care about something so petty as long as sources and methods are safe. The goal is to stop terrorism not give a courtesy jerk.

No one is going to stop sharing intel with the US over this they may insist on a heads up next time but they wont stop cooperating with US intel agencies.

[TZucchini]

So you have incontrovertible sources that say code word classified information was released? Do share. Then after that you can tell me how a President doesn't have that right.

No doubt. It's definitely not illegal for the President to cause irreparable harm to the relationship we have with our allies. He has that right.

[xerus]

The person I was replying to when you quoted me. Read the WaPo article. McMaster states no source or technique was revealed. He was in the room.

McMaster said the story, as reported, was false. He didn't deny that there was a story.

[Felya]

What is this declassification process, and was that process used when the previous administration revealed that Seal Team Six were the ones that took down Bin Laden?

In this case... my guess... and apologies if it's so obvious it seems pejorative... how about finishing the mission?

[NYC17]

That just leaves us with....Oh, just all the information gathered by the source and technique used.

And just to be clear, they requested that CNN not publish the information that Trump gave Russia...because it's considered damaging to sources and methods.

Yea. There's really no defense for it.

[Stormspark]

Trump is isolated.


Now... hit him with another salvo when he's out of the country this week.

TRUMP is losing confidence in EVERYONE ELSE? Wow, talk about irony. I think he needs to look in the mirror. You know, when even your "trusted friends" start to seem crazy, maybe they aren't the problem. :P

[Independent voter]

That just leaves us with....Oh, just all the information gathered by the source and technique used.

Yah, looking at what McMaster said, McMaster likely called his lawyer and the two went over what he would say. It has a legal ring to it.

[Draco-Onis]

They probably don't care about something so petty as long as sources and methods are safe. The goal is to stop terrorism not give a courtesy jerk.

No one is going to stop sharing intel with the US over this they may insist on a heads up next time but they wont stop cooperating with US intel agencies.

Of course they would, why would any country risk their intelligence operations be compromised? You don't think that Israel will hold back information now that they know that Iran may get to see it by way of Russia? The information is sensitive for a reason leaks can be backward engineered and entire operations can be unraveled. The same methods used to spy on terrorists are also used to spy on rivals and enemies like Iran, Russia and China.

[xerus]

TRUMP is losing confidence in EVERYONE ELSE? Wow, talk about irony. I think he needs to look in the mirror. You know, when even your "trusted friends" start to seem crazy, maybe they aren't the problem. :P

He is like a vampire. He can't see himself in a mirror, only those around him.

[alexw]

The person I was replying to when you quoted me. Read the WaPo article. McMaster states no source or technique was revealed. He was in the room.

Yes I know McMaster said that but why are you posting it? Its obviously not words akin to this -

"Donald Trump did not share top secret level information with the Russian ambassador".

And nowhere does his statement suggest that top secret level information was not shared. So again I'll ask you to provide me with a source that says it since you are saying Trump has not done that. So come on back-up your words with proof.