RUSSIAN INTERFERENCE IN 2016 US ELECTION & SPIN-OFF INVESTIGATIONS

[HairOfTheDog]

To me, it's more than just shallow appeasement; it's a long overdue message and warning to the Russian leadership about their disruption operations across the globe.

I'm normally a positive person & always hope for the best but it's difficult when it comes to some of this bs. Had this been enforced a year ago I might be a believer but these people have had months to protect themselves and their money/assets so I have little faith that this will have the desired affect.

I understand your points. You might be right.

I don't know if the Russian oligarchs got a heads-up or saw the writing on the wall and were able to somehow protect their assets in the U.S. before they were frozen.

But, the effects I'd most like to see aren't primarily centered around financial loss/inconvenience to those filthy rich individuals.

Instead, the effects that matter most to me are:

(1) significantly restricting the opportunities for now-sanctioned Russian oligarchs and diplomats to conduct political/cultural influence campaigns and gather intelligence in the U.S. and the west

(2) sending a very clear public message to Putin and company that the U.S. and its allies are no longer going to passively accept Russia's illegal disruption and interference operations in our countries, much less physical hit jobs on his enemies within our borders

I totally agree with you that these punitive actions are long overdue, but I support them and hope they're effective (and expect that Biggie will post a GIF of a unicorn with butterflies flying out of its ass in response to my cautious optimism ).