Thread: Trump puts hold on additional Russia sanctions: report

Trump puts hold on additional Russia sanctions: report

By Brett Samuels - 04/16/18 03:13 PM EDT

President Trump reportedly put a stop to plans to impose additional sanctions on Russia for its alleged role in a recent suspected chemical weapons attack in Syria because he was not yet comfortable with putting the penalties in place.

The Washington Post reported that Trump spoke with his national security advisers on Sunday after U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said on CBS’s “Face the Nation” that additional sanctions were forthcoming.

While additional economic sanctions were under consideration, the president had not given the approval to put them in place, the newspaper reported. Instead, the White House is in a “holding pattern,” and Trump will likely levy further sanctions only if Russia is involved in another event that threatens U.S. interests.

The White House on Monday morning walked back Haley’s comments, saying the administration is “considering additional sanctions on Russia and a decision will be made in the near future.”

On “Face the Nation,” Haley said Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin would announce additional economic sanctions on Russia on Monday. She said the sanctions would target “any sort of companies related to [Syrian President Bashar] Assad and chemical weapons use."

The internal debate over further action against Russia comes as Trump is without a permanent secretary of State and just a short time after his new national security adviser, John Bolton, formally started on the job.

Dozens were killed earlier this month in an apparent chemical weapons attack on a hospital in the Syrian town of Douma. In response, the U.S., the United Kingdom and France launched targeted missile strikes on Friday night.

Syria and Russia have denied involvement in the attack, with the latter threatening retaliation for strikes against Syria.

Democrats and some Republicans have criticized Trump for his rhetoric toward Russia and Russian President Vladimir Putin since taking office.

Despite that, the president asserted earlier this month that “probably no one has been tougher on Russia than Donald Trump.”

Earlier this month, Trump approved the expulsion of dozens of Russian diplomats in the U.S. after a nerve agent attack on an ex-Russian spy living in the U.K. However, The Washington Post reported Sunday that Trump was upset the U.S. expelled more diplomats than European allies.

Trump tweeted that Putin was responsible for the reported chemical attack earlier this month and questioned why Russia would align itself with a "gas killing animal" like Assad.

http://thehill.com/homenews/administ...ssia-sanctions

Nikki, you can not contradict this President. You are not the one to announce pending announcements about decisions that haven't been made yet. Remember Rex. If you like your job, button your lip.

You got it wrong on the troops in Syria coming home, you got it wrong on additional sanctions. JUST SHUT UP about what you don't know.

Originally Posted by Judy

Nikki, you can not contradict this President. You are not the one to announce pending announcements about decisions that haven't been made yet. Remember Rex. If you like your job, button your lip.

You got it wrong on the troops in Syria coming home, you got it wrong on additional sanctions. JUST SHUT UP about what you don't know.

In regards to the troops coming home from Syria, what did she get wrong?

Excerpt:

Contrary to what he had said last week, US President Donald Trump agreed at a National Security Council meeting to keep US troops in Syria for the time being.

A senior administration official told Reuters that Trump agreed to keep the US troops ‘ a little longer but does not want a long-term commitment”.

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article...-anytime-soon/

We all know how long "a little longer" can be. Attempting to hang your hate on anything Trump says is a risky proposition.

U.S. troops not leaving Syria until goals accomplished: Haley

Reuters Staff
April 15, 2018 / 9:42 AM / a day ago
2 Min Read

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said on Sunday that the United States would not pull its troops out of Syria until its goals were accomplished.

Speaking on Fox News Sunday, Haley listed three aims for the United States: ensuring that chemical weapons are not used in any way that pose a risk to U.S. interests, that Islamic State is defeated and that there is a good vantage point to watch what Iran is doing.

It is our goal “to see American troops come home, but we are not going to leave until we know we have accomplished those things,” Haley said.

Trump, who on Friday joined France and Britain in ordering missile strikes against Syrian targets, has sent mixed signals on Syria.

He has made clear he wants to withdraw the roughly 2,000 U.S. troops in Syria involved in the anti-Islamic State campaign. But he appeared to contradict that message when he said on Saturday that Western allies were prepared to “sustain” the military response if Syrian President Bashar al-Assad does not stop using prohibited chemical weapons.

Asked about U.S.-Russia relations, Haley said ties were “very strained” but that the United States still hoped for a better relationship.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-m...-idUSKBN1HM0JZ

The next time the White House has to walk back one of her outlandish statements on TV or at the UN, it will probably be her last one. Rex had 4 and Haley already has 3 that I know about, so, just button the lip, Nikki.

Originally Posted by Judy

The next time the White House has to walk back one of her outlandish statements on TV or at the UN, it will probably be her last one. Rex had 4 and Haley already has 3 that I know about, so, just button the lip, Nikki.

You're basing all of this on what Trump says at one given time. Trump has shown repeatedly that he flips and flops on issues more than a fish out of water. Perhaps when Haley and Tillerson made the comments you're referring to they were Trump's position. Trump tends to change his mind very frequently. I can easily see Trump stating a position to Haley, Tillerson or someone else in the morning and then suddenly changing his position that very afternoon based on advice from one of his aids.

WE ARE NOT THE CARETAKER FOR THE WORLD

WE ARE NOT THE ATM MACHINE FOR THE WORLD

WE ARE NOT THE DUMPING GROUND FOR THE WORLD

WE ARE NOT THE WORLD'S POLICE


AND TRUMP MENTIONED MANY TIMES TO "TAKE THE OIL"...NOW TAKE THE OIL AND PAY U.S. TAXPAYERS BACK THE 8 TRILLION IN DEBT THE MIDDLE EAST HAS COST US!!! AND THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE OUR LOST LIVES!!!

GET US OUT OF THAT CRIME INFESTED, NEVER ENDING, CESSPOOL OF HATE, RAPE, INCEST AND SICK CULTURE!

AND STOP BRINGING THEM HERE!

WHAT GOAL NIKKI HALEY? ANOTHER 100 YEARS OF OUR BLOOD AND TREASURE? THEY WILL BE KILLING EACH OTHER OFF WAY BEYOND THAT!

Originally Posted by MW

You're basing all of this on what Trump says at one given time. Trump has shown repeatedly that he flips and flops on issues more than a fish out of water. Perhaps when Haley and Tillerson made the comments you're referring to they were Trump's position. Trump tends to change his mind very frequently. I can easily see Trump stating a position to Haley, Tillerson or someone else in the morning and then suddenly changing his position that very afternoon based on advice from one of his aids.

Obviously not, since the White House each time had to come out and correct them.

Originally Posted by Judy

Obviously not, since the White House each time had to come out and correct them.

Any corrections could have happened because of a Trump possible change of mind. Furthermore, have you considered the possibility of a communications problems within the White House?

No.