WHAT!? Russia wanted to "monitor" the US Polling stations. - Polidicks

[QUOTE]In an apparent move to embarrass the United States over Donald Trump's claims of a "rigged" presidential election, Russia sought to send monitors to U.S. polling stations for the Nov. 8 vote, Russian media revealed Thursday. The bid was sharply rebuffed by the State Department, and one state election official threatened criminal action if Russian monitors showed up, according to state-controlled Izvestia daily and broadcaster RT. State Department deputy spokesman Mark Toner called the Russian effort a "PR stunt" and denied that the United States blocked Russian diplomats from observing the election. A spokeswoman for Louisiana Secretary of State Tom Schedler, who received a request to allow Russian monitors, called it a "propaganda ploy." "We've allowed observers from overseas in the past from other countries, never from Russia," Meg Casper said. She added that the FBI and Department of Homeland Security also "told us not to do this."[/QUOTE] [URL="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2016/10/20/amid-rigged-election-charges-russia-wants-monitor-us-vote/92456558/"]Source[/URL]

Yeah because Russia totally doesn't have strong interests in a Trump victory, such as his existing ties with Trump or the weakening of NATO.

they'll monitor it just like they monitored crimea's referendum :v:

i better start writing my will now because i have a feeling i'm going to be drafted into a war against russia

[QUOTE=Ninja Gnome;51236389]i better start writing my will now because i have a feeling i'm going to be drafted into a war against russia[/QUOTE] Both candidates are for war. Only Clinton is aggressive towards Russia.

[QUOTE=Guriosity;51236983]Both candidates are for war. Only Clinton is aggressive towards Russia.[/QUOTE] With good fucking reason. If the US wasn't around Eastern Europe would already be under attack by Russia.

Meh, the US has been wanting to stick observers in Russia's elections. And theoretically that is fine with me. Having someone simply watch and observe the polls for illegal activity. This meaning that said observers are quiet and don't push anything onto voters. But there is undoubtedly a political motivation behind this. What the motivation is is the real question. I'd imagine its more likely to send the message that "don't demand observers for our elections if your unwilling to permit observers for your elections." Clinton has clearly stated she wants a no-fly zone over Syria. Which is clearly an act of war against the Assad's Syria and Russia.

This is essentially a big political joke/parody that Russia does every election to the U.S., it is nothing new. As far back as 1996, Russia has offered to monitor every American election, in soft 'retaliation' to the fact that the U.S. often very impositionaly suggests doing the same thing for Russia in Congress and Senate (usually with no request or hint of consent from Russia.)

[QUOTE=LtKyle2;51237206]With good fucking reason. If the US wasn't around Eastern Europe would already be under attack by Russia.[/QUOTE] It's sad people actually believe this. Also no, there's no good reason to support US war hawks.

[QUOTE=Conscript;51237427]It's sad people actually believe this. Also no, there's no good reason to support US war hawks.[/QUOTE] So you're just going to ignore the invasions of Georgia and Ukraine then?

[QUOTE=Conscript;51237427]It's sad people actually believe this. Also no, there's no good reason to support US war hawks.[/QUOTE] Remember when Obama told how they cultivated their crazy and now in a downward spiral because of it? What really did the GOP in was the 2nd Iraq war. They havent recovered since. If Clinton pushes for more asinine wars when in office, the same fate awaits for the democrats.

Going to war with russia would be one of the most foolish things she could do, especially when the US is already 20 trillion in debt.

[QUOTE=Ninja Gnome;51236389]i better start writing my will now because i have a feeling i'm going to be drafted into a war against russia[/QUOTE] man absolutely fuck that I'd rather move to canada at that point

[QUOTE=Hidole555;51237439]So you're just going to ignore the invasions of Georgia and Ukraine then?[/QUOTE] And what did America do with Georgia and Ukraine?

[QUOTE=J!NX;51237508]man absolutely fuck that I'd rather move to canada at that point[/QUOTE] i have a feeling if we did get into a conventional war with Russia most of the West would be dragged along with it, including Canada. you'd be better of fleeing to Mexico

[QUOTE=Footsies;51237472]Going to war with russia would be one of the most foolish things she could do, especially when the US is already 20 trillion in debt.[/QUOTE] It is not just the debt. America has to fix many domestic issues before it can pursue any more wars.

[QUOTE=Ninja Gnome;51237536]i have a feeling if we did get into a conventional war with Russia most of the West would be dragged along with it, including Canada. you'd be better of fleeing to Mexico[/QUOTE] Russia's military is pretty shitty, so yeah that'd happen, but conscription might not even be needed. Though ofc there's potential russian allies too but most of them are pretty pathetic as well.

[QUOTE=J!NX;51237508]man absolutely fuck that I'd rather move to canada at that point[/QUOTE] No point, you'd probably get hunted down for evading the draft. If anything happens, I'll just enlist before they call my birthday, I get a better chance at choosing where I want to go. More in likely a war will probably not happen for a very long time.

[QUOTE=Vasili;51237523]And what did America do with Georgia and Ukraine?[/QUOTE] What does that matter? The person I replied to was denying Russian attacks in Eastern Europe despite the annexation of Crimea and evidence of Russian forces and military equipment in Eastern Ukraine. To answer your question, NATO is helping Ukraine build security structures and reform its military to modern standards.

[QUOTE=justinl132;51237561]No point, you'd probably get hunted down for evading the draft. If anything happens, I'll just enlist before they call my birthday, I get a better chance at choosing where I want to go. More in likely a war will probably not happen for a very long time.[/QUOTE] Let em fucking hunt me down, I will not participate.

[QUOTE=thelurker1234;51237550]Russia's military is pretty shitty, so yeah that'd happen, but conscription might not even be needed. Though ofc there's potential russian allies too but most of them are pretty pathetic as well.[/QUOTE] That's only if China keeps their nose out of it. If it really does come to blows between NATO and Russia, China could go either way depending on what benefits them the most.

[QUOTE=Hidole555;51237439]So you're just going to ignore the invasions of Georgia and Ukraine then?[/QUOTE] It's really not black and white. Please do some reading The examples you cite aren't even eastern Europe and there's no reason to believe russia is going to invade it. We are talking fSU which represents a series of nationalism-driven frozen conflicts that started with the breakup of the USSR. We exploit these conflicts through color revolutions, NATO/EU membership, and NGO (e.g. Soros) and state (national endowment for democracy) funding for various parties and movements. Globalization, as much as it has exposed our own race and class issues, has caused similar instability there (particularly a heterogeneous ukraine with a soviet era economy that isn't competitive in the global economy). It's the same with the middle east, whose Arab spring instability we are also trying to use The divide over things like ww2 there is an edge we use to expand and, after failed liberalization in the 90s, subdue a conservative russia. This idea that we're fighting for democracy (when we have no such thing) and independence (when we want an EU) against a 'hitler' that was groomed by pro west russian liberals and up until recently sought a common market with open borders with the EU is looking to be the joke of the century. In history things happens first as tragedy then as farce. That it's formerly anti war democrats doing this only adds to the absurdities of this decade so far No more blood for liberal empires, sorry, 100 years beginning with the entente was enough. Your russian boogeyman is bullshit, this is nothing like the ideological battles of ww2 of democracy versus nationalism, this is completely about money and power. What we have with Russia is like a rehash of the great game between it and britain, with much more dangerous implications because instead of central asia we're right up its nose after a couple generations of it having the buffer zones from the west it always wanted. In light of that, a NATO naval base in a place like Crimea and troops in historically russian Donbass is completely unprecedented and it's really no surprise then russians acted the way they did The problem is globalization under our auspices is a zero sum game for more than a few non western nations and interacts horribly with the tender situation in the fSU, it erodes national sovereignty for the west and fosters plutocracy, and while crushing the middle class and increasing inequality it exposes a racialized class problem we have as worsened by immigration, which has enabled ridiculous polarization that may yet represent an existential threat to liberal democracy after it already proved the end of history after the cold war to be a farce.

[QUOTE=Guriosity;51236983]Both candidates are for war. Only Clinton is aggressive towards Russia.[/QUOTE] Trump wants to bomb the Iranian Navy which is a Russian ally.

[QUOTE=Ninja Gnome;51237536]i have a feeling if we did get into a conventional war with Russia most of the West would be dragged along with it, including Canada. you'd be better of fleeing to Mexico[/QUOTE] i could always move to the middle of "literally no where, Brazil"

[QUOTE=Bbarnes005;51237583]That's only if China keeps their nose out of it. If it really does come to blows between NATO and Russia, China could go either way depending on what benefits them the most.[/QUOTE] They probably won't help Russia directly, China and the west pretty much co-depend on each-other at this point. That's the nice thing about globalization and world peace. China's 5 biggest trading partners are America, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Germany, Russia is 9th.

[QUOTE=justinl132;51237561]No point, you'd probably get hunted down for evading the draft. If anything happens, I'll just enlist before they call my birthday, I get a better chance at choosing where I want to go. More in likely a war will probably not happen for a very long time.[/QUOTE] Its sad but I'd rather be called a coward than be forced to fight a war I never wanted to happen of course I'm being insanely hyperbolic as another draft happening is insanely unlikely

[QUOTE=thelurker1234;51237647]They probably won't help Russia directly, China and the west pretty much co-depend on each-other at this point. That's the nice thing about globalization and world peace. China's 5 biggest trading partners are America, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Germany, Russia is 9th.[/QUOTE] Then explain our pacific pivot and war hawk secretary of state hillary's push for that. Explain her recent rhetoric over chinese island disputes and 'founding' Japan Chinese and Russian interests align closely in light of our strategies in east asia and eastern Europe. Keep in mind Duterte embraced not just China, but russia too

[QUOTE=Conscript;51237658]Then explain our pacific pivot and war hawk secretary of state hillary's push for that. Explain her recent rhetoric over chinese island disputes and 'founding' Japan[/QUOTE] Yeah, that's why I edited in "directly." We fuck with each-other all of the time and love waving our dicks, but it's so unlikely that our dicks will actually ever touch because it's just not in our interests, and it'd take something huge to make it "worth it." Hillary's really not much worse than our previous presidents. America is a shitty imperialist power just like the others, but there's a reason direct warfare between nation states is incredibly rare in today's world.

[QUOTE=Conscript;51237596]It's really not black and white. Please do some reading The examples you cite aren't even eastern Europe and there's no reason to believe russia is going to invade it.[/QUOTE] Ukraine isn't eastern europe and russia never invaded and annexed part of it?

[QUOTE=Conscript;51237596]It's really not black and white. Please do some reading[/QUOTE] Already off to a fantastic start. [QUOTE]The examples you cite aren't even eastern Europe and there's no reason to believe russia is going to invade it. [/QUOTE] First of all, Ukraine and Georgia are as Eastern Europe as it gets bruv. If the Caucasus wasn't considered European then Mont Blanc would be the tallest European mountain. You're just trying to carve up the map in a way so you can go "Well, Russia won't go [I]that far.[/I]" and it's painfully obvious. [QUOTE] We are talking fSU and represent a series of nationalist frozen conflicts that started with the breakup of the USSR. We exploit these conflicts through color revolutions,[/QUOTE] Ask any Czech or Slovak whether or not the Velvet Revolution was a good thing. How the fuck are non-violent transitions of power brought about by students and other civilians unhappy with communist regimes exploitative of any conflicts in any way? [QUOTE]NATO/EU membership,[/QUOTE] Damn those pesky Western nations forming military alliances and trade agreements! Why can't they just let the peaceful one-party authoritarian nations where political dissent and emigration is illegal be?! [QUOTE] and NGO (e.g. Soros)[/QUOTE] "e.g. Soros"... doing what? Do you realize how dumb it sounds bringing up his name like he's some sort of self-evident boogeyman? [QUOTE]and state (national endowment for democracy) funding for various parties and movements. [/QUOTE] These are parties and movements that are usually outlawed or suppressed by the government they are under. Can you really fault the NED for helping out opposition journalists in a shithole like Venezuela where the ruling party has run the country into the ground? [QUOTE]Globalization, as much as it has exposed our own race and class issues, has caused similar instability there. It's the same with the middle east, whose Arab spring instability we are also trying to use [/QUOTE] It is only causing instability because people over there are realizing what terrible systems they live under and what they're being denied simply because their governments are awful. Globalization brought the Berlin Wall down, the opposite of it is what put the Berlin Wall up. [QUOTE]The divide over things like ww2 there is an edge we use to expand and, after failed liberalization in the 90s, subdue a conservative russia. This idea that we're fighting for democracy (when we have no such thing)[/QUOTE] Yes, we goddamn do have a democracy though. It is true that we do not have a [I]direct[/I] democracy but a democratic republic is still a form of democracy where we vote to elect representatives to vote on laws for us. [QUOTE] and independence (when we want an EU) against a 'hitler' [/QUOTE] You don't need to be Hitler to deserve international condemnation. [QUOTE]that was groomed by pro west russian liberals [/QUOTE] You lost me. Are you talking about the portrayal of Putin by people like Garry Kasparov? The Russian chess grandmaster that tried to run for office but couldn't due to a bullshit meeting hall requirement? Who was arrested at the Pussy Riot trial and would have gone to jail via false police testimony that was only disproved through video evidence recorded by bystanders? A situation where were it the Russia of decades ago there would be no political evidence and he would be yet another in a long line of political prisoners of corrupt, authoritarian regimes? [QUOTE]and up until recently sought a common market with open borders with the EU is looking to be the joke of the century.[/QUOTE] How is the EU contrary to the notion of independence? The UK voted to leave the EU months ago and the only opposition received was understandable market turbulence. Member states in the EU are free to come and go as they please but most stick around because a united Europe is far better than the Europe we had 100 years ago. The crisis in Ukraine started because their trade deal with the EU was nixed at the last second. So you have one side where people can vote to leave the EU, and they can, and then you have the other where people want to join the EU, but can't because of interference of a foreign power. You tell me whose citizens are truly independent. [QUOTE]In history things happens first as tragedy then as farce. That it's formerly anti war democrats doing this only adds to the absurdities of this decade so far[/QUOTE] I know of only one Democrat that can strictly be called anti-war and that's Barbara Lee, a Representative who voted against the War in [I]Afghanistan[/I] of all things. Spoiler: She's voting for Clinton.