The Hand Of Beijing And The Finger Of Putin

The blustering blowhard, Chuck Schumer (D-NY) appeared with Candy Crowley on CNN’s State of the Union and was he angry.

He blasted China’s leadership for the decision made by Hong Kong which allowed Edward Snowden to flee to Moscow on Sunday, June 23, 2013.  Snowden faces espionage charges from the United States for leaking top secret government surveillance programs.

Schumer said, “I have a feeling the hand of Beijing was involved here.  What’s infuriating here is…Putin of Russia aiding and abetting Snowden’s escape. The bottom line is very simple.  Allies are supposed to treat each other in decent ways, and Putin always seems almost eager to put a finger in the eye of the United States.”

Allies Chuck?  Since when has Russia been an ally of America?  God, this man is remarkably ignorant.  He was first elected to the Senate in 1998.  He is not a member of the Foreign Relations Committee nor the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.  Membership in either committee might qualify him to make statements about allies.  Instead, he sits on the Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, Finance, Judiciary, and Rules and Administration committees.

Perhaps Mr. Schumer, after 15 years in the Senate, has become addled.  Russia is not a NATO member.  It is merely a member of NATO’s Partnership for Peace.  In fact, Mr. Schumer apparently has forgotten when Former Secretary of State, “Cankles” Clinton, embarrassed our country by presenting a “gift” to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.  That gift was an emergency stop button, better known as an “E-stop”.  It’s cost:  $117.81.

Besides being chintzy, the “gift” bore an incorrect translation, one that implied hostility rather than peacemaking.  The button had two words (Reset and Peregruzka) emblazoned on it via the use of a label maker and Lavrov called her out on it.  It wasn’t a good move by a bunch of useful idiots when you’re trying to improve relations with a notorious Cold War enemy.

Snowden arrived in Hong Kong on June 10, 2013.  On Monday, June 17^th he conducted a live Web chat.  What I find interesting is that CIA director John Brennan paid an unannounced visit to Moscow on Wednesday June 19^th according to sources at Interfax.

“CIA Director John Brennan paid an unannounced visit to Moscow on Wednesday and Thursday, sources told Interfax on Friday.”

“Russian Foreign Intelligence Service declined to confirm or deny that Brennan had been to Moscow, but senior Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov told reporters in mid-May that ‘a contact with the director of CIA is being planned.’"

“According to U.S. media, Brennan was on a visit to Romania on Tuesday, and the following day an Interfax reporter saw an impressive motorcade consisting of vehicles with U.S. Embassy license numbers at Moscow's Vnukovo 2 airport.”

Coinkydinky?  I. Think. Not.

Snowden flying Aeroflot w/ stop in Moscow. And that's Putin's way of saying he thinks #obama is a spineless loser. #tcot #lnyhbt
— Rachel Ward (@RachelWard301) June 23, 2013

Now that Snowden is in Russia, I'm sure Obama's good friend Putin will return him! Hillary reset everything with him! Right/ #tcot
— Old Mac (@SPADOC) June 23, 2013

U.S./Russia “reset” now amounts to Putin kicking Obama in the nuts every week or so #snowden #syria
— Allahpundit (@allahpundit) June 23, 2013