Michael McFaul Profile picture
Oct 2, 2020 7 tweets 2 min read Read on X
I don't think the craziness of DNI Ratcliffe's letter is being properly appreciated. This action is outrageous and dangerous on so many levels. THREAD 1/. judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/…
First, the DNI released information/disinformation about an American from a foreign enemy! Why would the USG ever release information about assessments of Americans obtained from any foreign government, let alone from a hostile country? That is nuts. 2/
Second, as I know bitterly well from first-hand experience, Russian intel agents are masters at disinformation. Putin wanted to Trump to win, and Clinton to lose. Of course, they would release such disinformation. You don't need a PhD in Russian studies to figure that out. 3/
BTW, when I worked at the White House and as U.S. Ambassador to Russia, I used to say utter nonsense all the time on open lines being listened to by Russian intelligence agents. I knew they were listening, so I purposely said untrue things on the phone to confuse them. SOP. 4/
Third, what is the American national security interest being advanced by the release of this disinformation/information about 2016 a month before our presidential election in 2020? The answer -- none. 5/
And remember, the DNI has decided to NOT to release information about Russian meddling in our election right now. Voters have a right to know. But the DNI has decided otherwise. 6/
This is dangerous, folks, We cannot allow our Intelligence Community to become a propaganda instrument for a political party. 7/. END THREAD.

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More from @McFaul

Mar 8
"When you add it all up – Trump’s concessions to Putin, insults to Zelenskyy, extortion of Ukraine, bad negotiation tactics and refusal to enforce a peace deal – there’s no evidence that Trump is serious about mediating a peace, and there’s a lot of evidence to suggest that all he cares about is courting Putin." 1/ THREAD
"I hope I’m wrong, because trying to appease Putin and abandon our democratic partners in Ukraine will have terrible implications for American security interests not just in Europe, but also worldwide. If Putin gets away with it, why wouldn’t China’s Xi Jinping invade and take over Taiwan? I hope Trump and his team will eventually realize how weak they will look if they capitulate to Putin and throw a democratic partner under the bus." 2/
"But, if I am right, then the rest of America who cares about freedom, who wants an enduring peace in Ukraine, who does not wish to ally with the autocrats of the world must stop Trump’s reckless foreign policy." 3/
Read 5 tweets
Mar 4
I hope @SecRubio and @MikeWaltz47 have studied Mearsheimer. This paragraph in the thread below is particularly relevant for today. It's Realism 101. 1/ THREAD
“Appeasement contradicts the dictates of offensive realism and therefore it is a fanciful and dangerous strategy. It is unlikely to transform a dangerous foe into a kinder gentler opponent much less a peace loving state. Indeed, appeasement is likely to whet not shrink and aggressors appetite for conquest.” 2/
“Because great powers are programmed for offense, and appease state is likely to interpret any power concession by another state as a sign of weakness -- as evidence that the appeaser is unwilling to defend the balance of power the appeased state is then likely to continue pushing for more concessions.” 3/
Read 5 tweets
Feb 28
Zelensky has thanked Trump, Congress, and the American people many times.

But let's be clear: when Trump and Vance said that THEY are trying to help Ukraine right now, and need to be thanked for the work personally, there are reasons to wonder. 1/ THREAD
1. Team Trump has told Ukraine that they have to give up territory to Russia. Zelenskyy should thank them for that? 2/
2. Trump has told Ukraine that they cannot join NATO. Zelenskyy should thank them for that? 3/
Read 12 tweets
Feb 22
Lots of folks, including in the Trump administration, invoking "realism" as the reason why Putin needs to be appeased. I hope they have read this scholar, one of the most important realist scholars of our era. 1/THREAD
"Appeasement contradicts the dictates of offensive realism and, therefore, is a fanciful and dangerous strategy. It is unlikely to transform a dangerous force into a kinder, gentler opponent, much less a peace-loving state." 2/
"Indeed, appeasement is likely to whet, not shrink, an aggressor’s appetite for conquest. … Because great powers are programmed for offense, an appeased state is likely to interpret a power concession by another state as a sign of weakness…" 3/
Read 5 tweets
Feb 19
So, let's summarize the negotiations for peace in Ukraine so far -- who got what in the last week. THREAD 1/
Concessions given or floated to Putin: (1) Ukrainian territory, (2) no Ukraine membership in NATO, (3) US withdrawing forces from Europe, (4) elections in Ukraine BEFORE real negotiations, (5) lifting of sanctions, (6) normalizing US-Russian relations, ... 2/
(7) lecture to Europeans about their bad democracies from VP Vance without a word of criticism about Russian dictatorship, (8) blaming Ukraine for starting the war, (9) falsely claiming that Zelensky has a 4% approval rating. 3/
Read 8 tweets
Feb 17
The new Trump team has a very confused posture when it comes to sovereignty. On the one hand, they preach sovereignty, America First, no international constraints, for the US etc. 1/ THREAD
One the other hand, they tell Europeans how they need to change their policies on censorship and immigration. 2/
And they threaten to annex Greenland, Panama Canal, and Gaza! 3/
Read 5 tweets

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