FROM EIR DAILY ALERT

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In Battle To Control Washington’s Russia Policy, London’s Neo-Cons Target Sen. Rand Paul

Oct. 28, 2018 (EIRNS)—A venomous article by neo-con Eli Lake published by Bloomberg Oct. 23 goes after Sen. Rand Paul, under the headline “Rand Paul’s Campaign To Appease Russia Comes to Congress.” Part of the broader British Empire campaign to poison any possibility of President Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin sitting down for a reasonable discussion—as is now planned both on Nov. 11 at the Paris Armistice Day ceremony, and then again next spring in Washington, D.C.—Lake was conveniently leaked a copy of a State Department cable regarding a letter which Paul sent to U.S. Ambassador to Russia Jon Huntsman. In the letter, Paul reportedly asked Huntsman to address the weekly lunch of the Republican Steering Committee on the “importance of renewed dialogue” with Russia, as many of his Congressional colleagues display “hysteria” over Russia.

Lake writes: “The unusual request [sic] is part of Paul’s larger campaign to smooth the way for a possible rapprochement between Trump and Putin.... Paul is also using his personal relationship with Trump to make the case for a softer Russia policy. According to the cable, Paul pressed the President and Chief of Staff John Kelly to begin formal negotiations with Russia on two arms control agreements,” including the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. Paul asked Trump to plan talks on the treaties before Putin’s tentatively scheduled visit to Washington next spring.

And then comes Lake’s punch line: Sen. Paul

“is interested in making a deal with the Russians. A few months ago it looked like Trump agreed. Fortunately, it appears the President has started to come around to the view of Paul’s Republican colleagues on the pointlessness of negotiating with liars.”

That, at least, is London’s intention—but it is not Trump’s stated policy.