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Ciboski: Putin Is No Friend Of Trump

Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russia’s meddling in the 2016 election and the possible collusion of the Trump campaign with the Russians in an effort to defeat Hillary Clinton is continuing. The investigation could break wide open. 

It seems to be taking a new turn with perhaps the crashing of any hope that any of Trump’s associates, past and present, who are being investigated, would not plead guilty and provide prosecutors with evidence in return for receiving a lighter sentence.

A former top aide to Trump’s presidential campaign, Rick Gates, who pleaded not guilty after being indicted in October, has indicated to a source close to his case that he will now present a revised guilty plea in federal court in Washington within the next several days. Mueller is heading the prosecution of Gates and Paul Manafort, who once managed Trump’s campaign. Gates has made it clear to prosecutors that he will testify against Manafort.

Our intelligence operatives have indicated that we are under attack by Russia with propaganda, disinformation, staged demonstrations, and the use of cyber space. Our Commander-in-chief, whose chief responsibility is protecting our national security, is silent about this, and he says that he has Putin’s word that Russia did not meddle in our election.

I have always felt uneasy about what seems to be a cozy Trump and Vladimir Putin relationship.

Let us get things straight: Putin is no friend of Trump and the United States or of any other democratic country and its leader. There is no doubt in my mind that Putin and Russia want to undermine our political, economic, and social system and that of other Western democracies. Putin wants great power status for Russia.    

I have been saying for some time, if Putin could choose our president, it would be a person like Donald Trump.

Dr. Ken Ciboski is an associate professor emeritus of political science at Wichita State University.