Russia probe aimed at bringing down Trump: Analyst

An investigation has been launched to find out whether the campaign of US President Donald Trump colluded with Russia to win the 2016 presidential election, an allegation dismissed both by Moscow and Washington. Trump says he is willing to talk to Special Counsel Robert Mueller who is tasked with investigating Moscow’s alleged meddling in the US election “under oath”. Press TV has talked to Brian Becker, member of the ANSWER Coalition, as well as James Jatras, former US Senate foreign policy analyst, to get their opinion on this issue.

Becker believes the investigation into alleged Russian interference in the US election is a “politicized” attempt by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in order to bring down Donald Trump.

“What we see now is that under James Comey’s leadership in the FBI, the FBI never anticipated that Donald Trump could possibly win the White House. They did not want him to be the president. Most of the political establishment elites in the United States did not want or did not expect Donald Trump to be the president. They feel that Trump’s kind of fitness for office or the lack of fitness for office is such that it weakens the US standing around the world, it makes the United States something of a laughing stock and I think the FBI agents … said to each other this investigation is an “insurance plan”, meaning should by accident Donald Trump become president they find a way to bring him down,” he said.

US intelligence agencies have concluded that Russia tried to help Trump win the election by hacking and releasing emails damaging to his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton.

Trump has repeatedly denied allegations that his campaign colluded with Russians and has condemned the investigations. Russian President Vladimir Putin has also denied the allegations.

The analyst also noted Russia probe is really “disingenuous” and “dishonest”, adding that it contributes to a hysteria which is only leading to a greater confrontation between Washington and Moscow.

PressTV-Trump ready to talk ‘under oath’ in Russia probe

US President Donald Trump says he is willing to talk to Special Counsel Robert Mueller “under oath."

Becker further maintained that the FBI is only seeking to trap different political figures –namely Trump and his former national security advisor Michael Flynn, asserting that Russia collusion is not the issue anymore.

“All of this stuff is made up”, the analyst said, arguing that no “hard evidence” has been presented so far of Russia collusion.  

According to Becker, the FBI is pursuing a “neocon agenda” against Russia instead of blaming the Electoral College for the election of Trump.

Meanwhile, James Jatras, the other panelist on the program, opined that allegations of Russia’s meddling in the US election are “completely bogus”.  

He also stated the FBI is trying to use Russia probe to “exonerate” former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton of her violations of intelligence and email classifications during her tenure as secretary of state.

The analyst further mentioned the neoconservatives are doing anything to make sure Trump cannot keep his promise to improve ties with Russia.

Jatras concluded by saying that the investigation into Trump’s campaign's links with Russia is a “witch hunt” to make sure that the neocon liberal interventionist policy of global domination cannot be changed.

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