Putin’s stooges infiltrating state govt too?

[UNCjigga]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/loca...65d92a3585d_story.html?utm_term=.1379a5bee436

Va. state senator who met with Assad says British are planning fake chemical attack

"Fresh off a sit-down with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Virginia state Sen. Richard H. Black turned up on an Arab TV channel last week making an extraordinary claim about one of the United States’ closest allies.

Black said Britain’s MI6 intelligence service was planning a chemical weapons attack on the Syrian people, which it would then blame on Assad.

“Around four weeks ago, we knew that British intelligence was working toward a chemical attack in order to blame the Syrian government, to hold Syria responsible,” Black said on Al Mayadeen, an Arab news channel based in Beirut.
...
The State Department flatly rejected Black’s allegations, which echoed what it called “outrageous” Russian and Assad-regime claims that Britain and the United States have carried out chemical attacks with help from the White Helmets."

----

Soooo....How else do you explain this story? What business did this guy have meeting with Assad in the first place??? What other purpose did his visit serve, other than having another useful idiot in a position of power further the interests of Putin and Assad?

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/loca...65d92a3585d_story.html?utm_term=.1379a5bee436

Va. state senator who met with Assad says British are planning fake chemical attack

"Fresh off a sit-down with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Virginia state Sen. Richard H. Black turned up on an Arab TV channel last week making an extraordinary claim about one of the United States’ closest allies.

Black said Britain’s MI6 intelligence service was planning a chemical weapons attack on the Syrian people, which it would then blame on Assad.

“Around four weeks ago, we knew that British intelligence was working toward a chemical attack in order to blame the Syrian government, to hold Syria responsible,” Black said on Al Mayadeen, an Arab news channel based in Beirut.
...
The State Department flatly rejected Black’s allegations, which echoed what it called “outrageous” Russian and Assad-regime claims that Britain and the United States have carried out chemical attacks with help from the White Helmets."

----

Soooo....How else do you explain this story? What business did this guy have meeting with Assad in the first place??? What other purpose did his visit serve, other than having another useful idiot in a position of power further the interests of Putin and Assad?

Assuming the story is accurate, he sounds like an idiot, compromised, or both.

 

[Indus]

Why would a state senator want to meet with Assad?

 

[UNCjigga]

Why would a state senator want to meet with Assad?

This is what I'm trying to understand. And I don't want to sound like some idiot lefty conspiracy theorist either...but I'm struggling to find any mention of a legitimate reason for him being there.

Going off his Wikipedia page, Dick Black has 31 years of military service under his built, both active and reserve, and he's a Marine for chrissakes. After his service, he went to law school and served as a JAG prosecutor. Yes, his political career is full of examples of "batshit" thinking, but I'd find it hard to believe someone with a service record like Black's could ever become such a willing stooge for a foreign power. It boggles the mind.

But then, I read this:

Syria
In April 2014, Black sent an official letter to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad,[32] thanking "the Syrian Arab Army for its heroic rescue of Christians in the Qalamoun Mountain Range",[32] praising Assad for "treating with respect all Christians and the small community of Jews in Damascus," and stating it was obvious that the rebel side of the war was largely being fought by "vicious war criminals linked to Al Qaeda" [32][33] Democratic State Senator A. Donald McEachin called the letter "bizarre,"[34] while Republican State Senator Bill Stanley later joked "What's the matter, Dick? Was Kim Jong-un not returning your text messages?".[35]

In 2015 Islamic State included Black in a list of its enemies, calling him "The American Crusader." It quoted the following statement by Black: "One thing is clear, if Damascus falls, the dreaded black and white flag of ISIS will fly over Damascus. ... Within a period of months after the fall of Damascus, Jordan will fall and Lebanon will fall. ... I think you will automatically see a beginning of a historic push of Islam towards Europe and I think, ultimately, Europe will be conquered."[36]

On April 27, 2016, Black began a three-day trip to Syria in support of its government.[37] Explaining his trip in a series of Twitter exchanges with the Washington Post, Black wrote that the U.S. was "allied with two of the most vile nations on earth, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, which are intent on imposing a [Wahhabi] fundamentalist government on the Syrian people."[37]

In 2018, Black appeared on an Arab TV channel where he claimed without evidence that the British intelligence service, MI6, was planning a false flag chemical attack on Syria, which it would then blame on the Assad regime.[38]

Russia Today appearances
Black has made frequent appearances on the Russia Today (RT) network, commenting on United States foreign affairs policy.[42][43][44]

RT has come under frequent fire for allegedly acting as a propaganda arm of the Kremlin, which provides the channel its funding,[45][46] and for its perceived anti-American bias during newscasts.[46][47]

In its filing with the US Justice Department, RT America stated it wasn't sure how much of its budget came from the Russian government.[48]

November 14, 2017 appearance
When asked for his reaction to RT America having to register as a foreign agent, Black said:

"I think that it makes a mockery of free speech in the United States. We go around lecturing the world about how they need to have freedom of the press and freedom of speech and yet here we are cracking down on free speech. [...] the objective of doing this to RT news is not to block information from going to Russian citizens, it is to block the truth from reaching the American public in the United States [...] I will tell you that I know many, many Americans who have come to rely on RT News as the most valid, truthful broadcast medium in the United States [...] we consider CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC - all of them are just a bunch of people screaming back and forth at one another. Most of it is just propaganda. It is, it is extremist opinion, and you listen to RT news and they present very accurate information that is verifiable when you go and you and you actually research it. [...] RT news [...] has been a source of accurate information about NATO's provocations; their military provocations and their aggressive actions towards Russia in Europe. [...] too many Americans have been saying you know what, what we're seeing on RT news seems to be much more factual than what we're seeing on CNN and some of these other broadcast media sources. [...] I hope that RT remains a very robust source of news because I rely on it, and I will tell you millions of Americans have come to rely on RT news."[49]​

 

[WelshBloke]

...

Well that's certainly pretty disturbing!

 

[UNCjigga]

Some more reporters are digging into the money trail for Mr. Black now:
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/...chard-black-uk-mi6-assad-russia-a8529681.html

Mr Black, who flew from Paris to Beirut and then travelled five hours by car to Damascus, said his flight and lodging outside of Syria were covered by Dr Nasser Ani, a prominent surgeon from New Jersey who chairs the Syrian American Forum. The group has featured Mr Black as a speaker.

Mr Black said the Syrian government provided his lodging in Damascus, as well as an interpreter and ground transportation between Beirut and Damascus.

Virginia’s public officials cannot accept gifts worth more than $100 (£77) from lobbyists or government contractors. But Dr Ani and the Syrian government do not fall into either category, so Mr Black said their gifts are allowable.

State ethics officials signed off on Mr Black’s 2016 trip to Syria, whose $10,000 (£7,700) tab was paid by Tampa-area gasoline wholesaler Paul Jallo. Mr Black said last week’s trip cost far less because it was shorter.​

 

[trenchfoot]

For the most part I feel assured that our intelligence services are keeping track of his actions, as well they should for any and all of our politicians going abroad.

The OP does bring up some very interesting points though.

My WAG is the Senator is a good guy rather than a baddie.

 

[sdifox]

Why would a state senator want to meet with Assad?

Chemical weapons. Got to get liberal tears by any means necessary.

 

[cytg111]

This sort of thing takes Ali G out of business... I mean you dont even need a trap or nothing, just let em be and theyll go full retard all on their own..

 

[zinfamous]

This is what I'm trying to understand. And I don't want to sound like some idiot lefty conspiracy theorist either...but I'm struggling to find any mention of a legitimate reason for him being there.

Going off his Wikipedia page, Dick Black has 31 years of military service under his built, both active and reserve, and he's a Marine for chrissakes. After his service, he went to law school and served as a JAG prosecutor. Yes, his political career is full of examples of "batshit" thinking, but I'd find it hard to believe someone with a service record like Black's could ever become such a willing stooge for a foreign power. It boggles the mind.

But then, I read this:

Syria
In April 2014, Black sent an official letter to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad,[32] thanking "the Syrian Arab Army for its heroic rescue of Christians in the Qalamoun Mountain Range",[32] praising Assad for "treating with respect all Christians and the small community of Jews in Damascus," and stating it was obvious that the rebel side of the war was largely being fought by "vicious war criminals linked to Al Qaeda" [32][33] Democratic State Senator A. Donald McEachin called the letter "bizarre,"[34] while Republican State Senator Bill Stanley later joked "What's the matter, Dick? Was Kim Jong-un not returning your text messages?".[35]

In 2015 Islamic State included Black in a list of its enemies, calling him "The American Crusader." It quoted the following statement by Black: "One thing is clear, if Damascus falls, the dreaded black and white flag of ISIS will fly over Damascus. ... Within a period of months after the fall of Damascus, Jordan will fall and Lebanon will fall. ... I think you will automatically see a beginning of a historic push of Islam towards Europe and I think, ultimately, Europe will be conquered."[36]

On April 27, 2016, Black began a three-day trip to Syria in support of its government.[37] Explaining his trip in a series of Twitter exchanges with the Washington Post, Black wrote that the U.S. was "allied with two of the most vile nations on earth, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, which are intent on imposing a [Wahhabi] fundamentalist government on the Syrian people."[37]

In 2018, Black appeared on an Arab TV channel where he claimed without evidence that the British intelligence service, MI6, was planning a false flag chemical attack on Syria, which it would then blame on the Assad regime.[38]

Russia Today appearances
Black has made frequent appearances on the Russia Today (RT) network, commenting on United States foreign affairs policy.[42][43][44]

RT has come under frequent fire for allegedly acting as a propaganda arm of the Kremlin, which provides the channel its funding,[45][46] and for its perceived anti-American bias during newscasts.[46][47]

In its filing with the US Justice Department, RT America stated it wasn't sure how much of its budget came from the Russian government.[48]

November 14, 2017 appearance
When asked for his reaction to RT America having to register as a foreign agent, Black said:

"I think that it makes a mockery of free speech in the United States. We go around lecturing the world about how they need to have freedom of the press and freedom of speech and yet here we are cracking down on free speech. [...] the objective of doing this to RT news is not to block information from going to Russian citizens, it is to block the truth from reaching the American public in the United States [...] I will tell you that I know many, many Americans who have come to rely on RT News as the most valid, truthful broadcast medium in the United States [...] we consider CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC - all of them are just a bunch of people screaming back and forth at one another. Most of it is just propaganda. It is, it is extremist opinion, and you listen to RT news and they present very accurate information that is verifiable when you go and you and you actually research it. [...] RT news [...] has been a source of accurate information about NATO's provocations; their military provocations and their aggressive actions towards Russia in Europe. [...] too many Americans have been saying you know what, what we're seeing on RT news seems to be much more factual than what we're seeing on CNN and some of these other broadcast media sources. [...] I hope that RT remains a very robust source of news because I rely on it, and I will tell you millions of Americans have come to rely on RT news."[49]​

Holy shit, this guy is the perfect example of a Retarded Agent.

 

[ivwshane]

Another Republican, another traitor, with a little radicalization after his stint in the armed forces.

 

[compcons]

This is ridiculous. It was bad enough that we had senators vising our enemy on the 4th of July, but this guy is pushing a conspiracy about our trusted ally? I for one am going to calmly await the arrival of our conservative apologists to show up and explain it to me.

This is toeing the line of treason.

 

[darkswordsman17]

This is fucked but not really shocking to me any more. I hope journalists are being extra precautious as they investigate this stuff, as it starts to implicate more politicians and further reveals the Russian corruption (which really I think its mutual corruption, Republicans enabled the corrupt capitalists that flooded Russia post Soviet Union, and they buddied up with the old school corrupt Russians like Putin and the oligarchs, and then it fueled the capitalists to corrupt the Republicans, and then the Republicans and corrupt Russians buddied up more directly to exploit the corrupt capitalists). Its not just Russians, and I think Republicans might actually be the original source of the wave of corruption currently en vogue in the world. Well maybe not original original, but I think a lot of it can be pointed back to the 80s corruption wave (although that almost seems like it was a response to dealing with Nixon era corruption or rather really not dealing with it but acting like we did with Nixon's resignation; certainly its not the first time people has noted similarities between Reagan and Turmp and their rise to power and policies).

I seem to recall some Kansas politicians going on a visit to some country that I was like "WTF?" about several years back, can't remember where it was though, and I think it was more how they came back acting like "oh the mainstream media has been lying to us, this dictator guy is actually super nice and sooo cool" kinda response.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

Holy shit, this guy is the perfect example of a Retarded Agent.

So true, I’ll gladly get cut over that