https://apnews.com/4e0dd41bb404d10e87f1cb34b7de7a 01
During the call, Flynn urged Kislyak that any action Russia took in response to the sanctions be “reciprocal.”
Sounds like a reasonable request so far. No offer of a deal if they wouldn't retaliate.
“Don’t — don’t make it — don’t go any further than you have to. Because I don’t want us to get into something that has to escalate, on a, you know, on a tit for tat. You follow me, Ambassador?” Flynn said, according to the transcripts.
Still no offer of a deal. Flynn offered nothing in return. He only asked Kislyak not to "box in" ( those words from a later call ) the Trump administration that might impede trying to reset relations with Russia on matters important to both countries.
Kislyak replied that he understood, but that there were angry sentiments “raging” in Moscow. Flynn said that even so, “cool heads” need to prevail since the U.S. and Russia have common interests in fighting terrorism in the Middle East.
Sounds like an experienced diplomat to me.
“I know, I — believe me, I do appreciate it, I very much appreciate it. But I really don’t want us to get into a situation where we’re going, you know — where we do this and then you do something bigger, and then you know, everybody’s got to go back and forth and everybody’s got to be the tough guy here, you know?” Flynn said.
More diplomacy.
The FBI interviewed Flynn about the call in January 2017. In that interview, according to a guilty plea reached with Mueller’s team, Flynn denied that he had asked Kislyak to refrain from escalating tensions over sanctions.
OK, assume for a minute, that's true. So you have a false statement, about something that was not a crime, caused no injury to the US and did not benefit Russia. As a matter of fact, he asked Russia to do something against their interest. As I have said a hundred times before, why Flynn denied he said something perfectly legal and in the interest of the US and in no way worked for the interest of Russia, I do not know and I'm not sure that even Flynn knows why he said that, "if" he said that. At this point, knowing what we know about Mueller and the FBI, I don't believe a damn thing they say because they too, lied
He also said he did not recall a conversation two days later with Kislyak in which the ambassador intimated that Moscow had decided against an aggressive response to the sanctions.
“Your proposal that we need to act with cold heads, uh, is exactly what is uh, invested in the decision,” Kislyak said.
The perfect diplomatic outcome for America with no quid pro quo offered.
So, to review, no request to not retaliate but to make it reciprocal and offered nothing in return if Russia does this, only a suggestion that this would be the best course of action for both countries. Nothing what so ever to "suggest" that we would "do something" for Russia, if they did something for us.
Now, you want to hear how the far left described the call?
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2020/05/newly-released-transcripts-show-michael-flynn-betrayed-the-united-states/
Up until now, the Flynn scandal has generally centered on his criminal case, in which Flynn, Donald Trump’s first national security adviser, was charged with—and pleaded guilty to—lying to FBI about his calls with Kislyak. Flynn told bureau agents that he had not discussed the sanctions imposed on Russia by the Obama administration in response to Vladimir Putin’s attack on the 2016 election. Well, he had. And Flynn had even encouraged the Russians to not retaliate severely, suggesting that when Trump took office things between Moscow and Washington could be smoothed over. The FBI knew this because US intelligence had intercepted those calls, presumably part of routine surveillance of the Russian official. Flynn took a deal, and he pleaded guilty to lying to avoid being charged for an unrelated crime (failing to register as a foreign agent for Turkey).
Wow, suggesting that things could be "smoothed over"! And that is treason against the US? Are you kidding me? It is absolutely the right of a succeeding President to institute a different foreign policy than the previous administration. Almost like presenting Russia with a big red button and calling it a "reset", huh? That's what Hillary did, asked Russia for a reset. Wasn't treasonous then but under Trump it is. Fucking amazing.
There is lying to the FBI to hide a crime, like Hillary did and then there is lying ( supposedly, we have no proof other than Mueller that he said this ) about a conversation that was not a crime. AH! but the FBI wanted a crime, I dare say needed a crime to make sure General Flynn didn't get the keys to the intelligence kingdom and could see what Obama's FBI, DOJ and CIA were up to, spying on what soon would be, the next administration.
5 months of investigating Flynn and the FBI finds nothing derogatory according to recently released transcripts. We also find out that the original FBI 302's, a record of what the two agents that interviewed Flynn, remember from the conversation. One version of events suggested that the 2 agents found no intent to deceive which leads me to believe that Flynn perhaps did not lie to the agents at that time. Amazingly enough, the 302's that are to be written up within a couple of days of the interview, go missing and 5 weeks later, Strzok and Page "reconstruct" the account. Problem is, like Comey sending agents into the White House, this violated FBI protocols because Page did not have the authority to work on that document. Only the two agents involved could write that document. Two very big deviations of FBI protocols.
Mueller says Flynn lied about not speaking of sanctions. Anybody heard that tape? And what if he did lie? How would that impact a case against Flynn as to conspiring with Russia, which we can now see he didn't do.
Hillary lies about material violations of the law and doesn't get prosecuted even though she, according to Comey's own testimony, lied to the Congressional committee investigating her. Comey says, "she didn't lie to the FBI. Well I guess the FBI must not have asked her the same questions that the Congressional committee did. And you believe that?
Nothing more than a double standard at work her at best. At worst, a massive plot to take down a President over nothing illegal.
