What will Obama's retaliation against Russia be?

[The Atheist]

Obama has vowed to retaliate against Russia for their interference in the election.

What form will that retaliation take?

 

[marplots]

A secretly installed virus will spin up (and break) the centrifuges the Russkis use to make vodka, causing a national disaster.

 

[TragicMonkey]

He'll instruct the CIA to use secret medical technology to bring back Trump's gag reflex?

 

[NoahFence]

Kidnap Putin and make him watch an Ellen! marathon. Ensure Carson Kressley is a frequent guest.
Music by Pussy Riot.

 

[Ziggurat]

Hashtags.

 

[Trebuchet]

On Planet X, Obama will remain in office and name Donald Trump ambassador to Russia.

In real life, it's just a few weeks until Trump is president and all investigations and retaliations will be cancelled.

 

[Hlafordlaes]

Let the bromance continue, until both get all the STDs the other has, go insane, and collapse masturbating each other during a globally televised press conference.

 

[Horatius]

 

[Giz]

Warn that there will be a Red Line?

 

[Bob001]

Rachel Maddow last night contended that Putin has assembled a personal fortune of $85 billion (B!) by taking big stakes in what used to be government-owned businesses during the great "privatization" at the end of the Soviet era. There is speculation that the CIA might: A/ publicize the extent of his corruption, which is not widely known in Russia; and B/ might screw with the businesses to cause him personal losses -- and make his co-owners very unhappy with him.
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show

 

[Darth Rotor]

Putin is a lot richer than Trump. Skads richer than Obama. I'm not sure he takes either seriously.

I'll be interested to see what President OBama does, if he goes public with it. I'd be more interested to see what he does that he can't go public with. Unfortunately for me, I'm no longer on those circles.

So: we'll see.

 

[Varanid]

Very disappointed in this thread.

I appreciate humor, but I'd love to hear learned opinions.

 

[The Atheist]

Very disappointed in this thread.

I appreciate humor, but I'd love to hear learned opinions.

There aren't any, which is the point. Obama said there would be a response.

None so far.

 

[mijopaalmc]

Assassinate the Russian ambassador?




....Too soon?

 

[The Atheist]

Assassinate the Russian ambassador?




....Too soon?

No, that's actually bloody brilliant!

 

[The Great Zaganza]

It would be very easy to totally embarrass Putin and posse: publish some of their shady dealings and offshore hoards. Using phishing and the like, US cyber could even get access to the funds themselves.

The problem is retaliation. That is why Obama wants to be as public as possible, to show what has and what hasn't been done, so that it will be clear if the Kremlin escalates.

 

[McHrozni]

It would be very easy to totally embarrass Putin and posse: publish some of their shady dealings and offshore hoards. Using phishing and the like, US cyber could even get access to the funds themselves.

The problem is the Kremlin's control of the media could dampen the effect of this in Russia to the point of irrelevance. It would be fun to see Putin's bank statement, but it's largely useless.

Publishing the top-secret Protocols of the Elders of Kremlin, who speak of an average Russian as a dumb peon and speak of how to keep the dumb peons in check by annexing Crimea and stealing public companies on the other hand ... could potentially be more effective. Although it's again problematic, because the ones that care know this already, and the ones that don't care still won't care.

A gay sex tape with Putin and the receptive star could have some impact in Russia. It could be much more effective than anything substantial.

McHrozni

 

[Puppycow]

He shall say "Ni!" to them again if they do not obey!

 

[TragicMonkey]

It would be very easy to totally embarrass Putin and posse: publish some of their shady dealings and offshore hoards.

Didn't that already happen, with that Panamanian bank? And absolutely nothing came of it? It seems clear the Russian masses are either okay with corruption, unaware of it, or powerless to stop it.

 

[uke2se]

Didn't that already happen, with that Panamanian bank? And absolutely nothing came of it? It seems clear the Russian masses are either okay with corruption, unaware of it, or powerless to stop it.

Strict control of the media in Russia keeps them from knowing too much.