Retired Army Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman argued that former President Trumpās recent comments about NATO are likely a ācontributing factorā in the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
āDonald Trump invited Vladimir Putin to attack NATO. I would say that that probably was a contributing factor in the calculus around the assassination of Navalny,ā Vindman told MSNBCās Michael Steele Friday.
Vindmanās comments come just a week after Navalny died in prison. The Biden administration has blamed Russiaās government for the death, but Russia has said he died of natural causes.
Itās an interesting theory. I assumed it was due to the protests of 2011 -> ratings rapidly fell -> inventing external enemies, taking Crimea, turn brainwashing to the 1000%. I feel like nothing external was at play, and if there werenāt no country but Russia, like literally empty space, theyād still blow the provocation whistle.
The timing of that is interesting for Alexei was sitting in prison for years. My assumption was again internal: that he was killed one month before the Putinās re-election, to show he would violently suppress anyone whoād get in his way. But can it be an external signal? To who? To NATO countries other than USA, who may lose their strategic partner? To exact politicians whoād be against it? Iām confused.