The New York Times’ editors have this to say today about President Obama’s new sanctions against Russian entities and his expulsion of several Russian diplomats:
While it is definitely too late, and may also be too little, there should be no doubt about the correctness of President Obama’s decision to retaliate against Russia for hacking American computers and trying to influence the 2016 presidential election.
It would have been irresponsible for him to leave office next month and allow President Vladimir Putin to think that he could with impunity try to undermine American democracy. That would have been a particularly dangerous legacy given President-elect Donald Trump’s alarming affinity for Mr. Putin and stubborn refusal to accept the conclusion of American intelligence agencies that Russia’s cyberattacks were aimed at helping him and hurting Hillary Clinton. The president-elect told reporters dismissively before Mr. Obama’s decision was announced that Americans should “get on with our lives” and forget about the hacking scandal. So much for that wishful thought.
This is, of course, absolutely true, and seems to be the bipartisan consensus in Washington, excluding President-elect Trump himself.
But speaking of “wishful thoughts,” here’s what the Times’ esteemed editors had to say on the topic of Russia on March 29, 2012. At that time, the presidential candidate they didn’t like was the one issuing what turned out to be prescient warnings about Putin’s intentions:
Two decades after the end of the cold war, Mitt Romney still considers Russia to be America’s “No. 1 geopolitical foe.” His comments display either a shocking lack of knowledge about international affairs or just craven politics. Either way, they are reckless and unworthy of a major presidential contender…”
The 2012 editorial went on to admit that Putin is “an unsavory player,” but to downplay all of the dangers he posed. The editorial argued that Obama had already shown he could handle Putin quite well, and that Romney’s preoccupation with Russia and Obama’s promises to show Putin “flexibility” was just a distraction from more pressing issues. “There are real threats out there,” the Times wrote. “Al Qaeda and its imitators, Iran, North Korea, economic stresses. Mr. Romney owes Americans a discussion of the real challenges facing this country and his solutions to them.”
About 16 months later, Russia began its military operation in Crimea. This was followed by a series of additional Russian provocations in Ukraine and against other former Soviet Republics, the downing of a civilian passenger airplane, Russian interference in Syria and with Iran, and finally Russian hackers’ work to embarrass Democrats in the election campaign just concluded by hacking and releasing their emails to the public.
So now the Times‘ editors have finally come around. Good for them. “While it is definitely too late, and may also be too little, there should be no doubt about the correctness” of their new opinion on this topic.
