
U.S. eases restrictions on cyber-security sales to Russian spy agency - Kinnard
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2017/02/02/us-eases-some-economic-sanctions-against-russia/97399136/
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jwtadvice
I feel like CNBC did it particularly well [1].

> "Our understanding is that this is not the start of sanctions easing," said
> Ian Bremmer, a widely respected political scientist and president of
> consulting firm Eurasia Group.

> "It's a rule change clearing up a problem with the sanctions regime that
> prevented U.S. exporters of non-sanctioned electronic devices from complying
> with both U.S. and Russian law. The problem was identified by the Obama
> administration, and this appears to be the response to address it."

> Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., a Russia hawk who has called for more sanctions
> on Moscow, told NBC News that Thursday's move looks like "largely a
> technical fix."

The sanctions brought against Russia for the proxy war in Ukraine and
secondarily the sanctions for information war between the two countries
specifically target particular people (individual officials enumerated by the
Department of Treasury, under so called "smart sanctions") and particular
sectors of the Russian economy (military moderization and acquisition sectors
as well as parts of Russia's Defense Industrial Base).

The restrictions eased on software transfers were not a lifting of sanctions
in any meaningful way. Unfortunately the way these headlines are being written
is causing a public panic.

[1] [http://www.cnbc.com/2017/02/02/us-treasury-eases-some-
sancti...](http://www.cnbc.com/2017/02/02/us-treasury-eases-some-sanctions-
against-russian-intelligence-service.html)

------
efoto
Despite how crazy it sounds, KGB is now effectivly in control of the executive
branch of the US government.

~~~
vsnb
Please, refrain from trolling/speculating on HN to keep it useful. There are
dedicated websites and communities for political discussions and related
stuff.

It is sad how people have no respect for others when they preach their
political emotions all over the Internet.

~~~
efoto
thank you for this comment.

------
Zigurd
This is a trial balloon. Like the silence regarding shelling of a town in
Ukraine. Belligerence re China is the other side of this coin. A betrayal of
Europe.

