Originally posted by Cow Poke
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I always try to view these things in the same way as a conspiracy theory, in that it first has to pass the smell test: Risk vs. Gain.
Assuming Putin would like to see US soldiers getting killed (which I'm not convinced of in the first place), can you imagine him risking a war with the US just to knock out a handful of US soldiers in Afghanistan? What could that conceivably buy him that would be worth that kind of risk? If undiscovered, all he gets is some evil satisfaction. If discovered, it could develop into a full-scale war with the US and the West (I seem to recall UK soldiers were supposedly targeted too) and could lead to his ultimate undoing. It could lead to an internal revolution since a lot of Russian citizens would be outraged. He might end up with his head on a spike.
Putin would have to be an idiot. A former KGB agent is not an idiot.
Having said this, a more plausible scenario is some local Russian commander did this of his own accord. Since Russia's Industrial Military Complex is an often unanswerable entity in that country, it's possible some field general came up with this on his own. If evidence was strong enough that bounties actually existed, I would take the evidence to Lavrov or Putin and demand an explanation. But I wouldn't be rushing off to the New York Times with the story so they can spin this so the crazies can start bouncing off the walls.
Allegedly, a large pile of cash was found by the US in the possession of Taliban or "criminal" elements, according to the NYT, according to the unnamed source. Those captured Taliban or criminals are the ones who told the bounty story. Now neocons and libs are freaking out and calling for Trump's head and probably war with Russia.
I am prepared to say I'm wrong if credible evidence is reported. As it stands now, nah.
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