JRL NEWSWATCH: “Why we need a little skepticism, and more evidence, on Russian bounties” – The Hill/ David B. Rivkin, Jr., George S. Beebe

July 7, 2020 JRL Russia List Assassinations, Beatings, Threats, Central Asia, JRL NewsBlog, Terrorism, United States, U.S.-Russian Relations

“… [1][H]ow credible are the sources? … not very. … militants and criminals captured and interrogated by Afghanistan’s government. … Captured militants frequently tell … interrogators things they hope … [bring] lenient treatment. Others relate … little more than hearsay. … [2][W]hat other information might support or disconfirm the allegations? …. [I]f the Times report of large financial transfers … is accurate, it would appear that the typically tight-fisted Russians either were paying enormous sums per kill or were paying in advance … not how bounties usually work. … [3] Who benefits from these allegations? … certainly … the central Afghan government, which has overseen the interrogations … and desperately wants the U.S. military to remain …. The list also includes Trump’s domestic political opponents, who long have attempted to tar him with false accusations of working on the Kremlin’s behalf ….”