Is Pres Obama being deliberately difficult about Russia?

I think President-Elect Trump is eminently capable of making things difficult for himself.

I think its what America does....if you need someone to blame ...blame Russia .They appear to have forgotten that Russia was on our side in WW11 and lost a lot more people than they did..which may or may not explain their need to keep a close watch on their borders BUT as Putin says its not Russia who have military bases all over the world and aparticularly large amount in Europe is it?As to Russian "interference" in the elections ...everyone and their granny interfered in the Scottish independence referendum..especially America who seem to have forgotten what their independence day is all about...

paddyann The US certainly has military bases all over the world, including a British island from which the residents were forced to move. It has also indulged in aggressive wars – the invasion of Iraq being typical. However, I think the political anxiety is that Russia and Putin, in particular, would like to re-establish the Soviet Union by the back door. Georgia, the Ukraine, Chechnya and quite a few other places have good reason to worry about this. Of course, the US has been paranoid about communism for decades.

I am not sure what you believe America is blaming Russia for at the moment, apart from interference in the recent election. The accusation of interference seems to be of a rather more serious nature than non-Scots simply telling Scots how they want them to vote.

Having now read and seen a bit more, it seems to me, and I could be wrong, that Pres Obama has plans to try to make life more difficult for Pres Elect Trump in lots of ways.

Having said that, I cant make out quite what Trump is up to as regards Russia.

Interesting question Ankers, is Obama deliberately trying to be difficult full stop.

I am interested in why he is suddenly putting into action matters that will cause problems for the next incoming President such as Russia, Israel, Arctic Drilling Ban etc.

The other question being asked, quite fairly, is why he has not during his Presidency had the guts/bottle to act until his last gasp of breath if these were matters that he considers appropriate. It's not as though they were issues that popped up in the last few weeks, why now?. Perhaps he is exercising his right but not having to deal with the consequences is pretty shallow in some peoples eyes but of course not in others.

It reminds me in a small way of the 50p tax rate introduced by Gordon Brown in the dying days of Labour in 2009. . The 50p tax rate went against the Labour Manifesto of 2005 but it's introduction within weeks of the General Election in 2010 was considered by many to be be a gauntlet / trap for the next government if it was Conservative as it would create the perfect class warfare scenario if it was ever taken back to the 40p level Labour had in place for years. Turned out to be a contentious issue as presumed.

The 'midnight rules/midnight regulations ' scenario is fascinating but so complicated to get my head round it but it is worth reading up on. Obama will be interesting to watch in the last 21 days is it? of his presidency.

Midnight regulations

Midnight regulations is a term for United States federal government regulations created by executive branch agencies in the 'lame duck' period of an outgoing President's administration.

Interesting post POGS.

ABSOLUTELY right Absent

Perhaps, Pogs, he has discovered that there is a great deal more enthusiasm in those around him for getting these things done, now that Trump will be arriving at the White House, than there was when it was just Obama they were dealing with.

Is he locking up the silver?