Arthur Conan Doyle has it right.

[Jakes Progress]

When we ask why trump is acting this way, why destroy military effectiveness, why dismantle and hobble the intelligence community, why seek to broadcast our country's methods and contacts for international espionage, why alienate every single Nato ally, we only seem to come up with theories about his derangement and his ego. But none of these things bolster his image.

Doyle said:When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.

The only entity served by trump's actions is putin. They don't serve any of trump's needs. He is paying a debt or avoiding blackmail. It is a truth that may seem preposterous, but it is what remains.

[Blue Owl]

1. Trump's working for Moriarity

[dchill]

2. I reread the Sherlock Holmes canon every few years...

I'm in total agreement with you. It's not just Trump, of course. There are more than a few GOP creatures who know exactly what they're doing, and for whom they're doing it.

[Jakes Progress]

4. If putin is willing to poison people

right in the public view, why is it so difficult to believe that he has been collecting blackmail material on senators and representatives for years.

To not think that putin is blackmailing some our congressmen is just stupid. . .and naive.

[dchill]

5. It's an Occam's razor kind of thing.

[RainCaster]

3. He's not the only one...

Moscow Mitch
Leningrad Lindsey
Beavis & Butthead

[dchill]

6. Ron Johnson, Chuck Grassley.

[Silent3]

7. I don't doubt a Putin influence, nevertheless Trump's childish petulance...

...is enough to explain much of his current behavior after losing.

[Jakes Progress]

8. Makes him the perfect "useful fool".