US slams Russia for attack on diplomat

[Night Watchman]

Source: CNN

By Elise Labott, CNN
Updated 7:03 PM ET, Fri July 8, 2016

Washington (CNN)The State Department condemned Russian security services Friday for an attack on an American diplomat, the latest incident in what U.S. officials said is increasing intimidation of its personnel.

The U.S. diplomat "was attacked by a Russian policeman" while attempting to enter the American embassy last month in Moscow, State Department spokesman John Kirby told reporters, speaking just days after a video of the altercation was broadcast on Russian TV.

"The action was unprovoked and endangered the safety of our employee," he added.

Kirby said that Russian officials' claims that the policeman was attempting to protect the embassy were "simply untrue."

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/08/politics/russia-attack-us-diplomat/index.html

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There's even a GIF of the attack at the link.

[newthinking]

1. Interesting. Folks may not be aware that embassies are guarded by police from the host country

So that was not unusual.

I would would kind of expect to get tackled if I tried to walk by the perimeter police and hid my face? Not sure if this is as much incident as signs of the strain and the fact that we are both losing respect and protocol is starting to fail. That is definitely concerning.

He was not a diplomat but staff.

[Recursion]

5. It depends on the country

All embassies and consulates have US Diplomatic Security staff and most have local security staff hired by the embassy. Some countries also assign police to "help guard" (ie, closely watch) the building or compound, but they are never inside the perimeter. At least in India we were always reminded that at least one of those thirty cops outside with Kalashnikovs is counting people entering and exiting and reporting that to somebody.

Russia, however, is famous for treating diplomats awfully, especially US diplomats (incidentally, if he was an American citizen working at the embassy, he had a diplomatic visa and so was a "diplomat"; what he may not have been is a "consul&quot . The creepiest one they seem to like is sending security agents into your residence while you're gone, taking a dump in your toilet, and not flushing.

[Ash_F]

2. The spokesman said the Russians claims were not true but did not elaborate.

It does look like he tried to walk past the guard. Is he required to show credentials?

[Jnclr89]

3. They are saying he was a CIA agent

Who knows if that's true? What is the truth anymore?

[newthinking]

6. Embassies have changed and they often actually do function as a front for CIA activity

I am sure we have always had spies etc (and other countries as well) but the role of State Department has changed drastically in recent times with much less emphasis on actual diplomacy and much more emphasis on clandestine activity. The US is always trying to affect change in Russia and destabilize the country and that dynamic surely agitates the situation.

[Ash_F]

7. I did not hear that. Do you have a link?

[uhnope]

4. Putin was a KGB asshat presiding over the return of government thuggery