McCain is right. What's behind the accusation that Rand Paul is working for Putin? [View all]

[GliderGuider]

'The senator from Kentucky is now working for Putin': John McCain slams Rand Paul for blocking Montenegro from joining NATO

Republican Sen. John McCain slammed his GOP colleague, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, on Wednesday after Paul blocked the passage of a treaty that would allow Montenegro to move forward with joining NATO, Defense News' Joe Gould reported.

McCain warned before the vote that “If there’s objection, you are achieving the objectives of Vladimir Putin...and I do not say that lightly.”

Paul then entered the Senate chamber, voted against the accession protocol, and exited.

“The only conclusion you can draw when he walks away is he has no argument to be made,” McCain said after Paul walked out abruptly, according to The Washington Examiner. "The senator from Kentucky is now working for Vladimir Putin."

Now, Montnegro is directly in Putin's sights. He does NOT want to see it sheltered under the NATO umbrella. How badly does he not want that? This badly:

Montenegro 'to indict Russian spy behind coup plot'

Montenegro is reportedly preparing to indict the Russian intelligence officer it accuses of masterminding a bloody coup plot to stop the Balkan nation joining Nato.

Eduard Sismakov, an officer with Russia’s GRU military intelligence service, is accused of running a web of Serbian and Russian nationalists and paramilitaries who plotted to assassinate the Montenegrin prime minister.

The British government believes the thwarted plot was carried out with the backing of Moscow and UK and US intelligence agencies have been helping the tiny Balkan nation unravel the conspiracy.

Another Russian GRU operative, using the name Vladimir Popov, is also being sought by Montenegro.

The plot would have attacked Montenegro's parliament and killed Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic.

And the $64 billion question is, "Why is little Montenegro so important to Putin?"

The answer is a single word: Kotor.

Kotor
Kotor is a coastal town in Montenegro. It is located in a secluded part of the Gulf of Kotor. The city has a population of 13,510 and is the administrative center of Kotor Municipality.

And why is the tiny town of Kotor significant? Here's why:



Sea access into the Adriatic. Putin wants Montenegro for the same reason he wanted Crimea - sea access. And not just any old sea access. The picturesque little town of Kotor would make a perfect pipeline terminal and oil port.

This is where the rubber meets the road in geopolitics.
It's why McCain's characterization of Rand Paul was 100% correct.