Local Expert Downplays Sanctions Against Russia In Hacking Scandal
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - President Obama gave his Russian counterpart a "symbolic slap" for Russia's hacking of the recent Presidential election.
That assessment is from local foreign policy expert Ed Turzanski.
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Turzanski, a senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute, suggests Obama's move may fulfill the promise he made to act in the wake of Russia's meddling.
But frankly, he says tensions between the two countries have been building for years now:
"All of this is a parting shot, largely symbolic, and representative of a relationship that had gone bad between President Obama and President Putin," Turzanski tells KYW Newsradio.
We still don't the real extent of damage done by the Russian hacking. Nor is it clear if the US could fend off another hacking incident by Putin's government.
So what does Turzanski think Putin might do in retaliation?
"Expect that Putin will respond in kind," he said. "Also there is the possibility that Putin may say 'I'm going to wait for the new administration to come in. I don't consider this to be representative of the United States'."
And it is President-Elect Donald Trump that is the wild card here. We won't get much of an idea of his take on all this prior to his assuming office on January 20th.