Given the abundant signals of a planned assault on the heart of Washington, why was the Capitol so inadequately defended with barely a handful cops many of whom seemed to be unarmed?

The contrast has been made to when Black Lives Matter protesters gathered in Washington back in June to denounce police brutality. They were confronted with a phalanx of heavily armed anti-riot squads deployed around government buildings.

How come security measures were not ramped up this week, especially given the open signalling from white supremacist groups of their plans to target the Capitol? Is it due to racist double-standard? That no doubt is part of it.

Ironically, the day before the sacking – albeit temporary – of the US government by the Trump mobs a joint statement was issued by intelligence agencies in which it was claimed that they believed Russia was behind a purported massive cyber-attack on widespread institutions, ranging from the Pentagon to energy companies. The alleged cyber intrusions were first reported last month and given prominent media coverage in a concerted way that suggests an intel psychological operation.

This week, however, the US intel agencies, including the FBI and NSA, were explicitly blaming Russia.

As usual, as with all US intel claims regarding alleged Russian malign activity, there was no evidence provided to substantiate the latest accusations of a cyber attack. All we are presented with is assertion and media amplification.

The allegations of Russian cyber assault are being used to whip up a more hostile policy by the incoming Biden administration. Biden has already vowed to take “retaliation” against Moscow. One can expect US-Russia tensions to become even more fraught after he takes office following his January 20 inauguration. All this renewed antagonism is based on the intel claims of Russian cyber hacking.

How are we supposed to take such claims credibly when US intel agencies apparently couldn’t detect threats from the Proud Boys and QAnon cultists who were planning an insurrection in the Capitol?

Some may argue that the Deep State knew all about the impending insurrection, but let it happen as a way to fatally undermine Trump and his rabble-rousing.

Others among his supporters are claiming that the Capitol disturbances were infiltrated by “antifa” leftists who provoked the mayhem in a kind of false-flag stunt to discredit Trump and his loyal “patriotic” followers. This view was expressed by Republicans like Sarah Palin and House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy.

Seriously, Americans are really overdosing on conspiracy thinking. They have become completely incapable of rational analysis and discussion.

So, how to explain the contradiction that US intel agencies somehow missed the threat of insurrection posted all over the internet while these agencies purport to tell us that they uncovered a sophisticated Russian plot to hack into American society?

The straightforward explanation is that the US intel agencies don’t have any case against Russia for hacking. They are simply falsifying information and lying to stoke geopolitical tensions with Russia in order to facilitate the profit needs of the all-dominant military-industrial complex.

Finian Cunningham has written extensively on international affairs, with articles published in several languages. He is a Master’s graduate in Agricultural Chemistry and worked as a scientific editor for the Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, England, before pursuing a career in newspaper journalism. He is also a musician and songwriter. For nearly 20 years, he worked as an editor and writer in major news media organisations, including The Mirror, Irish Times and Independent. - - "Source" -