On ‘Russian hacking’

Juvenalia: Writing by a younger, less sophisticated me. Read on, but remember that this belongs to the old world. 🥚

You may have noticed Russia Reviewed has been deathly silent on the recent ODNI report, which purportedly proffers evidence proving the Russian government was behind the DNC hacks and influenced the US election to bring Donald Trump to power. This is because:

a) I’m reading and annotating it IRL.

b) Analysis and criticism of this report isn’t something I think belongs on my blog.

I followed the media’s disscussion of the report, but, finding little of it sober or rational, I’ve since stopped reading news articles. Now it’s just me, the report, a pen, and a healthy dose of skepticism.

My view on the issue at hand:

Of course it’s possible Russia is responsible for the hacks. It’s perfectly consistent with what Russia and the US (and China and several other countries) have done repeatedly for years. But given the stakes involved, along with the incentives for deceit and error, I won’t (and no rational person should) embrace these accusations as Truth until I see some convincing evidence publicly presented for review, which hasn’t happened yet. And based upon what I’ve read in the report so far, the “evidence” raises rather than dilutes my suspicions. I know fellow undergrads who could write circles around whoever assembled this report.

I sure do hope my refusal to accept official claims until convincing evidence is released doesn’t seem too Kremlin-shilly!

Oh, who am I kidding. If the media reaction to the ODNI report tells me anything, it’s that my position is controversial and in no way part of good journalistic or academic standards.