Subject: Simes
From: "Roberts, Kelly" <[email-masked]>
To: "Brinster, Jeremy" <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 27 Apr 2016 07:54:26 -0700

We don't have a ton on Simes, but the pro-Russia stuff ties in pretty well to idea that Trump is too friendly with Putin/weak on Russia

DIMITRI SIMES, A FORMER RAND PAUL FOREIGN POLICY ADVISER, HAD TIES TO THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT

Washington Free Beacon: One Of Rand Paul's Foreign Policy Advisers, Dimitri Simes, Had "Deep Ties To The Kremlin." "Sen. Rand Paul (R., Ky.) has named as one of his key foreign policy advisers a controversial Russia policy expert with deep ties to the Kremlin. Dimitri Simes, the president of the Center for the National Interest, and Ambassador Richard Burt, a member of the Center's board of directors, are recent additions to Paul's foreign policy advisory team, the senator told National Journal earlier this year." [Washington Free Beacon, 8/20/14<http://freebeacon.com/politics/rand-pauls-russian-connection/>]

*         Dimitri Simes, A Member Of Rand Paul's Foreign Policy Team, Was President Of The Center For The National Interest, Which Was Sympathetic To The Russian Government. "Dimitri Simes, the president of the Center for the National Interest, and Ambassador Richard Burt, a member of the Center's board of directors, are recent additions to Paul's foreign policy advisory team, the senator told National Journal earlier this year. For years, Simes and the center have provided a sympathetic platform for the Russian government in the heart of the D.C. policy establishment. Its ties to Moscow extend throughout the organization. The advisory council of the National Interest, the center's chief publication, includes Alexey Pushkov, a Russian Duma official recently targeted for sanctions by the U.S. government in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine." [Washington Free Beacon, 8/20/14<http://freebeacon.com/politics/rand-pauls-russian-connection/>]

*         Dimitri Simes Appeared On Stage With Vladimir Putin And Said He Supported Putin's Tough Stance On Syria. "Last September, days after Vladimir Putin published a column in the New York Times denouncing American exceptionalism, Simes joined the Russian president on stage at the Valdai International Discussion Club forum in Russia for a televised panel discussion.... 'I fully support President Putin's tough stance [on Syria],' said Simes, according to the transcript released by the Kremlin. 'Not because I'm not an American patriot, but because I believe that baby talk among great powers is not the way to reach an agreement. One has to understand what to expect from the other country, and what their mettle is.'" [Washington Free Beacon, 8/20/14<http://freebeacon.com/politics/rand-pauls-russian-connection/>]

*         Dimitri Simes Faced Allegations His Work Had A Pro-Kremlin Slant Throughout His Career. "The appearance with Putin 'set off a lot of internal alarm bells with Russian experts,' said one Russia policy specialist. 'You don't get onstage with Putin, and sit onstage with Putin, and ask him questions in public, unless everything has been greased and unless you're not gonna do anything that detracts from the message.' Simes has been dogged throughout his career by allegations that his work and his organizations have a pro-Kremlin slant." [Washington Free Beacon, 8/20/14<http://freebeacon.com/politics/rand-pauls-russian-connection/>]

FORMER ROMNEY FOREIGN POLICY ADVISER DIMITRI SIMES WORRIED THAT ROMNEY CRITICIZED THE PRESIDENT'S FOREIGN POLICY FOR POLITICAL REASONS RATHER THAN STRATEGIC ONES

Former Romney Foreign-Policy Adviser Dimitri Simes: "I Worry That Too Much Of Romney's Criticism [Of President Obama's Foreign Policy] Is Driven By What He Thinks Is Best Politically, And Not By Any Larger Strategic Vision." "The Russia remark has fanned concerns among both Romney supporters and nonpartisan foreign-policy experts that Mr. Romney's desire to contrast himself with President Barack Obama has led the GOP candidate to take positions that would be difficult to maintain if he wins the presidency. 'I think Obama's foreign policy is seriously flawed, but I worry that too much of Romney's criticism is driven by what he thinks is best politically, and not by any larger strategic vision,' said Dimitri Simes, a Russia expert who was a Romney foreign-policy adviser in 2008." [Wall Street Journal, 3/29/12<http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304177104577311994290395130.html?mod=WSJ_Election_LEFTTopStories>]