Muslim Press: What’s your take on the US hacking claims? Do you think Russia was behind the election of Donald Trump?

Peter Koenig: As a first off, I can say with deep conviction that Russia has nothing to do with ‘hacking’ against Hillary and for Trump. This is all propaganda fabrication – outright lies. Russia did not interfere with US elections. This is a fact. Period. Everything else is a lie. If there has been any hacking, it was by the CIA. There is actually evidence that the CIA did hack into Trump data to favor Hillary.

MP: Obama has said that Washington will retaliate for Russia’s election meddling. Meanwhile, Russia has challenged US to prove its claims. Is this issue likely to worsen US-Russia conflict?

PK: How would Obama ‘retaliate’ against Russia’s meddling in the US election? – What a farce. Obama knows very well the truth – but as his last deed, he wants to hit once more Russia and President Putin, so that the American people enter the Trump Presidency with a strong anti-Russia prejudice.

Retaliation by more ‘sanctions’?  – How ridiculous! Sanctions against Russia are sheer propaganda. Sanctions have since long ceased to impact Russia. With the first sanctions in 2014, Russia has adopted an “Economy of Resistance”- meaning they have rebuilt their own agriculture and renewed their industrial park to become fully self-sufficient. Besides, in an alliance with China, there is no need to depend on the west. The same applies for Iran.

Threats of ‘retaliations’ are nothing more than propaganda, as people in the US still do not know that Russia has adopted another type of economy, one of self-reliance – the total antidote to globalized neofascism.

Lie Propaganda, deception – that’s what empire always does – repeating a lie so often and through so many MSMs that eventually it becomes the truth – exactly the same tactic that Goebbels, Hitler’s Propaganda Minister, proclaimed.

MP: On the other hand, Russia seems to be happy with Donald Trump’s election and his pick for secretary of state. How do you analyze the situation? Do you think Rex Tillerson is likely to end anti-Russian sanctions?

PK: Rex Tillerson is an oil oligarch and apparently a friend of President Putin’s. That should help maybe improve relations with Russia, but is he in general a good diplomat? Too soon to say.

But if Mr. Tillerson helps avoid WWIII, then he has already achieved a Master Agenda; and that for the benefit of the people around the globe. Remains to be seen what his attitude will be vis-à-vis Iran. As you know, Mr. Trump has said he wants to cancel Obama’s ‘nuclear deal’ with Iran. Does he say this only to please Netanyahu? – Who knows? But to go against Iran, his handlers and advisers may tell him is not going to be clever. Iran is part of the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organization) alliance and thus has the full support of the SCO – which includes Russia and China.

MP: What would the continuation or end of US-Russia conflict mean for the geopolitics of the Middle East?

PK: I believe the ship is finally turning, turning slowly, but turning all the same.

In fact, any speculations about Trump’s Presidency are premature at this stage. There is a full month to go, before he becomes President. A lot can happen from now to then. Let’s first wait for the electorate vote of 19 December (this coming Monday). They eventually decide on the President. Normally there is no risk. They follow protocol. But this time, there is a strong and concerted effort under way by the Hillary camp and by some Republicans – yes, the Republican camp is divided – to convince (or buy) electorates not to vote for Trump. It would be a first, but it cannot be excluded.

Peter Koenig is an economist and geopolitical analyst. He is also a former World Bank staff and worked extensively around the world in the fields of environment and water resources. He writes regularly for Global Research, ICH, RT, Sputnik, PressTV, The 4th Media, TeleSUR, TruePublica, The Vineyard of The Saker Blog, and other internet sites. He is the author of Implosion – An Economic Thriller about War, Environmental Destruction and Corporate Greed – fiction based on facts and on 30 years of World Bank experience around the globe. He is also a co-author of The World Order and Revolution! – Essays from the Resistance.