In Break With Precedent, Obama Envoys Are Denied Extensions Past Inauguration Day
Source: NYT
WASHINGTON President-elect Donald J. Trumps transition staff has issued a blanket edict requiring politically appointed ambassadors to leave their overseas posts by Inauguration Day, according to several American diplomats familiar with the plan, breaking with decades of precedent by declining to provide even the briefest of grace periods.
The mandate issued without exceptions, according to a terse State Department cable sent on Dec. 23, diplomats who saw it said threatens to leave the United States without Senate-confirmed envoys for months in critical nations like Germany, Canada and Britain. In the past, administrations of both parties have often granted extensions on a case-by-case basis to allow a handful of ambassadors, particularly those with school-age children, to remain in place for weeks or months.
Mr. Trump, by contrast, has taken a hard line against leaving any of President Obamas political appointees in place as he prepares to take office on Jan. 20 with a mission of dismantling many of his predecessors signature foreign and domestic policy achievements. Political ambassadors, many of them major donors who are nominated by virtue of close ties with the president, almost always leave at the end of his term; ambassadors who are career diplomats often remain in their posts.
A senior Trump transition official said there was no ill will in the move, describing it as a simple matter of ensuring that Mr. Obamas overseas appointees leave the government on schedule, just as thousands of political aides at the White House and in federal agencies must do. The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity about internal deliberations, said the ambassadors should not be surprised about being held to a hard end date.
-snip-
Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/05/us/politics/trump-ambassadors.html
bucolic_frolic
(43,166 posts)I don't know what is
AmericanActivist
(1,019 posts)cstanleytech
(26,291 posts)Judi Lynn
(160,542 posts)LisaM
(27,812 posts)The only thing I can hope for is that they have a spectacular flare out (as I sometimes think they must). Or that a couple of Senators come to their senses.
MBS
(9,688 posts)bdamomma
(63,849 posts)going by the soviet handbook, I wouldn't go Jan 20th. tRump is a filthy man. Such disrespect given to a still sitting pResident.
They hate President Obama. What sick bastards.
Tactical Peek
(1,209 posts)At least he makes the purges run on time.
Wellstone ruled
(34,661 posts)out right hatred of Obama's appointees. Talk about poisoning the well.
Ford_Prefect
(7,901 posts)This will backfire in some terrible ways just as the assault on the Intelligence community will likely lead to supremely awful situations that did not have to happen...and people will die because of it.
The reference to Hostile takeover is very apt. They are ignorant and anyone who is actually informed, experienced and competent at their job is a threat to show up how inept they are. We will lose many good and important diplomatic connections and contacts by this abrupt maneuver, and much good will.
They believe that they are immune from the laws of Gravity and Momentum. That first step is gonna be a real shock to those who try to fill the shoes of those they now toss out: a reallllllly big drop of a lulu of a first step. I'd suggest you consider the Coyote who just missed the Road Runner and ran off the cliff, except that the consequences to some of those people whose lives depend on the key functions of operational diplomacy will be far too tragic.
Wellstone ruled
(34,661 posts)work in Foreign Affairs any more. Have know several people through the years who were dedicated Foreign Service People. Each and everyone of them never called themselves Democrat or Republican just representatives of the USA. They served at the request of whom ever was Secretary of State and in some pretty harsh Third World Environments. Never have we ever heard a negative other than missing some creature comforts.
Talk about hate filled thank you for your service,now get your ass out of here.
When I read this story today,first thing we did was send a text to a couple of them and thank them for there Service and plan a get together to swap stories of the old days.
okasha
(11,573 posts)I suspect that no more than a handful of people know his political preferences, which is how it should be.
Wellstone ruled
(34,661 posts)Something says,we will not be nonpartisan any more.
okasha
(11,573 posts)who want to be invited to tea with the Queen and schmooze with the the Prinz von und zu Diese und Daß. Given Trump's behavior, none of them will be allowed within a hundred yards of Presidential or royal wives or daughters.
Wellstone ruled
(34,661 posts)dixiegrrrrl
(60,010 posts)for safekeeping, then shredded everything else. Esp. anything with names.
Maraya1969
(22,480 posts)How can we embarrass this pond scum?
I guess I am just filled with anger right now.
RKP5637
(67,108 posts)really are pretty powerless unless we have a cooperative government, and Trump is replacing that cooperativeness with hard line bone-headed conservatives.
The coming years will likely be horrific for most Americans, even for those that gleefully wanted Trump in office. And likely about half of this country is preoccupied just with survival ... And I really do wonder how many Americans are "really" paying attention, or do they just turn to Fox and get their daily dose of distortions and propaganda.
BainsBane
(53,032 posts)How many Benghazis will we see in that period? And you know the GOP will excuse it all.
Paladin
(28,261 posts)It's a petty and dangerous example of the ill will that will be flowing from this new regime on a non-stop basis. Absolutely repulsive.
Equinox Moon
(6,344 posts)and it feels horrible.
Watch-out bullygrabber, you are only creating more enemies. Pssssst, this is a democracy, read the Constitution.
burrowowl
(17,641 posts)Drump is a cluster fuck!
uppityperson
(115,677 posts)sarcasmo
(23,968 posts)truthisfreedom
(23,147 posts)Sen. Walter Sobchak
(8,692 posts)Bush actually appointed some excellent ones and other than John Bolton and Zalmay Khalilzad nobody too offensive. Even some of his appointments who were partisan Republican hacks were actually excellent diplomats.
Crash2Parties
(6,017 posts)And the worst part is, they want the chaos and unrest and fear.
vkkv
(3,384 posts)uppityperson
(115,677 posts)okasha
(11,573 posts)Ambassadors to developing countries or potential hot spots are all career diplomats.
Response to highplainsdem (Original post)
moondust This message was self-deleted by its author.
eppur_se_muova
(36,263 posts)The man is motivated by vindictiveness to a degree that is truly unfathomable. Other than self-adulation, it seems to be his only core "value".
MFM008
(19,814 posts)F*ck you maggot.
hamsterjill
(15,220 posts)I read stuff like this and it sounds unbelievable, until I realize it's actually happening.
I reiterate - do not ask me to play nice with the people who supported this gloating maniac. My mental health, not to mention everything else, suffers because idiot morons couldn't see that he wants to be a dictator - and it's happening right before their eyes and still they make excuses for him.
Xolodno
(6,395 posts)Now every nation that has important business with the US is going to have a diplomat who doesn't have a clue.
Some will rejoice....others will cry....and the rest will give up hope for awhile.