Tillerson is firing senior diplomats in droves or forcing them to resign by making them work along

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Raw Story


Noor Al-Sibai NOOR AL-SIBAI
24 NOV 2017 AT 22:20 ET

As Secretary of State Rex Tillerson fires and forces the resignations of dozens of State Department staff, including senior diplomats and other high-ranking officials, many are speaking out amid their departures.

According to a Friday night report in the The New York Times, Tillerson has not only frozen hiring and failed to nominate people to the majority of the department’s politically-appointed positions — he’s also engaged in what appears to be an intentional campaign to push out as many career diplomats as possible.

“[Tillerson’s] small cadre of aides have fired some diplomats and gotten others to resign by refusing them the assignments they wanted or taking away their duties altogether,” the Times report states. “Among those fired or sidelined were most of the top African-American and Latino diplomats, as well as many women, difficult losses in a department that has long struggled with diversity.”

Among the methods used to push out senior diplomats is by forcing them to undertake menial tasks under Tillerson’s presidentially-directed order to accelerate Freedom of Information Act requests (which are currently backlogged). The task has required every department in the bureau to contribute. As a result, “midlevel employees and diplomats — including some just returning from high-level or difficult overseas assignments — to spend months performing mind-numbing clerical functions beside unpaid interns.”

Read more: https://www.rawstory.com/2017/11/tillerson-is-firing-senior-diplomats-in-droves-or-forcing-them-to-resign-by-making-them-work-alongside-interns-report/

[msongs]

1. source iS NYT. raw story is not a news source nt

[pnwmom]

2. This article did come from Raw Story, and since it's not behind a pay wall,

more people will be able to read it.

And people with subscriptions to the NYTimes can click through.

Also, all MSM also report on each other's stories, with proper credit. If the WA Post or Reuters had reported on the NYTimes story, would you have said they weren't the source, either?

[csziggy]

5. I've never had a subscription to the NYT and I can click through

Here is the direct link to the original story:
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/24/us/politics/state-department-tillerson.html

I wonder if others can get to the article from that link?

[pnwmom]

6. If you had read 10 NYTimes stories already this month, you would have hit a pay wall. nt

[Honeycombe8]

38. True. It's a hassle, but you can clear your cookies to start anew. nt

[Hortensis]

40. Really???!!! We get the bastard corrupt NYT, but let the WaPo

go (go figure), but if it works there I'm going to be smothering you with cyber kisses for the info. Just a warning. If you don't fight them off I'll assume you're not feeling harassed.

[Honeycombe8]

43. LOL!

Yes, I've done it. For both NYT and WaPo. It worked for me. (When you think about it, it should work. The only way their site knows you've read 10 articles is because it put a cookie in your pc telling it that. Unless you created an account & you sign in, I guess.)

[Hortensis]

44. I have had an account, let's hope it doesn't read my IRL.

Thanks again.

[Judi Lynn]

7. There is a monthly limit to a non-subscriber's free looks, as with the Washington Post.

After you reach it, you are informed you will need a subscription to read the article.

Thanks for your kind help.

[csziggy]

8. I haven't run into that limit with either for a very long time

And I read a lot of articles from both WaPo and NYT from links here - often through RawStory articles since I prefer reading the originals.

Maybe I just have managed to hit the lucky spot, though, and never got over their limits.

[lunasun]

33. I go over every month ....then blocked

[GoCubsGo]

28. Sometimes, one can get around that.

If there's a gray "open book" symbol next to the URL, click on it, and chances are you can get the text-only version.

Or, try clearing any cookies related to the site. Often, that will re-set your limit.

These don't always work, but they're worth the try.

[Honeycombe8]

39. Yes, I hit that a lot. You can clear your cookies & start over. It's a hassle, but works.nt

[StevieM]

3. It is blatantly untrue that Clinton and Kerry were unpopular at the State Department.

They were both well-liked and well-respected.

In any event, Rex Tillerson is the worst Secretary of State we have ever had.

[SergeStorms]

14. Appointed to that position....

by THE WORST president this country has ever had.

Trump wants to destroy the State Department because Hillary was Secretary of State in the Obama administration. Just as Trump is trying to destroy everything President Obama did during his two terms, he's also trying to destroy the Department Clinton headed during the Obama Administration. It's his ego running amok again. The Moron in Chief thinks by destroying their legacies, he's obliterating their contributions to U.S. history. All he's succeeding in doing is damaging our country to a point where we may never have the resources and alliances we once enjoyed with countries around the world. Trump thinks he can replace the entire State Department with his 'tweeting'. That's how mentally deranged this asshole is.

[delisen]

20. Tillerson is Russia's choice

and the choice of Big Oil and American investors in Russia--who want sanctions lifted on this new frontier.

I agree that Trump is petty vindictive- but he is a puppet.

Trump gets to have his emotional needs met-but the geopolitical strategy is coming from Russia and the corporations that want to do business in Russia and are opposed to Human Rights policies of our country standing in their way.

[OregonBlue]

35. Remember that it was Tillerson who chose a security company that is run by Putin's

understudy at the KGB to handle all security for American embassies and consulates throughout Russia. Why? and why is no news organization asking why?

[karynnj]

34. Both were cheered on by large groups of staff when they left

It is true that neither allowed the State Department to control them. Kerry greatly expanded State Department efforts on the environment including creating what is now a successful annual international conference on issues the oceans face that this year was in Malta. In addition, the State Department had a dissent memo where they disagreed with the US position on Syria wanting something more agressive.

I think Clinton and Gates were closer to the position of most in the State Department recommended. However, Obama set policy. From the emails, it is true that Clinton had a tight group of trusted people who greatly filtered access to Clinton. I would suspect Kerry's 2 chief of staffs similarly did the same.

Neither disrespecter the department as Tillerson did. On every accomplishment, Kerry spoke of how it was the State Department staff that allowed him to accomplish what he did. Both had events that highlighted the work of groups in the department, which is something that supports people.

[Angry Dragon]

4. The Eve of Destruction

[pbmus]

9. ....

[C Moon]

10. TrumPutin is getting desperate. They need to complete their coup before 2018.

[safeinOhio]

11. Just preparing for the new

Moscow on the Potomac.

[vlyons]

12. Why?

What is Trump's rationale for this?

[DFW]

13. Destroying our diplomatic force was probably not Trump's idea

He barely knew we had one in the first place, and probably had no clue as to what function they served.

On the other hand, there is good buddy of Tillerson's who knows perfectly well how important an effective foreign ministry (State Department) is to a major country, and what a blow it would be to that country's global relations, both economic and political, if that diplomatic force were to be crippled.

Tillerson is not carrying out Trump's agenda. Tillerson is carrying out Putin's agenda.

[onetexan]

15. well said

And so true.

[steve2470]

17. good post

I can't wait til these corrupt bozos, traitors, and Neo-Nazi lovers get booted out of Washington.

[dalton99a]

30. +1

[groundloop]

32. That's the only thing that makes sense - undermine our standing in the world

[FakeNoose]

36. Tillerson is Putin's boy

Further proof of that is that Trump had never met Rex Tillerson when he proposed him for Secretary of State. The two men didn't even know each other except by reputation. The only reason he picked Tillerson is that Pootie wanted him to. Otherwise it would have gone to Ivanka or Jared probably.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

16. My employer has applications from dozens of career diplomats

In years gone by poaching those who had worked in Western Europe and Asia was almost impossible, now they're approaching us.

[TeamPooka]

18. Exactly what Putin wanted.

[delisen]

19. And no word from Condoleezza Rice

who "vetted" Tillerson by being an immediate public voice backing his nomination. Rice is solidly involved in the world of Big Oil. Vetting Tillerson was a sign that she is more interested in the global oil industry dominance than she is in democracy.

Tillerson is closer to Putin than is Trump and Tillerson is closer to the oil industry than he is to the rest of us.
His method of operation in the state department and his statements reveal him as an authoritarian and as anti-human rights.

We are in a war with Russia and on our way to becoming a vassal state.

Tillerson, like Trump, is implementing Putin's foreign policy. Gutting the US State Department is part of that policy.

It is an anti-female, anti-nonwhite male policy that aims to promote "strongman", authoritarian leaders around the world with the world center in Russia.

Right now there seem to be few Democrats who see or are willing to talk about the main drivers toward this new world order.

Clinton is one. She sees the clear and present danger and is speaking out.

Calls to silence her play into the Russian plan, and are amplified by Russian propaganda.

The Democratic reformists are focused narrowly, possibly because of their lack of comprehensive foreign policy experience. They are focused on the trees nor the forest, which is one reason they were susceptible to Russian propaganda.

Talking about jobs without facing the enormity the verging automation revolution is not helpful.

Income is an issue. Distribution of income is an issue but it must be based upon a foundation of human rights. People who do not have a strong sense of entitlement regard human rights are unlikely to become strong fighters for income equality.

Reforming the Democratic Party is among the least of the issues we need to focus on. Almost, but not all, of the pro-Russia politicians are Republicans.

[tomp]

23. Rice also studied Russian in Russia. nt

[mdbl]

29. Rice is as drenched in oil as Tillerson

they are two peas in a pod.

[sadiegirl]

21. Seems like he is going "postal" with the State Department.

Getting rid of all those African-Americans and Hispanics with good paying, meaningful jobs with good benefits. Probably going to replace them with some of those coal miners that refuse to be retrained for anything. Our reputation with the world is shot to hell anyway with Trump at the helm. He is the greatest statesman, anyway. He can do it all by himself.

[kennetha]

22. Can the CIA be far behind?

I bet Trump would love to pull the same shit on the CIA.

The dude seems to be taking direct orders from Moscow!

[RKP5637]

25. Russia has something on Trump IMO and they play him like a puppet! n/t

[democratisphere]

24. The destruction of our Democracy continues by the authoritarian state.

This is very dangerous.

[RKP5637]

26. More worse each day. I still think many Americans still don't quite get what's going on. n/t

[democratisphere]

27. Very true.

Many remain in their high fructose corn syrup stupor.

[WinkyDink]

46. Why should the majority of Americans know? It's not like our media make

Last edited Sun Nov 26, 2017, 11:47 AM - Edit history (1)

the topic a priority, to be extremely understated.

[RKP5637]

48. Very true. How will that be changed? n/t

[WinkyDink]

49. I wish I knew. Most of the problem is that our system allows for billionaires, and our media are for

sale.

[RKP5637]

52. That IMO is probably the most major problem facing the US, distorted information. It's very

hard to get away from it. As one of my friends was recently saying, before mass communication by the internet, publications often had peer reviews for being factual and some degree of honesty. Also broadcasting to a certain extent (before Fox News and the like.) However, now any yahoo can gain an audience and often by outrageous and false ramblings via mass communications on the internet. And MSM often does little to counter it. And, there is no settling time. Utterances can be heard around the world almost instantaneously.

[Hortensis]

41. Some, including in the State Department, are suspecting treason,

peripherally of course. Hopefully, Tillerson's actions fall under Mueller's purview.

[left-of-center2012]

31. How many ambassador positions remain vacant?

I heard sometime back they aren't being filled.

[sueh]

37. Tillerson's connection to Putin explains why Tillerson hasn't resigned even though he thinks

Trump is a fucking moron.

[Hortensis]

42. I think it explains why he accepted in the first place.

I held the door open to a latent greatness emerging in response to demand, but no. He came in with an agenda that he is pursuing.

And no one ever accused the CEO of Exxon of allowing altruism or patriotism to the nation its headquarters is registered in to limit pursuit of profits.

[WinkyDink]

50. Trump's appointments are ALL non-patriots. But Tillerson (and Flynn and Manafort) is an actual

agent for our adversary; in short, a traitor. He despises Trump, sure, but Donnie ain't Tillerson's real employer/boss, whom he admires.

Tillerson took the job to get rid of the sanctions against Russia, and then to finalize Exxon's IMMENSE deal with Putin's men.

Global Capitalists know no national patriotism, for they know no national boundaries except as obstacles to get over for business contracts. Indeed, patriotism is to them a sop to chumps, along with the bread and circuses, the better to hoodwink, manipulate, bamboozle, and rob.

Especially rob.

I include the Famiglia Trump in this group.

[Hortensis]

51. That all seems astonishingly probable. Who could imagine

it would come to this?

I really hope the scope of Mueller's investigation is able to include Tillerson. The whispers about possible active treason are starting to show up in public. Since he's investigating Kushner's involvement with Israeli settlements and the UN, you'd think so.

[kwassa]

45. Trump is a loud-mouthed fool, Tillerson is a quiet, behind-the-scenes fool.

Just as dangerous, just as stupid.

[RKP5637]

47. Well said!!! n/t

[AlexSFCA]

53. This is 100% putins agenda

eliminating dept of state means no sanctions will be enforced and also will help with the new world order.
Other depts to be gone by 2020 include education, transportation, housing, HHS, interior, epa. They want tax plan to pass so they can quickly ‘trim the fat’ to help reduce deficit.

[dalton99a]

54. Trump & Co. is literally dismantling our government