Russian people love him because he gets the job done and they don't sweat the details.

That, and he kills off, arrests, harasses, and exiles any opposition.

1. The statement you made in bold is NOT factually accurate, he didn't say he believed or didn't believe, he said he would want to see ALL the information we have on the issue.

2. If this does amount to war crimes and Putin a war criminal why isn't the press and congress pushing the current administration to admit it and take appropriate action?

I anxiously await your reply.

ETA: NOT

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#WeAreTheForge #BlackGunsMatter

"Look, will you guys at leats accept that you are a bunch of dumb asses and just trust me on this one? Please?" BarryP 7/30/2012

Please post a link to something showing John Kerry calling Putin a war criminal.

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Civilize the mind, but make savage the body.

- Chinese proverb

American politicians have to be real careful when they throw around the war criminal card about other countries. I just posted an article about one of our most elite special ops team committing acts that by definition are war crimes (we can debate whether they should be all day long). If the likes or Rubio, Graham and McCain had their way, we would still be running full surge levels in Iran and Afghanistan in perpetuity, we would be full force in Syria, we would have engaged with Iran, and likely engaged in Ukraine. I'm sure I can think of others, but I think you get the point. I find their mentality much more dangerous to us than trump being a little sympathetic to Russia, which I don't really think he is. I think he just views it like any other business arrangement. A benefit or a hazard. The benefits are clearer to him at this point than the hazards. Or the hazards can be mitigated with diplomacy over peace showing strength.

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"In the world I see you are stalking elk through the damp canyon forests around the ruins of Rockefeller Center. You'll wear leather clothes that will last you the rest of your life. You'll climb the wrist-thick kudzu vines that wrap the Sears Towers. And when you look down, you'll see tiny figures pounding corn, laying stripes of venison on the empty car pool lane of some abandoned superhighway." T Durden

I believe called for an war crimes investigation into Russia's bombing of Syria this past fall.

Who?

Where has the press been since this is so clear cut in holding the administration feet to the fire..... Yeah, that's not a serious question, Obama could shoot someone in times square and the press would be silent.

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#WeAreTheForge #BlackGunsMatter

"Look, will you guys at leats accept that you are a bunch of dumb asses and just trust me on this one? Please?" BarryP 7/30/2012

I really don't know. Maybe they are to busy trying to give more illegals amnesty.

Why would Putin care what what Obama and Kerry or the rest of the world have to say. What are the going to do draw a line in the sand again?

http://www.washingtontimes.com/...syria-and-war-crime/

That should read "Kerry called for a war crimes investigation"

Thanks, I wasn't aware of that.

I wonder if anyone in the Obama administration has been pressed as hard as Tillerson was by Rubio.

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#WeAreTheForge #BlackGunsMatter

"Look, will you guys at leats accept that you are a bunch of dumb asses and just trust me on this one? Please?" BarryP 7/30/2012

While I agree that nobody has been pressed previously on this issue, I didn't really see Tillerson pressed that hard. Looked to me like Rubio was too busy speechifying.

I don't think Rubio genuinely cared what Tillerson thought on the issue.

I can't disagree.

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#WeAreTheForge #BlackGunsMatter

"Look, will you guys at leats accept that you are a bunch of dumb asses and just trust me on this one? Please?" BarryP 7/30/2012

I suspect in this diplomatic position this is what you run into a lot. People that want to prattle on about their position because they are passionate that they are right. Trying to interrupt and/or correct them is not always/usually very successful.

If he can combine that with 1) not being a cupcake on positions that are important to this country (which I fear the one recent SOS I left out of my list earlier was) and 2) a negotiating style that allows everyone to win "something" depending on the situation, I think we have a good SOS here.

Finally got to watch the video. Rubio is a chump, Tillerson owned him and handled that perfectly.

Rubio's position is idiotic.

We can play word games during what should be a routine confirmation, or we can leave the next administration with the freedom to further the interests of the United States of America.

One has to trust that someone like Tillerson has left a multimillion dollar a year position in one of the largest companies in the world to serve his country and to further the interests of the USofA in order to feel good about his confirmation. I do. As I did about Kerry (though I don't think he "gave up" anything for the position; and though I may disagree with most of his political views).

If one from a perspective mostly opposite of a Tillerson can stretch to that position, one might actually be able to see his experience and relationships around the world including in places like Russia in a positive light. Instead of "having ties to Russia" like that is only a negative thing

let me re state. Rubio may be absolutely correct with everything he says. But if he is that means Putin and Russia have been allowed thus far to get to the position they have by both the United States and the international community. We can argue about where they are or we can decide what we are going to do about it.

From my little corner of the world, having someone like Tillerson sit down with Putin's people and make very clear what we as a country on behalf of the international community are prepared to tolerate and not would make me very comfortable. Putin is not too young to remember Ronald Reagan once doing the same and being actually prepared to back it up. And Putin is more interested in keeping power and gaining 3 inches of ground than he is in dying on any one particular hill for a cause IMO.

The guy I saw in that video is the guy I want delivering that message. If he happens to know and be "friends" with the people at the table he is delivering that message to and can assist them to back themselves up from where they are, so much the better.

Sure. Rubio's line of questioning was completely unhelpful for evaluating Tillerson or making Tillerson's job easier or better. Really it was just an opportunity for Rubio -- and others -- to begin branding Vladimir Putin a war criminal. That branding may be fine as far as it goes, but we're all glad Tillerson rose above it, and didn't get involved.

I think the strongest counter argument would be from the anti-fossil fuel development/dependency camp. He was party to the largest oil deal in history (Exxon-Mobil with state-owned Rosneft), which stood to produce massive amounts of oil and billions, possibly trillions, of dollars for the partnership. As I understand it, American sanctions on Russia put the project on ice indefinitely, and so the only way the project moves from the red to oceans of black is for the U.S. to change its stance on sanctions as it applies to this project. I don't know if, and to what extent it's possible, he's completely divested from Exxon-Mobil, but having spent his entire adult life in the company, it's fair to say that the project would be very good for those stockholders in his immediate and extended circle, if not him personally. So if you're deeply concerned about fossil fuel development, or the potential for our relationship with our greatest geopolitical foe and international war crime enabler/committer to be heavily influenced by an oil deal, then I can completely understand the opposition.

I've heard mostly good things about him, and the criticism I've read and heard doesn't move me much. His "ties to Russia" are not insignificant, in that respect, though, and I think knowing what our next President's financial relationship with Russia looks like in detail would go a long way to removing the cloud of suspicion from over Tillerson's head.

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The devil made me do it the first time, second time I done it on my own - W

that is certainly the strongest counter argument. But it kind of discounts the paragraph you didn't quote. Meaning one has already concluded that he hasn't put serving his country and putting the best interests of the USofA ahead of the things you note. Meaning he could serve big oil well and effectively and conversely cant set that aside and is there to screw the USofA in favor of Russia and big oil when the rubber hits the road.

As I said, it takes a particular person, especially if you reside on the other side of the ideological spectrum, to be able to rise above and conclude that he can (if it is in fact true).

It is not hard for me to conclude Tillerson is capable of this. It was not hard for me to conclude Rice or Powell or Kerry could do this (to the extent they had this issue). I couldn't ever become comfortable enough with HRC to believe she would put her previous (or current) best interests aside when they butted up against those of the country (when the rubber hit the road).

that's just me. Everybody had to draw their own conclusions.

edit: again, this is just me but part of why I feel this way about Tillerson is if it were me I would much prefer to keep the position I had than to give it up for SOS. Seems to me like that position has just as much or more power and prestige, far more $ involved, and I am already there as the big bad oil guy anyway (ie. it's not like the people opposed you describe above loved me anyway or were going to change their conclusions about me if I left Mobil). Part of my conclusion is based on the fact that I actually think he must love his country and believe he can make a difference on behalf of it (on the international stage). I guess I don't love my country enough to do that (if I were in this position)......

Good info to know on the suspended deal. I honestly don't think there is anything Trump could do quell the concerns of his bromance with Putin. I know the answer would be his Tax returns but would that really quiet anyone, or give rise to too wealthy, not as wealthy as he says, pays too little taxes, something doesn't seem right? Regardless of what he does or doesn't do, the dnc and the media will paint him as Hitler reincarnated into the devil.

The fact that the usual Lava Room suspects haven't commented on his hearing tell's me he's a good choice for the job, on both sides of the isle.

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#WeAreTheForge #BlackGunsMatter

"Look, will you guys at leats accept that you are a bunch of dumb asses and just trust me on this one? Please?" BarryP 7/30/2012

I don't think it discounts it at all. I think it's very likely that Tillerson believes that deal would be beneficial to the United States, and to Russia, and that that partnership would be beneficial to our relationship, which would presumably be good for everyone, providing the partnership was in balance. And I think most people who oppose Tillerson primarily because of their opposition to fossil fuel development probably believe that about Tillerson as well.

I think it's more likely than not, now, that he will be confirmed, and that as a result the sanctions will be lifted, or modified, with all the ideal conditions falling into alignment, and a few token concessions from Russia.

http://money.cnn.com/...sia-putin/index.html

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The devil made me do it the first time, second time I done it on my own - W

appreciate your insight and comments. I'll take them under consideration

I don't have strong feelings about him one way or the other. I just hope the right things are done for the right reasons. Hell, I'd even settle for the right thing being done for the wrong reasons, the way things have been going lately. ;)

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The devil made me do it the first time, second time I done it on my own - W