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hlthe2b

(101,700 posts)
Tue Mar 13, 2018, 08:43 AM Mar 2018

Trump ousts Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, will replace him with CIA Director Mike Pompeo

Source: WAPO Breaking Alert

will update with link when it becomes available.


Read more: Link to sourcehttps://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-rex-tillerson-out-as-secretary-of-state-to-be-replaced-by-cia-director-mike-pompeo/2018/03/13/0f3bce6e-26bd-11e8-a227-fd2b009466bc_story.html?utm_term=.c25220d6e69a



I wonder if Tillerson's honest response to Russia's role in UK poisoning was last straw?

NOT GOOD NEWS, imo

Here's the replacement for Pompeo as CIA Director: Gina Haspel
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gina_Haspel
In 2013, John Brennan, then the director of Central Intelligence, named Haspel as acting Deputy Director of the National Clandestine Service, which carries out covert operations around the globe.[11] However, she was denied the position permanently due to criticism about her involvement in the Rendition, Detention and Interrogation program.[12] Haspel has also served as the Deputy Director of the National Clandestine Service for Foreign Intelligence and Covert Action.[6]
--snip--

On February 2, 2017, President Donald Trump appointed Haspel deputy director of the CIA. On February 8, 2017, several members of the Senate intelligence committee urged Trump to reconsider his appointment of Haspel as Deputy Director.[13] Senator Sheldon Whitehouse quoted colleagues Ron Wyden and Martin Heinrich who were on the committee:

I am especially concerned by reports that this individual was involved in the unauthorized destruction of CIA interrogation videotapes, which documented the CIAs use of torture against two CIA detainees. My colleagues Senators Wyden and Heinrich have stated that classified information details why the newly appointed Deputy Director is 'unsuitable' for the position and have requested that this information be declassified. I join their request.

On February 15, 2017, Spencer Ackerman reported on psychologists Bruce Jessen and James Mitchell, the architects of the enhanced interrogation program that was designed to break Zubaydah and was subsequently used on other detainees at the CIAs secret prisons around the world. Jessen and Mitchell are being sued by Sulaiman Abdulla Salim, Mohamed Ahmed Ben Soud, and Obaid Ullah over torture designed by the psychologists. Jessen and Mitchell are seeking to compel Haspel, and her colleague James Cotsana, to testify on their behalf.[14][15]
64 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Trump ousts Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, will replace him with CIA Director Mike Pompeo (Original Post) hlthe2b Mar 2018 OP
lol... we posted at the same exact time! SummerSnow Mar 2018 #1
It surely got MY attention! yikes hlthe2b Mar 2018 #9
Going to replace him with Pompeo democrank Mar 2018 #2
twitler tweets confirmation Yonnie3 Mar 2018 #3
Normally: dont repeat his words sharedvalues Mar 2018 #14
LOL...I follow Trump and have for a year........ Bengus81 Mar 2018 #20
One small step for man..... noneof_theabove Mar 2018 #4
Jesus Fucking Christ... Moostache Mar 2018 #5
I am not entirely sure we wouldn't be better off with a military coup. Still In Wisconsin Mar 2018 #8
If this isn't proof that Trump is Putin's cock holster... Dave Starsky Mar 2018 #28
And the fact Delphinus Mar 2018 #35
In this regime........ Left-over Mar 2018 #44
Link to CNBC nitpicker Mar 2018 #6
The circus started early today... Scurrilous Mar 2018 #7
Donald Trump thinks he's Billy Martin bucolic_frolic Mar 2018 #10
More like George Steinbrenner hiring and firing managers Dread Pirate Roberts Mar 2018 #22
Hicksless "more unteathered Trump." Hope this displeases Putin, Hortensis Mar 2018 #11
I think the real reason behind this firing might be... dchill Mar 2018 #51
And he failed at that. Depending on the nature of Hortensis Mar 2018 #52
It's COMPLETELY thinkable. dchill Mar 2018 #53
Prison for treason would be better, tho. Hortensis Mar 2018 #56
Mueller needs to drink ALL their milkshakes! dchill Mar 2018 #59
Andrea Mitchell (MSNBC) is now speculating what I had earlier: that his frank comments on Russia hlthe2b Mar 2018 #12
Interesting. Theresa Mays' position may trigger NATO Hortensis Mar 2018 #16
Optimism: maybe this will reopen torture crimes sharedvalues Mar 2018 #13
You are an optimist... but finding a silver lining here is really hard! hlthe2b Mar 2018 #23
:) sharedvalues Mar 2018 #64
Question--will Pompeo need Senate confirmation as SoS? Maeve Mar 2018 #15
Yes... he will and yeah, he probably will be confirmed, given he's previously been confirmed as CIA hlthe2b Mar 2018 #17
Yep he will. NYC Liberal Mar 2018 #19
It's not like any Republicans will vote no. OliverQ Mar 2018 #30
Yes, and hopefully there will be some questions on Russia and the poisonings. CanonRay Mar 2018 #42
And whether US will honor Article 5 flibbitygiblets Mar 2018 #50
OMG, that means he'll put f**king Cotton in as CIA director! sinkingfeeling Mar 2018 #18
Oh, gawd... I wish I hadn't eaten breakfast... hlthe2b Mar 2018 #21
Gina Haspel will be CIA director. Ilsa Mar 2018 #27
Well, if she's a Trump pick... Dave Starsky Mar 2018 #31
There's a thread in her here in GD. She's a former agent of torture Ilsa Mar 2018 #34
Given the sad (scary?) state of affairs... agtcovert Mar 2018 #49
She has a doctoral degree in torture. A real live fascist bitch. Open the ovens and order the gas. olegramps Mar 2018 #48
Please Rex, do tell all! muntrv Mar 2018 #24
Wow. So Tillerson didn't realize his boss is Putin? Interesting. Honeycombe8 Mar 2018 #25
Not that I cared for Tillersons Exxon connections UpInArms Mar 2018 #26
Tillerson also destroyed the State department. OliverQ Mar 2018 #36
That was/is tRumps planned assault on all our institutions UpInArms Mar 2018 #41
One less "reasonable" hand on the tiller of the ship of state. Fla Dem Mar 2018 #29
And the Koch brothers lean back in their MuseRider Mar 2018 #32
I guess we can at least be glad he didn't name John Bolton... BUT hlthe2b Mar 2018 #33
Amen to that. harun Mar 2018 #55
Tilly lost his admiration for Putin and Russia, so Putin fired him. Pompeo will do well NCjack Mar 2018 #37
Some poetic justice in his getting so publicly fired... jmbar2 Mar 2018 #38
Uggh... The repulsive and sociopathic (Trump and Tillerson) do find each other, don't they hlthe2b Mar 2018 #39
They never give up Cartoonist Mar 2018 #40
Tillerson couldn't find Obama's birth certificate in Kenya. Came back a day early Bernardo de La Paz Mar 2018 #43
this will jeopardize the Iran nuclear deal. another swipe at President Obama. Kurt V. Mar 2018 #45
Trump is a Russian asset workinclasszero Mar 2018 #46
Rex probably didn't like that Trump wanted to sit down with Kim Jun Dictator. joshcryer Mar 2018 #47
It's the Apprentice, but with Nuclear Weapons and the World Economy. harun Mar 2018 #54
The madness of King Donald. SergeStorms Mar 2018 #57
Just look at the quotes on YAHOO.. pangaia Mar 2018 #58
You know what's pathetic about this? matt819 Mar 2018 #60
replacing him with another worthless piece of shit T-bagger nt elmac Mar 2018 #61
Nikki Haley fails to thank and salute Rex Tillerson mahatmakanejeeves Mar 2018 #62
Rex Tillerson: 'I didn't want this job my wife told me I'm supposed to do this' IcyPeas Mar 2018 #63

sharedvalues

(6,916 posts)
14. Normally: dont repeat his words
Tue Mar 13, 2018, 09:05 AM
Mar 2018

Normally none of us should read his tweets, listen to his words, and ESPECIALLY not retweet him or follow him. Repeating him helps him.

But I guess this is a purely factual tweet. But after this, go back to our regular policies

Bengus81

(6,907 posts)
20. LOL...I follow Trump and have for a year........
Tue Mar 13, 2018, 09:13 AM
Mar 2018

Yep it's a factual Tweet and as usual there are dozens of posts tearing him a new one over Russia. His bootlicker RWers never have much to say to him on Twitter.

noneof_theabove

(410 posts)
4. One small step for man.....
Tue Mar 13, 2018, 08:49 AM
Mar 2018

correction... ONE SMALL GOOSE-STEP Toward Fascism.

Will have to see how it unfolds but personally I don't see boat steering out of the deep ocean whirlpool.

Moostache

(9,895 posts)
5. Jesus Fucking Christ...
Tue Mar 13, 2018, 08:49 AM
Mar 2018

This is unbelievable. Tillerson comments in a negative light about Russia, pretty mild stuff considering the current state of affairs in the world, and he is out within HOURS????!?!!!!!????

At this point, a military coup may be in the offing....

 

Still In Wisconsin

(4,450 posts)
8. I am not entirely sure we wouldn't be better off with a military coup.
Tue Mar 13, 2018, 08:59 AM
Mar 2018

I'm only partially kidding. Guys like Kelly aside, most military guys are Republicans, but they're not TRUMP Republicans.

Delphinus

(11,808 posts)
35. And the fact
Tue Mar 13, 2018, 09:44 AM
Mar 2018

Pompeo said there wasn't any evidence of Russian fiddling - sorry, it was on CNN and I only heard it once. BUT that is what worries me - Pompeo is as compromised as some of Trump's other folks.

bucolic_frolic

(42,651 posts)
10. Donald Trump thinks he's Billy Martin
Tue Mar 13, 2018, 09:03 AM
Mar 2018

the famed Yankee's manager who would swap players in and out, and often a reliever for one batter or even one pitch, to gain an advantage and win the game.

So much winning here I am unable to calculate on by abacus

Dread Pirate Roberts

(1,896 posts)
22. More like George Steinbrenner hiring and firing managers
Tue Mar 13, 2018, 09:15 AM
Mar 2018

He would replace them depending on what he had for breakfast and his mood on any particular day. There's a lot of the crazy part of Steinbrenner in Trump.

Hortensis

(58,785 posts)
11. Hicksless "more unteathered Trump." Hope this displeases Putin,
Tue Mar 13, 2018, 09:03 AM
Mar 2018

but Pompeo may be fine with him, conceivably even assisted in the decision. Of all the chiefs of the intelligence services, Pompeo has been the one who's most protective of Trump/Russia.

dchill

(38,315 posts)
51. I think the real reason behind this firing might be...
Tue Mar 13, 2018, 11:24 AM
Mar 2018

Putin. He was probably getting tired of his personal pick saying negative things about Russia. Tillerson was just supposed to do away with the sanctions.

Hortensis

(58,785 posts)
52. And he failed at that. Depending on the nature of
Tue Mar 13, 2018, 11:29 AM
Mar 2018

their relationship, though probably unlikely, it's not completely unthinkable to wonder if Putin might regard Tillerson's behavior as betrayal...

hlthe2b

(101,700 posts)
12. Andrea Mitchell (MSNBC) is now speculating what I had earlier: that his frank comments on Russia
Tue Mar 13, 2018, 09:03 AM
Mar 2018

re: UK Poisoning responsibility may have done him in.

Hortensis

(58,785 posts)
16. Interesting. Theresa Mays' position may trigger NATO
Tue Mar 13, 2018, 09:08 AM
Mar 2018

involvement, which would be very bad news for Putin-Trump, so that would make sense. It's almost hard to imagine that this wouldn't have been a big reason for this timing at least.

*Oh! Now it's that Tillerson was fired Friday! So Tillerson's support for May was a finger at Trump-Putin, and that timing suggests Tillerson's comments on NK may have been the break.

sharedvalues

(6,916 posts)
13. Optimism: maybe this will reopen torture crimes
Tue Mar 13, 2018, 09:03 AM
Mar 2018

When Mueller takes down this whole criminal circus,
Maybe this will bring more attention to the crimes against our nation that were committed by torturing.

hlthe2b

(101,700 posts)
17. Yes... he will and yeah, he probably will be confirmed, given he's previously been confirmed as CIA
Tue Mar 13, 2018, 09:10 AM
Mar 2018

flibbitygiblets

(7,220 posts)
50. And whether US will honor Article 5
Tue Mar 13, 2018, 11:18 AM
Mar 2018

Because our ally was attacked by Russia. That's what it's all about.

hlthe2b

(101,700 posts)
21. Oh, gawd... I wish I hadn't eaten breakfast...
Tue Mar 13, 2018, 09:14 AM
Mar 2018

UP IT COMES!

Just the thought of Cotton makes me puke for anything makes me puke, but no, Trump has already names Gina Haspel (more about her in the OP)

Dave Starsky

(5,914 posts)
31. Well, if she's a Trump pick...
Tue Mar 13, 2018, 09:39 AM
Mar 2018

then I'm pretty sure she's godawful, with a doctoral degree in Stupid.

Ilsa

(61,675 posts)
34. There's a thread in her here in GD. She's a former agent of torture
Tue Mar 13, 2018, 09:42 AM
Mar 2018

and terrorist rendition. Former undercover.

There goes our respect in the world.

Honeycombe8

(37,648 posts)
25. Wow. So Tillerson didn't realize his boss is Putin? Interesting.
Tue Mar 13, 2018, 09:25 AM
Mar 2018

As an official and medaled "friend of Russia," I thought Tillerson was in on it. It turns out that murder was a bridge too far for Tillerson. Like, did he not know when he was a "friend of Russia" about Russia's/Putin's past of murder?

But wow...Tillerson humiliated like this. When you lie down with dogs, and all that. Tillerson & Trump have not been on the same page for some time. Tillerson should have left end of 2017, like he said he might.

So now we have Pompeo....an even better friend of Russia.

UpInArms

(51,252 posts)
26. Not that I cared for Tillersons Exxon connections
Tue Mar 13, 2018, 09:27 AM
Mar 2018

He was one of the few logical minds in this maladminstration... this is not good

 

OliverQ

(3,363 posts)
36. Tillerson also destroyed the State department.
Tue Mar 13, 2018, 09:46 AM
Mar 2018

He was absolutely horrible. Pompeo may be worse, but Tillerson was definitely trying to weaken State.

Fla Dem

(23,339 posts)
29. One less "reasonable" hand on the tiller of the ship of state.
Tue Mar 13, 2018, 09:36 AM
Mar 2018

I say reasonable compared to others in this administration.

MuseRider

(34,057 posts)
32. And the Koch brothers lean back in their
Tue Mar 13, 2018, 09:41 AM
Mar 2018

leather chairs and rub their hands together and have a congratulatory beverage.

hlthe2b

(101,700 posts)
33. I guess we can at least be glad he didn't name John Bolton... BUT
Tue Mar 13, 2018, 09:41 AM
Mar 2018

I am very worried that a'hole may still be named as NSA if McMaster gets the boot

NCjack

(10,279 posts)
37. Tilly lost his admiration for Putin and Russia, so Putin fired him. Pompeo will do well
Tue Mar 13, 2018, 09:52 AM
Mar 2018

as long as he remembers how his butt is buttered -- one cheek for Trump and one cheek for Putin.

jmbar2

(4,828 posts)
38. Some poetic justice in his getting so publicly fired...
Tue Mar 13, 2018, 09:58 AM
Mar 2018

Although I regret the loss of a sane person from the administration - there are so few of them - I don't feel too sorry for Rex.

I was on a consulting assignment at Exxon for awhile and had never seen such a depressed and paranoid culture.

Rex presided from his golden office at Exxon, ruled like a distant despot, and routinely sacrificed tens of thousands of dedicated career employees through his "rank and yank" employee evaluations. Basically, you lived or died by the evaluation. Everyone was scored, and those with the lowest scores were fired each year. All activity was based on trying not to be scored lower than your coworker.

People stayed in their offices with doors closed, and no one ever challenged the status quo. Zero happiness, zero creativity. Just people trying to survive. Could have just as easily been a soviet bureaucracy. I was so glad when my assignment ended. A miserable place for employees.

Now the king has a little taste of what he dished out to so many of his employees.

Cartoonist

(7,297 posts)
40. They never give up
Tue Mar 13, 2018, 10:15 AM
Mar 2018

I went to freepton to get their take on this.


Getting rid of Tillerson is a great sign that the frog boiling operation is ready to be moved into the next step. Trump and Sessions NEED someone who will NOT be run around in circles when Sessions demands documents to investigate Hillary. Pompeo is that someone. This is very bad news for Hillary Clinton
.
 

workinclasszero

(28,270 posts)
46. Trump is a Russian asset
Tue Mar 13, 2018, 11:13 AM
Mar 2018

Putin is now running the government of the USA at its highest level.

How much more proof is needed FFS???

joshcryer

(62,265 posts)
47. Rex probably didn't like that Trump wanted to sit down with Kim Jun Dictator.
Tue Mar 13, 2018, 11:15 AM
Mar 2018

Lotsa apologists for the NK regime totally on board with that.

SergeStorms

(18,880 posts)
57. The madness of King Donald.
Tue Mar 13, 2018, 11:47 AM
Mar 2018

What a great time to fire your Sec. State! We have a rogue "president" who decides unilaterally that he's going to talk to the North Korean dictator HIMSELF, so sure let's get rid of anyone who might have some input contrary to what King Donald wants to do. Having no Sec. State for the next month or so won't be a big deal.

Twitler does it again. Trump wants to make all the decisions himself, just like a ................DICTATOR!

Imagine that.

pangaia

(24,324 posts)
58. Just look at the quotes on YAHOO..
Tue Mar 13, 2018, 11:51 AM
Mar 2018
“Mike Pompeo, Director of the CIA, will become our new Secretary of State. He will do a fantastic job!


“The Secretary had every intention of staying because of the critical progress made in national security,” the statement said.



“Rex and I have been talking about this for a long time,” Trump said.



".............Tillerson, including a report last October that the secretary of state had called the president a “moron”


“His leadership has made America safer, ....."
(Mike Pompeo)



And THIS one really jumps out!!! Either this is his usual blowing gas.. OR.. it is the truth, which worries me a hell of a lot more.....

“I’m really at a point where we’re getting very close to having the Cabinet and other things that I want,” said Trump.



“As director of the CIA, Mike has earned the praise of members in both parties by strengthening our intelligence gathering, modernizing our defensive and offensive capabilities, and building close ties with our friends and allies in the international intelligence community,” Trump said.

OH REALLY ????


(PS these are not full paragraph quotes, so I hope it is ok to have more than FOUR (4).



https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-fires-tillerson-taps-cia-chief-pompeo-state-140519399.html

matt819

(10,749 posts)
60. You know what's pathetic about this?
Tue Mar 13, 2018, 12:09 PM
Mar 2018

Granted, Tillerson has been critical of Russia/Putin in the past few days.

But I'll put money on the likelihood that he will remain close-mouthed re criticism of this regime. With his money, he can afford to say any damn thing he wants. But he'll stay quiet to placate this fellow old white guy republican billionaires.

mahatmakanejeeves

(56,879 posts)
62. Nikki Haley fails to thank and salute Rex Tillerson
Tue Mar 13, 2018, 01:52 PM
Mar 2018
Twitter has shortened tweets again. Surely that's the explanation for Nikki Haley's failure to thank and salute Rex Tillerson.



Congratulations to my friend and soon to be Secretary of State Mike Pompeo! Great decision by the President. 🇺🇸


IcyPeas

(21,737 posts)
63. Rex Tillerson: 'I didn't want this job my wife told me I'm supposed to do this'
Tue Mar 13, 2018, 04:11 PM
Mar 2018

“When he asked me at the end of that conversation to be secretary of state, I was stunned,” he said, adding that at 65 years old, at the end of a four-decade career at ExxonMobil, he had expected to retire: “I was going to go to the ranch to be with my grandkids.”

However, he said that when he returned to his Texas home after meeting Trump in New York, his wife, Renda St Clair, shook her finger in his face and said: “I told you God’s not through with you.”

He said he now feels his wife had been right: “I’m supposed to do this.”


https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/mar/22/rex-tillerson-i-didnt-want-this-job

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