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Home Front: WoT
Tillerson accuses Netanyahu of having 'played' Trump
2019-09-21
[Jpost] Former US secretary of state Rex Tillerson of having "played" US President Donald Trump
...His ancestors didn't own any slaves...
 and providing him with "misinformation."

The Harvard Gazette, the university’s official news website, reported on Wednesday that Tillerson made the comments during a private talk that he gave at the university on Tuesday, detailing his tenure as secretary of state. Tillerson served as the top US diplomat for 14 months ‐ from February 2017 to March 2018 ‐ until Trump fired him via Twitter.

According to the Gazette, Tillerson said that Netanyahu was "an extraordinarily skilled" politician and diplomat, although "a bit Machiavellian."
All true. Possibly more than a bit, though.
He said that the prime minister builds good and "useful" relationships with leaders and countries that he figures he will need in the future.
That is indeed his job...
"In dealing with Bibi, it’s always useful to carry a healthy amount of skepticism in your discussions with him," Tillerson was quoted as saying, adding that Israel would share "misinformation" when it felt it was necessary to persuade the US.
And that, dear sir, is the best way to ruin a long term relationship. I can’t imagine Bibi Netanyahu would be that foolish.
"They did that with the president on a couple of occasions, to persuade him that ’We’re the good guys, they’re the bad guys,’" Tillerson said. "We later exposed it to the president so he understood, ’You’ve been played.’ It bothers me that an ally that’s that close and important to us would do that to us."
Could this be what got him fired? President Trump is not exactly new to the international milieu, and will have formed his own opinions long since.
A front man for the prime minister responded by saying, "Secretary Tillerson, Israel is the good guy."
Compared to the other parties in the region, there ought be no question.
During his short term in office, Tillerson ‐ a former ExxonMobil CEO ‐ had little to do with the Israel-Paleostinian diplomatic efforts. That issue was placed instead in the hands of Jared Kushner, Trump’s senior adviser and son-in-law.
Related:
Rex Tillerson: 2019-08-20 US extends ban on passports for North Korea travel
Rex Tillerson: 2019-06-01 If the MSM is selling, I'm not buying...
Rex Tillerson: 2018-12-08 Rex Tillerson Claims He Constantly Had To Tell Trump He Couldn't Bomb Wakanda
Related:
Netanyahu: 2019-09-19 Jihadists prevent civilians from reaching Idlib crossing into gov’t areas
Netanyahu: 2019-09-19 Early reports of Syrian troops withdrawing from several areas in eastern Idlib
Netanyahu: 2019-09-19 Dan Brouillette: ‘Impossible’ to Reduce ‘Carbon Emissions’ Without ‘Nuclear Energy’
Posted by:trailing wife

#28  Letting it go, WM?
Posted by: Frank G   2019-09-21 22:41  

#27  If Iran attacked the Saudi facility (and I doubt the Houthis did it), this is an act of war. Period.

Reacting to it is no "crime". I guess (or hope) the Pentagon has a few smart plans ready if things escalate. The next Iranian missiles could reach a US warship. Then what Herb?

That doesn't mean invasion, but I guess the end of the Iranian air force and navy.
Posted by: European Conservative   2019-09-21 21:53  

#26  Not needed now that is.
Posted by: Whiskey Mike   2019-09-21 21:42  

#25  Or not.
Posted by: Whiskey Mike   2019-09-21 21:41  

#24  Mods, please delete my comment #22. Not needed now. Thanks.
Posted by: Whiskey Mike   2019-09-21 13:38  

#23  O' entity that is Herb McCoy,
self-flagellant whipping boy.
Let it be known unto thee,
that demonic pestilence doth flee,
the moment TW says 'Oy' !
Posted by: Dron66046   2019-09-21 13:32  

#22  I am concerned with this statement from the entity that names itself "Herb McCoy":

"The crimes you advocate to commit in the present...they are real." I bolded the important part.

Who the hell are you to say that 'we advocate the commission of crimes'?

This is the last time I will read a thread that you befoul.

Mods, please consider that the entity that identifies itself as Herb McCoy just placed a libelous statement in a Rantburg comment chain. Think about why, and to what end.

In my opinion, it needs to be cleaned out.
Posted by: Whiskey Mike   2019-09-21 13:21  

#21  Bededededeee

Warmongering State Department Neocon Zionists Buck!
Posted by: Twiki   2019-09-21 11:14  

#20  Every country's leader advances the interests of his country - not the interests of other countries, including our own country.

Our Rabin? Your Barack?
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2019-09-21 11:12  

#19  I can assure you.

A number of Rantburgers reported what they (and their friends and relations) saw there at the time, and their displeasure with mainstream media reporting that lied and said there was nothing there. Perhaps you were otherwise occupied at the time, Herb, or you’d remember, too.
Posted by: trailing wife   2019-09-21 10:50  

#18  Whine, Rex, Whine.
It sounds like Rex couldn't hide his inner contempt for his boss (Trump) and failed in his job of getting the State department "enough" under the control of the new administration. He probably was wined and dined by the apparatchiks at State, said too much and was "surprised that it got back to Trump". He also didn't do what his boss expected...so bye bye.
Posted by: magpie   2019-09-21 10:04  

#17  It bothers me that an ally that’s that close and important to us would do that to us.

Dear Rex,

Every country's leader advances the interests of his country - not the interests of other countries, including our own country. This is true of the leaders of our closest allies, including Britain. This is also true of our own country's leaders.

For example, Eisenhower did not hesitate to act in our nation's interest, and directly against the interest of our closest ally, the UK, in the Suez Crisis.

And yes, the art of statecraft involves not telling others everything you know, and sometimes not telling them the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

That's called diplomacy. Do you understand now why you were such an abysmal failure as our nation's top diplomat?
Posted by: Lex   2019-09-21 09:20  

#16  The Cowardly Herb sets up a strawman and annihilates it. Invasion? Nobody but you is talking that. Agitprop commie and mullah symp
Posted by: Frank G   2019-09-21 08:09  

#15  All was well until nation building started
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2019-09-21 07:28  

#14  Thousands of Americans died for a lie. A huge amount of wealth was squandered.

No, Saddam had WMD (Tabun, Mustard & nerve agents to name a few). The al-Muthanna site north of Baghdad and a few others, had nothing to do with Iraqi Pesticide Production I can assure you. The Tuwaitha site in the graphic (bombed by IS), was indeed a nuclear reactor and research facility. BTDT.

The cost in American blood and treasure can certainly be debated.
Posted by: Besoeker   2019-09-21 06:31  

#13  Honestly attacking Iran sounds like a much better way to end up with a dirty bomb than otherwise.

We're not going to invade and conquer Iran? Like we did Iraq? So what's the plan, then? What's the win condition? How do we know when we've succeeded? Regime change? Like we did in 1979 when we greenlighted the Ayatollah Khomeni to overthrow the Shah? Because that worked out so well.

Remember the neocon plan for Iraq? Take Baghdad, disband the Iraqi army, and...

Well, that was their plan. That was as far as it went. They literally did not plan for the aftermath. The US military had to deal with the mess that the neocons created. Thousands of Americans died for a lie. A huge amount of wealth was squandered.
Posted by: Herb McCoy   2019-09-21 06:11  

#12  Who ever said anything about invasion or conquest ?
Posted by: Dron66046   2019-09-21 06:00  

#11  Seriously? We need to invade and conquer a nation of 80 million...to avoid a dirty bomb? Really?

No one invaded Japan in 1945 and they turned out to be very compliant and accommodating. Great friends and trade partners today in fact. A simply attitude adjustment was all that was necessary.
Posted by: Besoeker   2019-09-21 05:54  

#10  Seriously? We need to invade and conquer a nation of 80 million...to avoid a dirty bomb? Really?

These crimes you seek to prevent in the future are imaginary. The crimes you advocate to commit in the present...they are real.

Comments #6-9 are name-calling, not arguments. I'm not convinced a new war with no defined goal, mass casualties, and a cost of trillions in expenses is a good idea for the American people. Change my mind.
Posted by: Herb McCoy    2019-09-21 05:08  

#9  Hey, something just occurred to me: Herb is not a Libertarian, he's more like a caricature of a Libertarian in a leftist's mind (such as it is)>
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2019-09-21 04:23  

#8  He doesn't.
Posted by: Skidmark   2019-09-21 04:20  

#7  Herb, what mouthwash do you use to get the taste of the mullahs out of your mouth?
Posted by: Rob Crawford   2019-09-21 04:15  

#6  #1 Der Juden!
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2019-09-21 04:07  

#5  persuade him that ’We’re the good guys, they’re the bad guys,’"

Unlike somebody like you Rex (a favorite name for Alsatians when I was a kid in Sov. U.) who treasures his business relation with Saudis (just like the Bushes), Trump didn't need Bibi to teach him who the good guys in ME are.
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2019-09-21 03:39  

#4   War with Iran benefits nobody. Not America, not Iran, not Saudi Arabia. We all lose.

Never heard "Death to America" ?

So when a Nuke/Dirty Heezbollah bomb goes off in USA or somewhere elese you don't loose...
Posted by: Spanky Whuter1088   2019-09-21 02:17  

#3  Probably what got Tillerson fired. 'Misunderstimating' the President all the time.
Posted by: Dron66046   2019-09-21 01:44  

#2  It would greatly benefit the Democrats and deep state who are desperate to topple Trump. One can only imagine what Kerry promised Iran. Nukes to start. Or at least the time to develope their own.
Posted by: CrazyFool   2019-09-21 01:27  

#1  War with Iran benefits nobody. Not America, not Iran, not Saudi Arabia. We all lose.

Except Israel. The destruction of Iran would be a big win for them. Change my mind.
Posted by: Herb McCoy    2019-09-21 01:19  

00:00