Rex Tillerson (Exxon CEO) to be Secretary of State

[kage69]

And in my hand I have a snowball!

Glarble!! Glarble!! Climate change fake, 97% of world scientists are on the take! Glarble!!

I can't even look at that guy without cringing.

A poster child for what the GOP thinks of science, not to mention governance. Jim Inhofe is an embarrassment. Looks like thanks to Trump he's going to have a lot more like minded friends in D.C too. This planet is so screwed.

 

[raildogg]

congrats Green Party voters who said Clinton was more dangerous than Trump... you did it!

in related news, Russia ties complicate Exxon CEO Rex Tillerson's prospects for secretary of state gig

So it took this news to prove your point?

Oh right, if Hillary would have won then everything would have been cool. Just like everything has been cool under Obama.

Trump has picked the top elites for his top positions. I mean, did people think he was going to elect some average person?

This guy is a billionaire! All the people around him are billionaires!

Sorry voters: whoever you pick to win, he or she will not be in your favor.

 

[Jhhnn]

The subject was Hillary Clinton and Libya...your diversion to Iraq is highly transparent and indicative of simple-minded rationalization on your part.

Her insistence of immediate action due to impending genocide was a lie that was never corroborated by U.S. intelligence.

The subject of the thread is the nomination of Tillerson as SoS. You're the one who diverted into discussion of Libya, as usual. You're trying to play that as some sort of catastrophic foreign policy failure when the Invasion of Iraq & the lies enabling it have invoked much more difficult circumstances.

It's hard to say how Tillerson's perspective will play in a lot of areas, particularly in promoting the interests of American Oil in Iran, for example-

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...-iran-oil-as-european-rivals-poised-to-pounce

With Repub lawmakers at the beck & call of the Israel lobby we might see some fireworks.

 

[imported_tajmahal]

Anytime a President-elect Trump nomination makes the leftists in this forum pee on themselves a bit it means it's a good choice. If he actually picks someone they grudgingly say is "OK" or "not as bad as it could be" i'll be disappointed.

 

[theeedude]

Confirmation hearings should be fun.

 

[crashtech]

Hey, at least he's not being considered for Secretary of Energy! 😀

 

[superstition]

Hey, at least he's not being considered for Secretary of Energy! 😀

Like it matters with this group. Besides, he can very easily have chats with the official energy secretary.

One interesting tidbit most don't know about are the connections between a few dots:

a) Uganda

b) Exxon

c) anti-gay BS

d) the conversion of Uganda's political leadership to evangelical anti-gay Christianity, courtesy of demagogic activists like Scott Lively sent there via "faith-based initiative" money


Here's a fun recipe:

1) Exxon wants a nice comfy special oil deal

2) Anti-gay asterisks are exported from the US to Uganda to act as quasi-official diplomancers

3) Said diplomancers tell the Ugandan leadership that scapegoating gays is good for business

4) And, if you convert we'll throw in that nice company known as Exxon

5) Ugandan leadership enjoys the fruits (at least initially) of its scapegoating campaign and looks forward to closer ties with the US and its corporations

6) Exxon feels nice 'n snuggly with its new deal

 

[Jhhnn]

Anytime a President-elect Trump nomination makes the leftists in this forum pee on themselves a bit it means it's a good choice. If he actually picks someone they grudgingly say is "OK" or "not as bad as it could be" i'll be disappointed.

We'll see. It's clear that Tillerson can be an effective manager. Official rhetoric wrt Iran will be telling.

 

[Jhhnn]

Like it matters with this group. Besides, he can very easily have chats with the official energy secretary.

One interesting tidbit most don't know about are the connections between a few dots:

a) Uganda

b) Exxon

c) anti-gay BS

d) the conversion of Uganda's political leadership to evangelical anti-gay Christianity, courtesy of demagogic activists like Scott Lively sent there via "faith-based initiative" money


Here's a fun recipe:

1) Exxon wants a nice comfy special oil deal

2) Anti-gay asterisks are exported from the US to Uganda to act as quasi-official diplomancers

3) Said diplomancers tell the Ugandan leadership that scapegoating gays is good for business

4) And, if you convert we'll throw in that nice company known as Exxon

5) Ugandan leadership enjoys the fruits (at least initially) of its scapegoating campaign and looks forward to closer ties with the US and its corporations

6) Exxon feels nice 'n snuggly with its new deal

That's a dandy conspiracy theory so far. Surely you have sources for it.

 

[crashtech]

^ I can't even quote that stuff, it's a little too "out there" for me.

We'll see. It's clear that Tillerson can be an effective manager. Official rhetoric wrt Iran will be telling.

Nice to see a more pragmatic attitude.

I know the pro-fossil fuel thing bothers greens and many leftists, but I think we will experience just a brief over-correction from the previous admin's stance on energy. It's not like alternative sources are going away, in many respects critical mass has been achieved at least in mindshare for alternative energy.

 

[OrByte]

Russia LOVES this pick, that should tell you all you need to know.

 

[momeNt]

Russia LOVES this pick, that should tell you all you need to know.

Japan received rebuilding after their defeat in WW2, Russia has not received any such rebuilding effort since their decimation in the Cold War. It's about time that we mend the relationship and begin putting the world back together.

There was a time when Russia and USA stood together against the world's greatest threats, let's return to that. Let's hope Rex can lead the way.

 

[crashtech]

Russia LOVES this pick, that should tell you all you need to know.

Let's see, if Russia loves it and Democrats hate it, then Democrats may be responsible for keeping tensions with Russia high, and making all of us less secure? Oddly enough, when I was a kid, many Dems were apologists for what was then the USSR. But Russia's not communist anymore, so I guess they can be the Left's enemy now?

I'll state it again, since we obviously aren't seeking military confrontation with Russia, we can only gain influence over their behavior by trying to normalize relations. This is the pragmatic approach, unless we actually want to go to war at some point.

 

[OrByte]

Japan received rebuilding after their defeat in WW2, Russia has not received any such rebuilding effort since their decimation in the Cold War. It's about time that we mend the relationship and begin putting the world back together.

There was a time when Russia and USA stood together against the world's greatest threats, let's return to that. Let's hope Rex can lead the way.

OH, so Russia hacking the DNC and Hillary campaing, leaking emails to wiki-leaks, giving Trump all the room he needed to spread lies about Hillary Clinton and wanting to "lock her up"... that was their attempt at mending US - Russia relationships?

please.

Not to mention the severe loss of civilian life now taking place in Aleppo where the US and UN are pleading with Assad/Russia to allow for a humanitarian cease fire.

Somehow I don't think we want Russia's help in "putting the world back together."

 

[OrByte]

Let's see, if Russia loves it and Democrats hate it, then Democrats may be responsible for keeping tensions with Russia high, and making all of us less secure? Oddly enough, when I was a kid, many Dems were apologists for what was then the USSR. But Russia's not communist anymore, so I guess they can be the Left's enemy now?

I'll state it again, since we obviously aren't seeking military confrontation with Russia, we can only gain influence over their behavior by trying to normalize relations. This is the pragmatic approach, unless we actually want to go to war at some point.

If it was Obama trying to normalize relations with Russia, ESPECIALLY AFTER knowledge that Russia messed with our US elections...

Republicans would be apoplectic.

 

[zinfamous]

Let's see, if Russia loves it and Democrats hate it, then Democrats may be responsible for keeping tensions with Russia high, and making all of us less secure? Oddly enough, when I was a kid, many Dems were apologists for what was then the USSR. But Russia's not communist anymore, so I guess they can be the Left's enemy now?

I'll state it again, since we obviously aren't seeking military confrontation with Russia, we can only gain influence over their behavior by trying to normalize relations. This is the pragmatic approach, unless we actually want to go to war at some point.

You are clueless. Current Russia is expansionist and seeking to restore the USSR and re-occupy sovereign nations under nostalgia of those "glorious soviet days." If you don't see this, then you are blind. This is what appeasement to Putin gets you. There can be no tolerance for Russian expansion. This isn't a US issue--it is a world issue.

Leftists loved Russia? lol--are you stupid?

Maybe you should travel a bit?

 

[crashtech]

If it was Obama trying to normalize relations with Russia, ESPECIALLY AFTER knowledge that Russia messed with our US elections...

Republicans would be apoplectic.

You are probably right. There are many various interests in play, and partisanship is a powerful influence that cuts both ways. Tillerson is an interesting pick in regards to Russia, because not only does the US compete with Russia in oil, Europe relies heavily on Russian natural gas. Europeans may quietly be relieved at the prospect of reduced tensions and increased energy security.

 

[nageov3t]

I feel like I'm being gaslighted.

wasn't it like a year ago that Republicans across the country were blasting the Obama administration for not being tough enough on Russia?

 

[crashtech]

If you don't see this, then you are blind...Leftists loved Russia? lol--are you stupid?

Those are my favorite parts, can I have more, please?

 

[Doc Savage Fan]

You are probably right. There are many various interests in play, and partisanship is a powerful influence that cuts both ways. Tillerson is an interesting pick in regards to Russia, because not only does the US compete with Russia in oil, Europe relies heavily on Russian natural gas. Europeans may quietly be relieved at the prospect of reduced tensions and increased energy security.

Yet Democrats seem hellbent on starting another Cold War. It's time for a sane approach here.

 

[Doc Savage Fan]

I feel like I'm being gaslighted.

wasn't it like a year ago that Republicans across the country were blasting the Obama administration for not being tough enough on Russia?

Russia perceived weakness and took advantage of it.

 

[zinfamous]

Yet Democrats seem hellbent on starting another Cold War. It's time for a sane approach here.

Ah yes--perfectly explains the Trump vote.

 

[zinfamous]

Those are my favorite parts, can I have more, please?

you're right, I should have said Dems, because that is the language you used, after all. 😛

So, back when the "Dems loved Russia," who were you talking about here? Kennedy, Johnson?

 

[crashtech]

you're right, I should have said Dems, because that is the language you used, after all. 😛

So, back when the "Dems loved Russia," who were you talking about here? Kennedy, Johnson?

You know what, it's an assertion that is really tough to substantiate, the stuff I'm talking about was pre-Internet and much of it was tacit, so I retract my statement. More generally and to the point, it's interesting to witness the role reversal between parties, it is starting to look like the Democrats are the hawkish interventionists, and that didn't used to be the case.

 

[Doc Savage Fan]

Ah yes--perfectly explains the Trump vote.

Nope...it was the alternative to Trump that perfectly explains the Trump vote.