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[webfact]

‘Is Putin a war criminal?’ Rex Tillerson grilled in Secretary of State nomination hearing

 

 

WASHINGTON: -- US President-elect Donald Trump’s nomination for Secretary of State has received a grilling from the Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee.

 

Is Vladimir Putin a war criminal?

 

At his confirmation hearing, Rex Tillerson was asked outright if Russian President Vladimir Putin is a war criminal.

 

Fellow Republican, Senator Marco Rubio, put the question to him in reference to Syria and alleged the Russian military had targeted civilians in Aleppo, particularly.

 

The US and Russia are supporting opposing sides in the Syrian civil war.

 

Rubio ran against Trump for the 2016 Republican presidential nominations.

 

Tillerson replied that he “would not use that term [war criminal],” but did say this:

“Russia today poses a danger, but it is not unpredictable in advancing its own interests. It has invaded Ukraine, including the taking of Crimea, and supported Syrian forces that brutally violate the laws of war. Our NATO allies are right to be alarmed at a resurgent Russia.”

 

This appears to contradict Trump’s previous comments on the build-up of NATO troops in countries neighbouring Russia.

 

“I will make a long statement about NATO, talking about the fact that many countries are not paying their fair share,” Trump said in a televised speech during his presidential campaign.

 

“That means we are protecting them and they are getting all sorts of military protection and other things and they’re ripping off the United States. And they’re ripping you off. I don’t want to do that. Either they pay up including for past deficiencies or they have to get out. And if it breaks up NATO, it breaks up NATO.”

 

Tillerson, a former ExxonMobil CEO, has done business with Putin and the pair reportedly have good ties. However Republicans and Democrats alike say they are concerned about what they call Moscow’s “increasingly aggressive behaviour.”

 

Ahead of and during the hearing, Tillerson said Russia “must be held accountable for its actions.

 

The Kremlin responded, saying it understands that Tillerson will be quite tough in his line on Russia.

 

‘Election hacking’

 

Tillerson said he believed it to be a “fair assumption” that the Russian president was aware of attempts to influence the outcome of the US election.

 

How will he do the job?

 

He was also questioned over how effectively he could transform himself from a Big Oil ‘‘dealmaker’‘ to being American’s top diplomat with next-to-no government experience.

 

Tillerson is regarded by some as an unusual choice for America’s top diplomat.

 

The Texan had never met Donald Trump until a month ago.

 

Current Secretary of State John Kerry says he has not yet met Tillerson, but expects to do so soon.

 

 

-- © Copyright Euronews 2017-01-12

[stevenl]

Meaningless. He can say whatever he wants now, and will not be held accountable if he acts completely different.

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[craigt3365]

12 minutes ago, stevenl said:

Meaningless. He can say whatever he wants now, and will not be held accountable if he acts completely different.

Sent from my ROBBY using Thaivisa Connect mobile app
 

Isn't that what Trump did during the elections.  Say anything he wanted and now not being held accountable.  Especially by his dwindling number of supporters?

[Silurian]

Looks like "Little Marco" has got some fight in him. Marco was grilling Tillerson pretty hard and so far Marco won't support Tillerson's nomination. Come on Marco, let see some more backbone and stand up to that small handed fraudulent POTUS elect and his terrible nomination choices.

 

Tillerson fails to win over key GOP senators

http://us.cnn.com/2017/01/11/politics/tillerson-confirmation-hearing/index.html

 

[craigt3365]

5 minutes ago, Silurian said:

Looks like "Little Marco" has got some fight in him. Marco was grilling Tillerson pretty hard and so far Marco won't support Tillerson's nomination. Come on Marco, let see some more backbone and stand up to that small handed fraudulent POTUS elect and his terrible nomination choices.

 

Tillerson fails to win over key GOP senators

http://us.cnn.com/2017/01/11/politics/tillerson-confirmation-hearing/index.html

 

From your link:

Quote

Tillerson also blasted Russia's invasion of Ukraine as an "illegal action" -- something Trump hasn't done -- and said he even would have sent the country defensive weapons to use against Moscow.

 

I've back him just because of this.  LOL

[Shroud]

The only ones who want war with Russia are the zionist neocons. 

[Cats4ever]

Putin may or may not be a war criminal (MH 17 anybody); he is almost certainly a conventional criminal (theft, fraud etc).

[nottocus]

A good man is Tillerson.

[blazes]

Why didn't Tillerson answer: "Mr Putin should be brought to justice at the International Criminal Court at the Hague (which we in the US don't take part in, but still...)...and then add to the Senate Committee, but to be quite frank, I believe that we first have to acknowledge our own war crimes, and so we will guarantee that when Putin gets to The Haguel, so too will Henry Kissinger....

[elgordo38]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

“Russia today poses a danger, but it is not unpredictable in advancing its own interests. It has invaded Ukraine, including the taking of Crimea, and supported Syrian forces that brutally violate the laws of war. Our NATO allies are right to be alarmed at a resurgent Russia.”

 

Yes a wily old fox indeed. Kind of a double standard answer. Just enough to satisfy Congress and still be friends with Russia what a balancing act. 

[Kinnock]

You are only a War Criminal if you lose the war.  Winners are War Heroes.  Only time will tell which way it goes.