Discussion: Tillerson: Russia Is Either Aligned With Assad Or with US

First Assad and now the Trump? Russia is having problems managing its puppets.

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Hey, Tillerson? You don’t already know the answer to that question?

More amateur hour in the Trump administration.

Answer: Syria. Have a nice day, Rex.

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This is a tough call. Which craven dictator will Putin choose?

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There’s another family whose reign needs to end before the Assads.

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He really, truly, sincerely has no clue, has he?

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Nothing subtle about this group of Trupers. There is a role for quiet diplomacy, where statesmen meet in private and forge agreements that are mutually beneficial. Tillerson has given the Russians no graceful exit here - public humiliation and admit you were wrong (and perhaps culpable) on the one hand or continue to side with a murdering despot on the other. By backing Russia into a corner, Tillerson may force Russia into a Hobbesian trap with escalation as the only alternative. This is what happens when you put a robber baron businessman in charge of the ship of state. Amateur hour and dangerous.

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Russia is not giving up their naval base in Tartus and Assad is their best bet for keeping it. This could get ugly.

“In January 2017, Russia and Syria signed agreements to extend Russia’s control of its facility for 49 years and give it sovereignty over the territory. It allows Russia to dredge, install floating berths, and carry out repair works to expand its capacity to 11 warships, including nuclear-powered ships.[5][6]”

Dumbya manged to pull off the “with us or against us” BS for awhile because of 9/11. This is a whole different deal.

So Rump is now going to team up with ISIS to take out Assad? It’s nuts. That regime is beyond terrible, but its possible replacements look worse.

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Putin: I think choice is clear for Tillerson, Trump and USA. They must align with ME. I have the video and all the evidence to put Trump/surrogates in jail.

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“But the question of how that ends and the transition itself could be
very important in our view to the durability, the stability inside of a
unified Syria,” Tillerson added, per CBS.

Wow… That’s some stellar wisdom there Rex.

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Department of Toothless Ultimata. Nice to hear from you, Rex. Of course the Russkis have all the spies they need to find out what is really on Trump’s mind. Rex, you’re not CEO anymore .Go confront yourself.

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I was thinking he sort of sounds like a CEO just before a hostile corporate take over. (of the oil, not the country)

I have to say I am intrigued by Tillerson’s move here. So much for that “friendship medal”. I’m not saying any of this is good, just interesting.

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I don’t know how Syria survives without Assad. Who fills the void? It’s not going to stop the civil war against the Baathist regime which the multiple competing ‘radical Islamic terrorists’ are fighting against.

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Can Jordan be a player to bring peace?

I’m not a fan of these kinds of comparisons, but can you imagine the howling if Obama or Secretary Clinton had said anything remotely along these lines?

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I think the last time the US gave Russia a choice like this and they listened was, what, 1962?

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Woa there! Slow down! We’ll figure out the end game later.

Now, watch these Tomahawks!

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He like Trump was very surprised.
This Secretary of State stuff.
Nobody knew it was so complicated.

Running like a business indeed, except missing the yes men

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Hillary probably did and that’s why Putin got us into this mess in the first place. His fear of her.

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IIRC, Bush Daddy said “taking Saddam out would have destablized the region”, Bush Baby said “Dicky and Rummy said I should show Daddy I am a big boy” and took Saddam out, thereby destablizing the region.

There’s no learning taking place inside the Gooper camp.

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