The Washington Post reports a secret meeting between Erik Prince–brother of Betsy DeVos and owner of private militia Blackwatwer–and a close ally of Putin, after the election, to develop a back-channel means of communicating.
Does this mean Trump doesn’t trust the State Department or Secretary Tillerson? Meanwhile the president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner is in Iraq, again circumventing Tillerson. Kushner has no background in foreign affairs or diplomacy.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
If Trump trusted Tillerson he would have allowed him to replace the diplomats at the office of Secretary of State. Check out the dismissal of Thomas M. Countryman, who has yet to be replaced.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_M._Countryman
Nobody home since Jan 27, 2017
Apparently there is no need in this administration for:
a United States Assistant Secretary of State for International Security and Nonproliferation
Why? I guess because we have Jared Kushner and Steve Bannon.
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My only thought on this is that if the contact with Kushner occurred shortly after the election, according to many reports, Trump didn’t even know who Tillerson was then. So the back channel is pre-Tillerson. But it’s become obvious that we have a Secretary of State who is a prima donna (or as prima donna-ish as an old Texas oil man can be) with no understanding of diplomacy, accountability, or public policy.
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Exactly, Greg…to have Tillerson, a spoiled billionaire oil man running a State Dept. of ONE, is alarming. Kushner is probably more polite and with more social graces. But they seem to have equal greed for cash and power. So bizarre….
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I disagree about Tillerson. Thomas M. Countryman finds him to be very capable but handicapped by Trump’s complete failure to allow Tillerson to staff his office with diplomatic personnel.
How did you reach the conclusion that Tillerson is a prima donna with no understanding of diplomacy, accountability, or public policy?
I value Countryman’s position much more than your opinion at this point in time.
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Tillerson spent 42 years working for Exxon. He has no diplomatic experience. He refuses to hold press conferences or speak to the media to explain foreign policy. He or Trump cleared out the senior staff at the State Department and no one with experience is advising him.
Meanwhile, Trump has given his totally green son-in-law responsibility for the Mid-East, Mexico, Canada, and reorganizing the government.
Whatever Tillerson’s capability, he looks like a big teddy bear, with no portfolio and no permission to speak.
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Firing squads.
“Whoever, owing allegiance to the United States, levies war against them or adheres to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort within the United States or elsewhere, is guilty of treason and shall suffer death, or shall be imprisoned not less than five years and fined under this title but not less than $10,000; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States.”
(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 807; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(2)(J), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2148.)
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Surprised? Why? This is their MO. Unqualified people know more than qualified professionals, like teachers. DeVos herself is perfect for ed secretary since she doesn’t know anything about education. Maybe it is the Peter Principle at work? 45 makes sure he picks people who are at least as ignorant as he. Perfect for Steve Bannon and anarchy.
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A closer look at what influences Dump is called for here. The Russian connection is deeper and different than most suspect. https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-secret-to-trump-hes-really-a-russian-oligarch/2016/08/19/bc7226a2-6623-11e6-be4e-23fc4d4d12b4_story.html?utm_term=.72bba57682cf
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Just in case you thought there might be anything special about the Russian oligarch comparison, another one also hits quite close to the mark. http://jewishjournal.com/opinion/216725/abu-trump-apt-comparison/
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Spoiler alert! “They Put Family First: Even a small circle of advisers can’t penetrate the Arab dictator’s ultimate inner circle: his family. Iraq’s Saddam Hussein gave his sons carte blanche; Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak was dethroned as he tried to pass power to his son; Libya’s Moammar Gadhafi bequeathed his sons his kingdom — except they were killed 20 minutes after him. Keeping it all in the family is a way to maintain trust, loyalty — and wealth. This week, Jared Kushner’s family business received what analysts are calling a sweetheart $400 million investment deal from Chinese interests. Just saying.”
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The bizarre Trump Administration gets weirder every day.
Does anyone normal work for Donald Trump? They’re all these sketchy, shady, secretive wealthy people with these hugely ambitious agendas that no one knew about and we’re only just finding out.
It’s terrifying. There isn’t a one of them with an ordinary background. We’ve somehow ended up with a government composed of a group of eccentric rich people operating in the shadows.
God knows what this guy is planning. Are these people even supervised? Who is in charge?
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Chiara,
It’s a family thing. Outsiders don’t understand. Maybe Trump will hand the presidency to Jared.
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Off topic- the blog of noted attorney/professor Jonathan Turley has this post, “Pakistan Reportedly Moving Toward Compulsory Study of the Quran for Both Private and Public Schools”.
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Sounds like what the right would like to do with the New Testament .
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Given the evangelicals’ diabolical twisting of Christ’s teachings about respect and compassion for the vulnerable, I wouldn’t want that brand of religion anywhere near schools.
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