January 27, 2017

U.S. Senate confirms Haley, advocate of Ukraine sovereignty, as U.N. envoy

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WASHINGTON – The Senate confirmed President Donald Trump’s pick to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations by a decisive 96-to-4 vote on January 24.

Gov. Nikki Haley of South Carolina won support from most Democratic senators because she testified that she does not support Republican efforts to slash U.S. funding for the U.N.

Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) said Gov. Haley also said that “Crimea is not Russian” despite Moscow’s annexation of the peninsula in 2014, and she spoke “very strongly” about defending Ukrainian sovereignty.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) said Gov. Haley, the daughter of Indian immigrants, will be a “fierce advocate” for U.S. interests at the U.N.

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The Washington Post reported that during her confirmation hearing on January 18 Gov. Haley said she agrees that Russia invaded and seized Ukrainian territory in 2014 and that U.S. and international sanctions were an appropriate response. She said she would consider additional sanctions, which Mr. Trump has said he may oppose.

The New York Times quoted Gov. Haley as saying: “Russia is trying to show their muscle right now. It’s what they do.” She added: “I don’t think we can trust them. We have to continue to be very strong back, and show them what this new administration is going to be.”

Senate committee approves
Tillerson nomination

Former ExxonMobil chief executive Rex Tillerson, President Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of state, was narrowly approved by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on January 23. The vote was 11-10, with all Republicans voting for him and all Democrats voting against.

Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) praised Mr. Tillerson for being well-qualified for the post, but Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.), the ranking opposition member on the committee, said he would oppose the nominee because “Tillerson’s demonstrated business orientation and his responses to questions during the confirmation hearing could compromise his ability as secretary of state to promote the values and ideals that have defined our country.”

Before the committee vote, Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said they would support Mr. Tillerson despite his close ties to Russia and President Vladimir Putin. They said in a joint statement that although they “still have concerns” about Mr. Tillerson’s previous dealings with Russia and Mr. Putin, they “believe that Mr. Tillerson can be an effective advocate for U.S. interests.” They said the nominee convinced them he was deserving of their support following some private meetings “and much discussion.”

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) said that, despite some concerns about the nominee’s close ties to Russia, he would vote for his approval. In a Facebook statement on January 23, Sen. Rubio said he was troubled that Mr. Tillerson refused to agree with him that Mr. Putin had committed war crimes through Russian military attacks on civilians in Syria.

“Despite [Tillerson’s] extensive experience in Russia and his personal relationship with many of its leaders, he claimed he did not have sufficient information to determine whether Putin and his cronies were responsible for ordering the murder of countless dissidents, journalists and political opponents,” Sen. Rubio added.

Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), in a statement issued on January 23, noted: “Based on my dialogue with Mr. Tillerson, I expect the Trump administration to maintain America’s longstanding commitment to our alliances around the world, particularly NATO, and to lead these allies in standing up to threats against shared interests and ideals such as Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea and aggression in eastern Ukraine and Syria.” He added that he was reassured by the nominee’s pledge “not to lift sanctions on Russia or accept a change in the U.S. position on Crimea without the agreement of the Ukrainian people.”

Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) on January 23 cited his reasons for voting against Mr. Tillerson’s nomination, and noted: “…at a time when Russia’s continuing aggression around the world and interference in our election must be at the top of America’s diplomatic agenda and of chief concern to our secretary of state, it is incredibly troublesome that Mr. Tillerson and President Trump had not discussed the specifics of their Russia policy.”

The nomination now heads to the full Senate, where it is expected to be approved.

Pompeo sworn in as CIA director

Mike Pompeo was sworn in on January 23 as the director of the CIA after the Senate voted 66-32 to approve his nomination.

U.S. Vice-President Mike Pence praised Pompeo, a former Repubican congressman from Kansas, for his “wealth of experience” and “character.”

Mr. Pompeo had told the Senate Intelligence Committee that the assessment of Russia meddling in the presidential election was “solid.”

In his confirmation hearing Mr. Pompeo also said Russia has “reasserted itself aggressively, invading and occupying Ukraine, threatening Europe, and doing nothing to aid in the destruction and defeat of ISIS.”

Mattis overwhelmingly approved

The U.S. Senate voted overwhelmingly (98-1) on January 20, after Mr. Trump was inaugurated as president, to approve retired Marine General James Mattis to be secretary of defense. He was sworn in on that same day.

On January 12, Gen. Mattis called NATO “the most successful military alliance probably in modern history, maybe ever” and said Russia poses a threat to it – a statement that did not agree with the ideas expressed by Mr. Trump.

The New York Times reported back on December 1, 2016, when the retired general was announced as President-elect Donald Trump’s choice as defense secretary, that “in some important policy areas, Gen. Mattis differs from Mr. Trump.” The Times noted: “Gen. Mattis believes… that Mr. Trump’s conciliatory statements toward Russia are ill-informed. Gen. Mattis views with alarm Moscow’s expansionist or bellicose policies in Syria, Ukraine and the Baltics.”

Sources: RFE/RL, AP, DPA, Reuters, Politico, AFP, CNN, The Washington Post, The New York Times, Offices of Sens. Rob Portman and Bob Menendez.

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