"From Ukraine to Syria -- and now the UK -- Russia continues to be an irresponsible force of instability in the world." Rex Tillerson, yesterday.
That does not make the decision a good one. Trump is systematically replacing everyone with the intellect to know when to tell him "no." He's running the government like its TV entertainment, and the more viewer interest the better! The country is in danger from this goofball demagogue. You're a well educated person. How can you be blind to that! Added in edit: Or maybe you're not blind to it (I hope) , and just making an observation that I shouldn't be surprised. I guess I was giving Trump too much credit for having the good sense not to get rid of Tillerson.
Sorry. Pompeo is 6-10 times more competent than Tillerson. Great time to move Tillerson out. The story for you lefties to latch on to today is the regional ICE director resigning in San Francisco. There ya go. Your whine for the day. No need to thank me. Obviously they moved him out by limiting his career. And that is another great move. I have endless issues with Sessions. That is not one of them. The Pompeo bitching is headed nowhere. He will do his job and is not sleepy.
https://theaviationist.com/2018/03/12/russia-test-fires-new-kh-47m2-kinzhal-hypersonic-missile/ First “Kinzhal” Fired from MiG-31 in Southwest Russia Hits Target According to Russians. But it’s a modified Iskander SRBM. The Russian Aerospace Forces have conducted the first successful test firing of the air-launched Kinzhal (Dagger) hypersonic missile according to state sponsored media outlets. The missile, supposedly named Kh-47M2 and referred to as the “Kinzhal”, was fired from a modified MiG-31BM (NATO reporting name “Foxhound”) over Southwest Russia. A report published on Facebook by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said the “unique” MiG-31 that fired the missile had been “modernized”. Rogozin did not specify what modifications or “modernized” meant. In video and still photos portions of the weapon seen in the test launch are obscured by imaging software, presumably for security purposes. The official news release from the Russian Aerospace Forces read in part, “MiG-31 jet of the Russian Aerospace Forces conducted a test launch of hypersonic aviation and missile system Kinzhal in a set district. The launch was successful, the hypersonic missile hit the designated target at the field.” <span style="display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;" data-mce-type="bookmark" class="mce_SELRES_start"></span> Kinzhal is claimed to be a strategic air-to-surface strike missile. The missile is claimed to have maneuverable flight characteristics not typically seen in hypersonic, solid fuel missiles. Observers of Russian missile programs have voiced skepticism about Russia’ performance claims however. According to Russians and reference sources the Kinzhal missile has a top speed of Mach 10 and maintains some ability to maneuver throughout its performance envelope including at hypersonic speed. If accurate, these capabilities could make the Kinzhal difficult to intercept by anti-missile systems. The missile is reported to have a range of 1,200 miles (approximately 2,000 kilometers). This, added to the reported 1,860-mile unrefueled range of the MiG-31BM long range, supersonic interceptor, gives the Kinzhal potentially intercontinental strike capability. The missile is also reported to be nuclear-capable and able to hit ground as well as naval targets. Still photos of the MiG-31 Foxhound released by the Russian Aerospace Forces were obscured over some areas of the new Kinzhal missile. (Photo: Russian Aerospace Forces) Writer and analyst Kelsey T. Atherton wrote in Popular Mechanics, “Don’t believe the hype about Russia’s hypersonic missile” back in June, 2017 when discussing Russia’s Zircon missile, a sea launched hypersonic missile. The War Zone’s Tyler Rogoway compared the new Kinzhal with Russia’s existing Iskander short-range ballistic missile in his analysis. This first Russian Kinzhal test comes several months after the Indian Brahmos-A hypersonic missile test from November 22, 2017. The reported performance of the Indian Brahmos was a top speed of Mach 7 and a range of 290 kilometers. The Indian hypersonic missile was launched from a modified Sukhoi Su-30MKI. The Indian hypersonic missile project was completed in close cooperation with the Russians. A screen grab from the video released on YouTube details the new Kinzhal missile. (Photo: Russian Aerospace Forces/via YouTube) Hypersonic cruise missiles have the capability to defeat or degrade the effectiveness of most current surveillance and anti-missile systems because of their speed (and, in the case of this new Kinzhal, claimed capability to maneuver). The choice of the aging MiG-31, that would probably launch the Kinzhal from +60,000 feet at supersonic speed, is aimed at giving the tactical ballistic missile much more reach than it would have if launched from the ground: indeed, during the Cold War, the long-range high-altitude interceptor was supposed to be used as launch platform for anti-satellite weapons that could destroy targets in near space. Capable to carry up to four long-range R-33 missiles and four short-range R-77 missiles, not only was the MiG-31BM expected to carry a weapon able to shoot down space satellites; it was also intended to be used as a “cruise missile interceptor”: the Foxhounds have been involved in tests to intercept cruise missiles, previously Kh-55 and more recently Kh-101, for years. While the Kinzhal appears to be an air-to-ground missile the pairing of this nuclear capable hypersonic missile recalls the much older AIR-2 Genie nuclear armed air-to-air missile with a 1.5 kiloton warhead. The AIR-2 Genie and earlier versions of the same missile were deployed by the U.S. Air Force from 1957-1962. In remarks from an earlier state of the nation address at the beginning of March, Russian President Vladimir Putin told media that the Kinzhal has been “operational” prior to this test launch. Russian media also said there had been “250 test flights” to validate the operational status of the Kinzhal prior to this test launch. There was no mention if the missile or any more of the modified MiG-31s are operationally deployed yet. According to defense journalist Babak Taghvaee, six MiG-31BM interceptors have already been turned into launch platforms and they are based at Akhtubinsk: By the end of 2018, #RuAF #Russia|n Air Force will form an Aviation Squadron with 10-12 MiG-31BMs especially modified for carrying the Dragger Hypersonic Missile in one of its Fighter Regiments. For now six MiG-31BMs are modified to carry the missile. They are now in Akhtubinsk. https://t.co/KKsex2FCKj
Also, the coward didn't have the balls to fire Tilerson to his face, always hiding behind tweets like a teenage girl. And he said it was fake news, now he says he was contemplating it for months.
What are they gonna do? Use it and then get destroyed by everyone else? Let's be realistic here. Putin is only interested in maintaining his corrupt business network, all this is a sideshow.
I actually come from the perspective that Tillerson was not a good fit for the State Department. It is better that he is out. However we need someone with more international understanding and experience to take his place. I don't know if Mike Pompeo is the best fit either (yet). The reality is that Trump firing Tillerson probably had nothing to do with Tillerson's qualifications/capabilities to run the State Department, but more associated with disagreements between the two men. Trump's reasons for the firing are lacking (besides "he made me mad") and his handling of it was very poor (beyond keeping the media circus active).
Pompeo is plenty smart and sees standing up to the Iranians and the North Koreans as part of advancing foreign policy. Tillerson is still thinking about it. Also, even though some order needs to be brought to the State Department. It is a sprawling disjointed mess that was inherited from previous administratitons, and is in need of more staffing in some areas and less in others, Trump will not see Pompeo as being hired to just run the State Department. He expects Pompeo to be on the front lines and to hire people to take care of the other stuff. Pompeo is plenty smart and competent. He will take heat for being hawkish but that is not the same as taking heat as Tillerson did- ie. just bumbling around, missing in action.
Epic parody REPORTER: Did you fire him because he called you a moron? TRUMP: What? REPORTER: Did you fire him because he called you a moron? TRUMP: Say it again. REPORTER: (inaudible) Why now? https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/13/us/politics/trump-pompeo-tillerson.html