Tillerson, Mattis Warned Trump Against Embassy Move

[wvit1001]

The Jerusalem initiative has been in the works since the day he took office, was coordinated with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and is supported by influential voices in the administration—including Vice President Mike Pence, son-in-law Jared Kushner, Middle East envoy (and former Trump Organization lawyer) Jason Greenblatt, and CIA Director Mike Pompeo. The decision was all but finalized, The American Conservative has learned, during a late November meeting of Trump’s foreign policy advisors at the White House.

Trump, TAC was told by a senior Pentagon officer with knowledge of the meeting, was adamant about keeping his campaign pledge, but was brought up short by warnings issued by Defense Secretary James Mattis and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Both officials argued that the move would endanger American diplomats serving in the region, undermine the administration’s efforts to revive the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, and result in condemnations from both Arab countries and America’s most important allies in Europe. Trump could expect almost no support in the international community, they said. America would “have to go it alone.”

He also acknowledged concerns about possible threats to U.S. diplomats, and said that he would dampen them by repeating U.S. assurances that it was committed to a two-state solution. Moreso, he argued, the U.S. did not need to move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem immediately—which would serve as a further reassurance.

Even so, Wednesday’s announcement about Jerusalem was tortured by a number of inherent contradictions, including the most prominent of all—the contention that the decision was not only in the “best interests of the United States,” but would actually enhance the prospects of a two-state solution and energize the peace process. “We are not taking a position on any final status issues,” Trump added, “including the specific boundaries of Israeli sovereignty in Jerusalem or the resolution of contested borders. Those questions are up to the parties involved.” The decision is “in the best interests of the United States of America and the pursuit of peace between Israel and the Palestinians.”

In fact, it seems unlikely that this unseemly sleight-of-hand (of making dubious claims), will allay Arab fears that the U.S. continues to be “Israel’s lawyer” (to use a term coined by former U.S. Middle East negotiator Aaron David Miller). Now it has also become Israel’s realtor. This seems not to bother the president, who is becoming known for playing a poor hand by throwing in more chips.

Rather, it’s probable that the governments of Europe will remember the real import of this decision—that when asked to stand with our European allies and Arab friends, we chose Israel instead.

Pay attention: This is what it feels like to live in a nation whose moment has passed.


http://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/sources-tillerson-mattis-opposed-embassy-move-trump-jerusalem-israel/

[captain_kook]

The new embassy will never be built.

WHERE in Jerusalem is there room for the kind of fortified facility that would be required in Jerusalem?

Will Bibi go along with evictions to remove -whom - to make room for it?

He'll have Israelis joining the Arab rioters in the streets.

Not one other country will even try this.

STUPID Trump.

[Local5th]

Not one other country will even try this.



True. Most lack the balls.


And all we did was recognize and honor an allies choice of a capital when most won't recognize their right to exist.

[captain_kook]

BALLS instead of brains is how Trump and his followers will get us into more war and mayhem

[wvit1001]

using ones balls to think for them is never a smart move.   that's probably why trump's had 3 wives.

[JigSaw-II]

In trump's twisted mind, a warning means, go ahead and do it.  Anyone who really, really, really thinks trump is making America great again is either deaf and dumb or is so brain washed, that they are completely void of reality...