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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe Politicization of the State Department Is Almost Complete
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Sam Vinograd
@sam_vinograd
You should read this. Its written by a career public servant.
The State Department's Politicization Is Almost Complete via @TheAtlantic
The Politicization of the State Department Is Almost Complete
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his predecessor, Rex Tillerson, have weaponized the institution for the Trump administrations domestic political objectives.
theatlantic.com
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/10/state-departments-politicization-almost-complete/616795/
I worked at the State Department for nearly four decades, in the later years as a four-time ambassador overseas and as a senior adviser to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. I have watched as Pompeo and his predecessor, Rex Tillerson, have weaponized the institution for the Trump administrations domestic political objectives. On October 9, just weeks away from the presidential election, Pompeo announced that he would authorize, apparently at President Donald Trumps urging, the release of more of Hillary Clintons emails. In doing so, Pompeo will have all but completed the politicization of the State Department, arguably bringing it to its lowest point since the 1950s. The damage may be generational.
This transformation started with Tillerson, who came in with the goal of redesigning the State Department and with what appears to have been a political agenda to weed out anyone who had served in leadership positions during prior presidential administrations.
Tillerson used the State Departments policy-planning staff, which offers the secretary strategic advice, to institute a top-down approach to policy, in effect muzzling the bureaus usually tasked with developing ideas independently. He marginalized senior career professionals, often excluding the officers from meetings of department leaders. And as an inspector general report has since shown, Tillersons Bureau of International Organization Affairs harassed career employees premised on claims that they were disloyal.
As a result, more than 100 out of some 900 senior Foreign Service officersincluding the most visible high-ranking Hispanic, African American, South Asian, and female career officerswere fired, pushed out, or chose to leave the State Department during the first year of the Trump administration.
During his short tenure, Tillerson also reduced or froze the hiring of new civil and Foreign Service personnel. He eliminated or put on hold crucial jobs typically filled by the family members of embassy employees. The State Department also suffered through a record number of vacancies in senior leadership appointments, and dozens of embassies were left without ambassadorscareer or political.
*snip*
Sam Vinograd
@sam_vinograd
You should read this. Its written by a career public servant.
The State Department's Politicization Is Almost Complete via @TheAtlantic
The Politicization of the State Department Is Almost Complete
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his predecessor, Rex Tillerson, have weaponized the institution for the Trump administrations domestic political objectives.
theatlantic.com
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/10/state-departments-politicization-almost-complete/616795/
I worked at the State Department for nearly four decades, in the later years as a four-time ambassador overseas and as a senior adviser to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. I have watched as Pompeo and his predecessor, Rex Tillerson, have weaponized the institution for the Trump administrations domestic political objectives. On October 9, just weeks away from the presidential election, Pompeo announced that he would authorize, apparently at President Donald Trumps urging, the release of more of Hillary Clintons emails. In doing so, Pompeo will have all but completed the politicization of the State Department, arguably bringing it to its lowest point since the 1950s. The damage may be generational.
This transformation started with Tillerson, who came in with the goal of redesigning the State Department and with what appears to have been a political agenda to weed out anyone who had served in leadership positions during prior presidential administrations.
Tillerson used the State Departments policy-planning staff, which offers the secretary strategic advice, to institute a top-down approach to policy, in effect muzzling the bureaus usually tasked with developing ideas independently. He marginalized senior career professionals, often excluding the officers from meetings of department leaders. And as an inspector general report has since shown, Tillersons Bureau of International Organization Affairs harassed career employees premised on claims that they were disloyal.
As a result, more than 100 out of some 900 senior Foreign Service officersincluding the most visible high-ranking Hispanic, African American, South Asian, and female career officerswere fired, pushed out, or chose to leave the State Department during the first year of the Trump administration.
During his short tenure, Tillerson also reduced or froze the hiring of new civil and Foreign Service personnel. He eliminated or put on hold crucial jobs typically filled by the family members of embassy employees. The State Department also suffered through a record number of vacancies in senior leadership appointments, and dozens of embassies were left without ambassadorscareer or political.
*snip*
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The Politicization of the State Department Is Almost Complete (Original Post)
Nevilledog
Oct 2020
OP
Anyone brought in under Trump needs to be cleared out as a National Security threat.
OnDoutside
Oct 2020
#2
Exactly. No messing about, and as soon as the election is over, invite the quality scientists (who
OnDoutside
Oct 2020
#6
The radicalization of the RePutinican Party is only going to increase, probably geometrically
NoMoreRepugs
Oct 2020
#3
Me.
(35,454 posts)1. This Is Despicable
But a new pres can begin to undo the harm especially if someone like S. Price is put in charge.
Hugin
(33,120 posts)4. Nobody will ever trust the US again.
Treaties and other agreements are worthless.
OnDoutside
(19,953 posts)2. Anyone brought in under Trump needs to be cleared out as a National Security threat.
Bettie
(16,089 posts)5. And re-hire the career officers
who left.
We can do better and we will under a new administration.
OnDoutside
(19,953 posts)6. Exactly. No messing about, and as soon as the election is over, invite the quality scientists (who
were ditched) back, starting Jan 21.
NoMoreRepugs
(9,410 posts)3. The radicalization of the RePutinican Party is only going to increase, probably geometrically
over the next 20 years. The Democratic Party had better get ready to gear up and fight for survival.
tanyev
(42,550 posts)7. Kick.