FOREIGN POLICY/REX TILLERSON/STATE: “Three months into his tenure as secretary of state, Rex Tillerson alarmed veteran diplomats with remarks that sounded like a potential shift in American foreign policy: The U.S., he said, should be careful not to let values like human rights create ‘obstacles’ to the pursuit of its interests.
The comment, at a gathering of State Department employees, provoked an outcry among former U.S. officials and human rights activists who feared America was abandoning a vital mission. Two weeks later, a top Tillerson adviser wrote up a short tutorial, in the form of a confidential memo to his boss, recapping ‘the debate over how far to emphasize human rights, democracy promotion, and liberal values in American foreign policy.’…
But the memo, a photo of which was shown to POLITICO, suggests that Tillerson, a former CEO of ExxonMobil, was still on a steep learning curve when it comes to foreign affairs. It also seems to foreshadow President Donald Trump’s approach to the complex politics of human rights overseas…
Other State Department sources, although not in a position to confirm the authenticity of the memo, said it appeared to follow standard formatting used for such papers.
Long a familiar face in conservative foreign policy circles, Hook held several positions under President George W. Bush, including assistant secretary of state for international organizations.”
-Nahal Toosi, “Leaked memo schooled Tillerson on human rights,” Politico, Dec. 19, 2017 05:12am