Pompeo clashes with lawmakers over troop withdrawal in Germany and watchdog firing
Source: Washington Post
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo clashed bitterly with Democrats on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Thursday in his first visit to the panel in more than a year.
Lawmakers grilled the nations top diplomat on an array of issues, including the Trump administrations decision to withdraw 12,000 troops from Germany and Pompeos firing of the departments internal watchdog, who had been investigating alleged wrongdoing by him and his wife.
The top Democrat on the committee, Sen. Robert Menendez, said the U.S. administration had abetted Russian President Vladimir Putin by withdrawing the troops from Germany and took aim at the central focus of Pompeos tenure, Iran, noting that the country is much closer to a nuclear bomb than when you came into office. He also criticized Pompeos maximum pressure campaign for failing to stop Irans aggressive actions in the Middle East.
Menendez said that for all of Pompeos bluster against China, it has not stopped Beijings march in the South China Sea or its suppressing and oppressing its own people in Hong Kong.
Under your watch, the United States has faced setback after setback on the world stage, ceding leverage and influence to our stated adversaries, Menendez said.
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/pompeo-clashes-with-lawmakers-over-troop-withdrawal-in-germany-and-watchdog-firing/2020/07/30/186a1f8c-d272-11ea-af07-1d058ca137ae_story.html
Roy Rolling
(6,943 posts)They should just zero his budget and wait for the election. Hes doing more harm than good.