Changes at High Levels

For John, BLUF:  Are we shocked by this?  I hope not.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Rex Tillerson out as secretary of state

Here is the sub-headline:

This Boston Globe Article, by Ashley Parker and Philip Rucker, from The Washington Post, 13 March 2018.

Here is the lede plus two:

President Trump has ousted Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and replaced him with CIA Director Mike Pompeo, orchestrating a major change to his national security team amid delicate negotiations with North Korea, White House officials said Tuesday.

Trump last Friday asked Tillerson to step aside, and the embattled top diplomat cut short his trip to Africa on Monday to return to Washington.

Pompeo will replace him at the State Department, and Gina Hapsel — the deputy director at the CIA — will succeed him at the CIA, becoming the first woman to run the spy agency, if confirmed.

Congratulations to Ms Gina Hapsel, who may be the only winner in this most recent shift of offices.

Regards  —  Cliff