Secretary of State designee Rex Tillerson promised to bring a “clear-eyed” view of American interests to the role of secretary of state, as he outlined areas for working with and confronting major powers on the international stage.
“We have to deal with what we see, not with what we hope,” Tillerson said during his opening statement at the Senate Foreign Relations Confirmation hearing.
That comment came as he described Chinese aggression in the South China Sea, in an apparent rebuke of President Obama’s diplomacy with China. But Tillerson simultaneously argued for pursuing a hierarchy of goals, which would allow for coordinating with adversaries when there is a mutual interest.
That hierarchy was most explicitly stated when Tillerson discussed the Islamic State and the threat of terrorism in the Middle East.
“Radical Islam poses a grave risk to the stability of nations and the well-being of their citizens,” Tillerson said. “There are competing priorities in this region which must be and will be addressed, but they must not distract from our utmost mission of defeating ISIS. Because when everything is a priority, nothing is a priority. Defeating ISIS must be our foremost priority in the Middle East.”
That statement seemed to buttress President-elect Trump’s desire to work with Russia and other potentially-adversarial nations in order to defeat terrorism. “Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we actually could get along with Russia and China and some other countries that we don’t get along with, and then we go out and knock the hell out of ISIS?” Trump said during the presidential campaign.
Tillerson allowed that both Russia and China present threats as well as potential areas of cooperation, though he placed greater emphasis on China’s misdeeds.
“China’s island-building in the South China Sea is an illegal taking of disputed areas without regard for international norms,” Tillerson said. “China’s economic and trade practices have not always followed its commitments to global agreements. It steals our intellectual property, and is aggressive and expansionist in the digital realm. It has not been a reliable partner in using its full influence to curb North Korea. China has proven a willingness to act with abandon in pursuit of its own goals, which at times has put it in conflict with America’s interests.”
He implied that Russia is less of a problem, if not more friendly than China. “Russia today poses a danger, but it is not unpredictable in advancing its own interests,” he said. “It has invaded Ukraine, including the taking of Crimea, and supported Syrian forces that brutally violate the laws of war. Our NATO allies are right to be alarmed at a resurgent Russia.”
Throughout that chronicling of international threats and opportunities, Tillerson emphasized the implicit critique that the Obama team had a muddled view of the foreign policy landscape.
“We must see the world for what it is, have clear priorities, and understand that our power is considerable, but it is not infinite,” Tillerson said. “We will see the world for what it is, be honest with ourselves and the American people, follow facts where they lead us, and hold ourselves and others accountable.”
