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Tillerson, Sessions Face Unlikely Foes During Cabinet Hearings

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Confirmation hearings on President-elect Donald Trump's cabinet nominees are expected to be less contentious Thursday.

Appearing before Senate committees are James "Mad Dog" Mattis for secretary of defense, Dr. Ben Carson for Housing and Urban Development secretary, and Congressman Mike Pompeo for CIA director.
    
Wednesday, Rex Tillerson, Trump's nominee to be the next secretary of state, was on the Senate hot seat.

His grilling came not from Democrats, but Republicans like Florida Sen. Marco Rubio.

"Is Vladimir Putin a war criminal?" Rubio asked.

"I would not use that term," Tillerson replied.

Rubio continued his questioning about Russia, asking, "Mr. Tillerson, do you believe that Mr. Putin and his cronies are responsible for ordering the murder of countless dissidents, journalists and political opponents? "

"I do not have sufficient information to make that claim," Tillerson insisted.

On the annexation of Crimea, Tillerson said Russia's action was illegal; they took territory that was not theirs. He said Russia should have been challenged at the border with Ukrainian troops supplied with U.S. defensive weapons.

His concern for the future?

"Russia today poses a danger. Our NATO allies are right to be alarmed at a resurgent Russia," Tillerson said.

The former Exxon Mobil CEO testified that while the United States and Russia won't likely be friends, America needs to move Russia from "being an adversary to a partner at times."

On Israel, Tillerson said the Jewish state remains America's most important ally in the Middle East region.

He called the recent U.N. resolution against Israel "not helpful," one that undermines efforts for peace talks to continue.

Tillerson said he found Secretary of State John Kerry's recent speech on Israel "quite troubling " because of its attacks on Israel -- attacks that undermine the Israeli government.

Does he support the internationally accepted idea of a two-state solution, which advocates Israel and the Palestinians living side by side?

"I think that is the dream that everyone is in pursuit of. Whether it could ever be a reality remains to be seen," he said.

Nearby, at another Senate committee hearing, it was day two for the nomination of Sen. Jeff Sessions for U.S. attorney general.

In an unprecedented move for a sitting senator, New Jersey's Cory Booker testified against Sessions, explaining why he opposes the Alabama lawmaker's nomination.

"Sen. Sessions has not demonstrated a commitment to a central requisite of the job: to aggressively pursue the congressional mandate of civil rights, equal rights and justice for all of our citizens, Booker insisted.

Peter Kirsanow, a member of the U.S. Civil Rights Commission, disagreed.

"Sen. Session's approach to civil rights is consistent," he said. "It's legally sound, intellectually honest and has an appreciation and understanding of the historical bases for civil rights laws."

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About The Author

Gary Lane
Gary
Lane

Mr. Lane currently serves as International News Director and Senior International Correspondent for CBN News. He has traveled to more than 120 countries—many of them restricted nations or areas hostile to Christianity and other minority faiths where he has interviewed persecution victims and has provided video reports and analysis for CBN News. Also, he has provided written stories and has served as a consultant for the Voice of the Martyrs. Gary joined The Christian Broadcasting Network in 1984 as the first full-time Middle East Correspondent for CBN News. Based in Jerusalem, Gary produced