Digging what Q meant re: RT (presumably Rex Tillerson). 1st step, a timeline of T.'s last week as Secretary of State. No smoking gun found (yet). Also T's stmt blaming Russia for "nerve agent attack" in Salisbury, England is not that much different from the text released by the WH. Must be something else?

= = = = =

T. schedule prior to 3/18 firing

Africa trip

3/9 Ethiopia, Djibouti

3/9 Met U. Kenyatta in Kenya

3/11 Lays wreath at memorial in Kenya

3/12 Visits Chad

3/12 Visits Nigeria

state.gov/secretary/remarks/2018/03/279201.htm

3/12 T. stmt "Attributing Responsibility for the Nerve Agent Attack in the U.K."

The US was in touch with our Allies in the UK ahead of today’s announcement, including in a call between Secretary Tillerson and Foreign Secretary Johnson this morning. We have full confidence in the UK’s investigation and its assessment that Russia was likely responsible for the nerve agent attack that took place in Salisbury last week.

There is never a justification for this type of attack – the attempted murder of a private citizen on the soil of a sovereign nation – and we are outraged that Russia appears to have again engaged in such behavior. From Ukraine to Syria – and now the UK – Russia continues to be an irresponsible force of instability in the world, acting with open disregard for the sovereignty of other states and the life of their citizens.

We agree that those responsible – both those who committed the crime and those who ordered it – must face appropriately serious consequences. We stand in solidarity with our Allies in the United Kingdom and will continue to coordinate closely our responses.

• • • • • • • • • -

compare with 3/15/18 Statement from US, France, Germany, and the UK on the Attack in Salisbury

whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/statement-united-states-france-germany-united-kingdom-attack-salisbury/

We, the leaders of France, Germany, the United States and the United Kingdom, abhor the attack that took place against Sergei and Yulia Skripal in Salisbury, United Kingdom, on March 4, 2018. A British police officer who was also exposed in the attack remains seriously ill, and the lives of many innocent British citizens have been threatened. We express our sympathies to them all, and our admiration for the United Kingdom police and emergency services for their courageous response. This use of a military-grade nerve agent, of a type developed by Russia, constitutes the first offensive use of a nerve agent in Europe since the Second World War. It is an assault on the United Kingdom’s sovereignty and any such use by a state party is a clear violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention and a breach of international law. It threatens the security of us all. The United Kingdom thoroughly briefed its allies that it was highly likely that Russia was responsible for the attack. We share the United Kingdom’s assessment that there is no plausible alternative explanation, and note that Russia´s failure to address the legitimate request by the government of the United Kingdom further underlines Russia’s responsibility. We call on Russia to address all questions related to the attack in Salisbury. Russia should, in particular, provide full and complete disclosure of the Novichok program to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). Our concerns are also heightened against the background of a pattern of earlier irresponsible Russian behavior. We call on Russia to live up to its responsibilities as a member of the U.N. Security Council to uphold international peace and security.

• • • • • • • • • -

Tillerson tweeted on 3/12/18 4:49 PM

We agree that those responsible - both those who committed the crime & those who ordered it - must face appropriately serious consequences. We stand in solidarity w/ our allies in the UK & will continue to coordinate closely our responses.

3/12 T. joint remarks with Nigerian Foreign Minister Geoffrey Onyeama in Abuja, Nigeria.

3/12 T. met with Nigerian president Buhari

3/13 Secretary of State Rex Tillerson addresses reporters at the State Department in Washington at 2:00PM EST.

3/13 POTUS announced firing of Sec. Tillerson and nomination of Mike Pompeo to succeed him

3/13 Senior Tillerson aide Steve Goldstein also fired. Was undersecretary of public affairs at State Dept.

3/14 US Ambassador (to NATO) Hutchison Retweeted Jens Stoltenberg: "We stand in solidarity with our @NATO Ally, the United Kingdom, in condemning the offensive use of a nerve agent on their territory. Russia must address UK questions & provide full disclosure of their chemical weapon program to @OPCW."

>>679134

btw, Fox News attributed the Tillerson firing to lack of chemistry with POTUS, and suggested that before the 'big North Korea negotiation' POTUS needs to have some one already in place with whom he has good chemistry.

I thought this proposed explanation was totally lame, but post it anyway, for FWIW.

>>679134

Was Tillerson actually sick in Africa when he cancelled and returned to the US a day early?

Or was the reason something different from the official explanation?

Steve Goldstein, his aide and undersecretary, who was travelling with him in Africa, also got fired on 3/13.

Could it be that T. thought his authority as Sec of State was undercut when POTUS suddenly announced a rapport with North Korea, without T's participation?

Or was it something about a message or negotiation that took place in Kenya, possibly relating to Hussein?

Tillerson Sick in Africa

1. washingtonexaminer.com/news/white-house/rex-tillerson-cuts-africa-trip-short-after-getting-sick-report

Rex Tillerson cuts Africa trip short after getting sick: Report | March 12, 2018 07:24 AM

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will return to the U.S. a day earlier than planned after getting sick in Kenya.

A State Department official told reporters in Africa he has work he needs to do back in Washington, according to Bloomberg.

But Bloomberg also noted that Tillerson got sick over the weekend and had to cancel some events. An official said Tillerson went two days without sleep.

Tillerson is expected to be in Chad and Nigeria on Monday, but was not expected to stay overnight in Nigeria as first planned.

1. thehill.com/homenews/administration/377713-tillerson-falls-ill-on-africa-tour-cancels-events

Tillerson falls ill on Africa tour, cancels events By Alicia Cohn - 03/10/18 07:19 AM EST

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is ill and canceled all his planned events in Africa on Saturday.

“The secretary is not feeling well after a long couple days working on major issues back home such as North Korea,” Steve Goldstein, undersecretary of State for public diplomacy and public affairs, told media outlets traveling with Tillerson.

"Some events will go ahead without him, while they are looking at the possibility of rescheduling others," he said.

Tillerson is on a working Africa tour that includes stops in Kenya, Chad, Nigeria, Djibouti and Ethiopia.

While Tillerson was in Ethiopia, President Trump announced he accepted a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. He will become the first sitting U.S. president to ever meet with a North Korean leader, although the White House says North Korea has to take “concrete” steps on denuclearization in order to ensure the meeting happens.

Tillerson’s schedule on Saturday included an event for the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) program, a wreath-laying ceremony at the August 7th Memorial Park and a meeting with American diplomats serving at the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi.

The PEPFAR event went on without him, according to The Associated Press.

Tillerson planned to resume his schedule on Sunday, Bloomberg reported.

>>679306

Good, thank you. Just trying to piece together some of the info, and glad that other anons are proposing other pieces.

>>679300 More likely is Tillerson was not sick at all—cover story for doing something not on the official agenda.