Evangelical Tillerson Refused To Label Saudi Arabia A Human Rights Violator

Saudi Arabia executed 153 in 2016 

Tillerson won’t label Saudi Arabia a human rights violator

Rex Tillerson refused to label Saudi Arabia a human rights violator, instead telling his Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) that his efforts to apply such labels to certain regimes were short-sighted. “When you designate someone or label someone, is that the most effective way to have progress be able to be made in Saudi Arabia or any other country?” Tillerson said to Rubio, who questioned the secretary of state-designate’s on Saudi Arabia’s actions restrictions women’s rights and abuse of prisoners. Rubio had previously pushed Tillerson to label Russia’s intervention in Syria a “war crime” – an effort Tillerson also rebuffed. After Rubio’s question on Saudi Arabia, Tillerson defended himself by laying out his view that labeling foreign government as human rights violators or worse was undiplomatic and potentially counterproductive. “There seems to be some misunderstanding that I see the world through a different lens,” he said to Rubio. “I’m also clear-eyed and realistic about dealing in cultures.” Source