Russia and the US can replace expelled diplomats

[DonViejo]

Source: CNN




By Laura Koran, CNN

Updated 11:10 AM ET, Tue April 3, 2018

Washington (CNN) - The State Department confirmed the United States and Russia can replace diplomats in each other's countries who were expelled last week, describing the process as standard practice for cases in which targeted personnel are ejected as "persona non-grata," and cautioning that any new diplomats would be subject to approval on a "case-by-case basis."

"As always/As with similar incidents in the past, the Russian government remains free to request accreditation for vacant positions in its bilateral mission," a State Department spokesman told CNN in a statement Tuesday. "Any requests for new diplomatic accreditation will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis."

"The Russian Federation has not informed us that it intends to reduce the total number of personnel allowed in our bilateral Mission," the spokesperson added. "We therefore understand that the United States may request new diplomatic personnel to fill the positions of diplomats who have been expelled."

The White House announced last week it was expelling 60 Russian staffers and their families in response to the recent poisoning of a former double agent and his daughter in the United Kingdom, allegedly at the hands of the Kremlin. Russia was also ordered to close its consulate in Seattle.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/03/politics/russia-us-replace-expelled-diplomats/index.html?sr=twCNNp040318russia-us-replace-expelled-diplomats1115AMVODtop&CNNPolitics=Tw

[Iliyah]

1. New spies for Russia and new suck ups for the USA.

[Nitram]

2. But they can't open closed consulates.

[Marcuse]

3. Kabuki!

SANCTIONS NOW!

[cstanleytech]

4. Translation it was all a shell game probably done with the intent of fooling Trump supporters

into thinking Trump can be hard on the Russians not of course that it would take much to fool Trump supporters because they are pretty gullible.

[Firestorm49]

5. The Theater of the Absurd

It’s all a crock. Just something that can be put in front of the ignorant American public to make us feel all warm and gushy.

[mazzarro]

6. So the expulsion was just an empty gesture?

The expelled diplomats are just cogs in the wheels and nothing more. Throw one out the door; let another in the window.

[Igel]

7. Not quite.

The new guys aren't chosen yet. For a while there are vacancies.

If the diplomats were spies, they'll have to get new spies in place. Being a spy isn't always the easiest thing; you undoubtedly develop contacts and expertise over time.

The new guys will be subject to review and approval.

This isn't new. This isn't the rules made specially for 2018. There's no change in the operating procedure. When diplomats were expelled in, say, 2016, the same rules applied.

Kabuki now = kabuki then. But then it was a great thing, a hardline thing, and showed the russkies what for. Or not.