
Decades of dealing with oil-soaked despots have helped Rex Tillerson rack up a personal fortune of more than $220 million in ExxonMobil stock. By law he’d be forced to sell that stock before he could serve as Donald Trump’s secretary of state. But he would get to do so tax free — saving tens of millions of dollars. That's pretty good pay to hang out with Vlad and The Donald for a few years. But I don’t think Tillerson is that cycnical about it.
As unlikely as it may seem that Secretary Tillerson could take a hard line on Vladimir Putin, neither should he be presumed soft on Russia just because he’s done business there. The Trump/Tillerson policy on Russia will be effective to the extent that Putin is interested in having America more as a trusted partner than a misunderstood antagonist. Considering the shambles that the Obama years has made of America’s political ties with Russia, why not give old friends a chance to iron things out? Worth a try.