No more normal course of business than it would have been to send condolences on the death of Himmler, or Arafat, or Castro—unless, of course, you happen to be on their side instead of the side of your own country, in which case you should be something other than Secretary of State.
Par for the course, indeed….
https://2009-2017.state.gov/secretary/remarks/2016/11/264553.htm
The Passing of Fidel Castro
Press Statement
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
November 26, 2016
We extend our condolences to the Cuban people today as they mourn the passing of Fidel Castro. Over more than half a century, he played an outsized role in their lives, and he influenced the direction of regional, even global affairs.
As our two countries continue to move forward on the process of normalization — restoring the economic, diplomatic and cultural ties severed by a troubled past — we do so in a spirit of friendship and with an earnest desire not to ignore history but to write a new and better future for our two peoples.
The United States reaffirms its support for deepening our engagement with the Cuban people now and in coming years.
We live in opposite world.
So put the flags at half mast then.
If the situation was reversed do you even remotely think Iran would send their condolences to us?..................
Did he chant River to the Sea?
Should we celebrate Hitler’s Birthday every year...I’m livid.
I’m no more a fan of Blinken than I am Winken or Nod, but it is pretty much standard to fire off a quick line when a world leader dies.
I would have preferred something along the lines of “That was a nice Prime Minister you had there. It’s a shame something happened to him.”
Why would we extend condolences?
State Department has designated Iran as the world’s biggest state sponsor of terrorism. We owe Iran nothing. As a retired diplomat, I say Blinken is full of shit. This is not the normal course of business. We don’t even have diplomatic relations with Iran.
Our condolences to the people of Germany for the death of Deputy Protector of Bohemia and Moravia, President of Interpol, and Director of the Reich Security Main Office Heydrich, who perished in the car crash.
Historic note: 1200 Czechs were murdered in retaliation for Heydrich's assassination. Heydrich was not only a particularly ruthless Nazi, but the architect of the "Final Solution".
“The State Department wishes to send its sincere condolences to Adolf Hitler and Heinrich Himmler on the untimely death of their loyal subordinate Reinhard Heydrich...”
As I stated last night, you should only speak good of the dead. He’s dead - GOOD!
Blinken drivel illustrates exactly the problem. These jerkwaters treat the Butcher of Tehran just the same as any normal, more or less decent head of state anywhere. How fricking obtuse can these people be.
So, um, did Truman send condolences to Germany when Hitler died in his Berlin bunker?
Couldn’t image a less competent man
First he insults america by sending condolences for the death of an avowed enemy dictator and then he backs off saying it didn’t mean anything.
So everybody on earth is insulted by Blinken. Good decent people and terrorist murder gangsters alike.
Somebody has to reassign this fool to a job he can go. Like digging fence posts for our border wall. Just show him which end of the shovel is the handle
It is no different than if we had sent condolences to Russia on the death of Lenin or Stalin.
Imagine in WWII if European leaders expressed their deepest condolences to Hitler on the untimely passing of Reinhard Heydrich.