US Secretary of State Marco Rubio relied on out-of-context information to expel Ebrahim Rasool: MISTRA

JOHANNESBURG - The Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection (MISTRA) said United Sates Secretary of State Marco Rubio relied on information that was taken out of context and being peddled by a right-wing publication to expel Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool.  

Rubio attached a link to an article in Breitbart as he declared Rasool persona non grata in America.  

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The online publication is edited by South African-born Joel Pollack, who is lobbying to become the next US ambassador to South Africa.  

MISTRA said the tone used by the ambassador in the two-hour engagement is completely different from what is currently being suggested.  

Rasool was participating in a dialogue hosted by MISTRA on the impact of US foreign policy on both South Africa and Africa.  

He also spoke on the importance of South Africa managing relations with the superpower.  

“The tone of Ambassador Rasool’s speech and response to the question is very different from what it has been made out to be. He called for South Africa to not have an aggressive and antagonistic attitude towards the US,” said MISTRA’s Na’eem Jennah.