Document 3QQ5V74BwwKaBkL9qe56R6NXn

"Tillerson overruled his own staff's assessments on the use of child soldiers in both countries and rejected the recommendation of senior diplomats in Asia and the Middle East who wanted to keep Iraq and Myanmar on the list, said the officials, who have knowledge of the internal deliberations. Tillerson also rejected an internal State Department proposal to add Afghanistan to the list, the three U.S. officials said." http://reut.rs/2rNvrAa BONUS FOGGY BOTTOM REPORT -- "Intelligence officials worry State Dept. going easy on Russian diplomats," by Ali Watkins: "Intelligence officials and lawmakers are concerned that the State Department is dragging its feet in implementing a crackdown on Russian diplomats' travel within the U.S., despite evidence that Moscow is using lax restrictions to conduct intelligence operations. The frustration comes amid bipartisan concern that the Trump administration is trying to slow down other congressional efforts to get tough on Russia. ... The Kremlin's U.S. based diplomatic corps, according to several U.S. intelligence sources, has been known to skip notification rules and use the lax restrictions to roam around the country, likely engaging in surveillance activities." http://politi.co/2tZI8cb -- "State's Afghanistan-Pakistan envoy leaves, spurring confusion about U.S. diplomacy in region," by Nahal Toosi: "The State Department unit that deals with Afghanistan and Pakistan has lost its top official and its fate is uncertain, even as President Donald Trump weighs increasing U.S. military presence in the region. The development has spawned confusion inside and outside the State Department about the future of the section known as the Office of the Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, or SRAP." http://politi.co/2t5NmWF KOCH WATCH -- "Vice President Pence meets with billionaire Charles Koch," by USA Today's Fredreka Schouten in Colorado Springs: "Pence, who has longstanding ties to Koch's political and policy empire, met with the Kansas industrialist for about 50 minutes ... Friday's meeting included Marc Short, Trump's director of legislative affairs, and longtime Pence aide Marty Obst. Short is a former top official in the Koch network. Those accompanying Charles Koch included key Koch lieutenants Mark Holden and Brian Hooks, who oversee the network's activities, along with Tim Phillips, who runs the Kochs' grassroots arm, Americans for Prosperity. [James] Davis also attended." https://usat.ly/2sMROXU COMING ATTRACTIONS -- "The other treaty on the chopping block," by Gregory Hellman and Bryan Bender: "A fierce debate is brewing inside the Trump administration over whether to withdraw from another international treaty - this one a cornerstone disarmament pact with Russia banning an entire class of nuclear missiles. ... Leading Republican hawks are pushing legislation to compel Trump to take steps to develop new missiles in response - the first steps to jettisoning what is known as the INF treaty, signed by President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mihkail Gorbachev. ... But there are serious questions inside the Pentagon, State Department and the White House National Security Council - and loud warnings from the architects of the pact - about the consequences of such a move, which some say could spark a full-blown arms race." http://politi.co/2t6mWET THE JUICE... SPOTTED: Woody Johnson -- the newly nominated ambassador to the United Kingdom --in the Franklin study at the Trump Hotel last night for the reception for Steven Mnuchin's wedding to Louise Linton (at 6:30 p.m. tonight at the Carnegie Mellon Auditorium). Mnuchin was wearing a dark suit and red tie. -- NEW YORK REP. ADRIANO ESPAILLAT (D-N.Y.), who is in his first term, filed a financial disclosure that lists two assets: a pension, and between $5 million and $25 million in cash in a checking account. SPORTS BLINK -- "AP sources: Jeb Bush, Romney join forces to pursue Marlins," by Steven Wine: "Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush has switched sides in pursuit of the Miami Marlins, and he's trying to beat out former teammate Derek Jeter. Bush has joined forces with businessman Tagg Romney in a group trying to buy the Marlins ... Bush and Jeter, the 14-time New York Yankees All-Star shortstop, led rival groups earlier this year. They then joined forces, but Bush dropped out in May. Now they're rivals again, and Jeter is still exploring financing options." http://apne.ws/2t2idmz CLICKER -- "The nation's cartoonists on the week in politics," edited by Matt Wuerker -- 15 keepers http://politi.co/2sA9sQ0 PLAYBOOK READS PHOTO DU JOUR: Five-year-old Arabella Rose Kushner and friends play with the lectern in the James