Farmer77 Posted October 12, 2018 #26 Share Posted October 12, 2018 I certainly wouldnt be looking for the US to impose sanctions any time soon over this. For Trump, Saudis Are Great Allies -And Big Customers For His Business Quote Trump's business relationships with the Saudi government - and rich Saudi business executives - go back to at least the 1990s. In Trump's hard times, a Saudi prince bought a superyacht and hotel from him. The Saudi government paid him $4.5 million for an apartment near the United Nations. Business from Saudi-connected customers continued to be important after Trump won the presidency. Saudi lobbyists spent $270,000 last year to reserve rooms at Trump's hotel in Washington, D.C. Just this year, Trump's hotels in New York and Chicago reported significant upticks in bookings from Saudi visitors. Now, Trump's administration is trying to get answers from Saudi leaders about the disappearance of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi - a critic of the Saudi regime who was allegedly abducted, and possibly killed, inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul last week. The crisis has brought scrutiny to Trump's business ties with the Saudis - and the complexity they add to an already complicated U.S. relationship with the kingdom. "Saudi Arabia, I get along with all of them. They buy apartments from me. They spend $40 million, $50 million," Trump told a crowd at an Alabama campaign rally in 2015. "Am I supposed to dislike them? I like them very much." 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gromdor Posted October 13, 2018 #27 Share Posted October 13, 2018 5 hours ago, Farmer77 said: I certainly wouldnt be looking for the US to impose sanctions any time soon over this. For Trump, Saudis Are Great Allies -And Big Customers For His Business Yeah, I don't think Trump is going to risk raising gas prices over the murder of a WaPo reporter. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+and-then Posted October 13, 2018 #28 Share Posted October 13, 2018 20 hours ago, Captain Risky said: if America pulls all military support and protection from the House of Saud... rest assured they'll be forgotten very quickly. They may be forgotten but the chaos that would follow as different factions fight for the oil would be all-consuming and very bloody. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAyMO Posted October 13, 2018 #29 Share Posted October 13, 2018 1 hour ago, and then said: They may be forgotten but the chaos that would follow as different factions fight for the oil would be all-consuming and very bloody. Off that I have no doubt but for some reason these came to mind The American war if Independence The English Civil War The French Revolution even the February and October Revolutions of 1917. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Wearer of Hats Posted October 13, 2018 #30 Share Posted October 13, 2018 22 hours ago, Captain Risky said: if America pulls all military support and protection from the House of Saud... rest assured they'll be forgotten very quickly. Yes, because we want Islamic Lunatics in control of all that oil. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kittens Are Jerks Posted October 13, 2018 #31 Share Posted October 13, 2018 Apple Watch worn by Saudi journalist may have transmitted evidence of his death, Turkish paper reports Missing Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi may have recorded his own death, a Turkish newspaper reported Saturday morning. Khashoggi turned on the recording function of his Apple Watch before walking into the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2, according to Sabah newspaper. The moments of his "interrogation, torture and killing were audio recorded and sent to both his phone and to iCloud," the pro-government, privately owned newspaper paper reported. The Turkish newspaper said conversations of the men involved in the reported assassination were recorded. Security forces leading the investigation found the audio file inside the phone Khashoggi left with his fiancé, according to Sabah. https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/12/middleeast/khashoggi-saudi-turkey-recordings-intl/index.html 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kittens Are Jerks Posted October 13, 2018 #32 Share Posted October 13, 2018 On 10/12/2018 at 5:04 AM, Captain Risky said: when you're the biggest importer of U.S. weapons and the biggest exporter of oil, Saudi Arabia is easily forgiven. Forgiving Saudi Arabia would be a PR disaster, so one way to mitigate the backlash would be to come up with seemingly viable excuses as to why the US is hesitant to punish them. Step one: eviscerate Khashoggi's character. Trump Jr. Boosts Smear Tying Missing Journalist Jamal Khashoggi to Islamic Terrorism Donald Trump Jr. on Friday promoted a smear tying Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi to Osama bin Laden, retweeting a series of tweets meant to imply that the Saudi commentator, who has been missing since last week, supported Islamic terrorism. https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-jr-boosts-smear-tying-missing-journalist-jamal-khashoggi-to-islamic-terrorism Trump stated last week that he is wary of imposing sanctions on Saudi Arabia citing the $110 billion arms deal as a primary reason. However: Trump’s $110 billion in arms sales to Saudi Arabia: still fake President Trump pushed back against sanctioning Saudi Arabia over the disappearance and likely killing of Washington Post contributor Jamal Khashoggi, saying the Saudis have pledged to buy $110 billion of military equipment from the United States. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2018/10/11/trumps-billion-arms-sales-saudi-arabia-still-fake/ 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmer77 Posted October 13, 2018 #33 Share Posted October 13, 2018 40 minutes ago, Kittens Are Jerks said: Trump Jr. Boosts Smear Tying Missing Journalist Jamal Khashoggi to Islamic Terrorism Donald Trump Jr. on Friday promoted a smear tying Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi to Osama bin Laden, retweeting a series of tweets meant to imply that the Saudi commentator, who has been missing since last week, supported Islamic terrorism. https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-jr-boosts-smear-tying-missing-journalist-jamal-khashoggi-to-islamic-terrorism I saw this starting to happen on Twitter yesterday. Its freaking disgusting. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Habitat Posted October 13, 2018 #34 Share Posted October 13, 2018 The old battle for hearts and minds has been going on forever. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gromdor Posted October 13, 2018 #35 Share Posted October 13, 2018 There was also this from just a few months back clouding the waters too: https://www.cnbc.com/2018/08/03/saudi-guests-boosted-revenue-at-trumps-new-york-hotel-reversing-drop.html 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.United_Nations Posted October 13, 2018 #36 Share Posted October 13, 2018 Looks like sanctions will be in place from the US 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unusual Tournament Posted October 13, 2018 #37 Share Posted October 13, 2018 12 hours ago, Sir Wearer of Hats said: Yes, because we want Islamic Lunatics in control of all that oil. no one whats that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unusual Tournament Posted October 13, 2018 #38 Share Posted October 13, 2018 10 hours ago, Kittens Are Jerks said: Forgiving Saudi Arabia would be a PR disaster, so one way to mitigate the backlash would be to come up with seemingly viable excuses as to why the US is hesitant to punish them. Step one: eviscerate Khashoggi's character. Trump Jr. Boosts Smear Tying Missing Journalist Jamal Khashoggi to Islamic Terrorism Donald Trump Jr. on Friday promoted a smear tying Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi to Osama bin Laden, retweeting a series of tweets meant to imply that the Saudi commentator, who has been missing since last week, supported Islamic terrorism. https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-jr-boosts-smear-tying-missing-journalist-jamal-khashoggi-to-islamic-terrorism Trump stated last week that he is wary of imposing sanctions on Saudi Arabia citing the $110 billion arms deal as a primary reason. However: Trump’s $110 billion in arms sales to Saudi Arabia: still fake President Trump pushed back against sanctioning Saudi Arabia over the disappearance and likely killing of Washington Post contributor Jamal Khashoggi, saying the Saudis have pledged to buy $110 billion of military equipment from the United States. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2018/10/11/trumps-billion-arms-sales-saudi-arabia-still-fake/ yeah its a case of 'back to normal.' they have money and friends and they'll take the heat outta this killing and sadly it will eventually go away. Trump Jr, is some piece of work. I've noticed that alot of countries are resorting to the 'prove it' defence and it 'wasn't me' made infamous by Putin with his attacks in the Crimea, Ukraine and assassinations, poisonings abroad. everyone is emulating him, the Saudi prince, Turkish president, even British brexit politicians. money makes the world go around when its greased with bullchit. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unusual Tournament Posted October 13, 2018 #39 Share Posted October 13, 2018 4 hours ago, Mr.United_Nations said: Looks like sanctions will be in place from the US not if Trump Jr has his way. according to him, Khashoggi was a supporter of terrorism. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Caspian Hare Posted October 14, 2018 #40 Share Posted October 14, 2018 Saudi Arabia is a linchpin of US Mideast policy and there isn't a US president in living memory, and barely a Senator / Congressman for that matter, who would cut them off. That is not the way I want it mind you, that is just the way it's always been. Now that said this is a rogue state-level of criminality. Nobody wants foreign countries wantonly kidnapping or killing people on their territory. Every country has a limit to what will be tolerated by others, even a wealthy or influential one. Recently corporate and non-governmental groups are also making noise about this. We might be about to see the limits of what KSA can get away with. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kittens Are Jerks Posted October 14, 2018 #41 Share Posted October 14, 2018 The Saudis have a history of throwing their weight around, especially when it comes to silencing critics. They are among the worst human rights violators on the face of this earth and no one should be kissing their butts, for whatever economic or political reason. They are no one's ally but their own. Saudi Arabia warns against threats over missing journalist Saudi Arabia warned Sunday it will respond to any “threats” against it as its stock market plunged following President Donald Trump’s warning of “severe punishment” over the disappearance of Washington Post contributor Jamal Khashoggi. Trump made a point of visiting the kingdom on his first overseas trip as president and has touted arms sales to Saudi Arabia. But both the White House and the kingdom are under mounting pressure as concern grows over the fate of the veteran journalist, who hasn’t been seen since he entered the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2. https://www.politico.com/story/2018/10/14/saudi-arabia-missing-journalist-898703 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Caspian Hare Posted October 15, 2018 #42 Share Posted October 15, 2018 Ha ha Saudi's are getting froggy; let's see if they jump. If they dump the petrodollar that would be the perfect opportunity to cut ties with them. We're energy independent now and we don't need to be shackled to a morally repugnant regime or involved in their regional squabbles. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucidElement Posted October 15, 2018 #43 Share Posted October 15, 2018 On 10/11/2018 at 11:02 PM, Kismit said: A Washington Post journalist walks into a Saudi Arabian consulate in Turkey and has not been seen since. Where is he? Link my guess... he's "hangin" around... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+and-then Posted October 15, 2018 #44 Share Posted October 15, 2018 On 10/13/2018 at 3:39 AM, Sir Wearer of Hats said: Yes, because we want Islamic Lunatics in control of all that oil. This isn't the only way that they could control that flow of oil. The day after Iran tests a nuke we'll have the same problem, just a slightly different flavor of crazy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+and-then Posted October 15, 2018 #45 Share Posted October 15, 2018 6 hours ago, The Caspian Hare said: Ha ha Saudi's are getting froggy; let's see if they jump. If they dump the petrodollar that would be the perfect opportunity to cut ties with them. We're energy independent now and we don't need to be shackled to a morally repugnant regime or involved in their regional squabbles. Since the family of Saud would all be lynched without a strong protector, they'll immediately cozy up to Russia or China. So we'll have the moral high ground, receive absolutely no respect from anyone for it and have to pay whatever the mullahs ask for the oil. American energy resources sell for the global spot price on any given day. If the main world supplier drives that cost to 200 dollars a barrel, would you expect those who own the resource in the U.S. to sell it at 50-80 dollars a barrel? I guess we could use the power of government to encourage the fracking and flood the market with oil but in the short run, we'd be hung out to dry by Saudi moves. If this decision on Kashoggi was MBS' alone, he has a problem with self-control and ego. That can be used against him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toast Posted October 15, 2018 #46 Share Posted October 15, 2018 6 hours ago, The Caspian Hare said: Ha ha Saudi's are getting froggy; let's see if they jump. If they dump the petrodollar that would be the perfect opportunity to cut ties with them. We're energy independent now and we don't need to be shackled to a morally repugnant regime or involved in their regional squabbles. If the Saudis dump the oil price down to the value of the extraction costs of US oil, then the US is screwed because US oil exports will go downhill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kartikg Posted October 15, 2018 #47 Share Posted October 15, 2018 Why risk businesses, friendships, geographic advantages for one person who was not even that important? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoofGardener Posted October 15, 2018 #48 Share Posted October 15, 2018 2 minutes ago, kartikg said: Why risk businesses, friendships, geographic advantages for one person who was not even that important? Arrogance. They assumed they could get away with it. They didn't anticipate a bluetooth wristwatch. Not did they anticipate the international interest. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoofGardener Posted October 15, 2018 #49 Share Posted October 15, 2018 52 minutes ago, LucidElement said: my guess... he's "hangin" around... Meh. He just went to pieces ! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Caspian Hare Posted October 15, 2018 #50 Share Posted October 15, 2018 10 minutes ago, toast said: If the Saudis dump the oil price down to the value of the extraction costs of US oil, then the US is screwed because US oil exports will go downhill. Most of the speculation about them using oil as a weapon has assumed the would raise the price to disrupt the world economy. Going the other direction and lowering it would hurt but we wouldn't be totally screwed since we have a diverse economy not dependent on resource extraction, let alone a single resource. Even suggesting manipulation of the oil price for political reasons has been something of a taboo since the Arab oil crisis days and they said so as recently as the diplomatic dispute with Canada, so I don't think they will follow through, but either way I think we will see if they are bluffing or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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