Saudi Arabia

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Lord Jim
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Re: Saudi Arabia

Post by Lord Jim »

It will be interesting to see what the text of this statement actually says...

If the argument is some version of , "Well, we intended to kidnap and torture the guy, but nobody was authorized to kill him", those are still very serious crimes...

That may be good enough for Trump but I doubt it will satisfy the growing bipartisan reaction on Capitol Hill...
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Big RR
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Re: Saudi Arabia

Post by Big RR »

I would hope not.

And I would hope they wouldn't try and say he killed himself or was killed while trying to escape (like the poor guy in Casablanca).

But the only way they'll say anything is if the pressure is kept on them, and I don't trust Trump to do that.

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Sue U
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Re: Saudi Arabia

Post by Sue U »

Lord Jim wrote:This could be a cover story, or it could be the truth...

I say it could be the truth just because the idea of murdering a political opponent of your regime in your own embassy (in a country that isn't particularly friendly to you) seems so monumentally stupid...

And whatever else one may think of the Crown Prince, he does not appear to be monumentally stupid...
THEY SENT A 15-MAN TEAM INCLUDING A CORONER WITH A BONE SAW, ON DIPLOMATIC PASSPORTS. THIS WAS NOT A MISTAKE. THE ONLY ONE MONUMENTALLY STUPID IN THIS WHOLE STORY IS THE ORANGE DIPSHIT WHO'S PREPARED TO BUY IT.
GAH!

Big RR
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Re: Saudi Arabia

Post by Big RR »

And this surprises you? This is the guy who accepted Putin's word against that of his own intelligence reports.

ex-khobar Andy
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Re: Saudi Arabia

Post by ex-khobar Andy »

We could be looking at what might be called the Henry II defense: "Who will rid me of this turbulent journalist?"

Unauthorized zealots forcing their way into the Istanbul consulate seems a little far fetched. And most interrogators do not carry bone saws about their person.

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Sue U
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Re: Saudi Arabia

Post by Sue U »

Big RR wrote:And this surprises you? This is the guy who accepted Putin's word against that of his own intelligence reports.
Sadly, it doesn't surprise me in the least. This is just what sociopathic kleptocrats do.
GAH!

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RayThom
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Saudi Arabia

Post by RayThom »

C'mon, give the Saudis a break. They only wanted to "interrogate" him. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

IS IT SAFE, MR. KHASHOGGI?
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BoSoxGal
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Re: Saudi Arabia

Post by BoSoxGal »

How is this any different from what happened to Daniel Pearl?

Oh wait, it’s worse - it was done by a legitimate government we enjoy diplomatic relations with, and was done under cover of diplomacy!

His poor fiancée; she’ll never forgive herself that he was going there in order to effectuate their marriage.

It’s unspeakably evil.
For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.
~ Carl Sagan

ex-khobar Andy
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Re: Saudi Arabia

Post by ex-khobar Andy »

And in Trump's statement re Pompeo on his trip to Riyadh:

"We are going to leave nothing uncovered."

Let's have that again?

"We are going to leave nothing uncovered."

In case any of you have as much trouble with the English language as he does, that's like his favorite double negative (wouldn't = would).

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/15/us/p ... e=Homepage

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Sue U
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Re: Saudi Arabia

Post by Sue U »

Don't worry, they're thoroughly investigating every angle from which they can blame this on Hillary.
GAH!

Big RR
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Re: Saudi Arabia

Post by Big RR »

Yep, this is just more "revenge of the Clintons"

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Lord Jim
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Re: Saudi Arabia

Post by Lord Jim »

Looks like Lindsey Graham has found his missing balls...

Let's see if he can keep them sewn on:
Lindsey Graham Wants to ‘Sanction the Hell Out of Saudi Arabia’ Until Crown Prince Is Ousted

South Carolina senator has no doubts about murder of Jamal Khashoggi

Sen. Lindsey Graham plans to “sanction the hell out of Saudi Arabia” in the aftermath of the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

“You know, we deal with bad people all the time, but this is in our face. I feel personally offended. They have nothing but contempt for us,” the South Carolina Republican said Tuesday morning. “Why would you put a guy like me and the president in this box?”

Trump had said Monday he heard from the Saudis that there was a possibility the journalist was murdered by “rogue killers” while inside the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul.

Trump had said Monday he heard from the Saudis that there was a possibility the journalist was murdered by “rogue killers” while inside the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul.

Speaking on Fox & Friends, Graham said he had repeatedly gone to the Senate floor to defend Saudi Arabia when the kingdom has been criticized, but he said won’t be doing business with Saudi Arabia until Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is ousted.

“Nothing happens in Saudi Arabia without MBS knowing it,” Graham said. “I can never do business with Saudi Arabia again until we get this behind us.”

Graham is among numerous lawmakers, Republicans and Democrats, who have called for some sort of punishment for Riyadh.

Graham made his comments while Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was traveling to Saudi Arabia at the request of President Donald Trump, and he is the chairman of the Appropriations subcommittee that funds the State Department and U.S. foreign aid programs. He is also a senior member of the Armed Services Committee and has been a frequent visitor to the Middle East.

“I’m not going back to Saudi Arabia as long as this guy’s in charge,” Graham said. “This guy is a wrecking ball. He had this guy murdered in a consulate in Turkey, and to expect me to ignore it? I feel used and abused. I was on the floor every time defending Saudi Arabia cause there’s a good ally.”

“The MBS figure is to me toxic. He can never be a world leader on the world stage,” he said. “Saudi Arabia, if you’re listening: There’s a lot of good people you could choose, but MBS has tainted your country and tainted himself.”
https://www.rollcall.com/news/politics/ ... udi-arabia
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Big RR
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Re: Saudi Arabia

Post by Big RR »

Why would you put a guy like me and the president in this box?
I have a pretty good idea why, and it's not just because you both deserve it.

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Lord Jim
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Re: Saudi Arabia

Post by Lord Jim »

What we're seeing with Trump's being dragged kicking and screaming on this is yet another manifestation of the same thing that has been in play with his positions on Russia and many other countries...

Under this regime, not only is foreign policy not driven (or even to the slightest degree influenced) by American values, (an approach which Trump is openly contemptuous of) it's not even driven by US national interests...

No, for the first time in US history we have a foreign policy that is driven entirely by the personal financial interests (past, present and future) of one single individual....

This fact should outrage, horrify, and disgust every American, but apparently there are many who are good with it... :loon :shrug :(
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Big RR
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Re: Saudi Arabia

Post by Big RR »

Come on, don't we have 100 billion dollars in military deals with Saudi Arabia? Wait, we don't? Trump's lying again?

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Lord Jim
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Re: Saudi Arabia

Post by Lord Jim »

Nope, that claim isn't true but here are some true facts about Saudi investments:
Trump claims he has 'no financial interests in Saudi Arabia' — but he makes lots of money from it

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that "I have no financial interests in Saudi Arabia" — but in fact he has boasted in the past that "I make a lot of money with them."

Trump's tweet denying a financial stake in Saudi Arabia comes amid a growing furor over suspicions that the country's rulers ordered the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2. Khashoggi has not been seen since entering the consulate.
Donald J. Trump

@realDonaldTrump

For the record, I have no financial interests in Saudi Arabia (or Russia, for that matter). Any suggestion that I have is just more FAKE NEWS (of which there is plenty)!
6:15 AM - Oct 16, 2018
The Saudi government is discussing a plan to admit that The Washington Post contributor was killed after entering that building, according to NBC News, which cited multiple sources. But that admission, NBC News said, could include a claim that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman did not order the killing or know if it.

Trump's attempt to distance himself from profiting from Saudi Arabia is undercut by a long record showing deals his companies made with that country's government and citizens.

"Saudi Arabia, I get along with all of them. They buy apartments from me. They spend $40 million, $50 million," Trump said during a presidential campaign rally in Alabama in August 2015.

"Am I supposed to dislike them? I like them very much."

At another rally that year, Trump said of the Saudis, "I make a lot of money from them."

"They buy all sorts of my stuff. All kinds of toys from Trump. They pay me millions and hundred of millions."
More:

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/10/16/trump-s ... money.html
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Big RR
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Re: Saudi Arabia

Post by Big RR »

Now, now, Trump wouldn't put his personal interests ahead of the national interest (or even international interest) would he? good old honest Don? :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

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RayThom
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Saudi Arabia

Post by RayThom »

Would I lie to you?

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Big RR
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Re: Saudi Arabia

Post by Big RR »

Elton Don?

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BoSoxGal
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Re: Saudi Arabia

Post by BoSoxGal »

I didn’t think I could get any angrier about trump - then he started making excuses for cold blooded butchering murderers.

How can he ignore the horror of what was done to Khashoggi, of what his final moments were like?

He’s pure narcissistic evil.
For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.
~ Carl Sagan

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