Posted on 11/10/2017 5:45:10 PM PST by BenLurkin
When Saad Hariri’s jet touched down in Beirut early Thursday, Lebanon hoped it would bring an end to a crisis spurred by his abrupt and mysterious resignation as prime minister, delivered in a speech from Saudi Arabia last week.
But he was not aboard, according to local media and an airport employee.
For five days, Hariri has been in the shadows, his whereabouts and status the subject of fevered speculation in this fragile state. Aides said they have hardly spoken to him. His own political party has anxiously demanded his return.
...
When Hariri resigned on Saturday, during what appeared to be a routine trip to Riyadh, the Saudi capital, he blamed Iran, saying it had created a “state within a state” in Lebanon, a reference to the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement that is the country’s dominant political force. But the resignation — a dramatic gesture that seemed to come out of nowhere — blindsided Lebanon, including Hariri’s supporters.
...
On Tuesday, a few days after his speech, Hariri was seen in the United Arab Emirates, a close ally of Saudi Arabia. Hariri, who has also long been backed by the Saudis, met an Emirati leader, Mohammed bin Zayed, who wished him “all the success in his endeavors to ensure Lebanon overcomes its ordeals and achieves the aspirations of the Lebanese people,” according to the Emirates News Agency.
...
By Wednesday, Hariri was back in Riyadh, according to a statement from his office, which said he met with diplomats from the United States, Britain and the European Union. On Thursday, the statement said, Hariri received the French ambassador.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
There is a lot going on. We live in very interesting times.
And I’m pretty sure 95% of Americans think everything is boring except, you know, that Kevin Spacey thing.
Apparently, he is “in detention” in Saudi Arabia. None of his family or friends are allowed to speak to him by phone.
I saw a US State Dept representative questioned about this, and she said she would not like to say “detention”, but there were “those arrangements” about Hariri.
The Saudis also took Hariri, with helpers who looked like armed escorts, to Abu Dhabi, so that he could apologise in person, to the Emir, for a debt of millions of dollars which he is unable to pay. Then he was taken back to Saudi Arabia.
Of course, it's the Middle East, he could have been serving the Saudis or Mossad as a deep cover agent for years and there really is a plot in Lebanon to kill him so they're removing him to keep his cover a bit longer.
The Saudi narrative is going up in smoke.
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