Posted on 11/19/2010 4:43:29 PM PST by My Favorite Headache
The Obama administration has quietly forged ahead with its proposal to sell $60 billion worth of fighter jets and attack helicopters to Saudi Arabia unhampered by Congress, despite questions raised in legislative inquiries and in an internal congressional report about the wisdom of the deal.
The massive arms deal would be the single largest sale of weapons to a foreign nation in the history of the U.S., outfitting Saudi Arabia with a fully modernized, potent new air force.
"Our six-decade-long security relationship with Saudi Arabia is a primary security pillar in the region," Defense Sec. Robert M. Gates and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton wrote in a Nov. 16 letter to congress. "This package continues that tradition."
But some critics are questioning the deal, and the stealthy effort by the Obama administration to avoid a more probing congressional review by notifying Congress last month, just as members were headed home for the November elections. Congress had 30 days to raise objections -- a review period that concludes Saturday. With most members leaving Washington today, any significant effort to block the deal appears dead for now, officials said.
"I do not think there will be any action" to hold up the sale, Rep. Howard Berman, the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told Bloomberg News Thursday.
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
WE have many smart people on this site relative to knowing about weaponry. You are obviously one of them.
I agree with you. This is really targeted at Iran.
Plus, the Saudi have so much of our money, why not have them buy some of our planes?
You know that’s a photoshop right
You know that’s a photoshop right
This whole romp in the Muslim Saudi tent is disturbing and self destructive and has been since we became dependent on OPEC’s poison.
We are essentially sending arms to those who turn around and kill Christians everywhere with them.
The golf club should be left-handed.
Saudi Arabia is a check to Iran.
When is this country going to connect all the dots happening almost daily where the Muslim in the White House is efficiently taking care of Muslam interests before those of the U. S.
Worth repeating.
He needs the money to fund his socialist campaign for a Soviet Amerika.
The Saudi military couldn't stop a Boy Scout troop from overrunning them.
Who exactly is going to fly these $60 billion in attack choppers and fighter jets? Hint: NOT THEM.
But hey - there's a bonus! American defense contractors made their simoleons.
I agree... But sssssh...No one's supposed to presume anything about this Saudi deal, or remember how Bubba blatantly sold out American tech transfers to China - with impunity. Surprisingly, no one uttered the word, "Treason" in Bubba's case.
These days the Chinese Dragon brags about their "most powerful computer" as they've been preening, posing, and displaying their high tech military prowess and capabilities on the world stage like a beauty queen.
“Is this the same arms deal we were discussing when Michelle was in Spain?”
Here is the old thread we discussed that on:
“They need 30 Billion dollars of these fighter jets to fight Yemeni rebels? come’on.
Interesting time, don’t ya think?
But, hey they’re not ‘equipped with long-range weapons systems and other arms whose inclusion was strongly opposed by Israel, diplomats and officials said.’
Khash is a convenient guy to know, ‘eh?”
____________________________________
Interesting timing isn’t it? M.O. goes to Marbella and Khashoggi just ‘happens’ to be visiting at the exact same time there too. He is back in Marbella in March (per Maggief’s post #360) for the first time in 17 years. They are set to attend the same event at the Hotel Villa Padierna when suddenly M.O plays the ‘not tonight I have a headache’ card with the gala crowd. But she would still be accessible to the guests of the gala staying in the same hotel of the gala if need be wouldn’t she? And I’m speculating Mr. Khashoggi would also have access to her, if needed...or predetermined.
The gala was Saturday evening.
The day after, Sunday, M.O. visits the king of Spain for her photo op then promptly returns home.
Sunday, the announcement is made that after months of ‘negotiations’ with the Saudis, an arms agreement has been reached to supply them with:
“The proposed $30 billion, 10-year arms package, which would be one of the biggest single deals of its kind, has been a source of behind-the-scenes tension during months of negotiations. Israeli officials have repeatedly conveyed their concerns in private that the U.S. risks undermining its military advantage by equipping regional rivals with top-flight technologies.”
When was the arms deal with the Saudis secured and by whom? Michelle’s departure from Marbella and the announcement of the deal are more then coincidental.
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More background on Adnan Khashoggi from an article written in 1987.
(snip)
Khashoggi’s problems are in keeping with the way he operates. In an age of ubiquitous M.B.A.s and computer transactions, Adnan Khashoggi is a wily and gracious trader, an exemplar of the Arab-Islamic values of daring, cunning, loyalty and generosity. For him the deal is the thing, the only thing. Business, love, politics, diplomacy — they are all forms of dealmaking.”
(snip)”...When Fahd’s half-brother King Faisal took the Saudi throne in 1964 and set the country on a course of close cooperation with the U.S., Khashoggi positioned himself to be the middleman between American arms manufacturers and the Saudi Defense Ministry. At Khashoggi’s instigation, the Saudis commissioned the U.S. to study their defense needs and make recommendations as to what they should buy. As a result, Khashoggi had the inside track and locked up sales-agency rights with such U.S. firms as Lockheed, Raytheon and Northrop. He eventually won exclusive commissions on 80% of all U.S. military sales to Saudi Arabia.
After the Arab-Israeli war of 1973, the Arab states were eager to expand their arsenals. Moreover, the rise in oil prices gave them billions to spend on whatever weapons they desired. “That’s when the middlemen like Khashoggi really started to make their killings,” says one Middle Eastern arms dealer. “It was the gold rush of the 20th century. Every con man in the world was in Arabia.” Between 1970 and 1975, Lockheed alone paid Khashoggi $106 million in commissions. During this same period, he is said to have collected hundreds of millions from other corporations. Khashoggi, says Max Helzel, then vice president of Lockheed’s international marketing, “became for all practical purposes a marketing arm of Lockheed. Adnan would provide not only an entree but strategy, constant advice, and analysis.” His commissions started at 2.5% + and eventually rose to as much as 15%.
In 1975 a Senate subcommittee investigating foreign payments by American corporations looked into Khashoggi’s dealings. Northrop said it had given him $450,000 in bribes for Saudi generals. Khashoggi denied the allegations that he had asked for bribe money, but the accusations did not endear him to the Saudi ruling family. In 1976 and ‘77 the Securities and Exchange Commission attempted several times to subpoena Khashoggi as part of its investigation into arms companies. Khashoggi stayed away from the U.S. for nearly two years, but later came back to give a voluntary deposition.
By the mid-1980s, the era of cash-and-carry megadeals had wound down as oil prices declined and the oil sheiks became more sophisticated about arms transactions. By then they had reviewed thousands of arms proposals themselves and had sent their sons off to the U.S. to earn M.B.A.s. Khashoggi was no longer essential...”
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,963261-3,00.html
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August 9, 2010
“Pleasure and Vacation Policy Michelle”
http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/by:444flyer/index?more=71304295
I wouldn't be at all surprise if the IDF ends up training the Saudis on how to use these weapons—
THEN a joint strike against Iran?—remember,the Saudis already gave Israel free use of it's airspace should it wish to nip the Iranian nuke program in the bud.
Exactly. Attacking Israel is just about the last thing SA is going to do. They already have a fully funded internal element call the Palestinian to do that
The Saudis will never attack Israel. They are a petro-kingdom, not a theocracy.
Excellent point and missed by many.
Iran is a theocracy and theocracies must have spiritual enemies to keep the faithful focused on the hate and not the Mullahs
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/bloggers/2566647/posts
Pleasure and Vacation Policy Michelle
EL MUNDO.es ^ | Saturday, August 7, 2010 | onyx; Brugmansian;hoosiermama;victoriadelsoul;aruanan; kristinn
Posted on Saturday, August 07, 2010 11:42:03 PM by onyx
With thanks and credit to Brugmansian, it’s looking like all the LSM fuss about Michelle’s extravagant vacation in Spain, just might be a distraction to cover up a much more sinister reason for her trip.
Brugmansian uncovered the following article in EL MUNDO and the last paragraph is of specific importance.
Varias casas reales árabes también pasan sus veranos en Marbella desde hace años. Así, habrá un encuentro entre Michelle Obama y el príncipe Salman bin Abdelaziz, gobernador de Riad y hermano del fallecido Rey Fahd de Arabia Saudí; mientras que se baraja otra reunión de la primera dama con el propietario del Málaga CF, empresario multimillonario, hijo del ministro del Interior de Qatar y miembro de la familia real qatarí, Abdullah Al Thani.
- - - - - - - - - - -
Read and translated by both Victoria Delsoul and aruanan for accuracy,Victoria Delsoul wrote:
It says, that it’s going to be a meeting between Michelle Obama and prince Salman bin Abdelaziz, governor of Riyadh and brother of the deceased Rey Fahd of Saudi Arabia; whereas there would be another meeting of the first lady with the owner of the Malaga CF, businessman multimillionaire, son of the Secretary of the Interior of Qatar and member of the real family qatarí, Abdullah Al Thani.
- - - - - - - - - - -
It is important to point out, that nothing about her meeting with the above named has been mentioned in the Lame Stream Media, just out of character sclding and gripes about the expense of her trip!
Another fascinating fact: Jesse Jackson Jr, is also along on the trip. Yes, son of shakedown artist himself.
//
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/bloggers/2566647/posts
Pleasure and Vacation Policy Michelle
EL MUNDO.es ^ | Saturday, August 7, 2010 | onyx; Brugmansian;hoosiermama;victoriadelsoul;aruanan; kristinn
Posted on Saturday, August 07, 2010 11:42:03 PM by onyx
With thanks and credit to Brugmansian, it’s looking like all the LSM fuss about Michelle’s extravagant vacation in Spain, just might be a distraction to cover up a much more sinister reason for her trip.
Brugmansian uncovered the following article in EL MUNDO and the last paragraph is of specific importance.
Varias casas reales árabes también pasan sus veranos en Marbella desde hace años. Así, habrá un encuentro entre Michelle Obama y el príncipe Salman bin Abdelaziz, gobernador de Riad y hermano del fallecido Rey Fahd de Arabia Saudí; mientras que se baraja otra reunión de la primera dama con el propietario del Málaga CF, empresario multimillonario, hijo del ministro del Interior de Qatar y miembro de la familia real qatarí, Abdullah Al Thani.
- - - - - - - - - - -
Read and translated by both Victoria Delsoul and aruanan for accuracy,Victoria Delsoul wrote:
It says, that it’s going to be a meeting between Michelle Obama and prince Salman bin Abdelaziz, governor of Riyadh and brother of the deceased Rey Fahd of Saudi Arabia; whereas there would be another meeting of the first lady with the owner of the Malaga CF, businessman multimillionaire, son of the Secretary of the Interior of Qatar and member of the real family qatarí, Abdullah Al Thani.
- - - - - - - - - - -
It is important to point out, that nothing about her meeting with the above named has been mentioned in the Lame Stream Media, just out of character sclding and gripes about the expense of her trip!
Another fascinating fact: Jesse Jackson Jr, is also along on the trip. Yes, son of shakedown artist himself.
hoosiermama and others will add links and comments from kristinn’s original thread and I will provide the link to that thread HERE
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http://209.157.64.200/focus/f-news/2566396/posts
Michelle Obama visits Ronda
Telegraph (UK) ^ | August 7, 2010 | Fiona Govan
Posted on Saturday, August 07, 2010 11:32:31 AM by IbJensen
Michelle Obama followed in the footsteps of Ernest Hemingway and Orson Welles when she paid a visit to Spain’s oldest bullring, the Plaza de Toros in Ronda, a picturesque town in the hills above the Costa del Sol.
The First Lady, her youngest daughter Sasha, and their group of friends left the Spanish coast and travelled to Ronda for a day of sightseeing accompanied by their vast security escort in a 13 car motorcade.
-snip-
Meanwhile at the five-star luxury Villa Padierna, where the group have chosen to spend their mini-break, preparations were under way for Marbella’s event of the year – a star-studded charity gala hosted by Hollywood A-listers Antonio Banderas and Eva Longoria.
-snip-
One name on the guest list that could raise a few eyebrows among US diplomatic circles is Adnan Khashoggi.
(snip)
//
Until March, 2010, it had been 17 years since Khashoggi had been back to Marbella.
http://costaconfidential.blogspot.com/2010/03/adnan-khashoggi-once-owned-spains-most.html
Thursday, 11 March 2010
Adnan Khashoggi once owned Spain’s most expensive real estate is set to return for a charity dinner in Marbella.
Adnan Khashoggi once owned Spain’s most expensive real estate is set to return for a charity dinner in Marbella. Adnan Khashoggi – former owner of La Zagaleta development in Benahavis – will attend the Children for Peace event at Hotel Incosol.
After a 17-year absence from Spain the business tycoon will attend the dinner scheduled for March 27 with second wife Lamia – the charity’s vice president.
In 1988 Khashoggi was jailed in Switzerland for concealing funds but was acquitted two years later.Born in Mecca, Khashoggi was regarded as the world’s richest man in the 1980s and his yacht, the Nabila, was used in James Bond film Never Say Never Again.
//
Adnan Khashoggi re-visits Marbella with his wife Lamia
Mario Guarnieri is famed for his glamorous openings and cocktails, but
few were expecting to see Adnan Khasoggi in Marbella for the launch of the
new BMW 5 Series.
(snip)
Khashoggi was accompanied by his wife Lamia, the couple were also attending
the Children in Peace Charity Gala at the Incosol Hotel Marbella during their
visit to the area.
(snip)
//
Michelle avoids Khashoggi and Thatcher in Marbella
EXCERPT
Smart move - the Starlite Gala at the Villa Padierna hotel was a good one to miss. Not only was it swarming with iffy Euro aristrocrats - Gunilla Gräfin von Bismarck and Alfonso de Borbon, the Duke of Anjou - but among those on the guest list was Adnan Khashoggi.
Khashoggi was the notorious Turkish-Saudi Arabian arms dealer implicated as a middleman in the Iran-Contra scandal of the 1980s, when Ronald Reagan was in the White House.
Reagan’s Republican administration allegedly sanctioned the sale of weapons to Iran in breach of an arms embargo, in return for help in releasing US hostages held by Hezbollah. Money from the sale of weapons was then diverted to fund the anti-communist Contra rebels in Nicaragua, who were supported by the CIA.
In short, it was one of the messiest affairs of the era and dogged the Republicans for years.
Another guest mooted to be attending the Starlite Gala was Sir Mark Thatcher, son of Reagan’s bosom buddy Margaret Thatcher.
The Iron Lady’s son has a home in San Pedro de Alcantara, just down the road from Marbella, where he tries to keep his enemies at bay. Among these is President Teodoro Obiang of Equatorial Guinea who, legend has it, likes to eat the testicles of those who cross him. Thatcher is on Obiang’s most wanted list after he allegedly helped fund the failed “wonga coup” of 2004 to overthrow him.
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http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2568068/posts
Michelle Obama vacation at Spain’s Costa del Crime
Big Bureaucracy ^ | August 10th, 2010 | Ellie Velinska
bump!
I just turned up 10 threads on this deal going back several months....where is the hiding?
A person only hides something if it’s ethically wrong, illegal or they are ashamed of their actions....So which is it?
The Saudis are MAJOR shareholders, joint venture partners, investors in ALL 6 US TV networks. Keep watching Tv - it keeps Obama in power. Sheeple.
*************************************EXCERPT******************************
Rep. Anthony Weiner, a New York Democrat, submitted a resolution this week to try and block the deal, and was among those who objected to the way the administration approached the required congressional review.
"Hiding this in a recess announcement is a sign of how unpopular it is," he said. "It's bad policy that now is further tainted by shameful process."
** I smell revolt coming soon.**
From your lips to God’s ears! I’m starting to wonder just what exactly it will take to wake us up to the inevitable. Unless of course the majority of Americans wish to be slaves.
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