Posted on 03/19/2018 3:19:06 PM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
The Saudi crown prince is making his first visit to Washington to shore up investments and political support from Riyadh's closest Western ally. Ten months after the last face-to-face meeting between Trump and Prince Mohammed bin Salman as deputy Crown Prince in Riyadh, the 71-year-old president and the 32-year-old strongman prince are expected to deepen an already warm and congenial relationship.
Several dozen Saudi chief executives have joined to tout investment opportunities in the kingdom, particularly in the areas of technology, entertainment and tourism, a Washington source said. Talks will also include a U.S. bid to build two nuclear reactors in Saudi Arabia and a civilian nuclear cooperation agreement needed for that to proceed, an industry source said. Ahead of his visit to Washington, the atomic policy, which limits nuclear activities to peaceful purposes, was approved by the cabinet last Tuesday. The atomic ambitions of the key U.S. ally and regional power are coming under scrutiny in Washington at a time of growing tensions between the U.S. and Iran over Tehran's nuclear program.
Riyadh wants to diversify its energy supply mix, enabling it to export more crude oil rather than burning it to generate electricity. But it has previously refused to sign any agreement that would deprive it of the possibility of one day enriching uranium.
Washington's political agenda will feature a new push to end the dispute between Arab allies of the United States that have isolated Qatar over alleged ties to terrorism, a senior U.S. official has said, according to Reuters.
The crown prince is also likely to reiterate to Washington that Saudi Arabia's view that its regional rival, Iran, should not be trusted over its nuclear program.
The hugely influential Saudi prince Salman visited Egypt, Britain and the United States as part of a long foreign trip, his first as crown prince. He has a close relationship with Trump and his son-in-law and aide Jared Kushner, who is seen as having given the green light for Prince Mohammed's rush to consolidate power in recent months. Critics have labeled the crown prince's campaign a shakedown and power grab, although authorities insist the purge targeted endemic corruption as the country prepares for a post-oil era.
The longstanding relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia, its main Middle East ally, is founded largely on the exchange of American security for Saudi oil. The 9/11 attacks that killed almost 3,000 people in the United States tested U.S.-Saudi relations, as 15 of the 19 Al-Qaeda attackers were from Saudi Arabia. After a long period of stalled relations under former U.S. President Barack Obama, the U.S.-Saudi relationship has renewed itself with the Trump administration. Trump chose to Saudi Arabia on his first foreign trip after taking office, arriving in May 2017 to much fanfare and ceremony. The partners announced major contracts worth more than $380 billion, including $110 billion for the sale of American arms to Saudi Arabia, to counter what they see as a threat from Iran and radical militants.
Riyadh wants to diversify its energy supply mix, enabling it to export more crude oil rather than burning it to generate electricity. But it has previously refused to sign any agreement that would deprive it of the possibility of one day enriching uranium.This part is a joke:
This part is not so much a joke:
But it has previously refused to sign any agreement that would deprive it of the possibility of one day enriching uranium.
Saudi crown prince: If Iran makes a nuclear bomb, so will we
“as soon as possible.”
Trump should take this Saudi Arab down to the 9/11 site, give him a tour and then lock him in the old Toombs Prison, hold him there until he comes up with $3 trillion in reparations.
Prince Salman was barely 16 when 9/11 happened.
The reforms that Prince Mohammed bin Salman is bringing to Saudi Arabia is one of the biggest stories that Americans aren't paying attention to including, sadly, many people here on this once-informed forum.
Salman is a Trumpist and people here aren't paying enough attention to even notice. Sad.
Oh, he must mean better relations after three Saudi princes died under suspicious circumstances after 9/11, huh?
The leader of the head-chopping, crucifying Wahhabi death cult entity known as Saudi Barbaria. Telling us what to do.
He’s mentally unstable. I don’t care that Tom Friedman likes him. That’s more reason not to.
You have that backwards, I believe we’re telling him what to do!
Are you even vaguely aware of the work he's doing? A lot of it has been posted right here on FR.
Seesh man, hang your head in shame.
EXCLUSIVE: Persian Gulf Sheikhs Gave Bill & Hillary $100 Million [VIDEO]
A Daily Caller News Foundation investigation reveals that Bill and Hillary Clinton received at least $100 million from autocratic Persian Gulf states and their leaders, potentially undermining Democratic presidential candidate Hillarys claim she can carry out independent Middle East policies.
As a presidential candidate, the amount of foreign cash the Clintons have amassed from the Persian Gulf states is simply unprecedented, says national security analyst Patrick Poole. These regimes are buying access. Youve got the Saudis. Youve got the Kuwaitis, Oman, Qatar and the UAE. There are massive conflicts of interest. Its beyond comprehension, Poole told TheDCNF in an interview.
Overall, the Clinton Foundation has received upwards of $85 million in donations from five Persian Gulf states and their monarchs, according to the foundations website. Activist groups have charged the five states Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) committed numerous human rights abuses.
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AND THIS---Course, this is just a wild guess on my part (smirk), but I don't think the Saudi Royals like being jerked around by a coupla hicks from Arkansas.
The Saudis put hundreds of millions into the Clintons pockets when she was Secy of State, thinking she'd be president. Must be a lot of nay-saying in the desert now that the Clintons are political dead meat.
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Turns out the Saudis helped stage Hillary's election night "victory"---giving her a huge expensive flat screen TV supposedly to air her crashing through a symbolic 500,000 dollar glass ceiling. (This from a kingdom where women are not allowed to drive).
Saudi Arabia Funded 20% Of Hillary's Presidential Campaign, Saudi Crown Prince Claims
Zerohedge ^ | Jun 14, 2016 3:57 AM | Tyler Durden / FR Posted by xzins
(NOTE: It is illegal in the United States for foreign countries to try to influence the outcome of elections by funding candidates. That appears not to have stopped the Saudis, however.)
Saudi Arabia provided with full enthusiasm 20 percent of the cost of Hillary Clintons election"......the report quoted Saudi Prince Mohammed as having said. According to the US Federal Election commission, over the past two years Clinton has raised a little more than $211.8 million. 20% of this sum is $42.4 million.
The Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday that the senior royal was due to fly to Washington where he will meet Obama admin officials to discuss US-Saudi ties.
--SNIP--
Links between Saudi Arabia and the Clinton family, including with Hillarys campaign, are well reported. In 2008, it was revealed that the Gulf kingdom had donated between $10m and $25m to the Clinton Foundation, a charity set up by Hillarys husband and former US President Bill Clinton.
Last year the Centre for Studies and Media Affairs at the Saudi Royal Court paid public relations firm the Podesta Group $200,000 for a month- long project to provide public relations services. The Podesta Group was founded in 1988 by brothers John and Tony Podesta. John Podesta is the chair of Hillary Clintons 2016 campaign.
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Saudi Royals greet then-Secy Hillary (she checks to make sure she's on-camera).
The pay-to-play suck-up begins.
Really? You trust the Saudi royals? These are the same people who fund the Wahhabi, were aware of the 9/11 plot, did nothing to notify their business partner and “good friend” Bush, funded and founded ISIS, the barbarian jihadists that murdered, raped and enslaved any Christian they found in the hope of creating a Sunni jihadist state to confront Iran. They are and never have been the friends of the American people. They buy who they need, the Bush family being the classic example.
Tourism? Saudi Arabia? Now there’s something I imagine would take off. Not.
Do your homework. The "Saudi Royals" are not some monolithic block. Are you aware that right now in SA some Saudi Royals are being jailed for corruption by other Saudi Royals?
I trust our President.
I got an idea. Before we do ANYTHING for them, we demand they cease ALL financial support for US Mosques. They have spread wahabbist mosques all across the USA.
Howzabout we tell them they are forbidden from building a bomb?
Arrest him when he lands. Okay, he’s got diplomatic immunity. Fine, end all Islamic terrorist funding in the US and elsewhere—no more money for mosques or groups.
“Course, this is just a wild guess on my part (smirk), but I don’t think the Saudi Royals like being jerked around by a coupla hicks from Arkansas.”
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