In the 2002 speech against the Iraq War that helped propel him to the presidency, then-state Sen. Barack Obama denounced not just the looming invasion of Iraq, but also human rights abuses by our “so-called allies” in Saudi Arabia:
Let’s fight to make sure our so-called allies in the Middle East, the Saudis and the Egyptians, stop oppressing their own people, and suppressing dissent, and tolerating corruption and inequality, and mismanaging their economies so that their youth grow up without education, without prospects, without hope, the ready recruits of terrorist cells.
And he spoke out against the U.S.’ role as weapons supplier to the world:
Let’s fight to make sure … that the arms merchants in our own country stop feeding the countless wars that rage across the globe.
Thirteen years later, Obama is making his fourth trip to Riyadh, having presided over record-breaking U.S. arms sales to Saudi Arabia while offering only muted criticism of the kingdom’s human rights violations.
And don’t expect the president to speak up while he’s there. Obama last traveled to Saudi Arabia in January 2015, cutting short his trip to India after the passing of the former Saudi king, Abdullah ibn-Abdulaziz al-Saud. During that visit, Obama was criticized for not speaking out against the flogging of prominent Saudi blogger and dissident Raif Badawi. In 2014, Badawi was sentenced to 10 years in prison and 1,000 lashes for “insulting Islam” and “going beyond the realm of obedience,” with the first flogging session taking place weeks before Obama arrived.
In January, after a record-setting year for Saudi beheadings, Saudi authorities set off protests by executing Shia cleric and regime critic Nimr al-Nimr. U.S. response was muted. The State Department merely said the execution “risks exacerbating sectarian tensions at a time when they urgently need to be reduced” — and then fell silent on the repression of the following protests.
Last year, amazingly enough, Saudi Arabia became the head of the 47-member U.N. Human Rights Council. When a State Department spokesperson was asked for his reaction, he responded: “Frankly, we would welcome it. We’re close allies.”
Obama administration officials have not offered on-the-record explanations for why Saudi human rights abuses don’t play a greater role in U.S. policy. But in the trove of documents released from former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s private email server, Clinton acknowledges that the U.S. government holds the Saudis to a different standard.
In one email chain, dated June 22, 2011, aide Cheryl Mills forwarded Clinton a New York Times opinion column in which Maureen Dowd mused that it would “have been thrilling” if Clinton, on a recent trip to Saudi Arabia, had “smacked around the barbaric Saudi men who force women to huddle under a suffocating black tarp.” Clinton asked Mills what she thought about the column and Mills remarked that “we/DOS/USG may have different standards we apply when it is pushing Saudi.” “No doubt about that!” Clinton responded:
Obama’s visit this week will be taking place in the shadow of an ongoing U.S.-supplied, Saudi-led campaign in Yemen, where Saudi airstrikes have killed thousands of civilians.
Since the Saudi coalition began its campaign last March, it has relied on U.S.-produced aircraft, “smart bombs,” guided missiles, and internationally banned cluster bombs. A recent report from Human Rights Watch, for instance, found evidence that the coalition used American bombs in a March 15 attack on a market in northwestern Yemen where nearly a hundred civilians were killed. As Iona Craig reported in November, Yemen’s architectural history is also being destroyed by bombs sold to Saudi Arabia by the United States.
According to a new poll released earlier this month, 82 percent of Yemenis between the ages of 18 and 24 now view the United States as an enemy.
On Wednesday, Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., and Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., introduced a bill blocking arms transfers unless the State Department certifies that the Saudi military is taking every “feasible precaution to reduce the risk of harm to civilians.”
But arms sales in general — and specifically to Saudi Arabia — have been a consistent element of Obama’s tenure.
“Many Americans would be surprised to learn that his administration has brokered more arms deals than any administration of the past 70 years, Republican or Democratic,” said William Hartung, a senior adviser to Secure Assistance Monitor, a progressive group that tracks arms sales.
The primary vehicle for international arms transfers is the Pentagon’s Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program; in 2015, the FMS program hit a record high of $46.6 billion.
The Saudis have been major clients. “During the first six years of the Obama administration, the United States entered into agreements to sell over $190 billion in weapons and training to Saudi Arabia. And in 2015, the administration announced its intention to sell another $22 billion to the kingdom, parts of which have yet to be embedded in formal agreements,” Hartung said.
To put that in context, in his first five years as president, Obama sold $30 billion more in weapons than President Bush did during his entire eight years as commander in chief.
Saudi Arabia maintains a huge network of D.C. lobbyists, public relations experts, and a subsidized think tank to promote its cozy relationship with Washington. And as Lee Fang reported in December, it launched a particularly massive new charm offensive shortly after beginning its air and ground assault in Yemen.
Murphy expressed hopes that Obama would press the Saudi king on his conduct in Yemen. “Right now, the Saudis’ focus on Yemen is distracting them from the war against violent extremists,” Murphy said in a statement emailed to The Intercept. “And personally, I hope President Obama takes this opportunity to have a frank discussion with Saudi Arabia about their continued backing for religious and educational institutions around the world that promote sectarianism and intolerance.”
But many activists are losing hope that the U.S. relationship with Saudi Arabia will change.
“The reality is the U.S. foreign policy establishment, including the State Department and Pentagon, are happy with the Saudi relationship,” said Stephen McInerney, executive director of the Project on Middle East Democracy. “In order to change course, meaningfully, it would take real leadership and investment in doing so, and President Obama — although his instincts might be that the Saudis are problematic in a number of ways — he hasn’t shown any serious desire to bring about a change of policy.”
Top photo: Saudi King Salman meets President Obama in January 2015.
Related:
So let me get this straight. Our government is SUPPORTING a TERRORIST Nation? Then that means according to the constitution we KNOW this is wrong so to support it shows the USA for the TERRORIST country it TRULY is.
If people weren’t such cowards in the USA they would all tell the keeper of the change, that we have decided we are tired of paying for their killing. From now on they want war. Pay for it out of their own pockets and SHUT THE GOVERNMENT SPENDING for DEFENSE DOWN. Any taxpayer that sends money should be charged as a TRAITOR and put right along side this corrupt government. We need to build a complete circular wall with no entrance or exit. Only an open pit for government ABUSERS, just like they shovel our taxes down an empty hole.
The most pathetic display:
Obama getting necklaced by Abdullah
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxVWckPZX0A
The heightened weapons sales to SA are a gift in return for SA sustaining high crude oil production, driving down the price to where only SA can break even. Big win for Obama on several fronts. Hits Putin in the pocketbook. Puts most of the US fracking play E&D startups out of business. Hits Big Oil in the pocketbook. Allows Obama to state that his economic policies are “working”. Obama leaves office. SA cuts production. Oil prices rise again, perhaps to $100/bbl. Then Big Oil will be called greedy by the media and Senator Jackass will launch an investigation, XOM and CVX executives will be called to testify before Congress, and we’ll all be clamoring for windmills, solar panels, and Teslas (all of which Obama has financial interests in, probably).
The Saudi U.S. relationship is too strong to be broken. We buy their oil, they buy our weapons. This cycle of U.S. dollars keeps the dollar the world currency, and America reigns supreme. Ain’t nothing gonna brake that bond. Do yourselves a favor and read The Deep State by Mike Lofgren. Truely eye opening.
http://fpif.org/lets-review-saudi-arabia-not-friend/
Enough is enough.
As an American Muslim, I am ashamed and appalled by our countries support of this brutal regime. I will never perform the Haj as long as this group of thugs is in power over Mecca. I may go to hell if I do not do this pillar of Islam, but my conscience will be clear.
You gotta wonder what the Saudi’s have on the US or their other allies that binds them so tight! Maybe the Saudi’s have more leverage these days and thus human rights interfering with Wahhabi law and control of the population are off the negotiating table. But even if that is not the case , it won’t be the first time people have been sold out and sacrificed for the short term gratification and tunnel vision of a few takers.
As for change in policy is that at all possible without war. After all many pacts, agreements, treaties were made eons ago at the start of the oil boom and multinational oil companies, weapons manufacturers are a law unto themselves as are it seems more than a few Government entities.
I applaud all the Saudi women and men who risk their lives daily for dignity and a better future. Wish the world was on board with them. But, people can definitely support them by speaking out for them. Equal rights, end of segregation and apartheid and a host of other positive changes for mankind were led by people and eventually governments and rulers had to get on board with it – they had no option if they didn’t want to go the way of the dinosaur.
Please stay there.
Of course. They’re all oppressors and liars and hypocrites, in word and deed, and they must all be removed from power!
robertsrevolution.net
“…82 percent of Yemenis between the ages of 18 and 24 now view the United States as an enemy.”
And they are correct.
The U.S. is very good at critisising others and condemning them. It is in the nature of brainless politicians in office to look good by proclaiming how bad others are. Making enemies is a natural consequence and allows the pimped out politicians to sap the citizens for hundreds of billions every year to pay their pimps who then use that money to make the weapons to not only exterminate “the enemy”, but also create new ones! IT’S A TWOFER!
Building people and lives and infrastructure is not what America is good at. It did happen by mistake a couple of times with FDR and Eisenhower, but other than that, ruining America has been a very good business practice for the pimped out politicians who hone their skills doing so in training for foreign policy.
Obviously the opportunity here is looking forward to more devastating conflict which will overtax existing burial room in the u.s. so selling burial insurance and investing in burial plots and funeral homes is probably a growth business. I would expect wallstreet to IPO this within the next 4 years. If they do, then amping up these conflicts and wars would be their next step as they need to increase profits every year.
If Obama is giving the same hypocritical, mixed messages when talking about life with his children– poor Malia and Sasha — that’s all I can say.
Hey Craig … here’s some ‘geopolitical context’ for you:
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/apr/20/hundreds-feared-dead-in-migrant-shipwreck-off-libya
Obama said:
Let’s fight to make sure our so-called allies in the Middle East, the Saudis and the Egyptians, stop oppressing their own people, and suppressing dissent, and tolerating corruption and inequality, and mismanaging their economies so that their youth grow up without education, without prospects, without hope, the ready recruits of terrorist cells.
Now let’s hope Obama says:
Let’s fight to make sure we stop oppressing our own people, and suppressing dissent, and tolerating corruption and inequality, and mismanaging our economy so that our youth do not grow up without education, and for those of them that do obtain our shallow corporate serving education at least do not continue to be left in a state of indentured servitude not seen since before the American Revolution to pay for it, without prospects, without hope, and the ready recruits of fascist right wing terrorist cells.
Barack warned us about the cocoon but did not escape the cocoon of the white house. He is fully imbedded and has gone from for the people to what people. We got mission creep in iraq now. We got a forever fantasy of i-have-know-idea-what in afganistan but the russians tried this and lost as did every occupying force in history so Barack must be relying on the exception in exceptionalism except that the u.s. is more like to to be the exception that has lost the longest occupation there….. catch my breath
All eye see – heh – is that Barack is essentially saying “What we need is a war to end wars”… which was the same moniker and rationale for WW1….
The criminal dollar economy – a total and complete fraud – needs a war and sets the operating environment for the only choosable options to be war. Until the current currency system is fired, we lose.
People here in America act like the president is just going to be a “good person” and stand up for the wrongs of the world, because they have been fed a super well planned government/corporate/media propaganda for the last 60yrs that tells us that we have freedom, or government is the good in the world. So we believe it and are saddened and confused and angered when that never happens. It never will. Our government IS the evil in the world and they are not going to stop.
Doesn’t make any sense to profess to be a world leader and defender of human rights and then support Wahhabi dictatorial regimes that imprison women for being raped if the mass murderer psycho tyrant (in this case Salman) becomes unhappy because somebody signed an Amnesty International petition.
I’m not at all upset that daesh was controlled into being prevalent in the Middle East instead of North America or Europe, though. Makes me feel much safer knowing that I’m not a woman in Saudi Arabia who’s going to be imprisoned for being a rape victim.
got that right.
Here is the solution. Call for a new national congress to meet and redraw a declaration and constitution. sign. seal. and deliver.
THIS IS DOABLE. AND I COMMAND IT.
The president and nobody else for that matter is ever going to criticize the saudis. The US knows exactly what the Saudis are doing and armed them to do exactly what they are doing. The US is the most evil player on the world stage and all the other evil countries are US puppets. Maybe the world will get lucky and the US gets destroyed by a meteor or Yellowstone blows up. They are unstoppable maniacs!
Americans love that shit. It’s why they keep coming back to the same rancid dog bowl as seen in NY today.
We need the Snowden effect to bring the 28 pages to light… Please!
Jason Leopold has court papers that attempt to take Lauren to the Supreme Court of FOIA if in fact your story runs on banks then what would happen?
It is simply ridiculous to say that these individuals in power in the US are attempting to actually ‘govern’! It is even more ridiculous to try to say that they are even attempting to follow the guidelines for governing this nation set down in our Constitution and Bill of Rights. This is just ‘pure capitalism’ being paraded around as some kind of governing mantra or something, but it sure as all hell has nothing to do with Democratic governance of, by, and for the people of this nation.
Is there any real difference, aside from spelling, between a Monarchy and a dictatorship? Not a bit. The king tells everyone what to do and so does the dictator. Saudi Arabia is a dictatorship, and that is why our own dictatorial government wants to do business with them. It has become obvious, glaringly evident to say the least, that our ‘Dear Leaders’ are learning how to be the dictators they think they are going to have to become from these monsters they look up to.
We put our whole nation at great risk by putting these kinds of shady characters, like the one Obama has turned out to be, in charge of our nation. Our government, if that is, again, what you want to call it….is utterly corrupt!
Yes well said!
got that right.
The whole operation of the gov war machine is sickening and has avery adult parent having to look forward to the demise of everything dear to them.
AND THAT IS WRONG AND THAT IS NOT THE AMERICAN WAY.
We need a new constitutional convention. Bernie, call for it. Donald, call for it. Someone, call for it. It must happen.
There’s no basis in the history of the United Snakes for claiming that this crap “IS NOT THE AMERICAN WAY”, presuming that by “AMERICAN” you mean “USian”.
President Obama has a bigger problems on his plate. The redacted pages of the 9/11 report is getting curiouser and curiouser by the day. First it was going to expose the Saudi connection. Now Saudis are threatening to expose the US families and individuals who are involved. This is a very unfortunate turn of events.
Given how irrelevant the report is fifteen years after it has happened, I think the 28 pages should be consigned to flames. Revealing this at this juncture will destroy the wonderful relationship that we have cultivated with our Saudi friends for close to a hundred years now. Our mutually beneficial relationship is far more important than inconsequential historical stuffs. They generally buy all our fake weapons and defense equipments along with some that do work, and for which we get quite a bit of money. Just for these few pages we will make the Saudis go for their shopping to China and Russia, which is really a very foolish thing to do. I hope sanity prevails, and our great President can go comfort his dear friends in Riyadh that nothing of this kind is in the works.
That 9/11 schtick is so convenient, right general bloodlust?
The redacted pages of the 9/11 report is getting curiouser and curiouser by the day.
Give me one thing. Give me the phone numbers the hit teams used to communicate.
What is the reason for building 7 coming down. Any ideas? DO TELL!
Can’t tell if you are a cynic or a satirist.
Obama used to be cheerleader spokesperson for Community Organizers. Next he became a cheerleader spokesperson for the MIC. The man has a lack of moral direction, and has been a huge disappointment that has alienated and disenchanted many over the American political system.
The u.s. relationship with the saudi royals will never change.
Banu Qunaiqa
Be grateful. The Saudis are keeping the USD afloat. What is it you donot understand?
“Condemning” is just words. Words are not actions, and should never be confused with them.
Why ISIS Exists: The Double Game
https://politicalfilm.wordpress.com/2015/12/03/why-isis-exists-the-double-game/
Hi craigsummers
I did a quick search and its only just happened so you were not to know:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/afp/article-3543174/Turkey-eyes-Iran-deals-Rouhani-meets-Erdogan.html
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed to boost trade between their two countries at talks Saturday following the lifting of most international sanctions on Tehran.
They also agreed to cooperate in the fight against terrorism during their meeting at Erdogan’s lavish palace near Ankara, JUST A DAY after Iran was accused of supporting extremists at a summit of Muslim heads of state in Istanbul. (emphasis mine)
In a joint press conference, Erdogan said he hoped bilateral trade would reach $30 billion (27 billion euros) annually. It currently stands at just $10 billion after years of sanctions.
I strongly agree with you when you say this site “ignore any geopolitical context which might provide a reason for the Saudi arms build-up.” This site often does not provide enough context on stories imho
Peace
Thanks Bobby
“…….I strongly agree with you when you say this site “ignore any geopolitical context which might provide a reason for the Saudi arms build-up.” This site often does not provide enough context on stories imho…..”
It is rare when someone actually agrees with me at the Intercept, but I appreciate your post. Iran will certainly take advantage of a better economy to support their proxies.
wow. Imagine a country like iran not buying into the USD and becoming self-sufficient to the point where they can FLIP-OFF the IMF. Gee, that SELL-US-YOUR-FUTURE game sure is about to go down the toilet as nations start flushing the dollar. You know the chinese aren’t going to fall for that FIAT junk (as in junk bonds).
By golly, you can feel the strength of FREE AND CLEAR as Americans become wise to the debt fraud game. It’s a shame the bankers had to murder JFK for the executive order that would have muzzled the currency printers, that is, turned the tables on them.
In case anyone is wondering, preferring loans to favored sectors or industries or proxy serving political groups is on the way out and will cease to be a legitimate avenue of power and control over life support, thank God.
have a great day.
barabbas
“…….It’s a shame the bankers had to murder JFK for the executive order that would have muzzled the currency printers, that is, turned the tables on them…….”
No doubt the Zionists (Jews). No one embraces conspiracy theories quite like you barabbas.
Question: you report the monetary value of arms sales has gone up – but does that actually mean more weapons or more firepower? Inflation seems to move pretty damn fast in well-connected industries, and I daresay the arms merchants have more pull than health insurers. So I am modestly hopeful that the various governments are simply being ripped off for their money, but not actually getting more violent… is it so?
The President of the US is going to the King, it’s not the other away around. The leader of the free world and owner of the most nukes is spending 30 hours in the air to visit the King.
The Saudi royals have amassed trillions of dollars from selling oil at high prices to the West sense WWII. I guess I’ll never understand how the great powers gave them what they did after the war.
Never the less, they have trillions of dollars invested throughout the world and, what I strongly suspect they control key industries and financial institutions and can reek havoc on the world economy including the especially the US and the consequences of a brake in the bond would be a disaster for Western financial interests. Would it be suicide for the Saudis as they are part of the same financial system? I’m not sure.
There is no viable US empire without the Saudis.
I got confused at “free” world. What do you mean?
” Would it be suicide for the Saudis as they are part of the same financial system?”
NO. The reason is because they can simply dump treasuries at a discount and; get a significant amount of money for the notes and at the same time bankrupt the u.s. by preventing the (dumb stupid) u.s. from borrowing thru selling and having to compete for with the discounted price. The saudis would do very well and sell their oil to china or eu while the u.s. would be completely under water.
And yes, the u.s. is completely dependent on the saudis which is the reason for the arms sales – ie jets which require maintenance contracts or they stop flying. It’s a mutual dependency thing.
Mr. Jilani and Mr. Emmons
It seems astounding in an article about the arming of Saudi Arabia by the US, there is not one single mention of Iran – and the role Iran has played in destabilizing the Middle East. In April of 2016, at a meeting of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, ”Leaders from more than 50 Muslim nations accused Iran on Friday of supporting terrorism and interfering in the internal affairs of regional states including Syria and Yemen”. Of course, that would never be mentioned in the Intercept unless the 50 Muslim leaders condemned the US (or Israel).
So it is clear that Saudi Arabian foreign policy and their weapons build-up are driven by Iranian hegemony. Both countries are competing on a regional scale and fighting proxy wars in Iraq, Syria and Yemen. The Iranians have been arming the Houthis – a Shia militia in Yemen. When the illicit Iranian nuclear weapons program was discovered in 2002, this was not only a major concern for Israel, but for Saudi Arabia as well. The US sold a Patriot missile system to Saudi Arabia to help bulk up their defensive capabilities. Irresponsible Iranian behavior could have started a nuclear arms race in the most important economic center in the world. The nuclear deal (finally) was supported by Saudi Arabia, but their concerns remain. The principal concern is the lifting of sanctions will provide additional funding for Iran to support their proxy wars.
Iran also has supported international terrorism against Israel and Jews, in general. Iran created Hezbollah and funds and arms the terrorist organization which started the war against Israel in 2005. Hezbollah is fighting In Syria on behalf of Assad and the Iranian military. Iran arms and funds Hamas – a Sunni terrorist organization – which has also been responsible for initiating conflicts with Israel. The Iranians probably were behind the terrorist attack in Argentina which targeted a Jewish Community Center.
This is classic reporting at the Intercept: ignore any geopolitical context which might provide a reason for the Saudi arms build-up.
It’s those wascally Persians who haven’t invaded anyone in at least 300 years.
Darn them!
Oooooohhhhh, Amerika was attacked by a bunch of Persian hijackers on 9/11/01?
Nope, negative not even by a long shot, AIPAC dood!
The headchoppers of Saudi, so why don’t they release the redacted 28 pp. of the 9/11 Commission Non-Report?
Because the truth shall set us free!
Free from the various presidential byotches helping the spread of Islamic fundamentalism throughout the world, ’cause Henry Kissinger whined and told them if the Saudis plopped their secret US Treasuries holdings on the market, doom was sure to follow!
But truly doubtful in this era of Fantasy Finance, and just exactly how many hedge funds does the CIA, DIA and NSA control?
Grow up and grow a pair, dood!
I see no reason why the US can’t sell weapons to Iran as well. Removing them from the sanctions list was only a first step. Once they’ve sold enough oil to accumulate some dollars, they’ll be in the market too. President Obama never said he was opposed to war; in fact, he explicitly declared “what I am opposed to is a dumb war”.
A dumb war is a war you fight yourself. A smart war is a war in which you sell the weapons to both sides.
As always Benito, you make me laugh with your ironic wit.
Benito
These are great times to be manufacturing weapons in America…..
Role Iran played in destabilizing me, in 1953 US and GB overthrew PresMossadeh and installed their chosen obedient Shah.
Wow, I had no idea. Well Bravo to those Saudi’s for keeping the menace that is Iran neutralized. Seriously, are you paid to write that crap?
“……Seriously, are you paid to write that crap?…..”
I am only 24 years old and I have already made enough money writing about politics to retire. Life is really good.
I’ll bet you really are unemployed and wank all day in between your stupid posts. I’m sorry I mean your journalism!
Hey, he could be telling the truth!! The Saudi regime isn’t above hiring people to spam the internet with pro-Saudi comments!!
The defense Craig presents of the US relationship with the Saudis is laughable. Yeah, I agree, the Saudis need those weapons to preserve their State against Iranian mechanization, BUT, why the hell is the continued existence of the Saudi State a good thing or anything we’d ever want??
Those fuckers actively fund terrorism against us. Their state invented and exported Islamic extremism. They chop off heads and behave just like ISIS. Which brings up a good question: Why doesn’t the US just ally with ISIS if we can justify alliance with Arabia?? Syria is in bed with Iran, and ISIS is the largest force in opposition to Syria. If spoiling Iran’s mechanization is a goal SO noble we can look past working with the Saudis… well, why not work with ISIS as well?? The Saudis are just as bad as ISIS.
Aren’t you forgetting some relevant history regarding Iran, Israel, the United States and Iran’s nuclear program?
http://www.timesofisrael.com/a-generation-ago-israelis-found-paradise-in-iran/
“The film contains some chilling quotes of Israelis who say they were aware of the regime’s human rights abuses (including torture of dissidents) but couldn’t be bothered with that, as they were busy making money and partying in the shah’s splendid palaces. It details the massive arms deals (Yaacov Nimrodi sold the Iranians advanced missile systems and 50,000 Uzi submachine guns). And it depicts a controversial framework of military and intelligence cooperation that likely included helping set up what became Tehran’s rogue nuclear program.”
Henry Kissinger and Richard Nixon were also leading players in the initiation of the Iranian nuclear program, which the Shah very much wanted, as part of his plan to become the dominant regional power in the Middle East:
“President Richard Nixon had responded to these concerns in 1972 when he secretly agreed to sell the Shah nuclear power plants and fuels. When Iran’s oil income quadrupled a year later, the Shah was finally free to pursue his ambition of acquiring the atom. . . In 1974 the Shah announced his intention to buy eight nuclear power plants from the United States and five from France. . . asked whether Iran would one day possess a nuclear weapon, the Shah boasted, ‘Certainly, and sooner than is believed’.” – Andrew Scott Cooper, The Oil Kings
We also have George Schultz and the Bechtel Corporation in the mix:
“Kissinger initially designated George Schultz, Nixon’s former treasury secretary, as his back channel with the Shah. . . Schultz was now the president and director of Bechtel Corporation. . . the Bechtel connection meant that private commercial motives were now entangled in the administration’s handling of sensitive policy discussions with the Shah concerning oil prices and nuclear energy, and specifically nuclear enrichment.”
Notice how the situation in Iran in the late 1970s was remarkably similar to the situation in Saudi Arabia today? As Cooper writes,
“The Iranian revolution shared similarities with two other great revolutions: France in 1789 and Russia in 1917. All three upheavals were preceded by fiscal crises.”
and
“In the 1970s [Kissinger] concluded an array of highly secret deals with the Shah worth billions of dollars involving the transfer of men, money and machinery on a scale that even today is almost unimaginable. Where exactly did all that national treasure go? How was it expended?”
One could ask similar questions about the arms deals overseen by Secretary Clinton and President Obama with the Saudis today- and as oil demand destruction continues, as oil prices stay low, who is to say the House of Saud won’t go the way of the Shah?
“……One could ask similar questions about the arms deals overseen by Secretary Clinton and President Obama with the Saudis today- and as oil demand destruction continues, as oil prices stay low, who is to say the House of Saud won’t go the way of the Shah?…..”
As long as the resulting government is less oppressive, then I am OK with the downfall of the Saudi monarchy (as well as the Iranian government).
Iran and Israel were allies when the Shah was in power (although the Shah didn’t brag openly about the positive relationship). In addition, the US worked with Iran to develop their nuclear program:
“…..The program was launched in the 1950s with the help of the United States as part of the Atoms for Peace program.[5] The participation of the United States and Western European governments in Iran’s nuclear program continued until the 1979 Iranian Revolution that toppled the Shah of Iran……”
US cooperation with Iran was cut off after the 1979 Revolution. There certainly is some relevancy to today, but Iran was not a threat to Israel and Saudi Arabia under the Shah. In lieu of the 1979 revolution, obviously, the west miscalculated and the US quit helping the Iranian regime for good reason. Iran’s illicit program was discovered in 2002 and the rest is history.
Thanks.
Iran is a soverign nation and desirous of self sufficiency.
Venezuela is a soverign nation and desirous of self sufficiency.
North Korea is a soverign nation and desirous of self sufficiency.
Self Sufficiency is a fallback position that every nation – even the u.s. – must have as a viable economic plan. That plan must include the eradication of the u.s. dollar and the disruptive dependencies it has created. A new currency and apportionment shall be drawn up and readied for implementation.
Just a guess, but the execs of wallstreet will have to go to the unemployment line as their USD will be totally useless.
President Barack Obama is opposing the Congressional bill that would allow 9/11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia, on the basis that it would lead to similar lawsuits in other countries.
This is an interesting notion; and there is a long list of plaintiffs with who’ve suffered physical injury or economic loss due to the actions of the administrations of Presidents Bush and Obama. Under our legal system, these parties would clearly have ‘standing’ to sue.
Would Iraq civilians whose family members were killed during the Iraq invasion and occupation then be able to launch a class-action lawsuit against the authors of the Oct 2002 National Intelligence Estimate? Which, let’s remember, claimed that:
“Since inspections ended in 1998, Iraq has maintained its chemical weapons effort, energized its missile program, and invested more heavily in biological weapons; in the view of most agencies, Baghdad is reconstituting its nuclear weapons program.”
Perhaps Obama is worried about civilians who’ve lost family members to the ‘collateral damage’ of his drone strikes joining together to launch a class-action lawsuit targeting his administration? Guantanamo detainees who were never charged with any crime doing the same thing?
The Saudis shouldn’t complain – they’ve extensively relied on British and Belgium courts with permissive rules on libel suits to go after people who criticize their record of support for terrorist groups – for example, targeting the authors of “Forbidden Truth” which exposed the Bin Mahfouz terrorist financing network, tracing it back to the CIA-linked Bank of Credit and Commerce International which played central roles as a conduit of funds in the 1980s to the Afghan mujahadeen, to Saddam Hussein for his war against Iran, etc. Will they try to sue 9/11 families for libel? That would go down well.
While BCCI collapsed in 1991, its top investors (including bin Mahfouz, the leading financier for the House of Saud) set up similar outfits that financed bin Laden operations right up through 9/11:
http://www.ipsnews.net/2007/04/finance-questions-linger-about-bushes-and-bcci/
“But in the years after the collapse of BCCI, Khalid bin Mahfouz was still flush with cash. In 1992, he established the Muwafaq (‘blessed relief’) Foundation in the offshore Channel Islands. The U.S. Treasury Department called it ‘an al Qaeda front that receives funding from wealthy Saudi businessmen.'”
Or perhaps Obama is most concerned about the exposure of the CIA-Turkey-Saudi-Qatar effort to arm Islamic radicals in Syria, which began c. 2011, and resulted in large amounts of cash and weapons flowing to ISIS/Daesh/Al Qaeda ever since? Would Syrian civilians and refugees have standing to sue Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey and the United States for encouraging a devastating civil war as part of Obama’s disastrous covert ‘regime change’ agenda in Syria? Would European countries also have standing to sue to recover the costs of feeding and housing the refugees? How about people who lost family members to ISIS terrorism in Europe?
President Barak Obama, the candidate of “Hope and Change” . . . who became the president of whistleblower persecution, covert regime change disasters, domestic mass surveillance, bloated arms sales and toadying to Wall Street. What a legacy – although not quite as impressive as Bush’s disasters.
And regarding that those BCCI >>> Bush family connections, let us not forget that the reason Bush was untouchable (that’s Geo. H.W. Bush) when he was in the White House:
His cousin, John Walker, was the dood who occupied the position of law enforcement officer in the US Department of the Treasury, he appointed that dood, Robert Swan Mueller III (of the Truesdale family, that Rockefeller-connected family whose fortune derived from first blowing up competing refineries for the Rockefellers, then defending in court their relatives who did the deed, and wasn’t the guy in charge of the Federal Bank of San Francisco, when a bunch of bonds went missing during the JFK Administration, also named Swan and related to Mueller, who just happened to be the grandnephew of Richard Bissell, one of the three top CIA doods fired by President Kennedy?)
And who was the point dood in congress behind the investigation of the BCCI?
John Kerry, or that would technically be, John Forbes Dudley Winthrop Kerry, a cousin once or twice removed from Michael Paine, of the Michael and Ruth Paine couple who rented out the living space to Lee Oswald’s wife and daughter, who was a Skull & Bones brother of George H. W. Bush, then president and connected to the BCCI. (FYI: John Kerry’s great-grandfather was Francis Blackwell Forbes, once the predominant dope dealer on the planet (ya know, the Opium Wars and China).
And who did our present FBI director, James Comey, once intern for out of law school?
Judge John Walker, the same aforementioned cousin of the Bushes or the Walker-Bush family member.
It’s a small world after all, I guess . . . .
AND, here come the Dembots with their, “OH! BUT…” arguments in 5…4…3…
It is notable that senator Chris Murphy wants us to
believe that the Saudi’s attacks on Yemen
“is distracting them from the war AGAINST violent extremists”
(emphasis added).
This ridiculous statement is the worst kind of misrepresentation.
Other than the faking U$A and its NATO, is there any so-called
nation other than Saudi Arabia which has done more to
promote violent extremists?
Also, Murphy’s desire for Obama to have a “frank discussion”
with the Saudis is most likely a manifestation of his duty
as a hypocrite democrat party member
to portray Obama as something other than the warmongering
corporate tool which he and the majority of democrats and
republicans are. Whether pathetically dense or predatorily
obfuscating, Murphy is clearly willing to make ridiculous
statements to appease the oil-rich Saudis.
The addiction continues to grow.
Just because someone’s record is broken, doesn’t negate the original accomplishment. Mr. Bush set a target for Mr. Obama to aim for – so he, in a way, contributed towards setting the new record.
The value of international trade is to make everyone better off by exploiting the efficiencies of comparative advantage. The Saudis are unrivalled producers of low cost energy. They sell oil and accumulate American dollars. Looking at what the United States has to offer, they conclude that weapons are its most valuable product – in a relative sense. They spend their dollars to accumulate a massive arsenal of Americans arms – fuelling a defense industry which employs hundreds of thousands of people.
So everyone wins, except maybe the Yemenis.
Surprising, Benito, that another rationale had not occurred to you. As the Nobel peace laureate of 2009, Obama must be concerned that the vast expansion of US special forces operations, drone warfare, repetitive war crimes like bombing MSF hospitals and the like will somehow tarnish his otherwise well deserved reputation as a man of peace. By allowing US arms manufacturers to sell massive quantities of weapons to practically anyone with the cold cash to pay, and continuing to escalate US military assistance to peace loving countries like Israel, he takes the spotlight off himself. Our media is cooperating well in some areas, like Libya, but needs to give more negative press to the Saudis.
Inflation? ;-). Bombing Yemen = bombing a kindergarten, watch for Yemen Special Forces to storm the Royal Palace in Riyadh!
“And don’t expect the president to speak up while he’s there.”
Or what? Off with his head?
Too much money being made for the weapons manufacturers to countenance any such nod to humanity.
The only way in which Obama will interact with “humanity” is if it appears in a target acquisition camera on one of his pet drones.