Saudi tribute to the 44th Baghdad International Fair

[10 YEARS LATER]

Good to know every little thing is running as smoothly as my New Croatian Watch ⌚️. . . It's called a " CROTCH " 

 

When is the M.E. NOT on a knife edge, huh ???????   

[tigergorzow]

Arab League condemns Iran's aggression against Saudi Arabia

November 08 2017 04:27 PM

Arab League condemns Iran's aggression against Saudi Arabia

Secretary-General of Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit condemned on Wednesday what he called an "unprecedented escalation" against Saudi Arabia by the Iranian Mullah's regime.

In a statement, he Aboul Gheit said that interfering in any country's internal affairs is refused by all Arab nations, as it reflects spreading chaos and tensions for expansionist agendas.

He added that Arabs' duty is to express solidarity with Saudi Arabia, as it faces great threats to its security, noting that expanding the conflict in Yemen is very shameful.

Aboul Gheit asserted that there are certain factions stand behind the recent attacks against Saudi Arabia, that not only seek to inflame the situation in Yemen, but to spread it to the whole region.

The General Secretary stressed that regional stability will not be achievable, unless these factions revise their stances against Arabs abd curtail their aggressive policies in the region.

 

http://www.thebaghdadpost.com/en/story/19355/Arab-League-condemns-Iran-s-aggression-against-Saudi-Arabia

[tigergorzow]

Exclusive: Saudi F-15 fleet mobilized in Cyprus to attack Hezbollah

November 08 2017 08:02 PM

Exclusive: Saudi F-15 fleet mobilized in Cyprus to attack Hezbollah

Saudi Arabia has mobilized its F-15 jets fleet in Cyprus to launch a military operation against the terrorist militia of Hezbollah in Lebanon, a well-informed source told The Baghdad Post on Wednesday.

 

On Tuesday, Saudi Arabia accused Lebanon of declaring war against it because of aggression by the Iran-backed Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah.

 

This comes as the Lebanese politician Saad al-Hariri quit as prime minister on Saturday, blaming Iran and Hezbollah in his resignation speech.

 

Saudi Gulf affairs minister Thamer al-Sabhan said the Lebanese government would “be dealt with as a government declaring war on Saudi Arabia” because of what he described as aggression by Hezbollah.

 

http://www.thebaghdadpost.com/en/story/19365/Exclusive-Saudi-F-15-fleet-mobilized-in-Cyprus-to-attack-Hezbollah

[tigergorzow]

Jubeir calls for sanctions on Iran for its 'support of terrorism’

November 09 2017 06:11 PM

Jubeir calls for sanctions on Iran for its 'support of terrorism’

 

Saudi Arabia's Saudi Foreign Affairs Minister Adel Al-Jubeir urged the international community to slap fresh sanctions against Iran on Thursday, accusing Iran of supporting terrorism, according to CNBC.

"We would like to see sanctions on Iran for its support of terrorism and sanctions on Iran for violating the ballistic missile resolutions of the United Nations," Jubeir said.

When asked whether Saudi Arabia was headed for a direct conflict with Iran, Jubeir replied, "We hope not."

The Kingdom's foreign minister went on to say the most effective way of dealing with Iran would be for the international community to hold Tehran accountable for "fixing" the nuclear agreement, supporting terrorism and for its ballistic missile program.

Ballistic missile attack

Saudi Arabia blames Iran for standing behind a ballistic missile attack on Saturday. The missile, which was fired by Houthi rebels in Yemen, was intercepted in flight near Riyadh's airport.

On Monday, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said Iran's alleged actions may be considered "an act of war," state media reported.

Al-Jubeir said that the nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers was "weak," especially given Tehran would be capable of assembling a bomb "within weeks."

He added he would like to see international agencies carry out a "much more robust" job when conducting inspections in Iran.

The 2015 nuclear deal was a signature foreign policy achievement of Barack Obama's presidency. The agreement lifted tough economic sanctions on Iran in return for limitations to the country's nuclear energy program. 

Last month, US President Donald Trump announced he would not rectify the deal and instead asked US lawmakers to toughen the agreement.

Hezbollah 'hijacked' Lebanese system

This also comes as Lebanon's Prime Minister Saad Hariri, a long-term Sunni ally of Saudi Arabia, stunned the world by resigning at the weekend, citing assassination threats and blaming Iran for interference in Lebanon.

Al-Jubeir described the situation in Lebanon as "unfortunate." He went on to accuse Hezbollah of "hijacking the system" and putting "roadblocks" in front of Hariri at every opportunity.

Speaking from Riyadh, Hariri criticized Iran last weekend, and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah, for igniting conflict in the region.

Saudi Gulf Affairs Minister Thamer al-Sabhan said Monday the Lebanese government would "be dealt with as a government declaring war on Saudi Arabia" and made a threat of further action.

 

http://www.thebaghdadpost.com/en/story/19413/Jubeir-calls-for-sanctions-on-Iran-for-its-support-of-terrorism

[tigergorzow]

Saudi Arabia orders its citizens to immediately leave Lebanon

November 09 2017 05:45 PM

Saudi Arabia orders its citizens to immediately leave Lebanon

Saudi Arabia urged its citizens who are currently in Lebanon to leave the country immediately, Saudi Press Agency reported on Thursday.

 

In a statement, it said that due to the situations in Lebanon, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the Saudi nationals visiting or residing in Lebanon are asked to leave the country as soon as possible.

 

Saudi Arabian authorities also advised all citizens not to travel to Lebanon from any other international destinations.

 

Saudi Arabia has mobilized its F-15 jets fleet in Cyprus to launch a military operation against the terrorist militia of Hezbollah in Lebanon, a well-informed source told The Baghdad Post on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, Saudi Arabia accused Lebanon of declaring war against it because of aggression by the Iran-backed Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah.

This comes as the Lebanese politician Saad al-Hariri quit as prime minister on Saturday, blaming Iran and Hezbollah in his resignation speech.

Saudi Gulf affairs minister Thamer al-Sabhan said the Lebanese government would “be dealt with as a government declaring war on Saudi Arabia” because of what he described as aggression by Hezbollah.

 

http://www.thebaghdadpost.com/en/story/19412/Saudi-Arabia-orders-its-citizens-to-immediately-leave-Lebanon

[tigergorzow]

In letter to UN, Saudi Arabia urges action against Iran terror

November 09 2017 01:46 PM

Saudi Arabia calls on UN Security Council for action against Iran

 

Saudi Arabia called on the UN Security Council to take appropriate measures against Iran’s active support of terrorism saying that it is seeking to compromise the security of the Kingdom and the region, Al-Arabiya news reported on Thursday.

In a letter presented by the Saudi mission to the UN on Wednesday, ahead of the closed session on the Humanitarian situation in Yemen, the Kingdom detailed the terrorist actions of the Iranian allied Houthi militias.

The Houthi militias resorted only to aggression and violence since the beginning of the Yemeni crisis, the letter said.

The militias refusal to the return of legitimacy, it said, or abide by the Security Council resolutions, has led to humanitarian disasters adding to that their dismissal of all political solutions to the conflict.

Saudi Arabia stressed on the fact that Iran's continuous supply of weapons to the militias in Yemen through smuggling routes, and the presence of Hezbollah terrorists on the ground to assemble and operate these weapons, is clear evidence of Iran's aggression.

This support for terror directly endangers the Kingdom's national security as well as regional and global security, the letter stated.

The Kingdom revealed to the Security Council evidence of the involvement of the Iranian regime in missile development and launches towards the Kingdom on November 4 and July 22 of this year.

The letter noted that numerous smuggling operations of Iranian weapons to Yemen have been thwarted adding that this is a flagrant violation of Security Council resolution 2216 from 2015 and resolution 2231 from 2016.

The Kingdom affirmed that it will take appropriate action to respond to acts of violence and terrorism by the Houthi militias in order to safeguard the Kingdom's security in accordance with the UN Charter and international laws.

 

http://www.thebaghdadpost.com/en/story/19394/In-letter-to-UN-Saudi-Arabia-urges-action-against-Iran-terror

[pokerplayer]

14 minutes ago, tigergorzow said:

Saudi Arabia orders its citizens to immediately leave Lebanon

 

November 09 2017 05:45 PM

Saudi Arabia orders its citizens to immediately leave Lebanon

Saudi Arabia urged its citizens who are currently in Lebanon to leave the country immediately, Saudi Press Agency reported on Thursday.

 

In a statement, it said that due to the situations in Lebanon, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the Saudi nationals visiting or residing in Lebanon are asked to leave the country as soon as possible.

 

Saudi Arabian authorities also advised all citizens not to travel to Lebanon from any other international destinations.

 

Saudi Arabia has mobilized its F-15 jets fleet in Cyprus to launch a military operation against the terrorist militia of Hezbollah in Lebanon, a well-informed source told The Baghdad Post on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, Saudi Arabia accused Lebanon of declaring war against it because of aggression by the Iran-backed Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah.

This comes as the Lebanese politician Saad al-Hariri quit as prime minister on Saturday, blaming Iran and Hezbollah in his resignation speech.

Saudi Gulf affairs minister Thamer al-Sabhan said the Lebanese government would “be dealt with as a government declaring war on Saudi Arabia” because of what he described as aggression by Hezbollah.

 

http://www.thebaghdadpost.com/en/story/19412/Saudi-Arabia-orders-its-citizens-to-immediately-leave-Lebanon

 

 

As the saying goe's............ all Shite is about to hit the fan !!! 

 

pp

[tigergorzow]

12 minutes ago, pokerplayer said:

As the saying goe's............ all Shite is about to hit the fan !!! 

 

pp

PP,  It sure is my dear friend.....Iran has stepped in some deep kimchi and dog poo poo...    The New Target will be IRAN, IRGC, etc from Saudi, Israel and the good ole USA compliments of our President DJT & SEC DEF Mattis.

[Butifldrm]

Saudi Arabia Orders Its Citizens To Leave Lebanon Immediately

 

 

by Tyler Durden

Nov 9, 2017 9:33 AM

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In a odd coincidence, just moments after we published an article laying out Hezbollah's military power at a time when both Saudi Arabia and Lebanon appear to be targeting Lebanon, and just two days after we discussed a leaked Israeli cable that confirmed Saudi Arabia and Israel are deliberately coordinating to destabilize the region and push Lebanon to a state of war, Saudi Arabia has ordered its citizens residing in Lebanon to leave immediately in a travel warning issued on Thursday, November 9. As Al Arabiya adds, the travel warning also called for Saudi nationals not to travel to Lebanon from any point of origin.

Full advisory below: 

 

 

Official Source at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Saudi nationals visiting or residing in Lebanon are asked to leave the country as soon as possible.

 

Riyadh, Safar 20, 1439, November 09, 2017, SPA -- Due to the situations in the Republic of Lebanon, the official source at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the Saudi nationals visiting or residing in Lebanon are asked to leave the country as soon as possible.

 

The Kingdom advised all citizens not to travel to Lebanon from any other international destinations.

This follows a similar warning issued by the Kingdom of Bahrain on November 5 urghing its nationals residing in Lebanon to leave immediately and to "exercise caution.” The Bahraini call came a day after Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri announced his resignation, while on location in Saudi Arabia, citing concerns he could be assassinated like his father, criticized the Lebanon-based Hezbollah paramilitary and political movement and accused Iran of alleged attempts to bring destruction to the region. The Bahraini foreign ministry said in a statement received by AFP that its call was "in the interest of its citizens’ safety and to avoid any risks they may be exposed due to the conditions and developments” that Lebanon is going through.

Earlier, Reuters reported that Lebanon believes former premier Saad al-Hariri, who as noted above resigned on Saturday while in Saudi Arabia, is being held by Riyadh, and Beirut plans to work with foreign states to secure his return, a top Lebanese government official said on Thursday. A second Reuters source, a senior politician close to Saudi-allied Hariri, said Saudi Arabia had ordered him to resign and put him under house arrest. A third source familiar with the situation said Saudi Arabia was controlling and limiting his movement.

Saudi Arabia and members of Hariri’s Future Movement have denied reports that he is under house arrest. But he has put out no statements himself denying his movements are being restricted. He made a one-day flying visit to the United Arab Emirates earlier this week before returning to Saudi Arabia.

Earlier on Thursday, Saudi Arabia's foreign minister also urged the international community to slap fresh sanctions against Iran, accusing its regional rival of supporting terrorism.

"We would like to see sanctions on Iran for its support of terrorism and sanctions on Iran for violating the ballistic missile resolutions of the United Nations," Adel Al-Jubeir, Saudi minister of foreign affairs, told CNBC Thursday.

Al-Jubeir also said that the landmark nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers was "weak," especially given Tehran would be capable of assembling a bomb "within weeks." He added he would like to see international agencies carry out a "much more robust" job when conducting inspections in Iran.

Al-Jubeir also described the situation in Lebanon as "unfortunate" and went on to accuse Hezbollah of "hijacking the system" and putting "roadblocks" in front of Hariri at every opportunity. When asked whether Saudi Arabia was headed for a direct conflict with Iran, Al-Jubeir replied, "We hope not", and yet just hours later Riyadh made it clear that any Saudi citizens in Lebanon are now in danger.

Needless to say, traditionally such accelerate evacuation orders have preceded military intervention. Should that be the case again, keep a close eye on oil.

 

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-11-09/saudi-arabia-orders-its-citizens-leave-lebanon-immediately

[Butifldrm]

Kuwait Orders Citizens To Leave Lebanon Immediately "As Precaution Against Any Negative Impact That Might Take Place"

 

 

by Tyler Durden

Nov 9, 2017 12:58 PM

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The drums of war are beating at a deafening pace: with Saudi Arabia ordering its citizens to immediately leave Lebanon on Thursday, just a few hours later Kuwait joined in.

According to the Kuwait News Agency, citing a foreign ministry statement, Kuwait citizens currently in Lebanon are urged to leave the country immediately.

The statement said the order is due to the "circumstances experienced by Lebanon at the moment, as well as a precautionary measure against any negative impact that might take place."

The ministry also urged citizens not to travel to Lebanon, "wishing at the same time security and stability for the Arab country."

At this point it is safe to assume that war between Lebanon and Saudi Arabia/Israel is just a matter of time.

For those wondering what this next regional war could look like, please read our earlier article "As Israel And Saudi Arabia Target Lebanon, What Are Hezbollah's Military Capabilities"

 

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-11-09/kuwait-orders-citizens-leave-lebanon-immediately-precaution-against-any-negative-imp

[Butifldrm]

Riyadh releases 7 out of 208 princes arrested on corruption charges

November 09 2017 06:50 PM

Saudi Arabia releases 7 out of 208 princes arrested on corruption charges

 

 

Saudi attorney general, Sheikh Saud al-Mojeb, the member of the supreme anti-corruption committee, said that seven princes out of 208 have been released without charge, SPA reported on Thursday.

In a statement, Sheikh al-Mojeb added that a total of 208 individuals have been called in for questioning so far.

 

The potential scale of corrupt practices which have been uncovered is very large, the statement further added.

"Based on our investigations over the past three years, we estimate that at least $100 billion USD has been misused through systematic corruption and embezzlement over several decades.

 

The evidence for this wrongdoing is very strong, and confirms the original suspicions which led the Saudi Arabian authorities to begin the investigation into these suspects in the first place.

Given the scale of the allegations, the Saudi Arabian authorities, under the direction of the Royal Order issued on November 4th, has a clear legal mandate to move to the next phase of our investigations, and to take action to suspend personal bank accounts", the statement stressed.

"On Tuesday, the Governor of the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority (SAMA), agreed to my request to suspend the personal bank accounts of persons of interests in the investigation", Mojeb said.

"There has been a great deal of speculation around the world regarding the identities of the individuals concerned and the details of the charges against them. In order to ensure that the individuals continue to enjoy the full legal rights afforded to them under Saudi law, we will not be revealing any more personal details at this time. We ask that their privacy is respected while they continue to be subject to our judicial process", Mojeb added

It is important to repeat, as all Saudi authorities have done over the past few days, that normal commercial activity in the Kingdom is not affected by these investigations. Only personal bank accounts have been suspended. Companies and banks are free to continue with transactions as usual, Mojeb asserted.

The Government of Saudi Arabia, under the leadership King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, is working within a clear legal and institutional framework to maintain transparency and integrity in the market, he further added.

 

http://www.thebaghdadpost.com/en/story/19416/Riyadh-releases-7-out-of-208-princes-arrested-on-corruption-charges

[10 YEARS LATER]

Kingdom Of Fear: Saudi Arabia On Lockdown

https://oilprice.com/Geopolitics/International/Kingdom-Of-Fear-Saudi-Arabia-On-Lockdown.html  FROM OIL PRICE dot COM

[Butifldrm]

If The Saudi Arabia Situation Doesn't Worry You, You're Not Paying Attention

 

 

by Tyler Durden

Nov 11, 2017 11:50 AM

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Authored by Chris Martenson via PeakProsperity.com,

While turbulent during the best of times, gigantic waves of change are now sweeping across the Middle East. The magnitude is such that the impact on the global price of oil, as well as world markets, is likely to be enormous.

A dramatic geo-political realignment by Saudi Arabia is in full swing this month. It’s upending many decades of established strategic relationships among the world's superpowers and, in particular, is throwing the Middle East into turmoil.

So much is currently in flux, especially in Saudi Arabia, that nearly anything can happen next. Which is precisely why this volatile situation should command our focused attention at this time.

The main elements currently in play are these:

• A sudden and intense purging of powerful Saudi insiders (arrests, deaths, & asset seizures)
• Huge changes in domestic policy and strategy 
• A shift away from the US in all respects (politically, financially and militarily)
• Deepening ties to China
• A surprising turn towards Russia (economically and militarily)
• Increasing cooperation and alignment with Israel (the enemy of my enemy is my friend?)

Taken together, this is tectonic change happening at blazing speed.

That it's receiving too little attention in the US press given the implications, is a tip off as to just how big a deal this is -- as we're all familiar by now with how the greater the actual relevance and importance of a development, the less press coverage it receives. This is not a direct conspiracy; it's just what happens when your press becomes an organ of the state and other powerful interests. Like a dog trained with daily rewards and punishments, after a while the press needs no further instruction on the house rules.

It does emphasize, however, that to be accurately informed about what's going on, we have to do our own homework. Here's a short primer to help get you started.

A Quick Primer

Unless you study it intensively, Saudi politics are difficult to follow because they are rooted in the drama of a very large and dysfunctional family battling over its immense wealth.  If you think your own family is nuts, multiply the crazy factor by 1,000, sprinkle in a willingness to kill any family members who get in your way, and you'll have the right perspective for grasping how Saudi 'politics' operate.

The House of Saud is the ruling royal family of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (hereafter referred to as "KSA") and consists of some 15,000 members. The majority of the power and wealth is concentrated in the hands of roughly 2,000 individuals.  4,000 male princes are in the mix, plus a larger number of involved females -- all trying to either hang on to or climb up a constantly-shifting mountain of power.

Here's a handy chart to explain the lineage of power in KSA over the decades:

(Source)

We’ll get to the current ruler, King Salman, and his powerful son, Mohammed Bin Salman (age 32), shortly.  Before we do, though, let’s talk about the most seminal moment in recent Saudi history: the key oil-for-money-and-protection deal struck between the Nixon administration and King Faisal back in the early 1970’s.

This pivotal agreement allowed KSA to secretly recycle its surplus petrodollars back into US Treasuries while receiving US military protection in exchange.  The secret was kept for 41 years, only recently revealed in 2016 due to a Bloomberg FOIA request:

 

 

The basic framework was strikingly simple. The U.S. would buy oil from Saudi Arabia and provide the kingdom military aid and equipment. In return, the Saudis would plow billions of their petrodollar revenue back into Treasuries and finance America’s spending.

 

It took several discreet follow-up meetings to iron out all the details, Parsky said. But at the end of months of negotiations, there remained one small, yet crucial, catch: King Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud demanded the country’s Treasury purchases stay “strictly secret,” according to a diplomatic cable obtained by Bloomberg from the National Archives database.

 

“Buying bonds and all that was a strategy to recycle petrodollars back into the U.S.,” said David Ottaway, a Middle East fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center in Washington. But politically, “it’s always been an ambiguous, constrained relationship.”

(Source)

The essence of this deal is pretty simple. KSA wanted to be able to sell its oil to its then largest buyer, the USA, while also having a safe place to park the funds, plus receive military protection to boot. But it didn’t want anybody else, especially its Arab neighbors, to know that it was partnering so intimately with the US who, in turn, would be supporting Israel.  That would have been politically incendiary in the Middle East region, coming as it did right on the heels of the Yom Kipper War (1973).

As for the US, it got the oil it wanted and – double bonus time here – got KSA to recycle the very same dollars used to buy that oil back into Treasuries and contracts for US military equipment and training.

Sweet deal.

Note that this is yet another secret world-shaping deal successfully kept out of the media for over four decades. Yes Virginia, conspiracies do happen. Secrets can be (and are routinely) kept by hundreds, even thousands, of people over long stretches of time.  

Since that key deal was struck back in the early 1970s, the KSA has remained a steadfast supporter of the US and vice versa. In return, the US has never said anything substantive about KSA’s alleged involvement in 9/11 or its grotesque human and women’s rights violations. Not a peep.  

Until recently.

Then Things Started To Break Down

In 2015, King Salman came to power. Things began to change pretty quickly, especially once he elevated his son Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) to a position of greater power. 

Among MBS's first acts was to directly involve KSA into the Yemen civil war, with both troops on the ground and aerial bombings.  That war has killed thousands of civilians while creating a humanitarian crisis that includes the largest modern-day outbreak of cholera, which is decimating highly populated areas.  The conflct, which is considered a 'proxy war' because Iran is backing the Houthi rebels while KSA is backing the Yemeni government, continues to this day.

Then in 2016, KSA threatened to dump its $750 billion in (stated) US assets in response to a bill in Congress that would have released sensitive information implicating Saudi Arabia's involvement in 9/11.  Then-president Obama had to fly over there to smooth things out.  It seems the job he did was insufficient; because KSA-US relations unraveled at an accelerating pace afterwards.  Mission NOT accomplished, it would seem.

In 2017, KSA accused Qatar of nefarious acts and made such extraordinary demands that an outbreak of war nearly broke out over the dispute. The Qatari leadership later accused KSA of fomenting ‘regime change’, souring the situation further.  Again, Iran backed the Qatar government, which turned this conflict into another proxy battle between the two main regional Arab superpowers.

In parallel with all this, KSA was also supporting the mercenaries (aka "rebels" in western press) who were seeking to overthrow Assad in Syria -- yet another proxy war between KSA and Iran.  It's been an open secret that, during this conflict, KSA has been providing support to some seriously bad terrorist organizations like Al-Qaeda, ISIS and other supposed enemies of the US/NATO.  (Again, the US has never said 'boo' about that, proving that US rhetoric against "terrorists" is a fickle construct of political convenience, not a moral matter.)

Once Russia entered the war on the side of Syria's legitimate government, the US and KSA (and Israel) lost their momentum. Their dreams of toppling Assad and turning Syria into another failed petro-state like they did with Iraq and Libya are not likely to pan out as hoped.

But rather than retreat to lick their wounds, KSA's King Salman and his son are proving to be a lot nimbler than their predecessors. 

Rather than continue a losing battle in Syria, they've instead turned their energies and attention to dramatically reshaping KSA's internal power structures:

 

 

Saudi Arabia’s Saturday Night Massacre

 

For nearly a century, Saudi Arabia has been ruled by the elders of a royal family that now finds itself effectively controlled by a 32-year-old crown prince, Mohammad bin Salman. He helms the Defense Ministry, he has extravagant plans for economic development, and last week arranged for the arrest of some of the most powerful ministers and princes in the country.

 

A day before the arrests were announced, Houthi tribesmen in Yemen but allied with Iran, Saudi Arabia’s regional rival, fired a ballistic missile at Riyadh.

 

The Saudis claim the missile came from Iran and that its firing might be considered “an act of war.”

 

Saudi Arabia was created between the two world wars under British guidance. In the 1920s, a tribe known as the Sauds defeated the Hashemites, effectively annexing the exterior parts of Saudi Arabia they did not yet control. The United Kingdom recognized the Sauds’ claim shortly thereafter. But since then, the Saudi tribe has been torn by ambition, resentment and intrigue. The Saudi royal family has more in common with the Corleones than with a Norman Rockwell painting.

 

The direct attack was undoubtedly met with threats of a coup. Whether one was actually planned didn’t matter. Mohammed Bin Salman had to assume these threats were credible since so many interests were under attack. So he struck first, arresting princes and ex-minsters who constituted the Saudi elite. It was a dangerous gamble. A powerful opposition still exists, but he had no choice but to act. He could either strike as he did last Saturday night, or allow his enemies to choose the time and place of that attack. Nothing is secure yet, but with this strike, there is a chance he might have bought time. Any Saudi who would take on princes and clerics is obviously desperate, but he may well break the hold of the financial and religious elite.

(Source)

This 32 year-old prince, Mohammed bin Salman has struck first and deep, completely upending the internal power dynamics of Saudi Arabia. 

He's taken on the political, financial and religious elites head on. For example, pushing through the decision to allow women to drive; a provocative move designed to send a clear message to the clerics who might oppose him. That message is: "I'm not fooling around here."

This is a classic example of how one goes about purging the opposition when either taking over a government after a coup, or implementing a big new strategy at a major corporation.  You have to remove any possible opponents and then install your own loyalists. According the Rules for Rulers, you do this by diverting a portion of the flow of funds to your new backers while diminishing, imprisoning or killing all potential enemies.

So far, Mohammed bin Salman's action plan is par for the course. No surprises.

The above article from Stratfor (well worth reading in its entirety) continues with these interesting insights:

 

 

The Iranians have been doing well since the nuclear deal was signed in 2015. They have become the dominant political force in Iraq. Their support for the Bashar Assad regime in Syria may not have been enough to save him, but Iran was on what appears to be the winning side in the Syrian civil war. Hezbollah has been hurt by its participation in the war but is reviving, carrying Iranian influence in Lebanon at a time when Lebanon is in crisis after the resignation of its prime minister last week.

 

The Saudis, on the other hand, aren’t doing as well. The Saudi-built anti-Houthi coalition in Yemen has failed to break the Houthi-led opposition. And Iran has openly entered into an alliance with Qatar against the wishes of the Saudis and their ally, the United Arab Emirates.

 

Iran seems to sense the possibility of achieving a dream: destabilizing Saudi Arabia, ending its ability to support anti-Iranian forces, and breaking the power of the Sunni Wahhabis. Iran must look at the arrests in Saudi Arabia as a very bad move. And they may be. Mohammad bin Salman has backed the fundamentalists and the financial elite against the wall.

 

They are desperate, and now it is their turn to roll the dice. If they fall short, it could result in a civil war in Saudi Arabia.If Iran can hit Riyadh with missiles, the crown prince’s opponents could argue that the young prince is so busy with his plans that he isn’t paying attention to the real threat. For the Iranians, the best outcome is to have no one come out on top.

 

This would reconfigure the geopolitics of the Middle East, and since the U.S. is deeply involved there, it has decisions to make.

So given Yemen, Syria, and its recent domestic purges, Saudi Arabia is in turmoil. It's in a far weaker position than it was a short while ago.

This leaves the US in a far weaker regional position, too, at precisely the time when China and Russia are increasing their own presence (which we’ll get to next).

But first we have to discuss what might happen if a civil war were to engulf Saudi Arabia.  The price of oil would undoubtedly spike. In turn, that would cripple the weaker countries, companies and households around the world that simply cannot afford a higher oil price. And there's a lot of them.

Financial markets would destabilize as long-suppressed volatility would explode higher, creating horrific losses across the board.  That very few investors are mentally or financially prepared for such carnage is a massive understatement.

So..if you were Saudi Arabia, in need of helpful allies after being bogged down in an unwinnable war in Yemen, just defeated in a proxy war in Syria, and your longtime 'ally', the US, is busy pumping as much of its own oil as it can, what would you do?

Pivot To China

Given its situation, is it really any surprise that King Salman and his son have decided to pivot to China?  In need of a new partner that would align better with their current and future interests, China is the obvious first choice.

So in March 2017, only a very short while after Obama's failed visit, a large and well-prepared KSA entourage accompanied King Salman to Beijing and inked tens of billions in new business deals:

 

 

China, Saudi Arabia eye $65 billion in deals as king visits

Mar 16, 2017

 

BEIJING (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia’s King Salman oversaw the signing of deals worth as much as $65 billion on the first day of a visit to Beijing on Thursday, as the world’s largest oil exporter looks to cement ties with the world’s second-largest economy.

 

The deals included a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between giant state oil firm Saudi Aramco and China North Industries Group Corp (Norinco), to look into building refining and chemical plants in China.

 

Saudi Basic Industries Corp (SABIC) and Sinopec, which already jointly run a chemical complex in Tinajin, also agreed to develop petrochemical projects in both China and Saudi Arabia.

 

Salman told Xi he hoped China could play an even greater role in Middle East affairs, the ministry added.

 

Deputy Chinese Foreign Minister Zhang Ming said the memorandums of understanding and letters of intent were potentially worth about $65 billion, involving everything from energy to space.

(Source)

This was a very big deal in terms of Middle East geopolitics.  It shook up many decades of established power, resulting in a shift away from dependence on America. 

The Saudis arrived in China with such a huge crowd in tow that a reported 150 cooks had been brought along to just to feed everyone in the Saudi visitation party.   

The resulting deals struck involved everything from energy to infrastructure to information technology to space.  And this was just on the first visit.  Quite often a brand new trade delegation event involves posturing and bluffing and feeling each other out; not deals being struck.   So it’s clear that before the visit, well before, lots and lots of deals were being negotiated and terms agreed to so that the thick MOU files were ready to sign during the actual visit.

The scope and size of these business deals are eye catching, but the real clincher is King Salman's public statement expressing hope China will play "an even greater role in Middle East affairs."

That, right there, is the sound of the geopolitical axis-tilting. That public statement tells us everything we need to know about the sort of change the Salman dynasty intends to pursue. 

So it should have surprised no one to hear that, in August this year, another $70 billion of new deals were announced between China and KSA. The fanfare extolled that Saudi-Sino relations had entered a new era, with “the agreements covering investment, trade, energy, postal service, communications, and media.”

This is a very rapid pace for such large deals.  If KSA and China were dating, they’d be talking about moving in together already. They're clearly at the selecting furniture and carpet samples stage.

As for the US? It seems KSA isn't even returning its calls or texts at this point.

You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet...

All of the above merely describes how we arrived at where things stand today.

But as mentioned, the power grab underway in KSA by Mohammed bin Salman is unfolding in real-time. Developments are happening hourly -- while writing this, the very high-profile Prince Bandar bin Sultan (recent head of Saudi Intelligence and former longtime ambassador to the US) has been arrested.

The trajectory of events is headed in a direction that may well end the arrangement that has served as the axis around which geopolitics has spun for the past 40 years. The Saudis want new partners, and are courting China hard. 

China, for reasons we discuss in Part 2 of this report, has an existential need to supplant America as Saudi Arabia's most vital oil customer.

And both Saudi Arabia and China are inking an increasing number of strategic oil deals with Russia. Why? We get into that in Part 2, too -- but suffice it to say, in the fast-shifting world of KSA foreign policy, it's China and Russia 'in', US 'out'.

Maybe not all the way out, but the US clearly has lost a lot of ground with KSA over the past few years.  My analysis is that by funding an insane amount of shale oil development, at a loss, and at any cost (such as to our biggest Mideast ally) the US has time and again displayed that our ‘friendship’ does not run very deep.  In a world where loyalty counts, the US has proved a disloyal partner. Can China position itself to be perceived of as a better mate? When it comes to business, I believe the answer is ‘yes.’ 

In Part 2: The Oil Threat we couple these developments with China and Russia’s recent efforts to drop the dollar from trade, especially when purchasing oil, and clearly see the unfolding of the biggest new driver of the world’s financial, monetary and geopolitical arrangements in 50 years.

We also explain why, unless something very dramatically changes in either the supply or demand equation for oil, and soon, we can now put a timeline in place for when the great unraveling begins.  Somewhere between the second half of 2018 and the end of 2019 oil will dramatically increase in price and that will shake the foundations of the global mountain of debt and its related underfunded liabilities.  Think 9.0 on the financial Richter scale. 

Let me be blunt - you have to have your preparations done before this happens.  You really, really want to be a year early on this (at least).  When it starts happening, the breakdown will progress faster than you can react.

Click here to read Part 2 of this report (free executive summary, enrollment required for full access)

 

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-11-11/if-saudi-arabia-situation-doesnt-worry-you-youre-not-paying-attention

[Butifldrm]

Saudi "Deep State" Prince Bandar Among Those Arrested In Purge: Report

 

 

by Tyler Durden

Nov 11, 2017 8:14 AM

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According to a new report by Middle East Eye, Prince Bandar bin Sultan - Saudi Arabia's most famous arms dealer, longtime former ambassador to the US, and recent head of Saudi intelligence - was among those detained as part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's (MBS) so-called "corruption purge" that started with the initial arrests of up to a dozen princes and other top officials last weekend.

If confirmed, the arrest and detention of Bandar would constitute the most significant and high profile figure caught up in the purge - even above that of high profile billionaire investor Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal - given Bandar's closeness to multiple US administrations and involvement in events ranging from Reagan's Nicaraguan Contra program (including direct involvement in the Iran-Contra scandal), to making the case for the Iraq War as a trusted friend of Bush and Cheney, to directing US-Saudi covert operations overseeing the arming of jihadists in Syria.

Famous photograph of George W. Bush and his close confidant Prince Bandar bin Sultan.

Middle East Eye issued the report based on multiple contacts "inside the royal court" and indicates further that the scale of MBS' aggressive crackdown is much larger than previously reported, and even involves the torture of "senior figures" among those detained:

 

 

Some senior figures detained in last Saturday's purge in Saudi Arabia were beaten and tortured so badly during their arrest or subsequent interrogations that they required hospital treatment, Middle East Eye can reveal.  People inside the royal court also told MEE that the scale of the crackdown, which has brought new arrests each day, is much bigger than Saudi authorities have admitted, with more than 500 people detained and double that number questioned.

And shockingly, those sources say that the longtime Saudi 'deep state' power broker and liaison with the West, Prince Bandar, is among the detained:

 

 

One of the most famous is Prince Bandar bin Sultan, a former Saudi ambassador to Washington and confidant of former US President George W Bush.  There is no word on his fate, but Saudi authorities said that one of the corruption cases they are looking at is the al-Yamamah arms deal, in which Bandar was involved.

While no doubt Bandar's very well-known role in Saudi "oil for arms" programs which have come to define Saudi relations with the West over the past decades is a trumped up and "selective" charge (insofar as the highest levels of the state have overseen such shady dealing) the al-Yamamah deal in particular - which goes back to the mid-1980's - has been an historical embarrassment to both the UK and Saudi governments (BAE Systems was the prime British contractor involved) for the astounding level of fraudulent accounting exposed in UK courts. 

Concerning Prince Bandar's role in the al-Yamamah deal, Middle East Eye continues: 

 

 

Bandar bought an entire village in the Cotswolds, a picturesque area of central England, and a 2,000-acre sporting estate with part of the proceeds from kickbacks he received in the al-Yamamah arms deal, which netted British manufacturer BAE £43bn ($56.5bn) in contracts for fighter aircraft.

 

As much as $30m (£15m) is alleged to have been paid into Bandar’s dollar account at Riggs Bank in Washington and the affair led to corruption probes in the US and UK, although the case was dropped in the UK in 2006 after an intervention by then-prime minister Tony Blair.

But more likely is that Bandar has been caught up in this week's MBS dragnet for his closeness to Western heads of state and foreign intelligence services. With MBS' aggressive consolidation of power which could result in ascension to the throne at any moment, and with fate of multiple princes and officials still unknown - not the least of which is now ex-PM of Lebanon Saad Hariri - a shroud of secrecy has resulted in myriad theories concerning what is really happening behind the scenes. 

Likely, Bandar has been detained to ensure a communications blackout with Western intelligence and media until MBS' plans are complete, with the added benefit of ensuring the "anti-corruption" angle to the purges for the consumption of international media. 

Bandar (left) has been close to multiple US administrations spanning decades with direct involvement in events ranging from Reagan's Nicaraguan Contra program (including being named in the Iran-Contra scandal), to making the case for the Iraq War as a trusted friend of Bush and Cheney, to directing Obama-era covert operations to arm jihadists in Syria.

Ironically, Bandar himself once seemed to publicly boast about receiving massive kickbacks in relation to Saudi weapons dealing, which perhaps further made him an easy and high profile target in this week's crackdown. According to a royal family profile highlighting corruption in the New York Times from early this week: 

 

 

Perhaps the most famous statement on corruption in Saudi Arabia was made by Prince Bandar. In an interview with PBS in 2001, he said: “If you tell me that building this whole country, and spending $350 billion out of $400 billion, that we had misused or got corrupted with $50 billion, I’ll tell you, yes. But I’ll take that anytime.”

And the New York Times summarized the key events of the multi-billion pound weapons deal with the UK as follows:

 

 

Weapons contracts have long been a source of wealth. British media reported that Prince Bandar received well over $1 billion in secret payments from BAE Systems, the leading British military contractor, over the course of a decade. The son of founding King Abdulaziz’s personal doctor, Adnan Khashoggi, became a billionaire as an arms dealer and go-between for weapons makers and members of the royal family.

Meanwhile news of Bandar's possible arrest and detention hasn't spread very widely in international media reports as of this writing, but it will be interesting to see the response in the West should the news be confirmed. Will Bandar's friends in Washington and London go to bat for him? Or will Prince Bandar quietly recede into the background of a permanent forced retirement from public life?

Most likely the latter will be the case. Regardless, for friends of the former powerful Saudi intelligence director on either side of the Atlantic and within Saudi Arabia itself, Bandar no doubt knows where all the skeletons are buried, and this alone makes him a worrisome, volatile and unpredictable figure in the midst of a transfer of power.

 

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-11-10/saudi-deep-state-prince-bandar-bin-sultan-among-those-arrested-purge-report

 

[Butifldrm]

Parliamentary Friendship Delegation in a panel discussion in Saudi Arabia

 November 18, 2017 5 Views

The Iraqi Parliamentary Delegation to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia under the chairmanship of MP Sheikh Hassan Shuwaird and the membership of members of the Iraqi-Gulf Friendship Committees attended 
a seminar at the Prince Saud Al-Faisal Institute under the title 
"Saudi-Iraqi Relations and Future Prospects"

If the two sides discussed the history and roots of the relationship between the two brotherly countries for 
his part, Mr. Shuwaird said that Iraq and the Iraqis will not allow their land to be a yard to settle the accounts, pointing out that Iraq is now looking seriously and seriously to strengthen ties with the regional and Islamic and Arab and international environment and On all levels, 
stressing not to allow any state to interfere in the internal affairs of Iraq or undermine its sovereignty and the meeting requested that the Friendship Committee support all diplomatic efforts to strengthen the relationship between the two countries

 

http://ar.parliament.iq/2017/11/18/وفد-الصداقة-البرلماني-في-حلقة-نقاشية-ف/

 

[Butifldrm]

Arab politics classify Hezbollah as a "terrorist" and postpone war on Iran

 

 Twilight News    

 

 one hour ago

 

 

The Arab League said that Iran's missiles are threatening Arab capitals during a press conference at the end of the emergency meeting of Arab foreign ministers. 
The Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, stressed that Iran was seeking to be a conduit in the region of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States. 
He said that the missile launched by al-Houthi and targeting al-Saudiya is the most dangerous link in a series of excesses, sabotage and spreading sedition by Iran in the region, and we have nothing but to call things by their names and say that the missile is a clear message from Iran that it seeks to spread subversion, sedition, And it is time to rid the region of the violence and sectarianism that Iran is spreading in the region.
He added that the ballistic missiles fired at Saudi Arabia amounted to 76 rockets, all Iranian industry, and therefore we affirm our full solidarity with Saudi Arabia in everything it takes to protect its national security. 
He called on the Security Council to stop Iran from pushing the region to the bottom, noting that Tehran has pursued a sectarian policy and voted for the nuclear agreement. 
Aboul Gheit warned Iran against continuing to intervene in the internal affairs of the countries of the region, stressing that he will address the international community and the Iranian threats against him. But he stressed that the decisions of the Arab Ministerial Council does not mean that we are going to war with Iran at the moment. We will take gradual measures. 
"The final communiqué of the Arab foreign ministers' meeting talks about Hezbollah as a terrorist organization," he said, adding that Lebanon had agreed to the statement and reserved clauses on Hezbollah.

 

 

Keywords: 

 

http://www.shafaaq.com/ar/Ar_NewsReader/de934d36-5c2f-4d13-9c9f-067cd57b5a0d

[Butifldrm]

"Mujtahid": the funds of the detainees transferred to the account of the son of Salman

20/11/2017 11:25 | Number of readings: 342

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Most of the ministers from the days of the late King Fahd bin Abdul Aziz and the late King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz are being held by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Their accounts have been frozen and their families prevented from traveling. Bank accounts and grant them authorization to transfer funds to any party wanted by "Ibn Salman," stressing that the transfers were made to the account of the Royal Court and not the General Treasury of the State.

"Following the follow-up of former ministers from the days of Fahd and Abdullah, most of them have been arrested and their accounts are frozen and their families are barred from traveling. Some detainees bring them to their accountants to take a mandate to transfer money to any entity identified by Ibn Salman," Mujtahid said in his blog posts. Our sources in the banks are talking about a rapid decrease in the balance of some detainees. "

"There is no decline in the application of value added tax and gasoline tax, while the old taxes and the continued freezing of the exchange on many items, indicating that the people will not benefit from the funds recovered from the detainees and will end the pocket of Ibn Salman or guidance to tramp."

"I have received further confirmation that remittances from the accounts of the detainees are made for the account of the Royal Court (Mohammed bin Salman) and not for the treasury account in the Ministry of Finance. Conversions, of course, in billions. "

 

The newspaper "Financial Times" British has revealed, quoting Saudi officials said that the authorities have offered to the princes and businessmen arrested, waiving 70% of their wealth, in exchange for dropping corruption charges for them.

If approved by any of the detainees, the money will be transferred to the treasury of depleted countries, according to the newspaper.

 

MT

http://aletejahtv.org/permalink/192333.html

[Butifldrm]

•  
•  

Saudi Arabia calls for 100 Iraqi personalities to visit Riyadh

119

 November 20, 2017 - 5:35 Number of readings:   

 

 

A Saudi diplomat on Monday unveiled official invitations to 100 Iraqi businessmen and businessmen, including the governor of the Central Bank and the head of the Financial Supervisory Authority to visit Riyadh, while the Minister of Youth and Sports Abdul Hussein Abtan will visit the Kingdom during The next few days .

"There is an invitation from the Kingdom to the Iraqi Minister of Youth and Sports, who will be in the Kingdom in the coming days to meet the officials," said Meshal bin Mutib al-Otaibi, the official in charge of the political, cultural, and media file at the Saudi embassy in Baghdad. In the Kingdom and talk with them on common issues and develop relations in the areas of youth and sports . "

He added that "there is an invitation to nearly 100 Iraqi personalities of businessmen and specialists in business, economy and banks," noting that "was invited to the President

of the Central Bank of Iraq and the head of the Iraqi Financial Supervisory Board, all this is in the economic, financial and investment in the Kingdom Iraq ".  

 

http://sumer.news/ar/news/23914/السعودية-توجه-دعوات-إلى-100-شخصية-عراقية-لزيارة-الرياض

 

[blueskyline]

It’s good to see they are meeting to make closer business contact . ( but in the back of my mind . I can’t forget what took place with Lebanon’s Prime Minister when he visited Saudi Arabia ? ) 

[Butifldrm]

Saudi Arabia: Those involved in corruption have two choices

SECTION: WORLD NEWSNOVEMBER 21, 2017 | 11:50 AM

Saudi Arabia: Those involved in corruption have two choices

 

Baghdad / Baghdadiya News / ... The Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir, that those involved in corruption cases in the Kingdom have become in front of two options, the return of "looted" funds or referral to the judiciary.

In an interview with an Egyptian television channel, al-Jubeir said that "those involved in the corruption cases numbered 208 people. Seven of them were released after two years of investigation. They have become more treacherous between returning looted funds to the public treasury and the Saudi people."

"The results of the initial results of looted funds amounted to $ 100 billion, and could have gone in the development and projects, and raise the level of Saudi investments."

"This money will be returned to the Saudi people," he said, stressing that his country's anti-corruption measures have given "a clear picture to the world that the Kingdom's corruption rate is zero as a percentage of the kingdom's extremism, and it strengthens Riyadh's ability to attract domestic and foreign investments. a

 

http://www.albaghdadiyanews.com/?p=78034

[tigergorzow]

Butifldrm Thanks,  DV,  PM Abadi should take a page from S.A. playbook.  Lock them up and force them to return all of the BILLIONS stolen from the people or face being "Hung By The Neck".

 

GO JUSTICE!!

[Butifldrm]

34 minutes ago, tigergorzow said:

Butifldrm Thanks,  DV,  PM Abadi should take a page from S.A. playbook.  Lock them up and force them to return all of the BILLIONS stolen from the people or face being "Hung By The Neck".

 

GO JUSTICE!!

 

tigergorzow, my sentiments exactly!

[Butifldrm]

The New Arab

Saudi authorities offered detained princes exorbitant 'get-out-of-jail tickets'

Around 200 individuals were arrested in an anti-corruption sweep last week [Getty]

Date of publication: 17 November, 2017

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Saudi Arabia has reportedly demanded that individuals accused of corruption hand over up to 70 percent of their wealth.

 

 

Saudi authorities have offered wealthy individuals detained on various corruption charges an opportunity to buy back their freedom, according to a recent report.

According to the Financial Times, which quoted "people briefed on the discussions," the detained individuals were asked to surrender up to 70 percent of their wealth in exchange for release.

Saudi Arabia's so-called anti-corruption crackdown escalated last week when around 200 individuals were arrested and placed under arrest at the order of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman.

Among those detained are wealthy businessmen and royal family members, including Saudi Binladin group chairman Bakr Bin Laden and billionnaire prince al-Waleed bin Talal.

Many of the accused have been held in Riyadh's luxury Ritz-Carlton hotel.

The FT quoted one source as saying that "they [Saudi authorities] are making settlements with most of those in the Ritz. Cough up the cash and you will go home."

It is speculated that if the extortionate sums are obtained, the funds will be used to replenish the kingdom's depleted coffers.

Saudi Arabia is currently experiencing a period of dramatic change spearheaded by Crown Prince Mohammad, who is seen as the driving force behind the kingdom's ambitious economic and social plans.

The young prince has been credited for the country's recent repeal of a law banning women from driving and has been hailed as a reformer in the ultra conservative kingdom.

At the same time, Crown Prince Mohammad has also been accused of orchestrating an authoritarian power grab that has resulted in a clampdown of freedoms and the arrests of hundreds of people.

 

https://www.alaraby.co.uk/english/news/2017/11/17/saudi-authorities-offered-detained-princes-exorbitant-get-out-of-jail-ticket

[pokerplayer]

Thxs B., great read. Think I will grab some popcorn and red wine and watch how this all unfolds.

 

  pp

[NEPatriotsFan1]

2 hours ago, pokerplayer said:

Thxs B., great read. Think I will grab some popcorn and red wine and watch how this all unfolds.

 

  pp

Do popcorn and red wine go together!? I'm trying to picture it   Maybe of it were cheese popcorn lol