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Thread: Saudi Arabia: seeking security (catch all)

  1. #101
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    Many are overlooking the simple fact that the current KSA royal family is in a generational shift and the younger group has been preaching that KSA must be more forceful in stating their FP and security needs.

    AND this group is both forward thinking and vocal in their statements.

    IMHO....the threat to sell off over 700B in US assets was not just a verbal threat but seriously meant as a true wake up call to the US.

    If one thinks it through....the Saudi's could use the 700B to cushion the price of oil at 5USDs per barrel while the rest of the oil producing countries ie the US would truly suffer.....my father was a SVP for a major oil company in the US and in the gas crisis in 1973...he made an interesting comment...if oil gets to 10USD we will be still making a profit and oil will flow...Saudi's have once or twice alluded to the cost of production being 2/3USDs per barrel.

    While that massive of a sell off would effect the global finance world...KSA would still be selling oil......

    We are now seeing them nuzzle up to Turkey, we see Turkey nuzzling up to Israel as does KSA and we still have the Saudi Palestine Peace proposal on the Arab League table....Obama and Iran are doing far more to motivate KSA than we are willing to fully understand.....

    Turkey and Saudi embrace as Iran rises and US disengages
    http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/tu...lder-vz2vln5fs

    If I were the Russians instead of accusing the US of "hybrid warfare against them" I would seriously look at KSA as Putin does not understand in the least Saudi security needs......AND Putin seems to have forgotten that it was the Saudi's that drove down the oil price in the 90s that collapsed the Soviet Union.

    No Agreement in Doha, Ruble Falls; Bastrykin Claims US Wages 'Hybrid War' on Russia
    http://www.interpretermag.com/russia...18-2016/#13383
    Last edited by OUTLAW 09; 04-18-2016 at 09:39 AM.

  2. #102
    Council Member CrowBat's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bill Moore View Post
    A very interesting read, thanks a lot.

    Still, assuming the Saudi officials are innocent, keeping this secret has simply made it worse. And if some of the officials are guilty, then they need to be held responsible.
    Full agreement.

    There was absolutely no point in keeping Saudi involvement 'secret' all through 2001-2008 period: anybody with at least a trace of clue about US-Saudi relations knew they were, while those Saudis that wanted to do so were just given years of time to continue making troubles (or at least financing those who did so). ...which they would've been unable to do, if sacked on time.

    There's even less so a reason to keep this secret ever since.

    I - and I'm surely the first to admit I'm poorly informed about what's up in the USA - have first heard of this report in... must've been in late 2012 or early 2013... around the time Prince Bandar was sacked from all of his positions. Back then the story was that he was sacked (and Saudis didn't get deeper involved in Syria) in exchange for keeping this report back.

    From my POV, that was little else but treachery (treachery of the US government against its own people): absolutely nothing in US interest.

    Indeed, considering probable repercussions at earlier times (say: before 2012, when it would've likely caused sacking of nearly all the top royals too, and their replacement by more sane people), it was counter-productive and not the least in Saudi interests either.

  3. #103
    Council Member CrowBat's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by OUTLAW 09 View Post
    [B]Commander of #IRGC ground forces saying they sent their forces to #Syria for training, and #USA is their main enemy.
    Oh, what a surprise... isn't it?

    Especially in the light of all the possible Western businessmen being so eager to go making billions in Iran: makes me wonder, how do they want to do so with an IRGC-regime in power?

    Sure, IRGCs are as easy to bribe like all other Iranians. But, if that's going to make business with them anything like 'profitable'...?

    Saudi's have once or twice alluded to the cost of production being 2/3USDs per barrel
    That's the approx price they sell it at home. Means: their probable production price is not even half of that.

    ...AND Putin seems to have forgotten that it was the Saudi's that drove down the oil price in the 90s that collapsed the Soviet Union....
    ...and Iran to accept a cease-fire with Iraq... and then this was what bankrupted Iraq etc...

  4. #104
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    The interesting "missing 28 pages" might in fact be about Saudi back channel funding BUT a far more critical aspect that is not being discussed here and CrowBat brought it up as did the IRGC Commander with his comment he is training for war with the US.

    A well known ME analyst type has kept pounding away that there is far more Iranian involvement with IS/AQ than the Obama WH and his NSC truly wants us to understand.

    AND it dates BEFORE 9/11........

    Kyle W. Orton ‏@KyleWOrton
    "Iran never paid a price for [killing our soldiers in #Iraq], any more than it did for waging a global terrorist war against the West".

    Appears in the Obama WH drive to implement the Iran Deal even Obama overlooked the simple fact that one of the most deadliest IEDs...the EFPs were manufactured and then smuggled into Iraq from Iran......notice not a single attempt by the Obama WH to punish Iran for this...instead Obama hopes for "moderates" and passes IRGC and Khamenei 150B USDs.

    Iran’s Partnership with al-Qaeda and Unanswered Questions
    By Kyle Orton (@KyleWOrton) on September 19, 2015
    https://kyleorton1991.wordpress.com/...red-questions/

    Also from 1992, Hizballah chief + IRGC officer Imad Mughniyeh was training al-Qaeda jihadis in the Bekaa, jointly did Khobar, etc

    More than a decade BEFORE there was an Al Qaeda
    Hezbollah carried out a suicide bombing against US embassy in #Beirut 33 years today, killed 60 US Marines & staff
    .

    Then this yesterday.......
    Saudi cash and #Iranian know how - al-Qa’ida and 9/11

    http://observer.com/2016/04/uncoveri...truths-of-911/
    Last edited by davidbfpo; 04-19-2016 at 06:54 PM. Reason: Copied to the Iran & AQ thread for reference

  5. #105
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    Well we are now just short of a Turkish and Saudi intervention into Syria....

    https://yallasouriya.wordpress.com/2...a-meb-feb2016/


    Kerry ‘blames opposition’ for continued Syria bombing via MEB Feb/2016

    US Secretary of State John Kerry told Syrian aid workers, hours after the Geneva peace talks fell apart, that the country should expect another three months of bombing that would “decimate” the opposition.

    During a conversation on the sidelines of this week’s Syria donor conference in London, sources say Kerry blamed the Syrian opposition for leaving the talks and paving the way for a joint offensive by the Syrian government and Russia on Aleppo.

    “‘He said, ‘Don’t blame me – go and blame your opposition,’” one of the aid workers, who asked to remain anonymous to protect her organization, told Middle East Eye.

    Kerry told reporters on Friday, as tens of thousands fled the Syrian government and Russian bombardment of Aleppo, that both Russia and Iran, another of Syria’s allies, have told him that they are prepared for a ceasefire in Syria.

    He said he would know “whether or not these parties are serious” after a meeting of the International Syria Support Group – 17 nations including the US and Russia – scheduled to be held in Munich next week.

    But Kerry left the aid workers with the distinct impression that the US is abandoning efforts to support rebel fighters.
    Kerry told reporters on Friday, as tens of thousands fled the Syrian government and Russian bombardment of Aleppo, that both Russia and Iran, another of Syria’s allies, have told him that they are prepared for a ceasefire in Syria.

    CAN anyone explain to me just why does Kerry believe he can trust anything Putin and Khamenei tell him...REMEMBER it was Kerry who stated twice that Iran was pulling out their troops..instead more flowed into Syrian...AND Putin stated he was withdrawing but sent more into Syria....

  6. #106
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    Default White House: Obama 'Cleared the Air' with Saudi Arabia

    White House: Obama 'Cleared the Air' with Saudi Arabia

    Entry Excerpt:



    --------
    Read the full post and make any comments at the SWJ Blog.
    This forum is a feed only and is closed to user comments.

  7. #107
    Council Member davidbfpo's Avatar
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    Default Why is a military coup in Saudi Arabia possible?

    A somewhat strange article on Open Democracy, partly as the title indicates the military is in focus and there is very little mention of them:https://www.opendemocracy.net/arab-awakening/hesham-shafick/why-is-military-coup-in-saudi-arabia-possible?

    Plus no distinction is made between the various military bodies, notably the Army and the National Guard.

    What I did find interesting was the argument that:
    First and formost, the kingdom has lost most of the historical roots of its legitimacy. Since the foundation of the modern kingdom, its legitimacy has been grounded on three main pillars: Sunnism, nationalism and kinship......As for the third pillar, theocratic legitimacy, it is about to fall, particularly after the kingdom’s decision to terminate the powers of the official Wahhabistagency that reinforces Islamic order – the 'Organisation for the Prevention of Vice and the Promotion of Virtue'.
    I recall long ago a British diplomat talking at an event that the UK had two nightmares, a military coup in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan - each with an Islamist or radical tinge. Somehow he'd forgotten Gadafy's coup in Libya, which had consequences for the UK and others.
    davidbfpo

  8. #108
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    Smoke rising from the site of an explosion in Medina #SaudiArabia

    Critical..........
    The attack near the Nabawi Mosque is meant to delegitimize Saudi Arabia as the Custodian (and thus defender) of the Two Holy Mosques #Medina

    BREAKING: The suicide bomber was not able to enter the #ProphetMosque courtyard.

    The suicide bomber failed to enter al-Omran mosque and detonated his vest outside due to tight security measures

    But to me #ISIS (assuming it is ISIS) crossed a red line, and this image shows that the group attacks Islam not #SaudiArabia

    ISIS may try to "justify" it attack by claiming it targeted security forces, images are more powerful than workds #SaudiArabia

    Suicide bombing attacks were reported in three locations of Saudi Arabia: Jeddah, Qatif and Medina #SaudiArabi #KSA

    ISIS will be condemned/may not issue claim even if security installation was the target given that Medina mosque is holy to all Muslims

    Now reports suggest four soldiers were killed in attack against security outpost near Nabwi Mosque in #Medina


    For comments/analysis on the attacks in Saudi Arabia really recommend you follow/talk to @Miriam411 #SaudiArabia
    Last edited by OUTLAW 09; 07-04-2016 at 06:41 PM.

  9. #109
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    Attacking the city of the Prophet (ﷺ) is a clear violation - only the khawārij, and false prophets have attacked #Medina
    Last edited by davidbfpo; 07-04-2016 at 11:22 PM.

  10. #110
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    Iran Assembly of Experts chair Jannati: "Al Saud should kno that they are on the verge of extinction...their days are numbered"

    A terrorist attack in the Prophet’s mosque and next to his resting place is orders of magnitude more offensive than the cartoons.

    IS's goal is to get Saudi Sunnis and Shia at each others throats.

  11. #111
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    Quote Originally Posted by OUTLAW 09 View Post
    Iran Assembly of Experts chair Jannati: "Al Saud should kno that they are on the verge of extinction...their days are numbered"

    A terrorist attack in the Prophet’s mosque and next to his resting place is orders of magnitude more offensive than the cartoons.

    IS's goal is to get Saudi Sunnis and Shia at each others throats.
    Kind of neatly sums up key targets of #ISIS violence in KSA: the State, the Shia, and Westerners.

  12. #112
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    Hassan Hassan ‏@hxhassan

    Isis attacks near the holiest Islamic site during the holiest third of the holiest month
    http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-36706761
    ......that's CVE for you.

  13. #113
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    Iraiq Shia cleric but self-styled secular has a theory about what produces a suicide bomber: homosexuality + Quran:

    Has not been my experience in talking to captured suiciders....but hey he is a Shia cleric....explains it all.....

  14. #114
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    Syrian opposition groups released a statement condemning yesterdays attacks in Saudi Arabia .

  15. #115
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    Radio silence from official #IS channels re #Medina is deafening. Many fans distancing themselves, some even suggesting it was a false flag.

  16. #116
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    Imam of Prophets mosque in Saudi "terrorism is a global problem not exclusive to Muslims & influenced by Satan"

    The irony. #Iraq|i Shiite war criminal Abu Azrael on top a #USA Abrams tank vows to storm Kaaba in Mecca

    Sectarian Shia Hashd militant who threatened to destroy Kaaba, guess where he is today, in Medina!
    Last edited by OUTLAW 09; 07-06-2016 at 12:13 PM.

  17. #117
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    David Patrikarakos @dpatrikarakos
    My latest piece - on the bombings in Saudi Arabia.
    http://www.rferl.org/content/saudi-b.../27841310.html

  18. #118
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    The ISIS bombings in Saudi Arabia signal a start of 'Jihad 2.0' —
    http://read.bi/29Oi36T
    Last edited by OUTLAW 09; 07-06-2016 at 02:27 PM.

  19. #119
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    Quote Originally Posted by OUTLAW 09 View Post
    The ISIS bombings in Saudi Arabia signal a start of 'Jihad 2.0' —
    http://read.bi/29Oi36T
    ISIS's footprint in Saudi Arabia: Persistent but surmountable threat.
    http://bit.ly/29nVd8O

  20. #120
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    Saudi Interior Ministry names Qatif, Medina bombers; suspects arrested http://reut.rs/29qHkZf

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