Trump praises Saudi rulers after mass arrests for corruption

[webfact]

Trump praises Saudi rulers after mass arrests for corruption

 

President Trump delivers remarks to members of the U.S. military at Yokota Air Base. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday endorsed a move by Saudi Arabia’s future king who tightened his grip on power through an anti-corruption purge by arresting royals, ministers and investors.

 

Trump, who has cultivated much warmer ties with Riyadh than his predecessor Barack Obama, tweeted on Monday that he has "great confidence in King Salman and the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia" following the mass arrests, which was the biggest anti-corruption purge of the kingdom's affluent elite in its modern history.

 

Trump also tweeted that "they know exactly what they are doing," adding: "Some of those they are harshly treating have been 'milking' their country for years."

 

Among those arrested were billionaire investor Alwaleed bin Talal who is one of the kingdom’s most prominent businessmen.

 

The purge is the latest in a series of dramatic steps by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to assert Saudi influence internationally and amass more power for himself at home.

 

Trump's first trip abroad as president was to Saudi Arabia where King Salman gave him a remarkably warm greeting. U.S.-Saudi ties had been strained under the Obama administration, whom they felt considered Riyadh’s alliance with Washington less important than negotiating the Iran nuclear deal.

 

(Reporting by Eric Walsh; Writing by Yara Bayoumy; Editing by Mohammad Zargham)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-11-07

[zaphod reborn]

Obviously Trump called in a favor from the future King when these affluent elites refused his business deal.  Trump's "presidency" is nothing more than a get rich scheme enabled by Putin.

[Andaman Al]

Trump is really testing Karma, and quite soon it is going to come around and bite his head off. So now we have a POTUS congratulating the absolute Monarchs of a country with the worst Human rights violations in the world (the one where all the 9/11 dudes came from). Make America Great Again  

[ilostmypassword]

22 minutes ago, Andaman Al said:

Trump is really testing Karma, and quite soon it is going to come around and bite his head off. So now we have a POTUS congratulating the absolute Monarchs of a country with the worst Human rights violations in the world (the one where all the 9/11 dudes came from). Make America Great Again  

Let's not get carried away. It's bad, but certainly not the worst. There's North Korea and failed states in Africa. And it gets lots of competition from some of its arab allies. On the other hand, it is definitely worse than Iran.

[Tchooptip]

arrest for "corruption"

Like multibillionaire Alwaleed? ...It has nothing to do with corruption but with power! 

 

 

Edited November 7, 2017 by Tchooptip

[USNret]

Hilarious that tRump would congratulate a ruler on cleaning up his corrupt administration.  You would think that's the LAST thing 45 would want to see.  

[zydeco]

Saudis are making Game of Thrones look like a quilting bee.

[Somtamnication]

I am sure he would love to do the same to the retiring republicans and old horse democrats.

[kamahele]

I wonder if he will be that congratulatory when the feds come for him....

[rudi49jr]

The dunce in chief really is absolutely clueless, isn’t he? This has nothing to do with corruption, it’s just a power struggle. Yesterday a helicopter went down and a high-ranking prince was killed. Coincidence? 

Edited November 7, 2017 by rudi49jr

[Andaman Al]

3 hours ago, rudi49jr said:

The dunce in chief really is absolutely clueless, isn’t he? This has nothing to do with corruption, it’s just a power struggle. Yesterday a helicopter went down and a high-ranking prince was killed. Coincidence? 

Not just any old High ranking Prince either, it was the son of the heir to the throne that the current Crown Prince deposed. Even Joffrey could have learned a thing or two from this guy.

[nasanews]

Of course that what will you say when that same king just gave you $100 billion.

[Morch]

11 hours ago, zaphod reborn said:

Obviously Trump called in a favor from the future King when these affluent elites refused his business deal.  Trump's "presidency" is nothing more than a get rich scheme enabled by Putin.

 

What business deal was refused? On the other hand, one of them did say some "nasty" things about Trump once. So there.

[Morch]

8 hours ago, Tchooptip said:

arrest for "corruption"

Like multibillionaire Alwaleed? ...It has nothing to do with corruption but with power! 

 

 

 

5 hours ago, rudi49jr said:

The dunce in chief really is absolutely clueless, isn’t he? This has nothing to do with corruption, it’s just a power struggle. Yesterday a helicopter went down and a high-ranking prince was killed. Coincidence? 

 

Nothing to do with isn't accurate. That's it's first and foremost a move aimed at consolidating power, is obvious. But it also fits other policies pushed, curbing spending of kingdom funds, cutting on freebies, and broadcasting none is fully protected. This resonates rather nicely with the home crowd, especially the Crown Prince's "base" (for lack of a better term). A good pretext is always of use when carrying out such power plays.

 

That many of these arrested were a potential (or actual) opposition, is not a coincidence, and doubt many (even in Saudi Arabia) sees it otherwise. And then there are them less high profile, but more sinister, arrests - journalists, academics and similar "trouble makers".

[Morch]

2 hours ago, nasanews said:

Of course that what will you say when that same king just gave you $100 billion.

 

The King didn't "give" but possibly bought USA made arms. Trump didn't personally "get" them billions. And, of course, he could have issued a very different, less outright supportive and congratulatory statement. Only he couldn't, that's who he is.

[Machiavelli]

10 hours ago, ilostmypassword said:

Let's not get carried away. It's bad, but certainly not the worst. There's North Korea and failed states in Africa. And it gets lots of competition from some of its arab allies. On the other hand, it is definitely worse than Iran.

I would live in any failed state in Africa than spend a minute in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is the worst. 

[ilostmypassword]

9 minutes ago, Machiavelli said:

I would live in any failed state in Africa than spend a minute in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is the worst. 

There's an excellent chance you wouldn't live very long.

[ilostmypassword]

This is from an interview conducted by Isaac Chotiner with David Ottoway,  a Middle East fellow at the Wilson Center. Chotiner asks Ottoway why Trump likes the Crown Prince.

Here's his reply:

"Trump likes people like him. There are some similarities between MBS and Trump. They’re both impulsive, they’re both military hawks, and they both want to wield power in very forceful ways."

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/interrogation/2017/11/what_s_behind_the_weekend_crackdown_in_saudi_arabia.html

[Ruffian Dick]

Didn't Jared Kuchner just return from Saudi after weeks of sub rosa discussions?

Something weird is up.

[bermondburi]

3 hours ago, Machiavelli said:

I would live in any failed state in Africa than spend a minute in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is the worst. 

Hmmmm,  Eritrea, Somalia or compound life in a cushy job in Saudi???

It's a tough one.

[Ruffian Dick]

This came in Oct 25. Saudi - Iraq relations were "miraculously" healed.

And the details of the deal are enshrouded in secrecy, but it must have been mutually beneficial.

http://foreignpolicy.com/2017/10/25/tillerson-notches-rare-diplomatic-win-with-saudis-and-iraq/

[ilostmypassword]

4 hours ago, bermondburi said:

Hmmmm,  Eritrea, Somalia or compound life in a cushy job in Saudi???

It's a tough one.

Actually Eritrea is best described as a totalitarian state not a failed one. I'm not saying you asserted that but the situations are very different.

[hawker9000]

19 hours ago, Andaman Al said:

Trump is really testing Karma, and quite soon it is going to come around and bite his head off. So now we have a POTUS congratulating the absolute Monarchs of a country with the worst Human rights violations in the world (the one where all the 9/11 dudes came from). Make America Great Again  

LOL.    Somebody needs to invent more absorbent crying towels.

 

People carping right here about corruption ALL the time.  But one country DOES something about it, and gets a thumbs-up from Trump for it, and there's just more whining and moaning from the loser wingnut peanut gallery.   When Obama issued praise to Saudi Arabia, THAT was supposedly "statesmanship".

 

 

 

[zaphod reborn]

11 hours ago, Morch said:

 

What business deal was refused? On the other hand, one of them did say some "nasty" things about Trump once. So there.

You'd have to ask Jared about that, but it might have something to do with Trump's announcement that Alaweed should roll over his Citibank profits into Trump branded properties and hotels.  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5055653/Saudi-crown-prince-arrests-ally-Kushner.html  https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/saudi-arabia-detains-famed-billionaire-amid-investment-push/2017/11/05/d9e552e2-c228-11e7-9922-4151f5ca6168_story.html?utm_term=.094402325121

Edited November 8, 2017 by zaphod reborn

[ilostmypassword]

2 hours ago, hawker9000 said:

LOL.    Somebody needs to invent more absorbent crying towels.

 

People carping right here about corruption ALL the time.  But one country DOES something about it, and gets a thumbs-up from Trump for it, and there's just more whining and moaning from the loser wingnut peanut gallery.   When Obama issued praise to Saudi Arabia, THAT was supposedly "statesmanship".

 

 

 

I looked at the article you linked to and nowhere did I see the word "statemanship" used. So why the quotes?  I didn't see anything in that article that resembled praise or criticism of the move.

[Morch]

4 hours ago, zaphod reborn said:

You'd have to ask Jared about that, but it might have something to do with Trump's announcement that Alaweed should roll over his Citibank profits into Trump branded properties and hotels.  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5055653/Saudi-crown-prince-arrests-ally-Kushner.html  https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/saudi-arabia-detains-famed-billionaire-amid-investment-push/2017/11/05/d9e552e2-c228-11e7-9922-4151f5ca6168_story.html?utm_term=.094402325121

 

Sorry, don't see any clear reference to a refused business deal, and not familiar with the Trump announcement mentioned. The arrested prince did buy some property from Trump during the 90's, but don't see how that relates to what was posted. 

[Morch]

14 hours ago, Ruffian Dick said:

Didn't Jared Kuchner just return from Saudi after weeks of sub rosa discussions?

Something weird is up.

Not weeks, but a tour of a few days including Saudi Arabia, Israel, Jordan and Egypt. It wasn't kept secret, if not highly publicized, and reportedly had more to do with efforts concerning the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Probable that other matters came up as well, but directly tying it with current developments are speculation.

[zaphod reborn]

4 minutes ago, Morch said:

 

Sorry, don't see any clear reference to a refused business deal, and not familiar with the Trump announcement mentioned. The arrested prince did buy some property from Trump during the 90's, but don't see how that relates to what was posted. 

Your research skills are quite novice.  Let me give you a hand.  Google Saudi Aramco IPO.  If it goes through, the IPO will be the largest in history.  Perhaps Trump was asking Aleweed to push Citibank to underwrite the IPO?  

[mrwebb8825]

On 11/7/2017 at 11:40 AM, Andaman Al said:

Trump is really testing Karma, and quite soon it is going to come around and bite his head off. So now we have a POTUS congratulating the absolute Monarchs of a country with the worst Human rights violations in the world (the one where all the 9/11 dudes came from). Make America Great Again  

Top 10 Worst Counties for Human Rights:

10 - Nigeria

9 - Yeman

8 - Myanmar

7- Iraq

6 - Afganistan

5 - Somalia

4 - Pakistan

3 - The Democratic Republic of Congo

2 - Sudan

1 - Syria

Just in case you were interested in actual facts as opposed to just jumping on the Trump-Haters bandwagon 'cause you like the tune. 

[Morch]

21 minutes ago, zaphod reborn said:

Your research skills are quite novice.  Let me give you a hand.  Google Saudi Aramco IPO.  If it goes through, the IPO will be the largest in history.  Perhaps Trump was asking Aleweed to push Citibank to underwrite the IPO?  

 

Al-Waleed is among those who were arrested. There were earlier reports (if not necessarily confirmed) as to which banks were selected by Saudi Arabia, and Citi apparently didn't make the cut. Again, not exactly sure what you're on about. A causal connection seems rather dubious.