Khashoggi Disappearance: Looming Crisis or Simple Distraction?

[JaneV2.0]

I've always been outraged by the percentage of my taxes that funded various (unnecessary) wars, (and at the fact that the US is the arms dealer to the world.)

[jp1]

I've always been outraged by the percentage of my taxes that funded various (unnecessary) wars, (and at the fact that the US is the arms dealer to the world.)

But if we dont arm them then how can we justify freaking out about how scary and dangerous they are and therefore we need to go have a war? It’s a win all tge way around! /snark

[JaneV2.0]

That crossed my mind--we have to keep arming everybody to keep the wars in play, so our government can manipulate their gullible citizenry.

[Williamsmith]

Following the expanding story here, I get the feeling like Trump is up to his armpits in alligators with this thing. He needs to be careful or he could be suffering from a hangover real soon. If he doesn’t drink alcohol by now, he might start.

The most likely scenario is that he keeps assuring the public that his administration is getting to the bottom of things while waxing eloquently about a rogue uncontrolled faction of the Saudi intelligence community taking actions that weren’t sanctioned by the King or Crowned Prince. Never mind the King is senile and the Crowned Prince is a homicidal, genocidal maniac. It’s Iran that’s the real problem, right?

Meantime, a futile effort to remove the immature Prince Mohammad bin Salman by some type of regime manipulation is probably part of several contingencies. He is proving not to be a team player. But a Crowned Prince, incumbent to the throne for the next forty or fifty years ....makes North Korea look like the Salvation Army.

Turkey, by the way, is thrilled that the Saudis have given them a reason to be relevant to the US again. Trump will owe them big time after they are done exposing the gruesome murder of Khashoggi. If Trump plays his cards right the THAAD missile defense system sale will go through, be delivered and installed. Khashoggi will be forgotten history by then and maybe Trump will even address the nation on prime time television to report how swimmingly well our relations with the Saudis are and how they’ve cleaned up their penchant for terrorizing peoples who aren’t the brand of Islam they are.

And our economy will be chugging along just fine in time for the 2020 re-election campaign which will start right after the mid terms. Trump does have a “trump” card and that is if worse comes to worst the entire continental US is poised for a fracking frenzy that will make the US independent of Saudi oil in the near term. It will at least fuel our war machine if needed.

[JaneV2.0]

The details that are coming out are even more sickening than the original story. Keep in mind that Khashoggi had the same legal status as Melania's "chain migration" parents. He worked for Trump's nemesis Washington Post, writing opinion pieces mildly critical of Saudi policies. So Kushner put him on a hit list:

Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman met with Jared Kushner in October
Salman has since bragged about using classified intelligence from Kushner as part of a crackdown on 'corrupt' princes and businessmen in Saudi Arabia
He said the intelligence from Kushner included information on those who were disloyal to Salman and who were his 'enemies', insiders tell DailyMail
(UK, Daily Mail)


But this obscenity is of no consequence, as long as the Trump family makes money. I remember when we used to have at least the appearance of principles...

[Williamsmith]

The details that are coming out are even more sickening than the original story. Keep in mind that Khashoggi had the same legal status as Melania's "chain migration" parents. He worked for Trump's nemesis Washington Post, writing opinion pieces mildly critical of Saudi policies. So Kushner put him on a hit list:

Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman met with Jared Kushner in October
Salman has since bragged about using classified intelligence from Kushner as part of a crackdown on 'corrupt' princes and businessmen in Saudi Arabia
He said the intelligence from Kushner included information on those who were disloyal to Salman and who were his 'enemies', insiders tell DailyMail
(UK, Daily Mail)


But this obscenity is of no consequence, as long as the Trump family makes money. I remember when we used to have at least the appearance of principles...

The appearance of principles is no better than the outright hypocrisy to the people it affects. It only matters to the crowd the musical is playing for. Truth is, we all own part of this because we don’t really object.

[Ultralight]

I am hawkish as all hell when it comes to freedom of the press and free speech. I think regime change is long overdue in Saudi Arabia. Maybe some American military muscle is needed.

[Teacher Terry]

WE need to keep our nose out of other countries business. Nothing good could come out of overthrowing the Saudi government. It's one reason our deficit is so high.

[Ultralight]

WE need to keep our nose out of other countries business. Nothing good could come out of overthrowing the Saudi government. It's one reason our deficit is so high.

Would you have said the same thing about Nazi Germany? Probably.

The Saudi Kingdom is a repressive, violent Islamic theocracy.

[razz]

I get the feeling like Trump is up to his armpits in alligators with this thing.

Have to say WS that I love that description which is so much more graphic than "in hot water".