Trump WH and Saudi Arabia

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   IslandBitesposted 6 years ago

   The House Oversight and Reform Committee announced Tuesday they are launching an investigation into the Trump administration’s dealings with Saudi Arabia after several whistleblowers expressed concern about efforts to sell the kingdom nuclear technology.
   
   The announcement came in conjunction with the release of a report by committee staff that said senior White House officials pushed for the sale of nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia despite warnings from ethics advisers and national security officials to stop.
   
   The report cites several unnamed whistleblowers who said they witnessed “abnormal acts” inside the White House regarding efforts to sell Saudi Arabia nuclear energy reactors.
   
   The whistleblowers “have warned of conflicts of interest among top White House advisers that could implicate federal criminal statutes,” the report said.
   
   “And they have warned about political appointees ignoring directives from top ethics advisors at the White House who repeatedly and unsuccessfully ordered senior Trump administration officials to halt their efforts.”
   
   Read the report
   https://oversight.house.gov/sites/democ … 9-2019.pdf
   
   Also (last week)
   
   White House refuses to meet Congress' deadline on Khashoggi killing
   
   President Donald Trump refused to meet a legal mandate Friday to tell Congress whether the White House thinks Saudi Arabia's crown prince is personally responsible for the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
   
   "The President maintains his discretion to decline to act on congressional committee requests when appropriate," a senior administration official told CNN.
   
   The White House decision came a day after an explosive New York Times report that cited US and foreign officials with direct knowledge of intelligence reports who say that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told a top aide in 2017 that he would use "a bullet" on Khashoggi.
   
   Thoughts?

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   1. 82

      Miebakagh57posted 6 years agoin reply to this

      Hello, IslandBites, it is wrong to sell a United State top energy secrets to a foreign power, specificaally an enemy nation! The Arabs, including Suadi Arabia are enemies of the US. Political friendship at whatever level is like the friendship between a cat and a mouse. At the end the US is the loser.
      
      Who sold nuclear items to Iran for the purpose of creating domestic energy? Now, see what Iranhas done. It has created a clear bomb for warfare! Suadi Arabia could do the same. Whether Congress approved the deal with constitutional limitation or not, the Sudis will improved on the nuclear technology to create a weapon of mass destruction.
      
      I am a Nigerian and resident in my country, Nigeria. The US affairs interested me to some limitations.Thanks, and have a great day.

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         lobobrandonposted 6 years agoin reply to this

         SA is an ally of the US and the country that buys the highest amount of weapons from the US.

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            Miebakagh57posted 6 years agoin reply to this

            Hey, lobobrando, should then the United States sell atomic weapons to SA? My reservations and fears and reservations are should SA convert the peaceful use of nuclear weapons into a tool of destruction, then where does the buck fall?
            
            Donald Trumpwillsoonleft office, right?

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               lobobrandonposted 6 years agoin reply to this

               I did not at any point say they should. I just corrected your statement about SA being enemies. We all know why they are considered allies. But, if you want my answer, no they should not sell or donate nuclear tech to SA.

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               1. 82

                  Miebakagh57posted 6 years agoin reply to this

                  Hello,  lobobrradon, to my mindset, any Arab nation in an ally with any Western power or a secular country in Africa, like Nigeria is an enemy. I hope that has settled the issue too. Thanks also for the positive feedback. Good day!

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      Live to Learnposted 6 years agoin reply to this

      I think we should cut all diplomatic ties with Saudi Arabia on many more levels than this particular one. I've been very  in this administration concerning Saudi Arabia.

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         wildernessposted 6 years agoin reply to this

         Would we see further "radicalization" of the country if we pulled out and simply ignored them?  Is the presence of US diplomats doing anything to stabilize the country and turn it, even slightly, away from the extremists there?
         
         There are many reasons for ties.

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            lobobrandonposted 6 years agoin reply to this

            The biggest is $'s. You get lots of $s from them. Moving out may destabilize your country's weapons industry, nothing more.

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               wildernessposted 6 years agoin reply to this

               Yes, a nice balance of trade is a good reason to maintain contact.  But it doesn't answer the question of any stabilizing result at all.

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            Live to Learnposted 6 years agoin reply to this

            I know there are many valid reasons to sleep with the enemy. But the Kashoggi incident is particularly appalling.

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         Miebakagh57posted 6 years agoin reply to this

         Hey, Live to Learn, isolation does not help nations. I think it is better to use discretion. Thank you.

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2. 68

   IslandBitesposted 6 years ago

   U.S. approved secret nuclear power work for Saudi Arabia
   
   WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry has approved six secret authorizations by companies to sell nuclear power technology and assistance to Saudi Arabia, according to a copy of a document seen by Reuters on Wednesday.
   
   The Trump administration has quietly pursued a wider deal on sharing U.S. nuclear power technology with Saudi Arabia, which aims to build at least two nuclear power plants. Several countries including the United States, South Korea and Russia are in competition for that deal, and the winners are expected to be announced later this year by Saudi Arabia.
   
   “In this case, each of the companies which received a specific authorization for (Saudi Arabia) have provided us written request that their authorization be withheld from public release,” the NNSA said in the document. In the past, the Energy Department made previous Part 810 authorizations available for the public to read at its headquarters.
   
   Many U.S. lawmakers are concerned that sharing nuclear technology with Saudi Arabia could eventually lead to a nuclear arms race in the Middle East.
   
   https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa- … SKCN1R82MG

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      lobobrandonposted 6 years agoin reply to this

      This is bad. But from what I understand nuclear power and nuclear weapons are not really the same thing. A lot depends on the type of reactor they are going to be getting. But SA is the last place that should get nuclear power imo.

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      Miebakagh57posted 6 years agoin reply to this

      Why secret? And it will become public knowledge. What is SA going to do with the tool? May it does not turn against America, and then the world. The United State has made a bad mistake under bad leadership.

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3. 68

   IslandBitesposted 5 years ago

   There is "sufficient credible evidence" Saudi Arabia's crown prince bears responsibility for the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, and he should be investigated for it, a United Nations special rapporteur said in the first independent investigation into the death.
   
   In a much-anticipated report, released Wednesday, UN investigator Agnes Callamard said that Saudi Arabia was responsible under international law for the "deliberate, premeditated execution" of Khashoggi and current sanctions on some senior officials do not go far enough.
   
   Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and his personal assets abroad should be hit by "targeted sanctions," the report recommends, "until and unless evidence is provided and corroborated that he carries no responsibilities for this execution."

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