Are they preparing for more war in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East?


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Brexit keeps the UK occupied and similarly at least four high profile shooting incidents plus Hollywood sleaze (Britain has its own thank you) keep American attention on domestic events. Meanwhile there are are some pretty important developments overseas that get hardly a look-in, failing to raise eyebrows let alone frighten the horses. Some might think that staged terror events and may well be created by the very same people to distract from what they are doing elsewhere. I could not possibly say.

Mr Trump, the still fairly new American President, is better known for his off the cuff tweets and outrageous opinions than he is for any intellectual profundity. Indeed some might think that Americans elected a fool to be in charge of the greatest military power known to man besides directing the fate of over three hundred million individuals at home. On the other hand he may be brighter than he looks, playing rather than being dumb as a political strategy. We cannot be sure.


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Who can forget the Oscar-worthy performance by media mogul Rupert Murdoch - referred to affectionately by Private Eye as the 'Dirty Digger' - before the House of Commons Select Committee when he was called to account for the phone hacking scandal, in which his memory failed him and he gave every appearance of suffering from the early stages of Altzeimers disease from which he seems to have fully recovered? 

Clearly a loss of memory or the appearance of stupidity, can in certain circumstances, be a positive advantage. However, returning to Trump his recent Delphic comments may not be without substance on two counts, one domestic and another foreign. Whether these turn out to be good or bad for the world in general and countries in particular, awaits to be seen.

He was famous for his comment that he intended to "drain the Washington swamp" and to put Hillary Clinton in gaol. We now hear that there is apparently an unprecedented 840 sealed indictments winging their way towards their destination. Only time will tell what these relate to or the fate of their recipients. We shall have to wait and see but the results could be explosive.

However on a foreign front, there are indications that big (violent?) changes are afoot of which the American Government and President cannot be unaware or indeed be partly responsible for. Given 'modern' American policy and activity across the globe from Korea onwards, and most recently in the Middle East, we do not need to be persuaded of its possibility or terrible consequences. Perhaps more attention should be given to it?

So what recent developments have there been that might indicate something significant happening centring (as usual) on Israel and its immediate neighbours that may have consequences for the world? I would contend they have been dramatic but largely under the media radar either by accident or design.


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We must all by now be aware that the nineteen hijackers on 9/11 came primarily from Saudi Arabia, as did the alleged mastermind, Osama bin Laden, whose family were close associates of President Bush. But hopefully we are also aware that this was just the cover story for the real perpetrators, a combination and conspiracy between agencies based in Israel and the USA. 

This is beyond reasonable doubt but still denied by these countries and others in on the gigantic fraud. Indeed the myth has been perpetuated in Washington by accusing Saudi Arabia of direct responsibility, much as Qatar has recently been pilloried for supporting ISIS, when everyone knows it was the creation of the United States and Israel using largely oil states money and with the backing of NATO nations. (Ref. 7 & 8)

All recent events validate this huge fraud and hypocrisy that surely must eventually come home to to roost? (Ref. 1 - 6)

So what seems to happening is that a Trump led US is intent on blaming Arab states for supporting ISIS related terrorism when it knows full well the main suspects in the charade are the countries NOT mentioned, namely itself and Israel with the support of NATO members. In response the chief oil state, Saudi Arabia, supported by other Arab nations, conveniently gang up against Qatar in the class room comedy of, "It weren't I Sir, it were He!" Significantly it closely followed on from Trumps 'sword dance' visit to the Kingdom.

Meanwhile there are some very significant happenings in Saudi Arabia itself, with or without the assistance of Mossad and the CIA, to whom plane crashes, carrying important persons, are child's play. Significantly also it appears at the beginning of October in an unprecedented move a senior Saudi Prince visited Netanyahu to improve diplomatic relations. (Ref. 9)  In fact to make a deal. (Ref. 10) Now we hear that Riyadh is putting pressure on the Palestinian leadership to agree to Israeli terms for a peace deal.  

The London Times reports as follows: 

"Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, was summoned to Riyadh last week for a meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Details were overshadowed by the purge ordered by the prince of rival royals, ministers and businessmen on corruption allegations and the apparently Saudi-orchestrated resignation of Saad Hariri, the Lebanese prime minister."  (Ref. 11)

Postcard from Lebanon 2006

https://arabunity2011.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/lebanon.png


These are three prominent and extraordinary developments in the region, namely 1. closer ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia; 2. the political asylum or kidnapping of the Lebanese Prime Minister who has indicated he was fearful of assassination in the manner of his father; and 3. pressure being placed on Abbas by Saudi Arabia (and Egypt) to accept a peace deal sponsored by the US and offered by Israel, but which is probably quite unacceptable to the Palestinian people, if previous attempts are anything to go by. All of this on the back of a massive political purge in Saudi Arabia itself. Talk about the "night of the long knives".

So what has happened in Saudi Arabia recently, who is behind it, and what are the implications?

Thirty-one year old Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud was appointed Crown Prince and next in line to throne in June 2017 following his father's surprising decision to remove Muhammed bin Nayef. A new broom certainly sweeps clean. Since his appointment not only is it apparent that there has been a radical purge of top people but also indications of increased tension, militarism and an anti-Iranian stance, which rather accords with the American/Israeli stance. 

The big question is whether this is an omen of some sort of military action against Lebanon or Iran, of which there have been other indicators. Were this to start, given Russian support of Syria and alignment with Iran, plus the presence of nuclear arsenals, the consequences are hard to predict or underestimate. Why are the dangers not given greater attention by world opinion and media?

It is the above gentleman we have principally to thank for the aggressive campaign waged against largely Yemeni population with the support of America, both with advanced weapons and blockade which has resulted in starvation, destruction and death (yet again). Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has thereby proved what sort of approach he prefers, and it does not bode well for other neighbours in the region. 

All dangerous leaders display their character and intentions on targets that offer little opposition: Mussolini had Abyssinia; Hitler had Sudetenland; Netanyahu had Gaza; and these are just a few examples. Will Salman prove himself another?

He has a vision apparently. Vision 2030 plans to reform theSaudi economy towards a more diversified and privatised structure. It details goals and measures in various fields, from developing non-oil revenues and privatisation of the economy to e-government and sustainable development. What this means in practise awaits to be seen. At least women will be allowed to drive a car. Whether executions (158 people were executed in 2015, and at least 154 2016 pop. 32,3 million making it the highest rate in the world)  and public floggings will be reduced is another matter.



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On November 4th security forces had rounded up dozens of members of Saudi Arabia's political and business elite, mostly in the capital and the coastal city of Jeddah including eleven PRINCES as well as over 40 princes and government ministers on corruption and money laundering charges.

Some were invited to meetings where they were detained. Others were arrested at their homes and flown to Riyadh or driven to the Ritz-Carlton, which has been turned into a temporary prison. As to their welfare, treatment, little is known but Saudi Arabia is hardly renowned for its humane treatment of the accused.

Whether the move is genuinely to tackle high-level corruption, which has considerable street-level support, or whether a popular objective is being used merely as an excuse for a personal power grab and the removal of opposition is not altogether clear. In a country in which corruption has been endemic for generations, and where King Salman apparently spent $100 million on his summer holiday, proving financial fraud is unlikely to prove difficult. 

The BBC correspondent Frank Gardner, who carries with him the physical consequences of Middle East hostilities, was quoted as saying that, 

"Prince Mohammed is moving to consolidate his growing power while spearheading a reform programme. Yet it is not clear what those detained are suspected of."

Rather coincidentally (or should we say conveniently?) the day following the round-up, the 5th November, 2017, an helicopter carrying Prince Mansour bin Muqrin and several high-ranking officials, including the head of the province of Asher crashed about one hundred miles from the Yemen border. Eight people including the head of Saudi intelligence were killed. (Ref. 12)

https://twitter.com/AlArabiya_Eng/status/927271269485219842/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnbc.com%2F2017%2F11%2F05%2Fsaudi-prince-killed-in-helicopter-crash-near-yemen-border.html

"His Royal Highness Prince Mansour bin Muqrin Al Saud, who was appointed Deputy Governor of Asir in 22 April 2017, was killed in a helicopter crash while performing an inspection in remote parts of The Governorate. He was also accompanied by several other officials of the Asir Governorate and local municipalities," a spokeswoman for the Saudi embassy in D.C. told NBC News.

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The day before it was claimed that a ballistic weapon from Houthi separatists was intercepted. Will it be claimed that the helicopter was shot down by such a device as pretext for further aggression or other measures against Yemen or Iran?

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Perhaps in passing we should note in 2017 alone, Britain's sale of weapons to Saudi Arabia topped £1.1millions. (Ref. 12) This was dwarfed by the $350 BILLION deal agreed by President Trump in May. (Ref. 13) As may be seen these figures are sufficient to stop mouths and prove where the alliances are, whatever their cost in human lives or regional stability. 

Or for that matter ethical responsibility.

1.  "US helicopters airlifted hundreds of fighters behind IS lines at the start of the assault last Wednesday." http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-39401326

2.  "The source said that the first such extraction took place on August 26, a "US Air Force helicopter" had evacuated 2 Daesh field commanders of "European origin" with members of their families from an area located to the north-west of Deir ez-Zor at night. According to his data, two days later, US choppers transfered 20 Daesh field commanders and militants close to them from an area south-eastern of the city of Deir ez-Zor to northern Syria."
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201709071057182244-daesh-deir-ez-zor-us-evacuation/

3.  "“Americans’ support and assistance to the ISIL is done openly to save their regional plan in a desperately attempt,” al-Talaybawi underlined."
https://www.globalresearch.ca/protecting-the-terrorists-us-forces-come-to-the-rescue-of-isis-commanders-in-iraq/5578939

4.  "Media and local sources from al-Mayadeen said that US helicopters have transported ISIS leaders from al-Mayadeen to an unknown destination shortly before the Syrian Arab Army reached the city’s outskirts."
https://syria360.wordpress.com/2017/11/07/us-helicopters-seen-evacuating-isis-leaders-from-al-mayadeen-before-arrival-of-syrian-army/

5.  "Britain sends 85 troops to train Syria rebels.The British Army is joining a US-led effort to train 5,000 Syrian insurgents a year in camps in Turkey and Jordan."  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/11610117/Britain-sends-85-troops-to-train-Syria-rebels.html

6.  "Moshe Ya’alon, said:“(w)e’ve assisted (anti-government terrorist groups in Syria on) two conditions. That they don’t get too close to (Israel’s) border, and…don’t touch the Druze.”"

https://www.globalresearch.ca/alliance-of-convenience-israel-supports-syrias-isis-terror-group/5587203

7. "As a presidential candidate, he spent much of the election campaign needling, critiquing, denouncing, and even threatening the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Yet as president, he is making his first foreign visit this weekend to … the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia."

https://theintercept.com/2017/05/18/donald-trump-said-saudi-arabia-was-behind-911-now-hes-going-there-on-his-first-foreign-trip/

8. "The Arab world’s biggest powers cut ties with Qatar on Monday, accusing it of support for Islamist militants and Iran, and reopening a festering wound two weeks after U.S. President Donald Trump’s demand for Muslim states to fight terrorism."

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-gulf-qatar/arab-powers-sever-qatar-ties-citing-support-for-militants-idUSKBN18W0DQ

9.  A Saudi prince visited Israel in secret over the past few days, Voice of Israel radio reported yesterday. 

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20170908-saudi-prince-visits-israel-in-secret/

10.  Al Akhbar publishes supposed 'secret document' from Riyadh looking to normalize relations with Jewish state to unite against Iran

https://www.timesofisrael.com/pro-hezbollah-paper-alleges-saudis-made-plans-for-ties-with-israel/

11. "Saudi Arabia’s all-powerful crown prince has opened up a new front in his attempts to change the Middle East by intervening in Palestinian politics and demanding backing for President Trump’s vision for peace with Israel."
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/saudi-prince-orders-palestinian-president-to-accept-jared-kushners-peace-plan-xjdts8338

12.  http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/saudi-prince-killed-helicopter-carrying-11473811

13.  https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/oct/24/uk-sales-of-arms-and-military-equipment-to-saudi-arabia-2017

14.  On May 20th, 2017, U.S. President Donald Trump signed a US$350 billion arms deal with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.^[1][2][3] The arms deal was the largest in American history.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017_United_States%E2%80%93Saudi_Arabia_arms_deal