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A Look Inside The Secret Deal With Saudi Arabia That Unleashed The Syrian Bombing
For those to whom the recent US campaign against Syria seems a deja vu of last summer's "near-war" attempt to ouster its president Bashar al-Assad, which was stopped in the last minute due to some very forceful Russian intervention and the near breakout of war in the Mediterranean between US and Russian navies, it is because they are. And as a reminder, just like last year, the biggest wildcard in this, and that, direct intervention into sovereign Syrian territory, or as some would call it invasion or even war, was not the US but Saudi Arabia - recall from August of 2013 - "Meet Saudi Arabia's Bandar bin Sultan: The Puppetmaster Behind The Syrian War." Bin Sultan was officially let go shortly after the 2013 campaign to replace Syria's leadership with a more "amenable" regime failed if not unofficially (see below), but Saudi ambitions over Syria remained.
That much is revealed by the WSJ today in a piece exposing the backdoor dealings that the US conducted with Saudi Arabia to get the "green light" to launch its airstrikes against ISIS, or rather, parts of Iraq and Syria. And, not surprising, it is once again Assad whose fate was the bargaining chip to get the Saudis on the US' side, because in order to launch the incursion into Syrian sovereign territory "took months of behind-the-scenes work by the U.S. and Arab leaders, who agreed on the need to cooperate against Islamic State, but not how or when. The process gave the Saudis leverage to extract a fresh U.S. commitment to beef up training for rebels fighting Mr. Assad, whose demise the Saudis still see as a top priority."
In other words, John Kerry came, saw and promised everything he could, up to and including the missing piece of the puzzle - Syria itself on a silver platter - in order to prevent another diplomatic humiliation.
When Mr. Kerry touched down in Jeddah to meet with King Abdullah on Sept. 11, he didn't know for sure what else the Saudis were prepared to do. The Saudis had informed their American counterparts before the visit that they would be ready to commit air power—but only if they were convinced the Americans were serious about a sustained effort in Syria. The Saudis, for their part, weren't sure how far Mr. Obama would be willing to go, according to diplomats.
Said otherwise, the pound of flesh demanded by Saudi Arabia to "bless" US airstrikes and make them appear as an act of some coalition, is the removal of the Assad regime. Why? So that, as we also explained last year, the holdings of the great Qatar natural gas fields can finally make their way onward to Europe, which incidentally is also America's desire - what better way to punish Putin for his recent actions than by crushing the main leverage the Kremlin has over Europe?
But back to the Saudis and how the deal to bomb Syria was cobbled together:
The Americans knew a lot was riding on a Sept. 11 meeting with the king of Saudi Arabia at his summer palace on the Red Sea.
A year earlier, King Abdullah had fumed when President Barack Obama called off strikes against the regime of Syria's Bashar al-Assad. This time, the U.S. needed the king's commitment to support a different Syrian mission—against the extremist group Islamic State—knowing there was little hope of assembling an Arab front without it.
At the palace, Secretary of State John Kerry requested assistance up to and including air strikes, according to U.S. and Gulf officials. "We will provide any support you need," the king said.
But only after the Saudis got the abovementioned assurances that Assad will fall. And to do that they would have to strongarm Obama:
Wary of a repeat of Mr. Obama's earlier reversal, the Saudis and United Arab Emirates decided on a strategy aimed at making it harder for Mr. Obama to change course. "Whatever they ask for, you say 'yes,'" an adviser to the Gulf bloc said of its strategy. "The goal was not to give them any reason to slow down or back out."
Arab participation in the strikes is of more symbolic than military value. The Americans have taken the lead and have dropped far more bombs than their Arab counterparts. But the show of support from a major Sunni state for a campaign against a Sunni militant group, U.S. officials said, made Mr. Obama comfortable with authorizing a campaign he had previously resisted.
To be sure, so far Obama has refrained from directly bombing Assad, it is only a matter of time: "How the alliance fares will depend on how the two sides reconcile their fundamental differences over Syria and other issues. Saudi leaders and members of the moderate Syrian opposition are betting the U.S. could eventually be pulled in the direction of strikes supporting moderate rebel fighters against Mr. Assad in addition to Islamic State. U.S. officials say the administration has no intention of bombing Mr. Assad's forces"... for now.
But why is Saudi Arabia so adamant to remove Assad? Here is the WSJ's take:
For the Saudis, Syria had become a critical frontline in the battle for regional influence with Iran, an Assad ally. As Mr. Assad stepped up his domestic crackdown, the king decided to do whatever was needed to bring the Syrian leader down, Arab diplomats say.
In the last week of August, a U.S. military and State Department delegation flew to Riyadh to lay the ground for a military program to train the moderate Syrian opposition to fight both the Assad regime and Islamic State—something the Saudis have long requested. The U.S. team wanted permission to use Saudi facilities for the training. Top Saudi ministers, after consulting overnight with the king, agreed and offered to foot much of the bill. Mr. Jubeir went to Capitol Hill to pressed key lawmakers to approve legislation authorizing the training.
And once the US once again folded to Saudi demands to attack another sovereign, it was merely a matter of planning:
Hours before the military campaign was set to begin, U.S. officials held a conference call to discuss final preparations. On the call, military officers raised last-minute questions about whether Qatar would take part and whether the countries would make their actions public.
Mr. Kerry was staying in a suite on the 34th floor of New York's Waldorf Astoria hotel, where he was meeting leaders attending United Nations gatherings. He called his Gulf counterparts to make sure they were still onboard. They were.
The UAE, which some defense officials refer to as "Little Sparta" because of its outsized military strength, had the most robust role. One of the UAE's pilots was a woman. Two of the F-15 pilots were members of the Saudi royal family, including Prince Khaled bin Salman, son of the crown prince. In the third wave of the initial attack, half of the attack airplanes in the sky were from Arab countries.
The best news for Obama: it is now just a matter of time to recreate the same false flag that the Saudi-US alliance pushed so hard on the world in the summer of 2013 to justify the first attempt to remove Assad, and once again get the "sympathy" public cote behind him, naturally with the support of the US media.
But how does one know it is once again nothing but a stage? The following blurb should explain everything:
Saudi players in attendance for the Sept. 11 meeting included Prince Bandar bin Sultan, who as the king's spymaster last year ran afoul of Mr. Kerry over Syria and Iraq policy. U.S. officials interpreted his presence as a sign the king wanted to make sure the court was united, U.S. officials said.
Actually, his presence is a sign that the same puppetmaster who pulled the strings, and failed, in 2013 to remove Assad, and as noted above was at least officially removed from the stage subsequently, is once again the person in charge of the Syrian campaign, only this time unofficially, and this time has Obama entirely wrapped around his finger.
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Pentagon + Saudi alliance is winning against ......Obama + Bank lobby + Iran alliance
DXY is ripping higher. Dollar is getting stronger.
Quite possible bankers have surrendered fearing saudi executions of them.
Triple Lehman seems to be under way, if my systemic analysis is correct
In practice now, USA and Saudi air force control 70% of Syria air space. Assad can no longer cross there now.
Saudis have practically invaded 70% of Syria that Assad does not control.
Saudis winning (and Pentagon)
Iran losing (and bank lobby)
It's more likely that Kerry was in Saudi Arabia to join in the 9/11 festivities.
I dont fuckin care whose winning? I just want to know when some heads start rolling OR when the financial system collapse. before December 31 2014???
It will implode, centrally commanded implosion.
When?
It should have already happened. World is abandoning usd
So, what you are saying is the Fed did it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLpXv6ICre8
It is more useful to administer medicine to a dead person than trying to figure out what is really happening in the Middle East.
Kerry touched down in Jeddah to meet with King Abdullah on Sept. 11?
How ironic...
"Said otherwise, the pound of flesh demanded by Syria to "bless" US airstrikes and make them appear as an act of some coalition, is the removal of the Assad regime."
...uh...., what?
air superiority? Who gives a shit when you don't control the ground. We still haven't learned this fundamental lesson. And in Syria, neither the US, nor Saudis ever will.
But in the mean time more money for the MIC. They know they can't beat ISIS from the air, all they want is more caos in the ME.
Yep, how much is each cruise missile worth? That's a permanent cash cow production line.
It's a nasty cycle we're in. The United States of Ancient Rome arms one group of barbarians to defeat another group of barbarians, then they re-choose teams and the next muslim brotherhood, er I mean al qeada, er I mean ISIS, er I mean Khosan, goes on an even worse rampage and the USAR pours even more arms and training on the fire. Where does this end?
The folks getting bombed and strafed on the ground do probably care, even if you don't.
pretty sure he meant Saudi Arabia
... or Prince Bandar instead of Assad...,
Whatever is said about Kerry you gotta admit Syria is a horse that gots legs.
"...deliver Syria itself on a silver platter"
Well, that Silver Platter is getting cheaper by the week. The criminals have hijacked more than a few planes back in 2001: They hijacked the US.gov also. Well before Sept. 2001.
But keep blaming the latest incarnation of the Puppet-in-Chief. With dumb fucks like that around, no wonder they took over so easy. And watch them clamor to "elect" the next one: Billary or Bush3? Come to the Forum for the Election Games, and the crowning ceremonies.
The USSA has gone all soft on TV, iToys, and Gov handouts. "American Spring!"? LMFAO. They hate us alright... they hate US for our Freedumbs and Freebombs. Who wouldn't?
the WSJ has had a few breaking stories lately... spin and spin and sheeple soak it up.
Listen return,
What about those "MEGA-DOUCHES", Stratfor. Publishing "HOMELAND" poison complete with shiny, glossy graphics, Oooh la la.
We get 50% of our oil from canada....
So why should we give a shit about the saudi's anymore???
Its not a question of *what* the Saudi's own, but *who*
USD hegemony? Arab countries only accepting US dollars for oil? The ability of the US to exchange printed pieces of paper and digital bits for real product? Petrodollar? Shall I continue? Maybe right a book? hmm?
"Maybe right a book? hmm?"
... or learn to right..., hmm?
Listen Peabody.
You forgot to tell him to sit up straight and "NO" elbows on the table!
"... or learn to right..., hmm?"
Write on brother!
We get our crap from China however, and they need cheap energy to make it for us. Ditto Korea for our curved Samsung 4k tv's, and of course taiwan, Vietnam, Japan for all the things Americans don't make. They need cheap oil, or else those prices at Costco will skyrocket. You know except for the food and gas, the rest figures into CPI.
PetroDollar
"We get 50% of our oil from canada....
So why should we give a shit about the saudi's anymore???"
Because a major disruption anywhere will drive the price to the Moon for everybody else.
Obama is trying to protect his Wahabi master by choking off Canadian exports of oil to the US.
Again I can't fathom how you remain so optimistic. It would be great to see Jamie, Llyod, or Hank "tanks in the streets" Paulson executed. Let us know when it actually happens. In the meantime, the spice must flow...
Not a fan of bombing but is there anybody that doesnt think the world would be a better place if someone nuked saudi
And Tel Aviv!
How about just Congress?
instead of the white house?
the roman empire did not collapse in one day, nor will the american. the american empire is FAR MORE ROBUST THAN THE ROMAN EMPIRE OR THAN ANY OLD EMPIRE----BECAUSE THE U.S. EMPIRE IS SET UP NOW TO RETRACT SLOWLY INTO THE GRIPS OF A TRAP THAT THE U.S. AND EUROPE SET FOR THE WORLD. THE TRAP OF GLOBALIST TRANSNATIONAL GOVERNANCE.
you know who likes globalist transnational government? the shanghai cooperation council that is who.
short of ww3, the incermental march of corporatism is going to be used to bring all government and people's to the yolk of a transnational MILITARY BODY.
this probably will not happen in any singular way for HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF YEARS. BUT THE MARCH OF TECHNOLOGY COMBINED WITH THE GAME THEORETIC DYNAMICS OF CORPORATE CARTELISM IS THAT IF YOU DEFECT FROM THE EVERY TIGHTER SCRUM OF CARTELS---YOU BECOME A LITTLE DOG WITH NO INFLUENCE. IF YOU WORK WITH THE BANK AND INDUSTRIAL AND TRADING CARTELS TO PROMOTE TIGHTER UNISON FOR CARTELS ON AN INTERNATIONAL BASIS AKA---GLOBAL TRANSNATIONAL GOVERNANCE----THEN YOU GET GUARANTEED FINANCING AND PROTECTION FROM VARTIOUS TYPES OF ATTACK.
now-----this game dynamic projects forward for hundreds of years. acts of god can slow it down, but the relentless game dynamics cannot be ENDED BY RETARDATION OR SLOWING THEM DOWN. THE GAME DYNAMICS OF GLOBAL GOVERNANCE CAN ONLY BE ENDED BY A TRUE PARADIGM SHIT. AN EMPIRE SO RADICALLY STRONG, THAT IS CAN SIMPLY REPLACE THE CURRENT REIGNING PARADIGM. AN EMPIRE SO STRONG IT COULD ELIMINATE BOTH EUROPE, AMERICA, RUSSIA, CHINA, AND JAPAN ---IN ONE FELL SWOOP.
YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT A RADICAL TECHNOLOGICAL SOCIETY THAT SIMPLY TAKES OVER THE PLANET BEFORE THE CARTELIZED CORPORATIST STRUCTURES OF POST 20TH CENTURY IMPERIALISM ARE ABLE TO RESPOND.
i don't believe in aliens. i don't believe in technological singularities. i believe in reading history, and understanding that, while most of history is a bunch of lies, that the truth is we fit into the broader landscape of historical violence based governance, quite more easily than most people are willing to admit. we are not 'more mature' or 'better' than the historical past. we are however , better at masking over the flagrant realities of the past when we have lots of money and power to do so. empires get BETTER AT LYING. but the lies of history and our present day situation show us the landscape of behavioral paradigms has remained more less continuous for thousands of years and responds in meaningful fashion ONLY TO CHANGES IN TECHNOLOGY, if anything at all.......
The Saudis are the most faithful remaining buyers of US Treasuries together with the FED. You can't loose such a friend!
And as a result, they are getting the best military money can buy.
Thankyou US taxpayers!
Just like a heroin junkie, you have to bite the bullet and tough it out... Especially when your supplier is playing both sides against the middle...
The US-Saudi relationship reminds me of a Zappa song: I have been in you, from the Sheik Yerbouti album.
Rumor is financial collapse Sept/Oct 2015. This comes from Lindsey Williams who as been a bit hit or miss on dates lately, although generally right. That date does make sense though, because it gives them a year to deal with it between elections.
"Elections" are becoming irrelevant.
Lindsey also said a crash was coming June 2013, Sept 2013, May 2014, July 2014.......
Don't waste your time reading crack-based bullshit.
Lindsey isn't on crack, c'mon. Dementia is more like it.
9/11 was an wahabi plan but ABSOLUTELY NOT a plan from Saudi state.
USA is defender of Saudi in exchange for energy.
If USA destroyed, Iran would simply attack Saudi Arabia
The Saudi state has absolute nothing to do with 9/11.
Wahabi theology, yes.
Chill, ekm. It was sarcasm. Hell, for all I know, he could have been over there to partake in the yearly Masonic rite called "The Rubbing of Knobs Together."
It's more like, "Deciding If We are Having Spiral Cut Ham and Au Gratin Potatoes Again"
qatari royals,the dog live organ dealer erdogan of turkey,the house of saud are all jewish nothing wrong with that apart from the discretion and in the closet activities.
bomb the militaries of those countries bomb mossad isis training units and idf units in jordan,turkey and qatar.
sanction turkey and israel for stealing iraqs oil via isis and the kurds.
cut of 30 dollars a day isis wages track back military logistics supply lines from road to depots and bomb them
within 3 weeks it becomes a much lower level frank kitson operation.
but the psy warfare idea is for isis to grow for a much bigger oil grab later on
this strategy is a kosher strategy fucking up and scaring saudi and qatari would be a piece of cake but that would solve the problem the problem needs to get bigger involving false flag in europe for a bigger war so the maps can be redrawn.
chatham house lord rothschilds think tank want iraq carved up into 3 countries syria 2 or 3 pieces.
israel will now be plotting with the saudi and the turk a juicy false flag to bring the depleted uranium shock and awe to damascus.
by hook or crook assad has to go.
i do hope putin has not stabbed assad in the back.
assad seems to be in a terribly weak position now he cannot even use his old migs because of israel shoot downs.
what would be really super one day is for these leaders who are dead men walking to do a nice disclosure on video.
what amazing tales gadhaffi,saddam and assad could tell about past histories enough for a 1001 nights for sure.
they always go to the grave with secrets maybe it is a masonic thing who knows.
Tony..Mongo concurs entirely! Further Assad should concede directly and send his hot wife to Mongo for safe keeping! This should happen immediately if not sooner!
qatari royals,the dog live organ dealer erdogan of turkey,the house of saud are all jewish nothing wrong with that apart from the discretion and in the closet activities.
Speaking of missing organs!!!...
"i do hope putin has not stabbed assad in the back.'
Earlier this year Putin had a law passed making inquiry into the Holocaust®© punishable by 3 years hard labor harkens back to the Soviet Union. And in the last several months he has been getting VERY cozy with the Israelis so one thinks you may be right Tony. Assad is NOT a bad guy. Which is why his days are most likely numbered, ditto for the Lebanon.
Tony - Remarkable clarity of thought and lucidity of expression, as ever.
ekm1, There is NO SEPARATION OF MOSQUE & STATE in KSA.
Pretenses or claims to the contrary are based on either Ignorance, Wishful Projection or plain Propaganda.
@mvsjcl: "It's more likely that Kerry was in Saudi Arabia to join in the 9/11 festivities."
And as part of the Festivities, Kerry is looking for a good time with a Princess. A J-P.
Yeah, protect that Petrodollar at all costs, and all that.
As a kid, I never thought I would "wake up" from a nightmare, and then see the good being punished, and the bad being rewarded.
Religion? I don't care what God you pray to, you have to admit that all of this is pretty fucked-up.
The definition of insanity.
I totally fuckin agree Croesus (btw, long time no see bud)....there aint no God....if there was one, then 'GOD' must have seen what the fuck goes on down here but does NOTHING about it...if there aint no GOD, then why the fuck do I pray every night for a world with fairnes when there's nothing that can be done to change this.
One prays for salvation, not for fairness
No such thing as ...fairness.
What's karma?
-insert video of the Soft Parade here-
Nor Salvation.
"No Fate But The One We Make"
@ Divided States:
Yeah, I've been a lurker for a while now...but it's great to hear from you!
There is a God, and things are unfolding exactly as he foretold. Rev 17: 9 “This calls for a mind* that has wisdom: The seven heads+ mean seven mountains, where the woman (empire of false religion) sits on top.10 And there are seven kings: Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet arrived; but when he does arrive, he must remain a short while.11 And the wild beast (The United Nations) that was but is not,+ it is also an eighth king, but it springs from the seven, and it goes off into destruction. 12 “The ten horns that you saw mean ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they do receive authority as kings for one hour with the wild beast.13 These have one thought, so they give their power and authority to the wild beast. (The United Nations) 14 These will battle with the Lamb,+ but because he is Lord of lords and King of kings,+ the Lamb will conquer them.+ Also, those with him who are called and chosen and faithful will do so.”+15 He said to me: “The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is sitting, mean peoples and crowds and nations and tongues.*+16 And the ten horns+ that you saw and the wild beast (The World Governments including The United Nations) ,+ these will hate the prostitute( World Empire of False Religion) + and will make her devastated and naked, and they will eat up her flesh and completely burn her with fire.+17 For God put it into their hearts to carry out his thought,+ yes, to carry out their one thought by giving their kingdom to the wild beast (The United Nations) ,+ until the words of God will have been accomplished.
Things are already setting up exactly this way. Recently the UN has already been going after the Catholic Church for their misdeeds, and lately Obama has repeatedly used the phrase something to the effect of how these extremists are using RELIGION as the pretext for the atrocities they are committing. It's only a matter of time until the KINGS of the earth give their power and authority over to the UN to destroy false religion. They may have alterior motives as well, all these governments are broke and false religion has billions if not trillions of dollars fresh for the plucking....whatever the motivation, the bible says GOD WILL PUT IT INTO THEIR HEARTS TO CARRY OUT HIS THOUGHT....just some food for thought.
Good post. Thanks for sharing.
Two verses keep me going and keep me "faithful", I guess you could say. I look around and like DS think "Where is God?"
My only answer is His answer, which I trust:
Isiah 55:8-9 "For your thoughts are not my thoughts"
We don't have the mental capacity to understand God's thoughts, so forget analyzing where He isn't.
Matthew 24:36 "No one will know the day or the hour when these things will happen"
No one, means NO ONE, as in me, you, them, him, her....... All these internet prophets are just entertianment. The dates and times that get spewed out about any major event should not be taken seriously.
The pertinent facts that Matthew didn't know are quite extensive. For example he didn't put the important physical constants, fundamental equations, and periodic table anywhere in the good book. Nothing about molecular biology or even a footnote about the germ theory of disease.
Which have nothing to do with what anyone is talking about. Matthew gave an eyewitness account of Jesus life...and you're talking about why he didn't write about molecular biology?
And true, he did say that know one will know the day or the hour. But he did give us an extensive list of the signs that would point to the time period in which these things would occur...so though we don't know the exact day, we do know that we are close. Hell even people that don't believe in the Bible know that we are close to something big happening...
furthermore, no explanation of future prophecy is given. the things that in times past are now fufilled, even angels can look into them, and we are even commanded by Isaiah, to ask of God concerning things to come. but we will not be given instruction concerning future fulfillment of scripture.
But those who say there are no prophets.. for there to be no prophets, God would have to remove the spirit of Prophecy.. which is uh, also prophesied.. go read the rest of that verse and shudder.. because the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy, a rather self evident que this passage isn't fufilled yet, and when it is, anyone who prophesies will be put to death by their parents.
If there is a dog . he is not certainly Yahveh
Triple Lehman?
yes, sir
It was to occur in Oct 2011 when MFG was manually imploded but central command changed its minde
Again planned out to occur in May 2013 when Fed was unwinding QE and rates rose, but still central command changed the mind in Jan 2014, rates collapsed snce Fed expanded QE drastically
Now world has accelerated USD avoidance.
System needs at minimum $10 trillion to be extinguished out of $60 trillion in circularion right now
Yet USD keeps rising of late?? taking down the commodity complex?? There seems to be fishy about the recent USD strength, thats for sure...but I heard this song from you for a while now....I will give you till Dec 31 2014 to vindicate yourself.
LOL
I'm no prophet.
It should have happened already
World has accelerated USD dumping
I swore off commenting on here and don't check in that often anymore but I have to tell you guys it is absolutely frightening to take a peek and see this same, redundant conversation happening on here. I love ekm but he is out of his fucking mind. First off for a guy that explains the economy/productivity all day, everyday, to everyone there is some crazy irony that he is doing this while working.
I learned a lot from a lot of people on here over the years, and so I am not saying this to just throw a random insult and then walk, but actually trying to help whoever is not too far gone.
Ready everyone? Here is reality.
S&P 500 is 2k
10yr UST is 2.53
The problem with the USD is that it is strengthening too much, not falling through the floor. No signs of it being "dumped". None
Call your local LCS, do they have PM's to sell you? Anyone need a link to Schiff's PM site for the specials?
Gas prices by me have dropped 75 cents a gallon. Amazingly there is gas in the tanks
How's it going for those central planners? Look like they are losing the handle?
So yes. feel free to prep. Being prepared never hurt anyone ever. But get outside and take your dog for a walk or your kids to the park or go get a cup of coffee with a friend. Free yourself from this disaster mindset that keeps you glued here all day waiting for something that could be a long fucking way away.
All the best to you guys. Take care.
Later fonzy....I totally agree...I think I might be next to jump out of this bad dream and enjoy the things in REAL life that makes me smile....good luck bro
You guys are not seeing the entertainment part of this whole thing
Analysing and see if analysis comes out correct or incorrect.
Have some fun, sir.
And since people seem offended by my comments, I can promptly stop commenting.
This is a forum to test analysis. If people don't cooperate, no point
I don't want to offend anybody
ekm...i am not offended at all by your comments, and I hope you keep commenting honestly....but if I were you, I wouldnt post the word FUN to depict whats going on in this world right now....its kinda like going to Africa and seeing what Ebola is wreaking havoc there and you just enjoy witnessing the deaths because its part of the natural process of disease and famine...while ppl like me and a lot of the posters WANT TO DO SOMETHING to fix it.
Anyways, I enjoy reading you too...so dont leave...it is a forum after all and everyone is entitled to their views.
Free yourself from this disaster mindset
Paying back TARP, QE, and trillions in debt is gonna be the real bitch.....I mean something had better be looking positive here.
But that doesn't mean anything is fixed.....far from it. We can't even come close to a balanced budget. Thanks for telling me not to worry.....I'm I free to go now?
There is nothing natural about Ebola, it is a bioweapon
Trying to predict the local weather in the midst of a Hurricaine is entertaining for those watching who don't care about the outcome.
There is not many policies of the US/FED that have worked out in any reliable fashion ever. Yes in the short term they put out a fire, hurrah, while the rest of the building continues to burn.
We are all caught up in the value of our property, portfolio, paycheck, gold etc. That is the FEDs game, perceived value or gain. Gain compared to what ? I know of countless homes in SOCAL that the
mortgage has not been paid on for 5-8 years, yet no foreclosure. Bank is even paying the taxes to the state, yet no foreclosure, this is a broken system. I have one of these houses. HOA NODs give an
indication of the others.
ekm
You are one of the few voices of sanity left here. I for one think it's all the more important to hear your views, now that currency change is already underway. It is difficult enough to perceive the truth of what is going on these days, what with the growing chaos of the US being replaced (by what or whom? we don't know for sure yet but I bet someone in the world does). It is even more difficult when the few readers such as yourself, who have a large perspective on global finance, feel 'silenced' by the dogpound here. I really get the impression that some here expect this blog to start resembling the WSJ, and be a little more 'reasonable', in increasingly unreasonable times.
Those who pretend things are fine and nothing's going to happen b/c in their little neck of the woods nothing yet has - in the face of all logic - are kidding themselves and others here. I hope not only that you keep commenting, but that others will begin to hear what you are saying.
I watch the shockingly high unemployment levels, which I can see are going nowhere but up. I see what passes for a "career path" in North America (and I remember what it was to really have such a path). We are rapidly heading to a neo-feudal economy based on serfs, indebted but "trained" serfs, and a few genuine "owners" calling the shots on a giant debt plantation. Soon we will be foreign-owned at the rate we are selling off real assets for imaginary 'currency'. Anyone who doesn't think we are ALREADY IN A HUGE DEPRESSION, which is still just beginning, is kidding themselves. The level of unemployment here, the McJobs that ARE available, the low pay levels and huge growing underclass - any and all of these should show that ALREADY THE USD IS FAILING. This bump up in the USD is to be expected, just before it implodes - this is what always happens. So far the pattern is completely the same. But LOOK AT OUR RAPIDLY FALLING STANDARD OF LIVING. THIS is where the real financial news is. Ignore the fucking stock market for just a minute, and THINK.
Arguing about dates is for 'traders', if there are any left in this hilarious charade of a market. Bunch of sillies chasing a big pile of beads, and selling their real assets off to foreigners in the process. People forget that despite "global reserve", not all economies are based on "services" and not all countries are run by their banks. All we should be looking at is the logical outcome of currency debasement, and the now-obvious result in our high unemployment and low productivity rates. The only doubt is in the timeline, and frankly even 10 years is not that long for a GLOBAL fiat economy to collapse. I don't care what date it is, since I am not a trader at this time. The fact that this time the debasement and collapse are global - due to the first-time "global reserve currency" experiment, now failed - is the only reason the timing is this difficult. It is not the first time fiat currency has collapsed, but it is the first time we were stupid enough to have a fiat "global reserve". Therefore, the timing and events are much more complicated than before. But the scam is still the same scam, and is now ending in just the same way.
You are one of the few who sees clearly enough what is going on, to talk about it. (But I cannot believe this isn't obvious to anyone who has open eyes, and that more people are not discussing what will happen with our currency as this West-East power shift continues). Maybe it's b/c so many here are fixated on the 'stock market', which is now just another propaganda tool, with about as much truth in it as the MSM. I don't know how close you are to 'ground level' - probably not very much - but all that you have said about the USD and the slowly occurring shift in power resonates in my view, which is fixed firmly on the ground level here.
You seem (to me) to have "faith" in the military, which I don't really share. (Since wars must be financed, I am not sure who will finance the Anglo-American banks who are relying on the same currency that is collapsing, NOT to collapse.) Your interpretations may be open to debate, but they are always plausible and thought-provoking.
All the best. Never be silenced, especially when reality is on your side. (If I were you I wouldn't bother defending myself either, but you are much politer than I am and no doubt therefore more persuasive.)
TL:DR: You don't want to offend anyone? The fuck is this place, fight club or the WSJ? If you're not offending someone (with your comments, not trolling) then your comment is prolly too middle-of-the-road to provoke much thought....
Military wants to get paid in crude oil to run warships and F-16s and goods and services to feed 470k soldiers.
Funding is done by their warships with Saudis holding up Petrodollar, not by banks. Banks simply type up digits on computers now, commonly called 'funding'.
Well, that makes sense. Fits with the (for lack of a better term) barter contracts recently between the Russians & Chinese, and Russians & Iranians.
To be honest, to try to figure out the truth of things now I try to look at what the MSM is NOT talking about, one of which things is these various trade deals being set up around the world. MSM is all about wars and the stock market.
If such military is American, however, THEY aren't getting paid in oil etc., unless you're saying the Saudis are paying them. In which case, what about all those Saudi visits to China recently? They'll cosy up with China, AND pay the American military in real goods? How can that be?
Because bank lobby convinced everybody to ship factories to China early 90s after soviet union collapsed.
Now China is the factory of the world, most of energy has to go there to produce output which drastically down by the way.
So, controlling energy going to China is absolutely crucial for the survival of Petrodollar, unless those factories are brought back to the West, which would take 10 years or more
So putting a couple of things together here: Would it be fair to say that, according to what you have presented, the Saudis are the last leg of the petrodollar?
All the Eurasian Alliance would have to do, in that case, is swing the Saudis. How difficult could it be for China to promise them various protections, to do that? (Not sure what preserving the petrodollar status quo would do for them, if China made any promises to them that seemed a viable alternative. Each year that passes must be making that less attractive, but what do I know.)
I guess if the Saudis stay loyal, then I can certainly see your point. We're just speculating here, and as you say, the freedom to do so is refreshing.
Correct.
They fear Iran to death.
If no US Military protection, Iran will attack them, period
Pentagon + Saudi alliance since 1973 is a win-win for all
Both survive if they stay allied.
Putin and Khamenei already have an alliance
For the uninitiated, US military is not controlled by Obama. Look toward the City and Royal Crown agents.....Serco and it's flash override capabilities via the red switch network.
Thanx, MF, that helps. I have been thinking of the military as controlled by US gov. But is London serious about becoming a remnimbi trading hub? - in which case, again, are we not back to all funding being on the side of the Eurasian Alliance? Or is China not really that committed to that Alliance, and trying to play both sides - but in a war, where you have to choose a side, would London not have to side with China? Or does the Alliance commitment level range from Russia 100% to China 50%? I hope this question doesn't sound like gibberish to you... I'm trying to ask where London's loyalty would be, IF China is serious (as it appears to me to be) about the EA Alliance and dethroning the petrodollar.
Seeing London's efforts to become a remnimbi hub, it is difficult for me to see how they could finance a military that is OPPOSED to the (anti-petrodollar) Alliance? Surely China's interest... is on the Alliance side?
(Yes, I am uninitiated. But at least I get to hear from many people here, some of whom are informed!)
"the US being replaced (by what or whom?"
The most logical choice is obvious, I think.
renfield,
+1. i completely concur, thank you for posting.
I'm new to commenting here but have been lurking for quite some time. As opposed to some here who seem to *want* everything to come crashing down around them, I get the sense that EKM just enjoys trying to analyze what's going on and what it means. If that's his hobby, so be it. I also agree with Fonz in the sense that there ain't much control we have to prevent anything from occurring so we may as well enjoy what good time we may have left and not squander what may either be weeks or decades living in the doom and gloom factory.
Does that mean don't prep or try to affect positive change if possible...certainly not. But it's important to find a healthy balance.
I, for one, enjoy what EKM brings to these discussions.
From what I'm hearing, the FRN is about to be replaced with US treasury notes. Federal Reserve Banks will be closed for good.
hahahahaha what a concept
"I, for one, enjoy what EKM brings to these discussions."
Me too. When I first joined seemed like everyone hung on the words of EKM for a long time. I ignore the down votes since he came back.
I Hane't seen fonzy comment for a while.
i never comment on your threads because you are a fucking moron who could be a paid shill but most likley are just an idiot clogging up the zh boards with total trashnonsense comment.
Chill Fonz
We are just analysing. We can be correct or incorrect.
Nobody cares what I think, or what you think or anybody else thinks.
It's a forum to exchange thoughts...and imagination.
Testing theories, proving them right or wrong.
it's fun
Dude, I dont call this fun at all when a few fucktards in charge are holding the welfare of billion's people's lives with all the fuckin senseless decision they make...and you find it fun to predict what their next move is regardless of what will happen to these mostly innocent sheeps? We want to save the people, and punish those who deserve it....not being proud of being vindicated for calling out theories. I dont post here to get some orgasm you know....sharing ideas and knowledge, yes...but def no orgasm.
Sir.
I cannot change the world.
People will always choose morons to lead them. This will never change.
Crowds are stupid by definition. This will never change.
I can only observe, but can't change anything
crowds are stupid or is that just the goy you fucking rabbi.
you are an insane interbred lunatic your sick zionist mindset is the root nub of the problem.
the reasons come out slowly for your madness
http://www.zengardner.com/male-circumcision-alters-brain-victims/#
It is mutilation. It is mutilation. It is no different than what happens to females in the middle east. Mutilation plain and simple.
Hhhmmm, perhaps it's time for "billions of people" to insure their own fucking welfare for a change?
Species come and go, we have the opportunity to do some some great things, but the Laws of Nature and Physics really don't give a shit either way.
It's fun. Those f-tards think they control this but they're wrong. It's in better hands than theirs. All us us, sheep, elites, preppers, everyone ends up dead and we get to see what comes after that. Our assets titles and the like don't come with us. I've been there and back so I'm fully at peace with eternity. Walk the dog- check. Took the grandkids to the park yesterday. I'll have coffee with a friend as soon as I find one. <joke> <pretty much>. I'm not on ZH for investment advice. Tyler only gives one side, the closest thing to a BUY recommendation you'll see here "Don't short the market on theses days". Still it is clear to me that we are being lied to by those in charge. My primate brain wants to figure out why. They won't tell us so we have to figure it out. ZH has a lot of intelligent people with diverse backgrounds and it's a good source of pieces to try to fit into the puzzle which to me is FUN. They don't win in the end.
DF, if you are looking for answers, I suggest, checking out Winston Shrout, Solutions in Commerce. You might be amazed at what you find, solutions that are literally 6000 years old.
Save the People?
You one of those Messianic types with a spandex super-hero costume in your closet?
The people will have to save themselves and will only make a start when they muster out on Lexington Commons.
The Lobsters may have enjoyed the trip out to Concord, but not nearly as much as they hated the trip back.
yeah, one could get deprassed/paranoid/ accused of being crazy after hangin here for a spell..
HOWEVER - even in this article I just browsed : http://www.wptz.com/money/zero-hedge-wall-streets-daily-dose-of-doom-and-gloom/28239202 they admitted that ZH called some things correctly waay before they were cool or mainsteam. (i cant remember the exact phrase they used now.) ;)
So really...who knows?....
We do know:
it's all rigged.
They will control til they cant.
Should have collapsed by now.
and..it's all rigged.
so, believe ZH or dont. Bad things are coming.
Nice to see you again, fonz. You're one of my all-time favorites.
people here are going to be stunned over the next six months when they see just how strong the petrodollar is... the Fed is going to have to raise rates just to take some heat out of the US economy once the election cycle is over in November...
the real news behind all this is the utter smackdown the guys at ICE just got... the Scotland independence referendum spooked the hell out of them... an independent Scotland would have thrown a huge monkey wrench into their round-trip trading shennanigans with Brent peak manipulation... look at who's been told to come to Jesus lately and you'll see the pattern... BP, Deutsche Bank, Shell, Total, Societe General, Morgan Stanley etc.
the wizard behind the curtain for all this is the usual suspect... Goldman Sachs... they basically ran the show when it came to controlling supply chain investment against Brent peak which ultimately inflated oil & gas prices world wide... I lay all this at the feet of Enron, who showed anyone greedy enough to notice what "peak oil" really meant... every chicken little on the planet claiming the sky was going to fall when what they're really seeing is a false ceiling that moves up and down based on the whims of the price manipulators...
seriously, you can't make this shit up... anyone who thinks the price of oil is a free-floating market indicator is delusional
<<the Fed is going to have to raise rates just to take some heat out of the US economy once the election cycle is over in November...>>
What level would you think they would raise rates to? (Please show your work...)
This argument seems logical but I have difficulty picturing it in practice. Don't think they can afford to raise rates at all, but always interested in another perspective, which is why I ask.
my WAG is anywhere between 50 and 100 points, and definitely post-election... expect the stock market to retract when this happens
commenters like ekm can cut closer to the bone than the 'journalists'. the attack is so quick and sharp that it may take a moment for you to realize you're bleeding.
Good to see you Fonz, as far as your "gas in the tanks" comment. Go have a look at how much (government-subsidized) ethanol production has increased and national demand has decreased.
That which cannot be sustained, won't be. From my perspective we are getting higher prices on just about everything we grow, and we still accept dollars, for now.
dup.
<<Ready everyone? Here is reality. S&P 500 is 2k 10yr UST is 2.53>>
That's not reality. Unemployment and productivity are reality. Ownership of real assets is reality. Who owns the land you are living on, is reality. Who allows you your "rights", and what those "rights" are, that's reality. Whether you and yours have a future beyond work-until-death (i.e., serfdom), that's reality.
Those are just market numbers, presented to you by governments and banks from their increasingly obvious systems. Those numbers are as real as CPI, as poll and election numbers. They are as real as any numbers from any centrally-planned market (which has an agenda now, which agenda I only hope includes you). Those numbers aren't reality; they are a scam. Have fun playing -- just don't get so confused. Anyone who is still "trading" these days - all I can say is, have fun with the timing! (I mean, "stay nimble!") :-)
I agree, we don't need a "market crash" to say things have or are falling apart though it does happen and may again sometime. Just take a look around you, are things getting better? Is the world stage improving or imploding? Sure you absolutely should still live your life, have coffee with friends, spend time with family etc...But the REALITY is shit is going down and fucking gas prices and the S&P, DOW are only symptoms of all the other garbage going on in the world.
Well, it always kind of makes me roll my eyes when someone gives me a stock market number to indicate that things are not that bad...WITHOUT doing the reasoning, as to what that stock number is actually saying, IF it is reality. (Kinda like with the CPI and unemployment reports.)
IF THE BOND/STOCK MARKET IS REALITY...then productivity on this continent has never been higher.
IF THE BOND/STOCK MARKET IS REALITY...then the highest bid stocks are probably in general good producing assets to own, real 'blue chips'.
IF THE BOND/STOCK MARKET IS REALITY...then gas prices dropping is going to mean, MORE people using fuel and demand RISING (since fuel is a necessity)...NOT lower demand.
IF THE BOND/STOCK MARKET IS REALITY...then retail is an active and growing participant, and 'money-on-the-sidelines' is not a concern.
IF THE BOND/STOCK MARKET IS REALITY...then interest rates have nowhere to go but up! And, like, anytime soon...like tomorrow, maybe.
IF THE BOND/STOCK MARKET IS REALITY...then the already large and rapidly growing unrecorded market ('black' market) in the Western world, is irrelevant since it is not syphoning real productivity away from official GDP.
And so on. I see NO 'reality' backing these numbers, or any other government- or bank-generated numbers, but I DO see a failing system all around me if I ignore those numbers and just open my damn eyes.
But then, I'm a serf and a peasant, who of course is the last to get the memo...so what do I know? Anyhow, thanx for the patience with my rants on this thread. I haven't commented in quite some time and I guess I just got drawn into the talk! I love the Hedge for the conversations here, and when they get heated, I'm happy if it means more information.
The battle in the dollar is over the reserve currency status imho. The bank lobby could care less it would appear if it is lost. In fact to me it looks like they are looking forward to seeing it gone. The point ekm1 makes is that the military does not see this as a good outcome for the US as they would lose major influence globally. William Dudley of the Federal Reserve just yesterday stated he thinks the recent strong dollar is prohibiting growth in the US.
The Fed either backs away from the weakening of the dollar by their prior QE policies which has lead to the potential if not real loss of our reserve currency status or they continue with QE and insure our demise. Right now they are backing away which is leading to dollar strength.
Therein lies the battle lines. Good to hear from you Fonz as always.
Hey Fonz !!! Welcome to the club !!!
Yup, I share a lot of Fonzie's sentiments, except that I have not yet been able to kick my ZH addiction. WIP.
If you want to be truly Rational, Logical and Objective, and peddling 'religion' in the form of Finance or Economics, you need to look at the GLOBAL CAPITALIZATION (of Stock Markets) BY COUNTRY, since Financial Leverage takes place here: https://www.quandl.com/c/economics/stock-market-capitalization-by-country
Before ignoramuses and self-serving shills go off about "currency dumping", you need to stick to these "Financial Realities".
Until these things change, or "Green Springs" start popping up in the West, or the Superpowers start fighting directly, or the BRICS block releases and scales their Parallel FX Model, all this Doomsday talk is just that: Talk. Anybody see the Syrians or Russians stopping the US from bombing the shit out of Syria? No? Then let's get back to Daily Life, and screw the Doom-Porn.
But if you DO want to make a difference, get out help organize the grass-root movements against Usurpers in State and Federal elections, who are financed by the Usual Suspects. Do more, bitch less. (And I will TRY to blog less, much less - since I'm not sure about the impact of value-add I'm providing here vs. living life that keeps slipping by).
A page out of the gold manipulation playbook is to buy gradually so you have the positions to sell in a bunch so stops will aid your efforts. If Russia and China wish to damage the dollar they will be buying into this surge and use their positions to break support as the overbought dollar corrects. A good 'event' would help with the turnaround but Nuland has demonstrated that the Russians can decrypt the US phone calls so any false flag 'ISIS' attacks or similar events will be known. The dollar is at yet another resistance point currently (I know it's blown through a dozen or so already on its rampage), the charts show that when it finally turns the trip down can be faster than the ramp up. All this is based on my assumption that I can peer into the minds of psychopathic politicians so it's likely no more than an entertaining guess. It should happen next month so don't wait until the end of year. If it doesn't happen before Thanksgiving I'll be back to the paranoid delusioal drawing board. Good times.
Precisely.
We are just analysing
China and Russia cannot manipulate gold by trading physical. Paper is where that is done. It is leveraged 1000x or more, so you are just fighing a hurricane force wind. You don't seem to understand that.
EKM, you seem to be assuming the dollar reserve status is only based on the old petro dollar arrangement. If that were true, losing saudi cooperation would be instant disaster, as you predict. However, I believe that is too simplistic.
Dollar strength WAS INITIALLY based on oil backing. After a while it was based on the universal acceptance. Basically, it is a habit or force of billions of minds. Much like gold used to be thought of.
Remember, in 1913 federal reserve notes were backed by gold SO THAT PEOPLE WOULD BE COMFORTABLE ACCEPTING THE CHANGE. By 1933 that was no longer needed and gold backing was withdrawn. It only took 20 years for FRNs to become universally accepted instead of gold.
agree..that usd overhead resistance goes back to 2005. If I was looking to dump treas this is as good a top as any seems like .
It's not the USD being good, it's EUR and YEN being worse...Look at the Renminbi!
I get Lehman but don't know how to triple it. Third time? Three at once? three times the bang?
Yes, 3 times as big
so 3 times the bailouts and 3 times the QE to follow??? and 3 times more wealth expansion by the rich in the following 5 years?? I just want some heads to be accounted for under the guillotine, thats the only justice I want more than anything else even if the future world will turn desolate.
They don't win. I cheated and looked at the end of the book.
The only way you will get your wish is if the people make it come true. Who else do you think is going to do what you wish to see?
The funding of a young Barack Obama's education by the Saudis seems to be paying off in spades.
Valerie Jerrett's father set all that crap up.....all those years ago. Seek and ye shall find.
Please, the MIC and the bankers are all on the same page when it comes to the preservation of the petro-dollar. Hence we have continuos wars in order to expand the petro-dollars reach. We have a "strong" dollar right now because tho job of printing has fallen on Europe's central bank. Make no mistake, all the western central banks are working in unson, and they will all take their turns printing.
A strong dollar is a margin call on derivatives.
So, no. Bank lobby this time wants trashing of USD
No, the strong dollar is a result of a Euro/USD carry trade. With a dollar surging against the Euro and U.S treasuries yielding a full 1.5% more than the German Bund, this becomes an attractive trade. Which, BTW is why the U.S needs more war. Moar war = bigger deficits and bigger deficits = more "quality"collateral.
Which means less dollars circulating, which means dollar shortage to pay short term liabilities of derivatives
No, it doesn't. It means even more leverage in the system.
ok
Well leverage cannot go exponential...it will have to break one day....hopefully soon...its gone on for way too long already.
If price of beef goes higher, it means that there is less beef available
If price of USD goes higher in other currencies, it means that there are less USDs available floating around
Why would you assume that Obummer is smart enough to be on a side; he is a bitch who blows both ways. Even the strongest, most aware, and most diligent men have been told 1/2 lies:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Quincy_%28CA-71%29
Eisenhower, he at least recognized what happened and tried to right a wrong.
Since mankind's dawn, a handful of oppressors have accepted the responsibility over our lives that we should have accepted for ourselves. By doing so, they took our power. By doing nothing, we gave it away. We've seen where their way leads, through camps and wars, towards the slaughterhouse.
Arm Yourselves
The Saudi's will have no need for the petro dollar when they have Europe.
Europe has no active military
To hear NATO's Rasmussen talk, you would think that the Danes are pitching up the long boats and sharpening the broadaxes to go Viking in their old trade towns in Ukraine.
Wrong branch of the Vikings. The Swedes went into eastern/central Europe, the Danes went to England and France, from where 200 years later they emerged as the Normans,
laetitia casta is a norman gal
In the pic I believe that Kerry is with tuki al faisal who is now running the operation in the stead of the simian bandar. In that sense it doesn't matter who the front man is. The desires of the Saudis are the same.
As for the article, I would point ou t a few things, as I try to follow the Syrian situation closely.
THe sum total, with ISIS stretching themselves on multi fronts, is that the momentum is on the side of Syria, not the opposition, even moreseo that it has been in past months. So far these bombing have tacit and overt support from the Syrian government. At this point, STILL, only the US wiping out Assad's air defense ( which he hasn't even turned on in a sign of sommunication ) over the warnings and likely action from Russia will turn the tide in this war.
So if Berri had to promise the Saudi demons that they would train 5 thousand more people to go die in Syria, I think they would say fine, while rolling their eyes. If this turns bad for Assad's government we have WW3 on our hands, which may be the plan, but it will be nothing less.
Bandar is a Vampire Squid all his own. His tentacles go far and wide.
Reagan Era : He was exposed for his involvement in the Iran-Contra scandal. He had arranged $32 million in Saudi financing for the Nicaraguan Contras.[3] Nancy Reagan used him to relay messages to the Cabinet.[3]
Bush( I & II ) Era: Bandar has formed close relationships with several American presidents, notably George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, the latter giving him the affectionate and controversial nickname "Bandar Bush".[11] His particularly close relationship with the Bush family was highlighted in Michael Moore's documentary Fahrenheit 9/11. He was reportedly so close to George H. W. Bush that he was often described as a member of the former president's family.[3][12] He advocated Saddam Hussein's overthrow in Iraq in March 2003.[13] He encouraged military action against Iraq and supported Dick Cheney's agenda for "The New Middle East", which called for pro-democracy programs in both Syria and Iran.[13] Additionally, Prince Bandar's children supposedly attended the same school where Cheney's grandchildren were enrolled.[citation needed]
Clinton Era : Clinton, as governor of Arkansas, had asked him to help pay for the Middle East Studies Center at the University of Arkansas.[3] In the 1990s, he persuaded Libyan president Muammar Gaddafi to turn in two suspects allegedly involved in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103. He privately described Gaddafi as "a Jerry Lewis trying to be a Churchill".[3]
As Secretary General of Saudi National Security Council: Prince Bandar visited Damascus and met president Bashar Assad in mid-November 2005.[19] He also secretly met with U.S. officials in 2006 after resigning as ambassador.[20] Seymore Hersh reported in 2007 in the New Yorker that as Saudi Arabia's national security adviser, Bandar bin Sultan continued to meet privately with both President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney. At that time Hersh described Bandar as a key architect of the Bush Administration policy in Iraq and the Middle East.[10]
As Friend of Jerry Jones owner of Dallas Cowboys: After the King renewed Bandar's post on the National Security Council for an additional 4-year term in September 2009, Bandar failed to make the customary public demonstration of his allegiance to the King.[24] This noticeable absence was followed by others: an avid fan of the Dallas Cowboys, Bandar did not appear in his customary seat—next to owner Jerry Jones in Jones's skybox—for the home opener of the new Cowboys Stadium.[
As China Expert to the Saudi Kingdom: The other goal of his late March 2011 visit to Islamabad was to raise the prospect of a return engagement for the Pakistan Army. The goal was achieved and Pakistan quickly approved the proposal.[31] His visit to China during the same period resulted in the issuing of lucrative contracts in return for political support. Since China is not a friend of the Arab Spring, it is eager for Saudi oil and investment. Bandar secretly negotiated the first big Saudi-Chinese arms deal. Thus, Bandar is the Kingdoms's premier China expert.[31]
As Director General of Saudi Intelligence Agency: Bandar bin Sultan was appointed director general of Saudi Intelligence Agency on 19 July 2012 replacing Muqrin bin Abdulaziz.[16][32] Although no official reason for the appointment was provided,[33] the appointment occurred after growing tension between Sunnis and Shiites in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.[34] It was also considered as a move of Saudi Arabia to display more aggressive foreign policy given the regional challenges that comes from Iran and Syria.[35] Prince Bandar is also a member of the Military Service Council.[36]
This cat is BEYOND connected.
Mercenary forces for hire
https://wiki.eveonline.com/en/wiki/Mercenary_corporations
Under what name can the USA gov. mercenaries be found.
(Trick question .... they are all USA trained)
"The process gave the Saudis leverage to extract a fresh U.S. commitment to beef up training for rebels fighting Mr. Assad, whose demise the Saudis still see as a top priority."
And they would be the set of "rebels" who are A) anti-Assad but not B) the super-crazy Islamic kind which we were supporting before because of condition 'A' but are actively fighting now because of condition 'B'?
Pepe Escobar put it thusly:
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/MID-01-240914.html
What's the test for 'moderate jihadis'?
Dirty toenails after the pre-prayer footbath?
Like this? (trick question: is that dirt or hair?)
http://www.moonofalabama.org/2014/09/cia-anti-syria-program-finances-wah...
Blog has some quality, acute commentators and commentors. Bit like ZH without the finance/market bias.