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"You Get A New Car; You Get A New House" - Saudi Prince Alwaleed Hands Out Bribes To Saudi Citizens

Tyler Durden's picture




 

One would think that with a humanitarian crisis playing out just a hundred miles north of the massively wealthy kingdom of Saudi Arabia, that some of its billionaires would feel humanitarian enough if not to petition the government to open its borders to the biggest refugee wave in recent history then to at least empty out their proverbial pockets with money that could change - and prolong - countless lives for the better.

One would be wrong. Instead, in a dramatic show of faux generosity, staple CNBC commentator and billionaires, Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal who several years ago sued Forbes for "underestimating" his net worth at "only" $20 billion (Forbes won) decided to show the world just how noble (and rich) he is. According to Arabian Business, Alwaleed Philanthropies, chaired by Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, has given out "10,000 housing units and 10,000 cars to Saudi citizens who are eligible as per the criteria set by the organisation."

What is the stated purpose of this handout program?  "Alwaleed Philanthropies aims to cover individuals who are not eligible to the housing program offered by the Ministry of Housing. This initiative will be ongoing for the next 10 years."

According to Alwaleed Philanthropies research findings, affording a home is a major concern to most Saudi citizens nowadays. Rent is a big burden weighing on the family’s budget, especially since majority of the families are young.

And to think just a few hundred miles away, as a result of western attempt to topple Assad for years on end, just living has become a "big burden" weighing on hundreds of thousands of innocent Syrians. But who cares about them: after all they will soon be EU Navy cannon fodder.

By providing 10,000 housing units for 10,000 Saudi families, the initiative will support 60,000 Saudi citizens since the average of each family in the kingdom includes around six members.

 

In the last 35 years, Alwaleed Philanthropies has supported and initiated projects in 94 countries, regardless of gender, race or religion.

Just not Syria.

The well-choreographed media spin continues: Alwaleed's charity "collaborates with a range of philanthropic, government and educational organisations to combat poverty, empower women and youth, develop communities, provide disaster relief and create cultural understanding through education."

What is the real story?

As we have documented on many times in the past, any time Saudi rulers, oligarchs and billionaires feel the need to grease the social mood, they do one thing and one thing only: provide bribes to the population.

Back in February, when the brand new Saudi King Salman announced a massive cabinet reshuffle, we reported that "nothing says "we really do fear social unrest and please stick with the new king" like Saudi Arabia spewing a massive $29.3 billion spending program that include lavish payments of two months bonus salary to all Saudi state employees and a series of subsidies. As al-Arabiya reports, King Salman bin Abdulaziz has issued a number of decrees because - as he wrote on Twitter (which you may remember is considered "the source of all evil" by the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia) "Dear Citizens, you deserve more," adding "do not forget to include me in your prayers."

Judging by the amount of handouts, the public mood in Saudi Arabia - which as we have reported constantly over the past few months is hemorrhaging cash as a result of plunging oil prices, is burning through foreign reserves and is set to record the largest deficit in its history - must be turning very ugly if the government feels obliged to hand out not only houses but also cars.

 

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Tue, 09/15/2015 - 13:17 | 6551321 aliki
aliki's picture

only difference between this and when u jump the mexico-u.s. border is we throw in free food, healthcare, education, public utilities ................

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 13:20 | 6551328 Creepy A. Cracker
Creepy A. Cracker's picture

That mullet hair cut works well for you, dude.  Welcome to the 1980's.

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 13:27 | 6551374 kliguy38
kliguy38's picture

Would you buy a vaccuum cleaner from this clown?

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 14:05 | 6551628 Bunghole
Bunghole's picture

Not unless he threw in the Carrera sunglasses and a Member's Only jacket.

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 14:17 | 6551666 Pinto Currency
Pinto Currency's picture

When Western currencies blow up, and they will, Alwaleed is going to have a tough time explaining selling all that oil for paper.

And then investing the profits in Citi and Facebook in his own account.

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 14:14 | 6551668 Pinto Currency
Pinto Currency's picture

-

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 14:40 | 6551791 Theosebes Goodfellow
Theosebes Goodfellow's picture

I guess it's pointless to point out that it was Saudi money that paid for Gaddafi weapons that were shipped via Turkey for ISIS which in turn exacerbated the "refugee crisis", isn't it? Oh, and the House of Saud is taking in exactly ZERO Syrian Muslim brother and sister refugees. None, zip, zilch. Allahu Akbar, baby!

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 13:19 | 6551335 Paveway IV
Paveway IV's picture

How about free houses and cars to the Syrians whose lives he dstroyed? Or Yemenis? Or Libyans? Or Mali... well, you get the idea.

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 13:32 | 6551408 L Bean
L Bean's picture

He doesn't trouble his beautiful mind about all that. Why would he?

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 15:11 | 6551985 aVileRat
aVileRat's picture

Saud builds a refugee camp for 3 million and refuses to fill it after being asked by UN Aid to help the Turkey overflow. Media is silent while the King parties it up in DC and buys half a French beach. 5 days later, Liberal media editorializes that G-7 countries should each take 50,000 to 100,000 refugees in addition to their quotas from the other MENA "Jasmine Revolutions". Media pundits continue to ignore the Arab League's lack of comittment/accountability for the ISL mess.

Just goes to show you who the smartest guys in the room are in this whole adventure. Make a mess which screws up 14,000,000 + citizens, get everyone else to pay for the munitions and pretend you had no hand in the planning. Ask for a rearm discount ahead of the 2016 elections. 

And speaking of smart moves don't get me started on the "carbon footprint" generated by all this excessive production at the expense of down hole integrity. Let me know when Greenpeace is planning a Rydiah protest.

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 13:21 | 6551343 KnuckleDragger-X
KnuckleDragger-X's picture

Any average election you see the same thing and the only difference is these are honest bribes.....

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 13:33 | 6551420 Mr Pink
Mr Pink's picture

They have niggers in Saudi Arabia?

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 15:10 | 6551977 PontifexMaximus
PontifexMaximus's picture

Yes

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 13:51 | 6551544 Question Reality
Question Reality's picture

Since when does the U.S. buy houses and cars for it's citizens or immigrants?

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 13:17 | 6551322 Fred Hayek
Fred Hayek's picture

The guy looks like he might be one of Fredo Corleone's kids.

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 13:34 | 6551428 Seasmoke
Seasmoke's picture

He's smart. And wants respect too.

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 13:45 | 6551497 shovelhead
shovelhead's picture

Fredo goes to Hair Club for Men.

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 13:18 | 6551323 firstdivision
firstdivision's picture

http://jalopnik.com/laferrari-asshat-who-terrorized-a-beverly-hills-neighbo-1730757102

Here's some fucking awesome stuff for us sucking on the ME oil pumping teet.

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 13:18 | 6551326 pods
pods's picture

I liked him better when he was in his Hall & Oates phase.

pods

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 13:25 | 6551361 L Bean
L Bean's picture

He's progressing for sure. He's a full-on 90s strip club owner, these days.

I wonder if he still has those Mercedes blinged out with crystals like some hooker's smartphone.

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 13:20 | 6551327 Mr Poopra
Mr Poopra's picture

He's afraid.  He should be.

The people might realize they don't actually need them.  Oops!

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 13:18 | 6551329 LawsofPhysics
LawsofPhysics's picture

So the Saudi "leadership" cuts out the middlemen and the people actually get something...?

Oh the "horror"...

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 13:19 | 6551331 Freddie
Freddie's picture

How many Yemenis did you scum suckintg Saudis kill today with cluster bombs and starvation?  Send this douchebag to the front to die for The House of Saudi. 

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 13:54 | 6551562 Question Reality
Question Reality's picture

The world would be a better place if the people who start, promote, or finance wars had to fight on the front lines.

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 16:26 | 6551809 Paveway IV
Paveway IV's picture

I would reccommend he's sent to crew one of the old POS Abrams Tanks we sold him.

A Yemeni hiding behind a rock with a 40-year-old Konkurs can smoke one of them:

Yemeni Forces' Soviet-Era Missiles Hunting S. Arabia's Abrams Tanks

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 13:19 | 6551333 TeamDepends
TeamDepends's picture

Apparently, all towel-heads are not created equal.

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 13:20 | 6551340 Plunge Protection
Plunge Protection's picture

Saudi Arabia is a very fragile state. Futures crisis "no one could see coming" waiting to happen

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 13:30 | 6551344 L Bean
L Bean's picture

I read that as "Stable" CNBC commentator. 

So, another horsey horse. The guy's on Charlie Rose every other night too, for God knows what reason.

Anyway, it is quite "quaint" that the Suadis are finally finding their noblesse oblige, and so late in their era. Tossing out crumbs to the lower castes, if you will.

But this is all WAY WAY too late. And that's what the yearly shipments of US military hardware are for. 

Anyway, after the nausea passes, this guy always gives me a little chuckle. He's like the Oprah of Saudia Arabia; only worried about his personal, Western legacy. He spends 100% of his time in the west.

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 13:21 | 6551345 Bastiat
Bastiat's picture

Will he take in 10,000 refugees?  Didn't think so.

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 13:27 | 6551372 orez65
orez65's picture

Enough of being nice guys!

From now on the Saudis need to pay us one half of all the oil and natural gas that they sell if they want us to defend them.

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 13:41 | 6551469 shovelhead
shovelhead's picture

Sorry,

That defense cost is part of the oil for dollars deal.

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 13:28 | 6551379 xrxs
xrxs's picture

bread and circuses

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 13:29 | 6551384 JJdog
JJdog's picture

Beheading after for getting free handouts 

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 13:29 | 6551388 youngman
youngman's picture

Trump can learn something from this....a chicken in every pot so to speak....

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 22:15 | 6553747 StychoKiller
StychoKiller's picture

And a camel in every garage?

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 13:35 | 6551429 Son of Captain Nemo
Son of Captain Nemo's picture

For now that is...

He'll be moving to his palatial mansion in Cannes very soon!

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 13:38 | 6551431 The Darwin Mode
The Darwin Mode's picture

Fail.

This article is a thumbs downer based alone on the evident illiteracy of the author. I couldn't even tell you about the content, because I'm not going to waste my time with someone who can't even construct a basic sentence.

I'm sick of this language being trashed. English is not a perfect language, admittedly. Some of its contradictions and inconsistencies are senseless and annoying, and we're all going to get things wrong here and there. But holy hell, at least try. Total garbage, and a fail.

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 13:35 | 6551436 shovelhead
shovelhead's picture

Man...

All I got was a free phone and medical insurance...

Oh wait, no I didn't.

I had to pay for someone elses free shit.

Obama, you cheap bastard.

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 13:36 | 6551439 Rhett72
Rhett72's picture

I was recently in a taxi driven by a Saudi cabbie,  Very polite, sweet-hearted guy.  I asked him what he thought of Prince Alwaleed.  His face turned to contempt and he said: "He is the Devil."

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 13:40 | 6551465 lolmao500
lolmao500's picture

He looks like a pedo

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 13:43 | 6551485 Chuck Knoblauch
Chuck Knoblauch's picture

All Saudi princes are freaks.

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 13:47 | 6551503 Mr Poopra
Mr Poopra's picture

Morality is for serfs.  Serf smokes a joint and loses his head while the Royals routinely rape children and worse. 

Same as it ever was.  

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 14:48 | 6551824 oddjob
oddjob's picture

Greaseball Wahhabi terrorists.

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 13:42 | 6551467 Chuck Knoblauch
Chuck Knoblauch's picture

Sunnis are generous with other people's money.

Most of it US taxpayer funded.

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 14:00 | 6551591 Rhett72
Rhett72's picture

The Saudis are not Sunni, they are Wahhabi, which is a death cult invented by the British to fight orthodox Sunnis led by the Ottoman Sultan.  The Saudis have destroyed the entire archaeological heritage of Mecca that was preserved by the Sunni caliphs for 1300 years, and banned the mainstream Sunni schools of law, only permitting their heresy to be taught in schools.  The Saudis confiscate books by the greatest Sunni scholar of all time, Al-Ghazali, who reconciled Sufi mysticism with normative Islam.

 

The death of Wahhabism is coming, as it offers nothing but hatred, not only of other religions, but of Islam itself.

 

 

 

 

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 13:44 | 6551486 redd_green
redd_green's picture

Strategy: placate the peasants so they won't gang up on him and feed him to the camels.

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 13:53 | 6551552 Fox-Scully
Fox-Scully's picture

That's peanuts compared to giving 2 years of free community college to everyone.

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 13:59 | 6551587 Question Reality
Question Reality's picture

Free college benefits a nation by providing a more skilled, educated workforce to help ensure more viable future competition.

The absurd cost of college however....

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 14:54 | 6551866 coast
coast's picture

In the U.S., free college benefits the bankers by giving the sheeple useless degrees, MASSIVE indoctrination, uneducated professionals, which will turn the country into a 3rd world nation, which, is the bankers plan....

fixed it for ya  :-)

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 15:05 | 6551947 PoasterToaster
PoasterToaster's picture

College was free before 1980 thanks to Pell Grants.  Then the Edumacation industry was born and it became unaffordable for the middle class.  It's poised to become the dividing line between the rich and the poor again if nothing changes.

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 13:59 | 6551586 astoriajoe
astoriajoe's picture

Did he specifically mention where the cars and houses are currently located? 

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 14:30 | 6551739 SmedleyButlersGhost
SmedleyButlersGhost's picture

Detroit - Dearborn Heights to be exact.  About $5,000 a house

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 14:12 | 6551661 leeteam
leeteam's picture

How many women got cars???

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 14:29 | 6551737 Mike Honcho
Mike Honcho's picture

Hollywood wardrobe artists reference that photo for every throwback 80s movie.

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 14:55 | 6551880 q99x2
q99x2's picture

Nuke their palaces and turn Saudi Arabia into the 51st state of the United States of America. A lot fewer people would be killed than screwing around with ISIS and all that horse shit.

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 15:03 | 6551932 PoasterToaster
PoasterToaster's picture

More than the US Government will ever do for us.  That is one of the reasons they need to spend $5 trillion a year isn't it?  The reason we need a government is to make sure everyone is safe and has what they need to live, or so we've been told. You'd think $5 trillion a year would go further.  They must be stuffing their mattresses and hoarding it, or something.

If Saudi Arabia can do it, why not Washington DC?  Or do they just print trillions for the oligarchs and let the rest of us eat that proverbial cake?  Sure, being actually free and having none of these control freak scum in charge would be nice.  But as long as they impose their "system" on us, why not demand they live up to their promises? 

The cake has always been a lie.  Call them on it.

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 15:21 | 6552049 City_Of_Champyinz
City_Of_Champyinz's picture

I am looking forward to the implosion and collapse of that 7th century regime. 

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 17:03 | 6552531 Magooo
Magooo's picture

I know that guys is a 80's porn star - can't remember the name though

Tue, 09/15/2015 - 20:08 | 6553313 SmittyinLA
SmittyinLA's picture

If Saudis let in a bunch of parasite aliens.....they wouldn't be able to take care of Saudi citizens, they'd have civil unrest.

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