In any event, the fact is that after what seems like years of accusations, not a single iota of actual evidence has corroborated the charge that the Trump campaign plotted with Putin to deprive Hillary Clinton of her divine right of succession to the Oval Office. The foundational myth upon which the Mueller investigation rests – the idea that Russia was behind the WikiLeaks email dump – was never real, to begin with: the Mueller probe, therefore, once launched, branched out into a more general look at foreign influence on the incoming administration. Which could and should mean that half of Washington will soon be lawyering up. [1]The Saudis bought off State Department officials with responsibilities pertaining to the Saudi Arabia by letting it be known, shall we say, that after retirement from federal service there might well be lucrative employment opportunities available to “knowledgeable and experienced” (that is to say, cooperative) people (who didn't make waves where Saudi realities are concerned).
It seems to have worked to the benefit of the Saudis as it’s now virtually universally accepted that Iran is the chief sponsor of terrorism around the world. Saudi sponsorship of virulent wahhabiism? Nothing to see here, boys. Move along if you please.
Notes
[1] "As the Fake ‘Russia-Gate’ Scandal Fades, the Real ‘Israel-Gate’ Scandal Emerges." By Justin Raimondo, Russia Insider, 12/6/17.
2 comments:
So what do you think of the change in Saudi leadership, or its claim that the Wahhabis will be replaced by a kinder, gentler version of Islam? Do you think those Saudi princes being held at the (I think) Riydha's Ritz Carlton are really being tortured?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5108651/American-mercenaries-torturing-Saudi-princes.html
I can't believe that the luminaries are being tortured. I presume their particular (tribal? sectarian?) allegiance is the problem and neutralizing it seems like the best objective. Torture would light up the tribal, familial, or sectarian hot buttons. Nor does torture seem consistent with detention in a five-star facility.
Which reminds me of an hilarious waitress I encountered at an Indiana eatery. A gent asked her for some jam or mayo, or something, and she replied, "Sir. This is a four-star establishment, not a five-star establishment." Several other jewels. She was a witty soul.
I am only dimly aware of a desire on the part of the guy to bring S.A. into something vaguely resembling the modern age. Good luck with that though maybe he can pull off a Charlemagne (a/k/a Charles the Butcher). It would take a top-down change to make a dent in S.A. Perhaps the distant alarm bells about the effect of the fracking revolution and, perhaps, U.S. economic instability have laid the foundation among the elite for new ideas about diversification and over-reliance on U.S. bonds and other investments. I presume Saudi politics till now has been a split-the-difference affair with cash liberally spread around. There comes a time when greasing wheels and cutting deals just results in one big formless goulash and it becomes evident to everyone that it just isn't working.
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