NEW YORK – He has booked hotel rooms and meeting spaces to them, sold an entire floor in one of his buildings to them and, in desperate moments in his career, gotten a billionaire from the country to buy his yacht and New York's Plaza Hotel overlooking Central Park. President Donald Trump's ties to Saudi Arabia run long and deep, and he's often boasted about his business ties with the kingdom. "I love the Saudis," Mr. Trump said when announcing his presidential run at Trump Tower in 2015. "Many are in this building." Now those ties are under scrutiny as the president faces calls for a tougher response to the kingdom's government following the disappearance, and possible killing, of one of its biggest critics, journalist and activist Jamal Khashoggi. "The Saudis are funneling money to him," said former federal ethics chief Walter Shaub, who is advising a watchdog group suing the president for foreign government ties to his business. That undermines "confidence that he's going to … [Read more...] about Trump and Saudi Arabia: Deep business ties spark new scrutiny
Saudi arabia
World View: Saudi Arabia Tries to Recover from Khashoggi Disappearance Disaster
This morning’s key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com Saudi Arabia tries to recover from Khashoggi disappearance disaster Negotiations follow the pattern of N. Korea’s 2010 torpedoing of S. Korean warship Saudi Arabia tries to recover from Khashoggi disappearance disaster Saudi officials appear to be in a state of shock over the harsh international reaction to the disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi almost two weeks ago. Khashoggi was once a close adviser to the Saudi government but has become persona non grata since criticizing the human rights record of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) and his pursuit of the Yemen war, which has been a major humanitarian disaster. The excommunication was complete when Khashoggi exiled himself to the United States and began publishing his criticisms of MBS as a Washington Post reporter. Recently, he needed Saudi government papers in order to marry his fiancé, a Turkish citizen, Hatice (Khadija) Cengiz. He made two … [Read more...] about World View: Saudi Arabia Tries to Recover from Khashoggi Disappearance Disaster
Oil rises as Saudi Arabia vows to hit back against any sanctions
Heesu Lee and Grant Smith, Bloomberg Published 4:24 am CDT, Monday, October 15, 2018 Fog blankets a low-lying area where pumpjacks operate in West Texas, northeast of Kermit, on Sept. 12, 2018. Fog blankets a low-lying area where pumpjacks operate in West Texas, northeast of Kermit, on Sept. 12, 2018. Photo: Jerod Foster, Associated Press Photo: Jerod Foster, Associated Press Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Image 1 of 1 Fog blankets a low-lying area where pumpjacks operate in West Texas, northeast of Kermit, on Sept. 12, 2018. Fog blankets a low-lying area where pumpjacks operate in West Texas, northeast of Kermit, on Sept. 12, 2018. Photo: Jerod Foster, Associated Press Oil rises as Saudi Arabia vows to hit back against any … [Read more...] about Oil rises as Saudi Arabia vows to hit back against any sanctions
Saudi Arabia breaks 45-year taboo with veiled oil weapon threat
Javier Blas, Bloomberg 6:23 am CDT, Monday, October 15, 2018 FILE - In this Tuesday, March 20, 2018 file photo, President Donald Trump holds a chart highlighting arms sales to Saudi Arabia during a meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington. less FILE - In this Tuesday, March 20, 2018 file photo, President Donald Trump holds a chart highlighting arms sales to Saudi Arabia during a meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the Oval Office of ... more Photo: Evan Vucci, AP (FILES) In this file photo taken on December 15, 2014, general manager of Alarab TV, Jamal Khashoggi, looks on during a press conference in the Bahraini capital Manama. - US President Donald Trump on Wednesday, October 10, 2018, demanded Saudi Arabia provide answers over the disappearance of journalist and US resident Jamal Khashoggi, whom Turkish officials suspect … [Read more...] about Saudi Arabia breaks 45-year taboo with veiled oil weapon threat
The view from Saudi Arabia as world holds its breath
Saudi Arabia is strenuously defending itself on two fronts - over the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, and over the conduct of its war in Yemen. In a defiant statement, a Saudi government source warned that if it "receives any action it will respond with greater action" - a thinly veiled threat following calls in the US Congress for American arms sales to Saudi Arabia to be suspended.The disappearance of Mr Khashoggi is so sensitive, government officials have still not gone on camera to discuss the affair a week and a half on.Ordinary Saudis are not discussing the case openly. On social media there is a sense of disbelief that the Saudi government could have been involved, and angry accusations that their country is being unfairly blamed for political reasons.There is also a frustration at what many see as the one-sided coverage of the war in Yemen following renewed criticism in the wake of the Khashoggi affair.Sky News has been shown bomb damage caused by thousands of … [Read more...] about The view from Saudi Arabia as world holds its breath