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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsRemember Prince Bandar 'Bush'?
Syria, the Saudi connection: The Prince with close ties to Washington at the heart of the push for warHe has been gone from the capital for eight years, but Prince Bandar bin Sultan, who as Saudi Arabias ambassador to Washington wielded influence over no fewer than five different US presidents, has re-emerged as a pivotal figure in the struggle by America and its allies to tilt the battlefield balance against the regime in Syria.
Appointed by the Saudi king, his uncle, last year as the head of the Saudi General Intelligence Agency, Prince Bandar has reportedly for months been focused exclusively on garnering international support, including arms and training, for Syrian rebel factions in pursuit of the eventual toppling of President Bashar al-Assad.
It is a long-term Saudi goal, that in the past several days has been subsumed by the more immediate crisis over the purported use of chemical weapons by Damascus, which, according to Riyadh, must be met by a stern response. That message is being delivered to President Barack Obama by the current Saudi Ambassador in Washington, Adel al-Jubeir, who is a Bandar protégé.
It was Prince Bandars intelligence agency that first alerted Western allies to the alleged use of sarin gas by the Syrian regime in February.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/syria-the-saudi-connection-the-prince-with-close-ties-to-washington-at-the-heart-of-the-push-for-war-8785049.html
Now if you don't remember him then
Iran/Contra Prince Bandar
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
He was also the bagman for the Iran-Contra deal, transferring American money to the Iranians during this controversial episode in American history.
911/ Prince Bandar
A Saudi named Omar al-Bayoumi housed and opened bank accounts for two of the 9/11 hijackers. About two weeks after the assistance began, al-Bayoumis wife began receiving monthly payments totaling tens of thousands of dollars from Princess Haifa bint Faisal, the wife of Saudi ambassador and Bush family confidant, Prince Bandar bin Sultan, through a Riggs bank account. [1] (Jonathan Bush, uncle of President George W. Bush, was an executive at Riggs Bank during this period.)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riggs_Bank
http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2011/08/9-11-2011-201108
Iraq war/ Prince Bandar
In 2003 helped the administration of George W. Bush make the fateful decision to enter Iraq to find elusive weapons of mass destruction.
http://theprincethesecretstory.wordpress.com/
malaise
(267,791 posts)n/t
AzDar
(14,023 posts)Junkdrawer
(27,993 posts)Putin thanked King Abdullah for his greetings and Bandar for his exposition, but then he said to Bandar, We know that you have supported the Chechen terrorist groups for a decade. And that support, which you have frankly talked about just now, is completely incompatible with the common objectives of fighting global terrorism that you mentioned. We are interested in developing friendly relations according to clear and strong principles.
Bandar said that the matter is not limited to the kingdom and that some countries have overstepped the roles drawn for them, such as Qatar and Turkey. He added, We said so directly to the Qataris and to the Turks. We rejected their unlimited support to the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and elsewhere. The Turks role today has become similar to Pakistans role in the Afghan war. We do not favor extremist religious regimes, and we wish to establish moderate regimes in the region. It is worthwhile to pay attention to and to follow up on Egypts experience. We will continue to support the army, and we will support Defense Minister Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Sisi because he is keen on having good relations with us and with you. And we suggest to you to be in contact with him, to support him and to give all the conditions for the success of this experiment. We are ready to hold arms deals with you in exchange for supporting these regimes, especially Egypt.
...
Putin: Our stance on Assad will not change
Regarding the Syrian issue, the Russian president responded to Bandar, saying, Our stance on Assad will never change. We believe that the Syrian regime is the best speaker on behalf of the Syrian people, and not those liver eaters. During the Geneva I Conference, we agreed with the Americans on a package of understandings, and they agreed that the Syrian regime will be part of any settlement. Later on, they decided to renege on Geneva I. In all meetings of Russian and American experts, we reiterated our position.
....
Read more: http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/politics/2013/08/saudi-russia-putin-bandar-meeting-syria-egypt.html
Tip 'o the hat to Catherina:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=3567138
Ichingcarpenter
(36,988 posts)I don't know who I distrust more
Saudia Arabia, Iran or Israel
They all do nasty things.
iamthebandfanman
(8,127 posts)KittyWampus
(55,894 posts)Junkdrawer
(27,993 posts)I don't monitor DU 24x7....
Divernan
(15,480 posts)How could ANY of us have missed it!?!? (sarcasm)
bahrbearian
(13,466 posts)KittyWampus
(55,894 posts)My thread title- "Saudis offer Russia secret oil deal if it drops Syria (Telegraph, UK)"
Catherina's title- "Duped? Doubt they're duped. We kneel to the Saudis. " US & Saudi Arabia tried to bribe Russia ""
delrem
(9,688 posts)KittyWampus
(55,894 posts)Even when that narrative is foolishly simplistic.
I posted the two thread titles for comparison.
I'll repost here it here once more:
My thread title- "Saudis offer Russia secret oil deal if it drops Syria (Telegraph, UK)"
Catherina's title- "Duped? Doubt they're duped. We kneel to the Saudis. " US & Saudi Arabia tried to bribe Russia ""
GeorgeGist
(25,294 posts)Hers sounds like a protest sign.
Point KittyWampus.
rhett o rick
(55,981 posts)without committing yourself to a stand.
malaise
(267,791 posts)Chechens who blew up the Boston Marathon. How did they all get political asylum.
Berlum
(7,044 posts)Republicons & Cronies up to their usual nefarious, cesspool 'Family Values' evil shit.
MindMover
(5,016 posts)src="" width="225" height="275" alt="OasamaBush"></a>
louis-t
(23,199 posts)BlueMTexpat
(15,348 posts)the Kochs in the US: the unofficial leader of the as yet unofficial Saudi Tea Party.
And when you're talking about Saudi Arabia, that means the farthest right of the far RW. Bandar likely considers the Kochs as "leftists."
Thanks for the links!
Jesus Malverde
(10,274 posts)Billionaire son, turned CIA operative.
MADem
(135,425 posts)Security Advisor to the King.
He has an official role in government; the Koch Brothers do not.
BlueMTexpat
(15,348 posts)MADem
(135,425 posts)part of the government of the KSA.
BlueMTexpat
(15,348 posts)He's an integral part of the KSA who is also an asshole who has and is aligned with significant corporate interests - many of which also happen to be those of the far RW in the US.
It's a distinction without a difference. Why are you pushing this? I really don't understand why my phraseology seems to bother you so much.
MADem
(135,425 posts)two, major intelligence posts in the KSA, with direct access to the ruler of that nation, the "equivalent" of those wealthy bullshitting dabblers, the Koch Brothers, who have no such influence and no such access, is just not on.
It has nothing to do with phraseology--it has everything to do with accuracy. There is a huge difference between them.
sabrina 1
(62,325 posts)No wonder the Brits backed out of this disaster.
KoKo
(84,711 posts)It was on RT last night.
Junkdrawer
(27,993 posts)HooptieWagon
(17,064 posts)He's the one behind a Saudi gas pipeline through Syria to Europe, threatening Russia's monopoly. And given his involvement in Iran/Contra, 9/11, and the Iraq War; I'd say whomever hitches their wagon to that horse is gonna get played for a fool.
Scootaloo
(25,699 posts)Just think, with all that money, and with the prestige of holding Arabia, all the actually good they could be accomplishing in the entire region, and beyond.
Instead they flush all the money down the toilet in Monaco casinos and use what's left to propagate salafism.
BlueMT has it right in his post above; these ambulatory asspipes are pretty much the equivalent of the Kochs... worse, perhaps, since at least the Kochs have to cut deals with middlemen to get their bullshit implemented, the Sauds just have to implement it.
BlueMTexpat
(15,348 posts)"BlueMT has it right in her post above ..." but thanks all the same!
And you are right - you don't have to cut deals with middlemen when you are one of the Saudi royals.
Douglas Carpenter
(20,226 posts)Zorra
(27,670 posts)reusrename
(1,716 posts)They believed that Prince Bandar, a veteran of the diplomatic intrigues of Washington and the Arab world, could deliver what the CIA couldn't: planeloads of money and arms, and, as one U.S. diplomat put it, wasta, Arabic for under-the-table clout.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323423804579024452583045962.html
Some folks are starting to implicate him directly in the gas attacks:
The report quoted the father of a militant as saying that his son and 12 others were killed inside a tunnel used to store weapons supplied by a Saudi militant leader, known as Abu Ayesha.
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/08/30/321260/syria-militants-use-saudisupplied-gas/
MADem
(135,425 posts)Press TV is not a legitimate source--they make RT look credible.
Dems to Win
(2,161 posts)Spitfire of ATJ
(32,723 posts)Yup:
Judi Lynn
(160,211 posts)[center]
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itsrobert
(14,157 posts)if you know what I mean.
niyad
(112,424 posts)tex-wyo-dem
(3,190 posts)It is all connected.
Every action of war, power, money, resources, wealth.
It is all connected.
If you ever question why things are the way they are, follow the money.
It's really that simple.