The surreal strangeness of Trump's trip to Saudi Arabia

[DonViejo]

By Ishaan Tharoor May 19 at 1:00 AM

From the beginning, it was a conspicuous choice. The first stop on the maiden overseas voyage of the Trump presidency would not be continental cousin Canada or anglophone chum Britain — or even erstwhile wall-funder Mexico — but Saudi Arabia. Yes, Saudi Arabia, the abode of the holiest sites of a religion President Trump once said “hates us,” a country he once suggested would not exist without “the cloak of American protection.”

Nevertheless, Trump heads to Saudi Arabia on Friday — with a cloud of intrigue and scandal tailing him all the way. According to a story in the New York Times, he is not happy about embarking on this trip and even told an aide that he wished to cut its nine-day itinerary in half. He is set for meetings with leaders in Saudi Arabia, Israel, the Vatican, Italy and Belgium, all of which could become gaffe-fests for the loose-lipped and inexperienced president.

But while Trump and his team may harbor reservations, the Saudis do not. The kingdom's leadership is keen on a reset of relations with the United States, which became strained under the Obama administration. A slate of lucrative deals, including a gigantic arms sale, are to be signed; new avowals of a “strategic partnership” will be declared. On an official website, a countdown clock is ticking away ahead of a joint Arab Islamic American Summit in Riyadh — an event the Saudis hope will reassert their primacy as a lead actor in the Middle East.

The Saudis are desperate to bring Washington back onside in their regional rivalry with Iran. They and officials from allied Gulf states saw Obama as aloof and acquiescent to Tehran's interests. They bitterly opposed the nuclear deal signed between Iran and world powers, a sentiment shared by Trump.

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https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2017/05/19/the-surreal-strangeness-of-trumps-trip-to-saudi-arabia/?utm_term=.359ddfb51849

[trusty elf]

1. toon

[img][/img]

[L. Coyote]

4. LOL

[SHRED]

2. 9/11

Some of us still remember where the funding and the manpower mainly came from for this attack.

[Achilleaze]

6. Damn right

That was yet another colossal republican screw-up and then cover-up.

[uppityperson]

3. Tweet

Link to tweet

[canetoad]

5. Since this was announced

I thought it was bizazrre.

Trump is visiting the strongholds of the three most prominent religions; Saudi Arabia, Jerusalem and the Vatican. That's no accident. Is his messiah complex really that big?