President Donald Trump has announced his intent to nominate retired general John Abizaid as US ambassador to Saudi Arabia, marking the end of a nearly two-year vacancy, the White House said.
As America’s longest-serving Central Command chief, Abizaid oversaw the Iraq War from 2003 to 2007. The West Point graduate, who according to The New York Times twice declined the diplomatic post, will now be competing with a longstanding backchannel between Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Abizaid, who is of Lebanese descent and speaks Arabic, will bring an experienced hand to the relationship with Riyadh at a volatile time.
The bet by Kushner, a real estate developer, on Saudi Arabia’s brash young crown prince, has come under intense scrutiny following the murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2.
In the wake of the killing, initially brushed off as a disappearance by the Saudis, Turkey leaked a string of gruesome pieces of evidence suggesting otherwise and played an audio recording of the murder to the head of the CIA.
In the recording, a member of the Saudi hit squad says, “tell your boss,” the NYT reported Monday, citing US intelligence officials pointing to the crown prince as the presumed boss who could have ordered such an act inside a Saudi diplomatic mission.
The Saudis, who were forced to admit to the murder, have nonetheless maintained that the crown prince had no knowledge of the incident.
The murder, a sloppy attempt at a coverup, and Turkish ascendence to renewed regional leadership have hurt US efforts to isolate rival Iran. After threatening that not one liter of Iranian oil would be sold after the imposition of sanctions on November 5, the US was compelled to grant waivers to a number of countries — including Turkey.
The Saudi crown prince, promoted as the lynchpin of a grand new Middle East strategy by Kushner, has since had to lean heavily on his father’s influence to ride out the crisis and calm allies. The king and his heir recently wrapped up a domestic tour seemingly aimed at presenting a united front.
Trump’s appointment of a seasoned military man and Council on Foreign Relations member as envoy to Saudi Arabia after a 22-month vacancy may signal a shift — at least officially — away from the Kushner-MBS bromance.
THE WRITER IS CORRECT UP TO THE LAST LINE THAT THERE WILL BE A SHIFT FROM THE KUSHNER ZIONIST LINE. HE IS INCORRECT.ABIZIAD IS JUST ANOTHER ZIONIST ENTITY AND WAS COMMANDER OF US FORCES THAT RAPED IRAQ AN MUSRDERED AT LEAST A MILLION SOULS!!! NETANYAHU AND TRUMPBOTH ARE HELL BENT TO ATTACKMIRAN AND DESTROY THE ENTIRE NATION.PER THE FINANCIER OF THIS CABAL ADELSON!!
THE WRITER IS CORRECT UP TO THE LAST LINE THAT THERE WILL BE A SHIFT FROM THE KUSHNER ZIONIST LINE. HE IS INCORRECT.ABIZIAD IS JUST ANOTHER ZIONIST ENTITY AND WAS COMMANDER OF US FORCES THAT RAPED IRAQ AN MUSRDERED AT LEAST A MILLION SOULS!!! NETANYAHU AND TRUMPBOTH ARE HELL BENT TO ATTACKMIRAN AND DESTROY THE ENTIRE NATION.PER THE FINANCIER OF THIS CABAL ADELSON!!
This appointment represents a further step in the militarization of US foreign policy. Recall that Admiral Harris is ambassador to South Korea. There are probably other examples. Professional foreign service officers are shunted aside to make room for Pentagon transplants.
This appointment represents a further step in the militarization of US foreign policy. Recall that Admiral Harris is ambassador to South Korea. There are probably other examples. Professional foreign service officers are shunted aside to make room for Pentagon transplants.
But there were many Jews in the Communist party in Russia, that helped in the murder of m’s of Ukrainians by you, comrade
But there were many Jews in the Communist party in Russia, that helped in the murder of m’s of Ukrainians by you, comrade
Nothing new. Since WW2 the US has always been a miliatrised country. Look at the approbrium attached to Clinton, Obama, Bush as either draft dodgers or not having any military experience.
Nothing new. Since WW2 the US has always been a miliatrised country. Look at the approbrium attached to Clinton, Obama, Bush as either draft dodgers or not having any military experience.
A US general might come in handy. Saudi Arabia faces turbulent times ahead. Some experts say a regime change could be imminent in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Crown Prince MBS popularity among the people and inside the Saudi Royal family has dwindled. Yesterday, Senator Lindsey Graham called Crown Prince MBS unstable.
Former CIA director Leon Panetta said in a recent interview he is concerned about the killing of Jamal Khashoggi. There is no secret the CIA would have prefered the former Crown Prince Muhammad bin Nayef Al Saud as the next ruler of Saudi Arabia.
The killing of Jamal Khashoggi is only one of many killings. Several Princes is also reported "missing" France is concerned about two of the Princes serving in France, that has been missing for a long time.
A US general might come in handy. Saudi Arabia faces turbulent times ahead. Some experts say a regime change could be imminent in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Crown Prince MBS popularity among the people and inside the Saudi Royal family has dwindled. Yesterday, Senator Lindsey Graham called Crown Prince MBS unstable.
Former CIA director Leon Panetta said in a recent interview he is concerned about the killing of Jamal Khashoggi. There is no secret the CIA would have prefered the former Crown Prince Muhammad bin Nayef Al Saud as the next ruler of Saudi Arabia.
The killing of Jamal Khashoggi is only one of many killings. Several Princes is also reported "missing" France is concerned about two of the Princes serving in France, that has been missing for a long time.
Is he going in as an Ambassador or a Viceroy? Looks like the US judges that the kingdom needs to be stabilise. A military figure could bring the much needed discipline to straighten things out.
Is he going in as an Ambassador or a Viceroy? Looks like the US judges that the kingdom needs to be stabilise. A military figure could bring the much needed discipline to straighten things out.
One Thing i never understand why the world not stand against crown prince Salman and his father ,and i have very strong feeling that Präsident Trump of US ist bribed to speak for Saudi favour.
One Thing i never understand why the world not stand against crown prince Salman and his father ,and i have very strong feeling that Präsident Trump of US ist bribed to speak for Saudi favour.