Philip Rucker and Karen DeYoung – The Washington Post:
President Trump made a splashy debut on the world stage here Saturday, ushering in a new era in U.S.-Saudi Arabian relations by signing a joint “strategic vision” that includes $110 billion in American arms sales and other new investments that the administration said would bring hundreds of thousands of jobs.
“It was a great day,” Trump said. He cited “tremendous investments in the United States . . . and jobs, jobs, jobs.”
While initial details were scant, the agreements signed included a U.S. letter of intent to “support Saudi Arabia’s defense needs” with sales of a number of items — naval ships, tanks and other vehicles — that were the subject of agreements under earlier administrations, as well as some new items that had never passed the discussion stage, such as sophisticated THAAD missile defense systems.
I guess they’re all full up on AWACS.
Moving on, we have a lovely selection of cruisers, destroyers, Abrams tanks, and the antimissile system that pissed off the Chinese – THAAD!
First, though, a spot of reality from Bob Baer, via Hollywood.
What are they thinking? They’re thinking that it’s running out. It’s running out, and 90% of what’s left is in the Middle East. Look at the progression: Versailles, Suez, 1973, Gulf War 1, Gulf War 2. This is a fight to the death. So what are THEY thinking? Great! They’re thinking keep playing, keep buying yourself new toys, keep spending $50,000 a night on your hotel room, but don’t invest in your infrastructure… don’t build a real economy. So that when you finally wake up, they will have sucked you dry, and you will have squandered the greatest natural resource in history.
Jobs where, exactly? And does this “deal” really benefit both parties, or are we just sucking dry our erstwhile allies, the Saudis?
#Trump #ohWhatTheFuckImOutOfInvectiveForThis
A Random Stroll 