WOW, a very warm and ceremonious welcome to Donald Trump in Saudi Arabia.
http://video.foxnews.com/v/5442080806001/?#sp=show-clips
News people are saying they’ve never seen anything like this in Saudi Arabia.
Obama, who obviously sided with Iran, was not at all treated like this. There are US flags and pictures of Trump all over the city. Melania did NOT wear a headscarf like Michelle Obama did. I believe Melania wore long loose trousers and I’d never have done that but I’m glad she has no headscarf.
This is about Americans being American, not bowing to others’ cultures. I’m all for respecting other cultures but the headscarf says something we don’t want to play into so Melania did the correct thing. Finally, we are not acquiescing and the Saudis are playing The Star Spangled Banner, all taped for their television reports.
America‘s back.
Not trusting the Saudis, I worry what we’ve given away but I’m going with this….hoping for the best. HERE is an explanation of the Arms Deal. It does say Israel still has an edge provided by us, so that’s good.
Something I noticed what I often like about Trump is that as the American joined the Saudi counterpart in the middle of the HUGE room the deal signing took place (I don’t know who the Americans were, but about 20 of them individually met a Saudi guy in the middle of the room with folders and shook hands with lots of photography), he smiles very genuinely between that pouty-mouthed way he holds his face normally…..it’s like he’s proud of the American and happy to give the guy this chance and likes him. It’s a very human side we rarely see in Trump, but that’s the side, I think, that people who meet him are attracted to.
SO….Iran is ticked, the Saudis welcomed Trump in ways they NEVER welcomed Obama, and I like it. Even Judith Miller is delighted with this Saudi welcoming and thinks this is a very important shift in Saudi attitude toward us….”we want to fight terror together,” which is, let’s face it, the main reason Saudi’s thrilled with Trump; they like their kingdom as it is and it is under threat of ISIS.
How do you all feel?
(By the way, FOX got it all wrong…they said Michelle Obama wore a headscarf in Arabia and Trump slammed her for not covering up….she did NOT wear a headscarf and neither is Melania today. His Twitter from back then; “Many people are saying it was wonderful that Mrs. Obama refused to wear a scarf in Saudi Arabia, but they were insulted.We have enuf enemies” Well, you learn and you change.)
ALSO: the news people are saying any speech Trump makes, particularly in Israel, better no include any ‘insult’ to the Saudis regarding how they treat women, etc….what most presidents talk about which includes human rights. I say SHUT UP ON THE SUBJECT; we are not there to lecture other countries on their choices.
Z
geeez2014
GeeeZ .... 
As much as we give them in money and military hardware, to prop up their Wahabbist tyranny, they’d best show some deference, lest we turn off the spigot.
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CI, I didn’t think they were treating us well because they love fried chicken or Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young.
We’re not giving them anything, they’re paying upwards to $300 billion within 10 years.
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My husband despised the Arabs, had many dealings with them and saw how slovenly they were in Western hotels, barbecuing in carpeted hallways in elegant hotels, cheating in meetings, lying, etc….He hated them and said we should never have financed their digging the oil out of their ground. “they got filthy rich to where spigots in bathroom sinks are solid gold, and they treat us like s***”. He was probably right.
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We’re propping up a Wahabbist regime, and we’re supporting their war in Yemen. I have no use for the Saudi’s.
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Me, neither, but I’ll take them over Iran any day of the week.
I can’t help thinking about Obama’s Iran money, transferred in cash in the dead of night, supporting Iran in ways that surprised Americans by signing that ‘deal’ which has few teeth…..and why he might have been treated so badly by the King of Saudi Arabia. Apparently, they got the drift that he preferred another brand of Islam, too.
Wahabbi is THE WORST, we have to hope Trump’s smart enough to be managing that complication
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“SO….Iran is ticked, the Saudis welcomed Trump in ways they NEVER welcomed Obama, and I like it.”
I like it too, Z. I’ll take the Saudis are playing The Star Spangled Banner over the Iranians forcing our Navy sailors to their knees while obama golfed.
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CI, the Saudi foreign minister just talked about Yemen in some detail…that it’s the Houthis which are stealing ships, starving people, …etc…The Saudis say they’ve been trying to get the Houthis to stop hurting the Yemenis.;..etc The Saudis also have built the largest hospital in Sa’dah…supported by Iran, no wonder the Saudis get blamed.
Jerry…yes yes yes…that was so humiliating for our soldiers; I’m thinking they feel better today. I hope so.
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Well, you’ve definitely heard the Saudi side of the story.
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CI, I didn’t expect to hear the Yemeni side from a Saudi foreign minister.
Diplomacy requires a lot of stories…and nobody’s all right.
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“Like many of Iranian-backed military militia such as Hezbollah, the Houthi movement attracts its Zaidi-Shia followers in Yemen by promoting regional political-religious issues in its media, including the overarching US-Israeli conspiracy and Arab “collusion”.[21][22] In 2003, the Houthi’s slogan “God is great, death to the US, death to Israel, curse the Jews, and victory for Islam”, became the group’s trademark”
And I wouldn’t put anything past them.
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Yes, Z, we might be giving them $300 Billion within 10 years, but where does it come from? OIL!
And who can they thank for drilling for it to begin with?
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Yes, nothing like that rolled out for any other president.
A very unrevealing dress for Melania but no head scarves for her and Ivanka.
I occasionally read stories about their oil drying up, what will they do then?
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Hmmm. I would guess go to work like the rest of us, Kid!
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Kid, some are saying the Saudis are building more and more high rises in anticipation of the oil drying up and their having to welcome businesses in…hopefully, that’s a part of a deal today that WE did well on! Although Trump doesn’t want businesses going outside, maybe they can employ Americans over there? JOBS JOBS JOBS 🙂 (actually, that’s not a bad idea…they also say the Crown Prince is into modernization and that women may drive this year…all good)
Mal, they wouldn’t 🙂 They are spoiled FAT CATS!! 🙂
As I said in a comment above, my husband HATED that the West did that “WE helped them drill that oil and they play hard ball with US?” He was right!
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Mal, I don’t think they know how.
Z, I almost ended up there when I was 18. I applied for a job on the oil pipeline with Flour construction. Fortunately I wasn’t selected. Thank God.
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Kid, ya, thank God. And, thankfully, it’s a very different place now. Even 30 years ago, I had friends working in Tayeef and they loved it! GO figure. I wouldn’t want to. The Americans I know who have lived there really liked it….it’s not for ME.
Abu Dhabi is gorgeous and full of foreigners now, too….
big changes in Arabia….they CAN USE CHANGE 🙂
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HERE IS THE BIG HEADLINE ON YAHOO HOMEPAGE:
“‘Such a big boy’: Trump proudly tweets about first foreign trip and Twitter rips him apart”
I thought to myself “Do NOT tell me Trump said he’s such a big boy because he’s doing this trip, PLEASE don’t tell me that” And, of course, he did not.
He tweeted in a tweet on Friday: “Getting ready for my big foreign trip. Will be strongly protecting American interests – that’s what I like to do!”
Ya, he shouldn’t and needn’t do this but it was the twitter world that tore him apart for his tweet…like “”Yay! Did you take your blanky & iPad for the flight? Such a big boy!”
I catch these headline mischaracterizations SO OFTEN I should start a blog only with them… they do all they can to make him look as bad as possible.
Now someone needs to make sure he tweets like a president with personality….I don’t really hate what he tweeted, but he’s SO HATED he might want to be more careful; OR GO FOR IT. I don’t really care anymore, if you want the truth!
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If he backed down now, it would just give them ammo.
He should find more ways to punish the media, such as when he declared he’s no longer going to cart them around on party planes (nor will any of his travelling adinistration) like the beast and kerry, and mot before them did.
It bothers me what yahoo says as much as it bothers me what a 2 yr old says.
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Kid, not back down…that’s why I said “with personality”…just make sure of what you tweet and say it better.
Ya, who cares what yahoo says except the there are 200 million users worldwide and 15 million users visiting daily and I want to know the crap they’re seeing….helps me understand why so much is going wrong in America, frankly.
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Kid, I don’t believe they know how, either. All they know how to do is bow down, facing the East 5 times a day (or whatever) chanting, and everything magically comes to them. All I ever saw when visiting there were peddlers hawking their wares. What a miserable way to live! We are so lucky.
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The only tweets I’ve had a problem with are the ones that go after individuals like rosie. yea, please, who cares and so adolescent. If he’s talking about what he’s doing, or America, or correcting a lying ‘news’ story, I have no problem.
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Mal, Yes, the ME has no product to ship worldwide outside of the slippery black stuff. If it does run out they will be reduced to a collection of tribes, fighting each other with equipment they won’t be able to aford to maintain, eventually devolving back to sticks and stones and swords.
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Kid, as I said above, no problem with correcting stories, just wish he’d say it definitively and not go for the “LYING CHUCKIE SCHUMER” stuff….
Mal and Kid, I think they have enough money from the oil that if it ever runs out, they’ll be set anyway! Don’t they give everybody in Saudi a lot of money for nothing? I think they have no poverty
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Z, I believe the King regularly tosses money out to the population. Money in the bank? I dunno. Maybe someone does.
The Shumer things? I think you can only give respect when you get it. So, I’m on the Trump support side of that.
Beside, I believe we are headed toward President Camacho, who will make Trump look like the Dean of a finishing school
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Kid, wait…so it’s not enough to SLAM Schumer, which I’m TOTALLY in favor of, but you like the cutesie little names Trump uses for them? I’m not asking Trump to show SCHUMER RESPECT!! ARGHGGH!!!
some video!
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I have no problem with “Lying chuckie shumer”.
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It’s too late, we’re already at Idiocracy (the movie clip above).
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I doth Not protest too much CI
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Kid, it’s amazing……..people complain about the media’s treatment of Trump but don’t care what he does to merit it? Presidents don’t SAY “Little lyin’ Chuckie Schumer” Schoolyard bullies do.
Look, i’m GLAD there are a LOT of people who feel like you do….Trump needs it, maybe he deserves the support. I cringe.
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have you seen the Harvard Study on media bias? 80% of Trump coverage is negative…they say 40% was negative toward Obama…I’m even surprised it was that high!
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GAD! The SECOND Black guy on FOX right now slamming Obama and bemoaning the treatment of Trump; TIE ME DOWN! 🙂
Kennedy’s right…if Trump wasn’t SUCH a reactor, the media’d be not quite so hideous to him
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Z, Nope, the media started it.
Yes, say that study. 80 % negative and the 20% that wasn’t was probably published at 2 am and gone by moring.
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“if Trump wasn’t SUCH a reactor, the media’d be not quite so hideous to him”
Not buyiong any of that Z! 🙂
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Bush never said word one about the media. They POUNDED him for at least 6 years.
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When ou have the devil calling you out every day, do you:
– ignore him
– say nice things about him hoping he will respond in kind
– point out that the devil is in our midst.
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Is serial liar one of those responses?
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You see ‘serial liar’ I see negotiator.
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Successful negotiators don’t lie. They don’t need to.
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I’m having a hard time with that one. I can’t think of a single situation in negotiation that I’e been involved in that the opposition party did not need to conceal their true position.
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I agree with what Kid said about Trump and the media. It doesn’t matter what he does or doesn’t do, it doesn’t matter what he says (Tweets) or doesn’t say (Tweet), the media pound on him. I’M SICK OF IT!
I’m hitting the off button more and more frequently — and often picking up the WaPo from the porch and tossing that rag straight into the recycle bin. Well, after cutting out the crossword puzzle.
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Z,
I actually liked what Melania wore. She was careful not to show too much skin. Wise move, IMO.
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AOW, I’m no fasion critic, but I decided what she wore was perfect. I’d sum it up by showing respect but not subservience to their hosts. The black, the gold, the little slit in the cleavage area, the ankle length pants. Perfect.
And thanks on the media issue support. Yea it doesn’t matter. Never give up, never surrender.
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I watched some of the live coverage this morning. I have no fondness for Saudi, but as a political realist nevertheless recognize Saudi’s importance in the Muslim world and in the entire region over there.
Now, let’s see if Trump can extract some genuine cooperation from Saudi Arabia, which has recently made alliance overtures toward Israel.
Like you, Z, I see the importance of partnering with Saudi to push back against Iranian aggression and against ISIS.
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Trump’s lies haven’t been in pursuit of negotiation. Often, they’ve been about petty, emotional tantrums that didn’t need to be addressed…..much less lied about. Poor Trump……from serial liar to serial victim. Lies will matter during the next election. Enjoy the majority while you have it.
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And Melania looked great.
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Kid,
I decided what she wore was perfect. I’d sum it up by showing respect but not subservience to their hosts.
Bingo!
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CI,
Trump’s lies haven’t been in pursuit of negotiation.
We shall see.
I’m reserving judgment regarding Trump’s Middle Eastern policy. I’m making an effort to be objective, which is difficult because I have grave reservations about successful negotiation and engagement in the Middle East.
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AOW – No, we’ve seen. I’m not talking about his current ME policy…which, since it affects me somewhat….I’m anxiously awaiting. I was referring to his catalog of lies as Candidate, then President Trump.
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CI, We look through different lenses, That’s ok of course. Maybe what puts me aside is I believe that the political situation in 2016 has nothing to do with the political situation in 2000. I am willing to be more flexible currently with someone who (until proven otherwise) is trying to restore America from a can kicked so far down the road it seems impossible to describe.
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CI, Campaings are campaigns, which I fondly descrbe as the seducation of the idiots. You takes your best shot at picking the right apple and hope you picked the right one. Nothing they say can help you in that endevour. So far, as you might imagine, I believe we picked the right apple.
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I respect your optimism……but this apple has worms. I’m not flexible integrity.
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Let’s see where it goes.
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AOW…except women don’t wear pants much there…I am sensitive to this stuff because I’ve lived in other countries. In Germany, if a businessman threw his hands in his pockets, German businessmen would just naturally think WHAT A SLOB. They’re not snobs, but it’s their upbringing. they just don’t DO that there. No pants…it wouldn’t have been much to wear a long skirt. Heck, I’d have worn a short skirt, the translator did.
And no, folks…no media’s been quite like THIS, not even to Bush. No way. They hammered him but they never got the personal digs in, the really horrendous reminders that Trump’s statements were simply untrue, etc.
No….this media’s different and if Trump did his homework and didn’t say things that weren’t right, THAT would be a big step.
Do I think the media will EVER stop hating Trump? NO WAY. Could he do better to get them off his back, thereby assuring the poor Republicans who are calling me saying “How do I keep standing UP for this guy!?” (people who were more for him than I ever was), yes, he can.
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http://www.businessinsider.com/white-house-trump-undisciplined-self-destructive-fbi-russia-comey-2017-5
WHAT THE ??? More unidentified sources,. “White House STAFF” are so sad that Trump is “undisciplined and self-destructive”….well, he is, but why can’t he find people who’ll shut their mouths and show a bit of loyalty to him? I’d find and fire them yesterday.
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Kid, I’ll bet you didn’t think Melania looked miserable today, too, right?
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I’ll throw that question to AOW, too…..
AOW, when your husband took you new places, didn’t he turn to make sure you’re okay, grab your hand from time to time,,…as his guests corralled him into another area, turn and bring you along? Mine did.
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Z, I found Melania’s attire to be perfect for the situation.
PS – I don’t wear short skirts anywhere anymore.
You lat somment here. The one thing I found a little distasteful was that as Trump and the King walked on forward Melania was two rows back. Didn’t care for it.
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your last comment….
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But as they met inside, Melania was only two seats away, seperated by a Saud guy. I wasn’t too upset about that. Like seating at a dinner you mix it up a little to be sociable.
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Z, Another way to take your question about Melania looking miserable…. most of the pictures I saw did not have her smiling. That would be on purpose. Who knows. I didn’t put a lot of weight on it but feet to the fire, I’d say Melania does not care for how women are treated there.
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Dinner tables are usually like that, mixed up for conversation….
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That COULD be on purpose. Damn I gotta stop doing LSD before 12 am.
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I so hungry now…….
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https://www.yahoo.com/news/jeb-bush-delivers-huge-told-095749854.html
And, with Republicans like this, who needs enemies/ JERK
I can’t take much of Trump’s behavior, wrong information, etc, but I’m NOT a visible part of the party…what sour grapes
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Jeb? Huge POS, more than mclame and graham and collins and murkowski.
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What good does it DO? Just pumps his ego up, slams Trump and all of us deplorables, and makes Bush look like a bad loser….scummy
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Z,
when your husband took you new places, didn’t he turn to make sure you’re okay, grab your hand from time to time,,…as his guests corralled him into another area, turn and bring you along?
Not always. When we were in the coins-and-jewelry business, Mr. AOW made all the purchasing decisions for coins. When he was negotiating coin deals, I felt like a third wheel. Over the years, I stayed at home or in the hotel room when the big coin deals were in negotiation.
As for women not wearing pants over there, well, that’s their style. But over here, women often wear dress pants in a business setting.
Furthermore, Melania’s pants were so full that at first glance one might think that she was wearing a long skirt. I note that later in the day she wore a sleeveless formal gown with an attached cape.
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Jeb Bush needs to shut the hell up! So do the neocon “journalists.” Their Trump bashing has gone over the top — to the point that the HuffPo and the NYT adore them. Sheesh.
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