"The Saudis have salted away more than $500 billion in foreign assets, enough to pay for five years of imports," according to the March 9 BusinessWeek.
Why should it resonate with the readers of this website or with anyone in this country? Fact is, the Saudis have been spending wildly and wisely on some of the best PR America has to offer and on the Hill.
Fact also is, very quietly and with only moderate media attention, President Barack Obama has indicated one of the Saudis' favorite former American emissaries to be his new White House Intelligence Chief while Hillary Clinton tours the Middle East talking gently to the Palestinians and tough to the Israelis.
This writer recently raised the question as to when America might expect some payback for its investment of money, human resources and other wealth in Iraq and protecting the hides and borders of the likes of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, among others…and why our government has not sent out some bills to these folks, among others. No answers from the White House or anyone else. Where has the Congress been on this issue without having to read this newsletter or my complaining?
Saudis have been spending wildly and wisely on some of the best PR America has to offer. |
At a time when our economy is in shambles, as even Warren Buffett terms it, why are we not doing some foreclosures on the recipients of our vast sacrifices in their behalf…worse why have none of them made even the slightest offers?
"$500 billion in foreign assets…."? According to the same BusinessWeek article subhead: "Saudi Arabia's conservative policies have helped it dodge the financial meltdown."
For those who do not connect the dots of international politics, PR and economics, including ExxonMobil's fourth quarter net profit of $45 billion and its relationship with the Saudis, one might buy that "conservative" story.
Fact is, however, while we have been shelling out trillions in the desert, the Saudis have been salting away hundreds of billions without the slightest whisper of appreciation as a simple matter of legitimacy and in a time when we could use the dough we really deserve from those folks as well as the Iraqis.
Please, friends, this is not mere petulance. We are supposed to support democracy here and everywhere else, so why are we paying the defense and oil bills for a monarchy that makes its laws at the whim of King Abdullah?
The answer may be found in names like Saudi Aramco (Arab American) and Dow Chemical. While delayed, nevertheless there is a major petrochemical plant the two giants are invested in at Ras Tanura.
Yep, Saudi investment in American top level PR, Obama's appointment of Chas Freeman, the Saudi diplomatic pinup boy and Israel foe as White House top intel boss, the huge economic connections with major American industry, and we have no comment that they might get some bills from us.
Might there somehow be even the slightest connections here? At the very least, why is everyone so quiet on such matters when we are hurting so badly and the Saudis are investing so heavily around the world?
The Saudis and the Kuwaitis have been living quite large on America, and the wonder is why it has been so easy for them?
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Joseph J. Honick is an international consultant
to business and government and writes for many publications,
including huntingtonnews.net. Honick can be reached
at [email protected]. |