Post: #1

Holy...

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-11-04...-money-lau

Quote:In a shocking development, Saudi press Al Mayadeen reported late on Saturday that prominent billionaire, member of the royal Saudi family, and one of the biggest shareholders of Citi, News Corp. and Twitter - not to mention frequent CNBC guest - Al-Waleed bin Talal, along with eleven senior princes, and over thirty ministers, has been arrested for corruption and money laundering charges on orders from the new anti-corruption committee headed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Among those fired and/or arrested are the head of National Royal Guards, Miteb Bin Abdullah, the Minister of Economy and Planning, Adel Fakeih, and Admiral Abdullah bin Sultan bin Mohammed Al-Sultan, the Commander of the Saudi Naval Forces.

According to Saudi media they were arrested for being involved in corruption and money laundering

As the local press further adds, the supreme committee chaired by Crown Prince and billionaire stops "on charges of money laundering."

al-Waleed bin Talal is perhaps best known not only for his periodic CNBC appearances, but for his recurring on and off spats with president Trump:

According to al Arabiya, among those sacked and/or arrested are Moteib Bin Abdullah, Minister of the National Guard, and Prince Khalid bin Ayyaf has been appointed as his replacement. A second Royal Order was issued to relieve Minister of Economy and Planning, Adel al-Faqieh, from his duties, and the appointment of Mohammed Al Tuwaijri as Minister of Economy and Planning.

According to a Royal Decree issued by King Salman on Saturday the anti-corruption committee is chaired by the Crown Prince with the membership of: Chairman of the Monitoring and Investigation Commission, Chairman of the National Anti-Corruption Authority, Chief of the General Audit Bureau, Attorney General and Head of State Security.

As Bloomberg notes, changing the head of the National Guard, an institution that’s been controlled by the clan of the late King Abdullah, “is not like changing the minister of oil,” said Kamran Bokhari, a senior analyst with Geopolitical Futures and a senior fellow with the Center for Global Policy. “I wouldn’t be surprised if this leads to greater fissures within the royal family.”

Arabiya adds that King Salman also issued sacking and replacement orders for Admiral Abdullah bin Sultan bin Mohammed Al-Sultan, the Commander of the Naval Forces, is to be terminated and be retired; his replacement is Vice Admiral Fahd bin Abdullah Al-Ghifaili, to be promoted to the rank of admiral and be appointed as Commander of the Naval Forces.

Additionally, Minister of Economy and Planning Adel al-Faqieh was replaced by Mohammed al-Tuwaijri, SPA said, quoting a royal decree. Commander of the Saudi Navy, Abdullah al-Sultan, was replaced with Fahad al-Ghafli. The king also replaced Minister of Economy and Planning Adel Fakeih withMohammad Al Tuwaijri, his deputy.

Al Tuwaijri, formerly vice minister for economy and planning, had already played a key role in shaping Saudi economic and fiscal policy over the past year. Before joining the government in May 2016 he was Middle East chief executive for HSBC. He’s served as a frequent spokesman for the government’s economic reform plan on TV and with Western journalists.

King Salman also issued an decree forming an anti-corruption committee headed by the crown prince. Its powers include the ability to trace funds and assets, and prevent their transfer or liquidation on behalf of individuals or entities, along with the right to take any precautionary actions until cases are referred to relevant investigatory or judiciary authorities, according to a government statement.

The committee’s formation was deemed necessary “due to the propensity of some people for abuse, putting their personal interest above public interest, and stealing public funds,” the Royal Order said.

Others arrested include Walid bin Talal; Khaled Tuweijri; AlWalid Ibrahim; Turki Bin Naser; and others.

Putting the arrests in context, the heads of the main three Saudi owned TV networks were arrested, Alwalid Bin Talal (Rotana), Walid Al Brahim (MBC), Saleh Kamel (ART)

As Bloomberg adds, Saudi King Salman appointed a former HSBC banker to head the country’s economy ministry and removed one of the royal family’s most prominent princes from as head of the National Guard. Separately, a number of Saudi princes and former ministers were arrested by authorities hours after the announcement of a new anti-corruption committee, with sweeping powers and headed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi-owned Al Arabiya news service reported.

Prince Miteb, son of the late King Abdullah, was replaced as minister of the National Guard by Prince Khaled Ayyaf, according to a royal decree carried by state-run media late Saturday. Before his ouster, Prince Miteb was one of the few remaining senior princes to have survived a series of cabinet reshuffles that promoted allies of the crown prince, who is the king’s son and heir to the throne.

King Salman has sidelined other senior members of the royal family to prevent any opposition to the crown prince. Prince Mohammed, 32, replaced his elder cousin, Muhammed bin Nayef, as crown prince in June, a maneuver that removed any doubt of how succession plans will unfold following the reign of King Salman, now 81.

While details remain scarce about this "Saturday of the long Saudi knives" - which some have suggested may be a countercoup attempt - DPA confirms the Al Arabiya report that three senior state officials were sacked.

Salman relieved Prince Moteib bin Abdullah of his post as minister of the National Guard, replacing him with Khaled bin Ayaf, the official Saudi news agency SPA reported. Additionally, Minister of Economy and Planning Adel al-Faqieh was replaced by Mohammed al-Tuwaijri, SPA said, quoting a royal decree. Commander of the Saudi Navy, Abdullah al-Sultan, was replaced with Fahad al-Ghafli.

No official explanation was given for the sackings.

In recent months, the Saudi monarch has carried out a string of reshuffles appointing young people in senior state posts. In June, Salman ousted his nephew as the crown prince and appointed his son Mohammed to become the first in line to succeed him. The monarch on Saturday ordered the creation of an anti-corruption committee led by the crown prince amid a rumoured crackdown on suspected tainted officials and royals. Mohammed, 31, is seen as the driving force behind opening up the ultra-conservative country to the outside world and weaning its economy off oil.

As the AngryArab blog, the removal of Prince Miteb bin Abdullah as head of the National Guard, means that "this is the first time that the National Guard is not in the hand of Abdullah or his son."

That put all apparatus of the military-intelligence network in the hands of Muhammad bin Salman. News that Al-Walid bin Talal has been arrested and accused of money laundering. This could be a service to Trump, who hates Al-Walid: the two fought it out on twitter during the campaign although Al-Walid tried to reconcile with Trump after his election but to no avail.

Bin Talal's arrest and the government reshuffle caps off a bizarre day for Saudi newsflow, which started with the resignation of Palestinian prime minister Saad al-Hariri, who announced he was quitting due to fears of an assassination plot, allegedly organized by Iran, followed shortly after by the Saudi defense forces intercepting a ballistic missile as it was about to strike the capital Riyadh.

To summarise today's even more bizarre Saudi news day:

Trump urges Aramco IPO
Lebanon PM resigns
Saudis intercept missile
Major cabinet reshuffle; 3 Saudi princes - who run the anti-graft committee - arrested for money-laundering
A total of 11 princes, >30 ministers arrested on corruption
This is a developing story.

Post: #2

Thanks for posting, Gmac.

Here's a rather short (less than thirty) tweetstorm explaining what's going on.

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Post: #3

Who wants to bet some of these are involved with the ClintonFoundation?!

Post: #4

This seems like a good time to dust off one of the great Trump tweets:

It's incredible how everyone who beefs with Trump ultimately goes down in flames.

Post: #5

Sounds like a king was leaned on and he is bowing down like the servant he is. Those shiny weapons come at a price you can't just buy with cash and oil.

Post: #6

Safe bet...

Post: #7

ITS HAPPENING! PURGE IN THE DC SWAMP?

Post: #8

How much does Wictor get paid by the Saudis, I wonder?

Is it a lot? You'd think it'd be a lot, because the Saudis are rich, but it also can't be a lot, because if it was a lot he could afford to trim that damn beard of his.

MMX2010, you watch a lot of his videos. Does he ever say how much the House of Saud pays him for writing all the embarrassing crap that he writes?

Post: #9

(11-04-2017 06:45 PM)redonion Wrote:  This seems like a good time to dust off one of the great Trump tweets:

It's incredible how everyone who beefs with Trump ultimately goes down in flames.

Everyone who goes up against Trump gets crushed or destroyed. There's a lesson in there, do not fuck with Trump.

The only people Trump actually respects are Republican primary voters. The only political losses he's had comes from them. Everyone else, nationally and internationally, gets clobbered by the all-destroyer Donald Trump.

It's quite intoxicating to have this man as your leader.

Post: #10

Guys this IS a happening. Several of these Saudis had connections with the CIA, the Bush and Clinton clan. Also, one of Bin Laden's brothers was arrested, he had founded some oil company in 1978 with the Bush family.

Something might absolutely happen in the US, damn, in the extreme, maybe some revelations about 9/11 or the prison/indictment of some VERY important figures on both parties.

Taken from pol:

"Osama bin Laden's brother Bakr Bin Laden has been arrested in SA.

>chairman of the Jeddah-based Saudi Binladin Group and the largest shareholder in the Group, with a 23.58% holding.[1] He is also brother of Osama Bin Laden.

It's well known/documented the bin Laden family were close business partners of the Bush family.

>In 1978, Bush and Osama bin Laden’s brother, Salem bin Laden, founded Arbusto Energy, an oil company based in Texas.

Several bin Laden family members invested millions in The Carlyle Group, a private global equity firm based in Washington, DC. The company’s senior advisor was Bush’s father, former President George H.W. Bush. After news of the bin Laden-Bush connection became public, the elder Bush stepped down from Carlyle.

Interestingly, on Sept. 11, 2001, members of the Carlyle Group – including Bush senior, and his former secretary of state, James Baker – were meeting at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Washington, D.C., along with Shafiq bin Laden, another one of Osama bin Laden’s brothers.

http://www.*please contact roosh about this link*/2006/09/11/bush-ties-to-bin-laden-haunt-grim-anniversary/

This is a purge of the Saudi elites that were partnered with CIA elites."

Post: #11

SamuelBRoberts Wrote:MMX2010, you watch a lot of his videos. Does he ever say how much the House of Saud pays him for writing all the embarrassing crap that he writes?

I've never watched a Wictor video.

Most of the political people I follow are extraordinarily cynical, so I like Thomas Wictor (and his Twitter circle) for their extraordinary optimism.

Post: #12

READ THIS:

https://twitter.com/Imperator_Rex3/statu...0990113792

Trump has his paws all over this! Aramco on the NYSE in exchange for the arrest of people involved in corruption and money laundering in USA politics. He is permitting them to revive their economy and advance towards true reform in exchange for a stabler Middle East! Not even I, who am on the wait and see team, was expecting this level of brilliance regarding Saudi Arabia. If this ends up being confirmed I'll build a shrine to Trump somewhere. Goddamn, did you see that tweet about Aramco in the NYSE a few posts above? It looks like total confirmation. Holy shit!

Post: #13

Where are the guys that say Trump is cucking to SA, and that SA is plotting against Trump and the USA? I guess we can wait until Monday to see if they will be willing to eat some crow. Still needs to pan out completely over time, but this is huge in too many ways to count.

Post: #14

First impression is that this is just Saudi crown prince Bin Salman purging a a bunch of his opponents (or potential opponents). This looks like just a palace power play, though unprecedented in the history of KSA.

This was somewhat predictable because the generation of king Saud children, born in the 1920s-30s, has been dying out. They've spawned literally hundreds of descendants in their extended royal clan, so this kind of power struggle and hardcore coalition politics 3-4 generations later makes sense.

Post: #15

Does it make sense that it all happened at the same time the King is having the IPO of Aramco on the NYSE?

Post: #16

Post: #17

The art of the deal.

Post: #18

(11-04-2017 10:02 PM)911 Wrote:  First impression is that this is just Saudi crown prince Bin Salman purging a a bunch of his opponents (or potential opponents). This looks like just a palace power play, though unprecedented in the history of KSA.

This was somewhat predictable because the generation of king Saud children, born in the 1920s-30s, has been dying out. They've spawned literally hundreds of descendants in their extended royal clan, so this kind of power struggle and hardcore coalition politics 3-4 generations later makes sense.

I reckon you are on to something here but what everyone here is ignoring is what happened yesterday in Beirut at practically the same time - the resignation of Lebanese PM Saad Hariri. Hariri is a close ally of Saudi Arabia and a deadly rival of Iran. This is significant. Why you ask? Take a look at what is going on in Syria. Assad has won the war against the Saudi/Western backed Sunni Islamists crazies so Riyadh is reverting to Plan B, i.e. destabalise Lebanon.

Hariri's resignation has left a big void in Lebanese politics which will fuel instability in the country where Christians, Sunni and Shia Muslims cobble together a fragile government. What Riyadh fears is Syria and Iraq linking up giving Iran and Hezbollah dominance in the Levant. Hariri's resignation was all the more baffling given his meeting with Iranian diplomats the day before and praising them for restoring stability in the region. Enter the joker in the pack: the Kurds. Israel and the US has been supporting the Kurds in their big to create a friendly buffer zone or to block the SAA and Hezbollah unfettered access with Iraq at the border town of Al Bukamal. There is a race right now between the SAA and the Kurds to reach this crossing point. If Assad beats them to it which looks like it, then the Saudis will slip into gear.

Yesterday's machinations in Riyadh was to clean house (more likely with the nod from Trump) to get rid of the discredited members of the Royal Family. Now that they are out of the picture, Prince Salman now has full control to enact the plan. Hezbollah and the SAA are right now in the ascendancy, however with the help of the Kurds, Israel and a destabalised Lebanon could very well throw a spanner in the works. There is now strong talk about Israel moving into Syria to 'protect' the Druze.
https://www.rt.com/news/408772-israel-sy...ect-druze/

But this is a cover. This is all about Iran and Hezbollah and to stop the Tehran - Damascus - South Lebanon axis. If SAA, Hezbollah and its Palestinian forces wins, it's endgame for the Saudi-Israeli-US-Sunni alliance. Nothing will stop Iran and Hezbollah.

https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/1.821085

Israel may very well now make the move to take out Hezbollah once and for all by invading not only Syria but also Lebanon. Syrian journalist and writer, Kevork Almassian explains this very well.





What an absolute shitshow this is going to be.

Post: #19

I wonder if King Salman's visit to Moscow and talk with Vladimir Putin about a month ago was in any way connected with the recent developments. Perhaps the Saudis really are reforming and as part of that the King spoke with Putin in order to clarify their foreign policy positions and come to some sort of new Saudi-Russian arrangement regarding Syria, Iran, and the rest of the Middle East.

Post: #20

I think Traktor and 911 are on point here.

Basically Ben Salman is offering the us and Israel this deal: give me the power and I'll deliver Iran's head and an Arab peace deal with israels condition.

Now that jihadists failed, he will even take Saudi Arabia in a modern direction or try to, a la Dubai. Soon all jihadists history will be forgotten and it will be the modern good sunnis against those evil Shiites.

Hariri resigned so it indicates they will now blow Lebanon up. However due to the arrests yesterday that may be just an internal move and the actual move in Lebanon might still be delayed.

The US is gonna impose sanctions on Lebanon that basically bankrupt it. The refugees Syrian and Palestinians will be used against hezballah. Israel and the US will probably strike in some way or just watch everything burn as they tend to do.

Dark times ahead

Post: #21

^ Time for an emergency test implementation of the H10B visa program for fine lebanese women needing a new place.

Post: #22

Enoch no way we need entertainment in the shelters

Post: #23

Helicopter carrying 8 high level Saudi officials crashes. Oh boy...

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-11-05...ashed-all-

Post: #24

(11-05-2017 03:21 PM)Seth_Rose Wrote:  Helicopter carrying 8 high level Saudi officials crashes. Oh boy...

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-11-05...ashed-all-

The Guardian would call that 'sweeping reform' and 'bold leadership'.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/n...bin-salman

Post: #25

There are a lot of moving parts here that I can't pretend to understand.

Obviously this is a consolidation of power move for the new crown prince.

There are basically three things that come together there - The IPO of Aramco, consolidation of power for a new crown prince, and the lifting of certain "oppressive restrictions" on women in Saudi Arabia (aka opening the door for increased cultural degeneracy).

There is no way this looks like good news to me. I'm in no way a fan of Saudi Arabia or Jihadism or what have you, but to me this just looks like one more country coming under the thumb of Jewish banksters.