Trumps very warm greeting in Saudi Arabia

[Mountainmanbob]

President Trump landed in Saudi Arabia on his first foreign trip at around 3 a.m. Eastern Standard Time Saturday —the first part of five-stop journey through the Middle East, Italy and Belgium.

After Air Force One touched down in Riyadh at about 10 a.m. local time, Trump and First Lady Melania descended the stairs to a wide red carpet. Saudi Arabian King Salman, 81, greeted Trump at the base of the stairs, extending his hand toward the President.

Some pundits questioned whether Salman would shake Trump's hand or even brave the sweltering heat to walk out onto the runway, citing his older age.

The greeting was symbolic, as Saudi Arabia is a highly conservative kingdom that hopes to shore up relations with the U.S.

During then-President Barack Obama's final trip to Saudi Arabia in April 2016, he was not greeted by Salman at the airport—instead by the governor of Riyadh, Prince Faisal bin Bandar Al Saud, the Guardian reported.

The Saudis are reportedly hopeful as to what Trump can do to boost their standing in the region. For one, they've praised Trump's rhetoric about Iran posing a threat to the nation.

 

[Mountainmanbob]

They put out the red carpet today for Trump.
Something an American president has not seen in a long time in Saudi Arabia.
Trump received one heck of a royal greeting.
M-Bob




Trump Gets a Gold Medal as Welcome From Saudi King

Donald Trump Arrives in Saudi Arabia 5/20/2017

 

[Mountain_Girl406]

It is nice to see he's given up on all the anti Muslim rhetoric that he used to get elected.

 

[Mountainmanbob]

It is nice to see he's given up on all the anti Muslim rhetoric that he used to get elected.

How many immigrants does Saudi Arabia let in each year?
How many known terrorist do they let in each year?
We understand your cup is half empty.
Here on the mountaintop we love the Lord and our cup if half full.
Yes, we support president Trump -- just as we hoped and prayed that Obama would do good.
M-Bob

 

[LinguaIgnota]

I'll just leave this here. Not so much as a reminder - no-one really needs to be reminded of the hypocrisy of Donald - but for the lulz.

 

[USincognito]

How many immigrants does Saudi Arabia let in each year?

Tens of thousands. No Saudi does any actual work so they import workers from other countries. There are more non-Saudis there than Saudis at this point. Many held as virtual slaves.

 

[Mountainmanbob]

I'll just leave this here. Not so much as a reminder - no-one really needs to be reminded of the hypocrisy of Donald - but for the lulz.

Oh boy here we go.
M-Bob

 

[LinguaIgnota]

Oh boy here we go.
M-Bob

Yeah, one would think that it'd be hard to put any trust in a man when everything he does and says are contradicted by something else he's done or said. Down here, off the mountain, where the air is a bit thicker, people tend to notice those kinds of things.

 

[ViaCrucis]

How many known terrorist do they let in each year?

Indirectly? Most of them.

The official form of Sunni Islam of Saudi Arabia is the extreme and ultra-conservative Salafism, specifically what is known as Wahhabism (named for Abd al-Wahhab, which was adopted by the al-Sauds who conquered and form the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Al-Quaeda is a Salafist organization, technically ISIS is Salafist as well (though they are insane and extreme even by Al-Qaeda and other Salafist standards). Osama bin-Laden was a Saudi national, as well as most of the founders of Al-Qaeda, and all the hijackers on 9/11 were Saudis who practiced Salafism.

How many terrorists have they let in? Most. Saudi Arabia, whether through funding, support, or through other indirect means, has been the biggest source of Jihadi terrorism around the globe. If you mean how many terrorists have they intentionally sent out, no clue, maybe none; but then I would also point out that I am aware of precisely zero countries that have officially sent out terrorists to any western nation; certainly none that are part of the Muslim Ban list.

Of all the Muslim nations in the world, Saudi Arabia has perhaps the most extreme form of fundamentalism as its official religion; to the point that other kinds of Muslims, especially Shi'a, are regularly discriminated against and harrassed, and it is illegal to practice any other form of religion (Saudi Arabia claims 100% of its population is Muslim)--tourists, visitors, or those on work visas are the only exception.

If there is one Muslim nation that deserves the most criticism from the west, it's Saudi Arabia; and pretty much anyone who is being honest knows that the only reason we are friends with them, and they with us, is because it is incredibly lucrative for both parties to do so.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Desk trauma]

They put out the red carpet today for Trump.
Something an American president has not seen in a long time in Saudi Arabia.

 

[Mountainmanbob]

If there is one Muslim nation that deserves the most criticism from the west, it's Saudi Arabia;

Yes, Hillary Clinton was right on that as they gave millions to the Clinton Foundation.
M-Bob

 

[ViaCrucis]

Yes, Hillary Clinton was right on that as they gave millions to the Clinton Foundation.
M-Bob

I'm guessing it's only bad when the other guy does it.

I'm not condemning Donald because of his warm reception; I am however pointing out the fact that Saudi Arabia should be at or near the top of the list in terms of problematic predominantly Muslim nations. It also seemed as though you were unaware of Saudi Arabia's influence and involvement--even if it may be indirect--in the problem of global jihadist terror.

Also, news flash: Criticism of Donald Trump has nothing to do with Clinton. The election happened, she lost, and we've accepted the results of the election--in fact the only people who seem to still be harping on about the election--and Hillary Clinton--are Donald Trump and his loyal fanboys. Maybe get over it?

-CryptoLutheran

 

[ViaCrucis]

Lying, crooked media. Fake news. Didn't happen.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Desk trauma]

Lying, crooked media. Fake news. Didn't happen.

-CryptoLutheran

In the OPs slight defense, the last presidential visit was in April 2016 so it has been over a year since they rolled out the red carpet for a US president.

 

[High Fidelity]

Lying, crooked media. Fake news. Didn't happen.

-CryptoLutheran

Yep. Alternate facts. The carpet is crimson, not red.

The President of the United States, as with pretty much every other leader, greeted with respect befitting a leader of a country. Not seeing why this is special.

 

[Shiloh Raven]

Yep. Alternate facts. The carpet is crimson, not red.

The President of the United States, as with pretty much every other leader, greeted with respect befitting a leader of a country. Not seeing why this is special.

You guys are totally ruining the narrative that Trump is receiving special treatment that the presidents before him were not given. I guess we are expected to fall in line and sing Trump's praises too.

 

[RDKirk]

As I predicted more than a year ago, Trump has made his pilgrimage to do homage to his Saudi leash-holder as every US president does.

How many immigrants does Saudi Arabia let in each year?

None. Although they have recently permitted Saudi ex-patriots to return to Saudi Arabia.

How many known terrorist do they let in each year?

All of them. All Sunni terrorists are welcomed to make their pilgrimage to Mecca.

The extremist Salafi and Wahabbi doctrines of anti-Western terrorists come from Saudi Arabia, and Saudi Arabia finances its "outreach" in the West, even for homegrown terrorists. Saudi Arabia produces the very terrorists that are "coming to a theater near you." Saudi-supported doctrines grow the terrorists in the US working around you.

Saudi Arabia isn't even opposed to ISIS, which is on the forefront of Saudi Arabia's extremist Salafi doctrine. Every fighter in ISIS got his doctrine from Saudi Arabia--every single one of them. Every. Single. One.

Yet Saudi Arabia has the US in its pocket, and the US is a proxy fighting Saudi Arabia's war against Iran (because Iran is not otherwise a threat to the US).

 

[Mountainmanbob]

(because Iran is not otherwise a threat to the US).

That's a strange remark for I see them often on TV saying death to America, burning our flag and calling us Satan.

Strange way of showing love.

M-Bob

 

[RDKirk]

That's a strange remark for I see them often on TV saying death to America, burning our flag and calling us Satan.

Strange way of showing love.

Iran does not love the US, heck no. The US has been a constant aggressor against Iran since the 50s. The US assassinated Iran's first elected president, then installed and supported a brutal dictator for 30 years. When Iran ousted that dictator, the US gave him asylum and protection from justice.

Iran retaliated for that by holding US diplomats hostage for a year, then released them.

In retaliation to that, the US froze legal Iranian assets and levied sanctions. The US then supported Iraq in its Sunni war against Iran. And also shot down an Iranian airliner with nearly 300 civilians.

And all this time, the US has never stopped military activity around and against Iran, nor has the US ever ceased breathing threats against Iran. Iranians on the street say, "Death to Iran!" US Congresscritters say, "War on Iran!" Which is the more significant threat? Which is actually being pushed by the respective government?

So at one point, the US decides to give them back their wallet and stop choking them.

And you expect the Iranians to love the US for that.

But in terms of an Iranian threat, how many terrorist attacks in or against the US have been by Iranians or even by Shiites? Zero. They are all by Sunnis, who are enemies of Iraq.

How many Americans have been killed by Iranians who were not already in Iran's regional area fighting Iran or their interests? None. Certainly not like the hundreds of Iranian civilians the US has already killed.

How many ICBMs, SLBMs, or nuclear bombers does Iran have? None. What forces does Iran have arrayed to invade the US? None.

How many Shiites are trying to force Sharia in the US? None. Those are all Saudi-support Sunnis.

But Iran is fighting ISIS.

 

[RDKirk]

Tens of thousands. No Saudi does any actual work so they import workers from other countries. There are more non-Saudis there than Saudis at this point. Many held as virtual slaves.

Those are not "immigrants." They are not permanent residents nor do they have any kind of pathway to Saudi citizenship. Guest workers in Saudi Arabia have practically no rights, not even the right to life. As you say, many are virtually slaves. That's not an "immigrant."

There are no "immigrants" to Saudi Arabia in any context that makes sense in American conversation.