The President continues to be enchanted with autocrats

Discussion in 'Political Opinions & Beliefs' started by Sandy Shanks, Oct 15, 2018.

  1. Sandy Shanks

    Sandy Shanks Banned

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    Besides Trump's enchantment with autocrats (details above) there is another facet to all this.

    Is there a pattern here? “Saudi Arabia, I get along with all of them. They buy apartments from me. They spend $40 million, $50 million,” Trump once told a crowd at an Alabama rally during the election campaign.

    In 2001, Trump sold the entire 45th floor of the Trump World Tower across from the United Nations in New York for $12 million, the biggest purchase in that building to that point, according to the brokerage site Streeteasy. The buyer: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

    "For the record, I have no financial interests in Saudi Arabia (or Russia, for that matter). Any suggestion that I have is just more FAKE NEWS (of which there is plenty)!" Trump tweeted today.

    He does not have financial interests in Saudi Arabia, but he has deep Saudi financial interests in the United States. A Saudi billionaire, Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, purchased his yacht from Trump and a stake in New York's Plaza Hotel in the 1990s bailing out Trump from financial distress. A public relations firm working for the kingdom spent nearly $270,000 on lodging and catering at his Washington hotel near the Oval Office through March of last year, according to filings to the Justice Department. That is in addition to the financial interests already described.

    So, it is no surprise that Trump first tried this ludicrous gambit to protect the king and the crown prince. “The king firmly denied any knowledge of it. I don't want to get into (Salman’s) mind,” but he added, “it sounded to me like maybe these could have been rogue killers."

    Yeah, right. That went over like a lead balloon.

    Now he says, "And it depends whether or not the King [Salman] or Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman knew about it, in my opinion. Number one, what happened, but whether or not they knew about it." No doubt, the king and the crown prince will deny knowing anything about the murder beforehand. Trump can determine whether or not they are being truthful and he will respond accordingly. Reader can decide what that means in light of Trump's financial interests.

    "Here we go again with you're guilty until proven innocent," Trump said in an interview today.

    In July, a federal judge rejected Trump’s latest effort to stop a lawsuit that alleges Trump is violating the Constitution by continuing to do business with foreign governments.

    Is there any doubt that Trump's financial interests have an impact on his judgment concerning foreign governments like Saudi Arabia?
     
  2. Sandy Shanks

    Sandy Shanks Banned

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    No, what I am saying is exactly what I have said in my posts, none of which you have challenged.

    It seems the only way Trump fans can criticize me is to invent what I say then remark on what they themselves created. It is a incredibly stupid tactic.
     
  3. Sandy Shanks

    Sandy Shanks Banned

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    The obligatory Republicans are speaking up on cue concerning the murder of the Washington Post journalist.

    Senator Bob Corker has said, "If it's found that they, as everything indicates today ... murdered a journalist, that will hugely change our relationship. I mean, there's no question about it," Corker told reporters, adding, "I think they did it and I think, unfortunately, he's deceased."

    Senator Lindsey Graham stated, “I’m not going back to Saudi Arabia as long as this guy is in charge,” Graham said of bin Salman. “I’ve been their biggest defender on the floor of the United States Senate. This guy is a wrecking ball. He had [Khashoggi] murdered in a consulate in Turkey and to expect me to ignore it, I feel used and abused. The MBS figure is to me toxic, he can never be a world leader on the world stage.”

    Senator Marco Rubio made this contribution for the cause. "I don't care how much money it is. There isn't enough money in the world to purchase back our credibility on human rights and the way nations should conduct themselves."

    This is strictly for public consumption to give gullible Americans the impression the GOP is on their side. This has all happened before, several times, especially when Trump steps on it. It happened after Trump's bigoted remarks after Charlottesville. It happened after Singapore when Trump gushed about Kim after giving away the ranch and getting nothing in return. It happened after Trump's incredulous comments at Helsinki when he declined American intelligence and accepted the word of a communist dictator because he sounded sincere. Prominent Republicans object. Nothing changes.

    This showy performance by Rubio, Graham, and Corker does not mean a damn thing. The GOP leadership will do what it has always done in the past. It will put a rubber stamp on whatever Trump decides to do, no matter how self-serving his decision may be, and Trump's business connections to the Saudis will be swept under the rug.

    American voters will lift up that rug and vote accordingly on Nov. 6. Maybe they will think something is wrong if American foreign policy is being bought by the Saudis. They will be watching Trump closely.
     
  4. Belch

    Belch Well-Known Member

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    I said that your beliefs are just beliefs, and even said you probably wouldn't explain how you came to your beliefs. What do you do? Reply with a wall of questions.

    Sorry, but not going there.
     
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  5. BarleyPopGuy

    BarleyPopGuy Banned

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    I will belch to that.
     
  6. Sandy Shanks

    Sandy Shanks Banned

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    You can't criticize what I say. So, you make things you wish I had said. A very common practice with Trumpsters.
     
  7. Sandy Shanks

    Sandy Shanks Banned

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    You haven't been listening. Trump is enchanted with the king. Did you bother reading the OP or did you just jump into the fray?
     
  8. Tim15856

    Tim15856 Well-Known Member

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    You stating your opinion that Trump was enchanted doesn't mean squat. I'm sure you don't care what my opinion is of you.
     
  9. Belch

    Belch Well-Known Member

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    It's a fairly standard lefty ploy to just answer questions with questions.

    They're not really sure how to go about formulating arguments, so they really work hard at avoiding making fools out of themselves. Sadly for them, this backfires if people don't take the bait.
     
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  10. Sandy Shanks

    Sandy Shanks Banned

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    Um, I started this thread. Have you looked up at the thread title lately? The thread is entitled, "The President (Trump just happens to be our President) continues to be enchanted with autocrats." So, yes, as the thread originator, I am saying the thread is about Trump. Now pay attention.

    The thread, at this stage, is all about Trump's embrace of dictators as shown in the OP.

    The Constitution and its laws will not prevent an authoritative Trump if the Republican Congress continues to rubber stamp everything he does. So far, that has been the case. As it stands right now, the Republican Congress is encouraging the growth of authoritarianism. The only check on Trump is the free press keeping Americans informed when they vote.

    Do you suppose that is why Trump insists that the free press is the "enemy of the people?"

    In a way, you have my sympathies. Because of your curious decision to support Trump, you are forced to defend a real jerk. He proved it again today, but I no longer pay any attention to his moronic, child-like tweets.
     
  11. Sandy Shanks

    Sandy Shanks Banned

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    Did you read the OP? I didn't just provide an opinion. I provided facts that formed the basis of my opinion, facts you have not questioned. Don't feel bad. Neither has anyone else. It's hard to argue with reality.
     
  12. Steady Pie

    Steady Pie Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    I respect the sovereignty of consulates. What I'd have done is as follows:

    Fly to KSA with the Saudi ambassador, meet with the Saudi King, ask him face to face if they did it. If they say no ill ask them to produce the person in question. If they say yes or are unable to produce him they lose their consulate.

    Clearly nobody is going to war over this.
     
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  13. Tim15856

    Tim15856 Well-Known Member

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    It's hard to argue with the reality of Bizarro world.
     
  14. Carl Von Clausewitz

    Carl Von Clausewitz Well-Known Member

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    Still waiting for democrats or neo liberals to explain their Chinese connections.

    Wait for it...
     
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  15. opion8d

    opion8d Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Trump admires autocrat's ability to freely impose their will on their people. He sees no reason he shouldn't be accorded the same all encompassing power. To him, it would make things easy and speed up a "broken process." He doesn't understand that America didn't vote to put a CEO in the White House, much less a king. Among many things, Trump doesn't understand the Constitution and the levers of power in our 248 year old democratic republic. He deeply resents the law and the separation of powers as an impediment to his wishes.

    Trump's belief he installed a strict constructionist on the Court to help him rule is both misguided and naive. Trump doesn't like the Constitution much and a conservative court will slap him harder than his ex-wives. They like the Constitution just fine and will enforce it.
     
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  16. Steady Pie

    Steady Pie Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    He'd better get a move on with his supposed authoritarian ambitions. He hasn't acted on them in the slightest.
     
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  17. BarleyPopGuy

    BarleyPopGuy Banned

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    Well said. That opiod dude is...well opiated.
     
  18. thinkitout

    thinkitout Well-Known Member

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    Not a Jeopardy fan, are you???

    These are put in the form of rhetorical questions. . . . I was not ASKING you whether or not they were true; I was DARING you to deny their veracity.

    . . . And YOU said that I was the one who would deliver an evasive response. . . . I could not have been more clear.

    But no response implies no challenge, which validates my arguments by default. There are no judges on this forum; if you want to make up your own rules, I can play the same game.
     
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  19. Vet1966

    Vet1966 Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    This post is typical anti-Trump rhetoric brought to us by another canary with TDS

    Clinton sold out to the autocrats - and it didn't resolve a thing.
    Bush went to war with the autocrats - and it didn't resolve a thing.
    Obama bowed down to the autocrats - and it didn't resolve a thing.
    Trump is embracing the autocrats and rewarding or punishing their economies as he says nice things about them. Trump is using a method called "the carrot and the stick" which has been used in diplomacy for thousands of years. The phrase "carrot and stick" is a metaphor for the use of a combination of reward and punishment to induce a desired behavior. It is based on the idea that a cart driver might activate a reluctant horse by dangling a carrot in front of it and smacking it on the rear with a stick. Wikipedia

    It seems to me that your dislike of a very effective President is clouding your judgment.
     
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  20. APACHERAT

    APACHERAT Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Where do you live Sandsy, under a rock ?

    The Saudi's own mucho grande homes around the world and if you ever been to Beverly Hills the Saudis own dozens of mansions next door to liberal millionaires.These houses remain empty most of the time.

    https://www.mansionglobal.com/articles/saudi-royal-seeks-85-million-for-beverly-hills-compound-77492

    https://www.loveproperty.com/gallerylist/75541/secrets-of-the-saudi-royal-familys-incredible-homes

    Hollywood Limosuen Liberals rolls out the red carpet for Saudi Arabia's crown prince, hoping to cash in on a new market
    http://www.latimes.com/business/hollywood/la-fi-ct-saudi-arabia-hollywood-20180402-story.html



    During the early 1980's the Japanese owned most of downtown Los Angeles.

    Not to long ago, only American citizens and legal immigrants could own agricultural land in America. I'm pretty sure the globalist have changed that law just like when only an American citizen could incorporate a business in America and 51% of any corporation had to be American owned. The Trilateral Commission and the other globalist changed those laws.
     
  21. Sandy Shanks

    Sandy Shanks Banned

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    Okay. "Clearly nobody is going to war over this." That is rather obvious. Why even mention it?
     
  22. Sandy Shanks

    Sandy Shanks Banned

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    Clinton, Bush, and Obama respected autocrats, particularly if they are our allies. In the Middle East we have some very strange bedfellows, as is the case of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Egypt. That is the way it is.

    Clinton, Bush, and Obama did not embrace communist dictators like Kim, Putin, and Xi. They did not accept the word of communist dictators over the intell from our intelligence agencies.

    Clinton, Bush, and Obama did not fall in love with a communist dictator.

    Trump is friendly with communist dictators, and there is no carrot and stick with him, only the carrot. Occasionally, because Trump is so weak-minded when it comes to autocrats, Mattis, the Pentagon, Pompeo, and the state department step in and provide the stick, never the leader of our country. We have two separate foreign policies, Trump's and everyone else in the federal government.

    What's the weather like in Moscow this time of the year?
     
  23. Vet1966

    Vet1966 Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Clinton, Bush and Obama were ineffective on foreign policy - NK, Iran, Russia and China grew to be threats to the US under their regimes while Trump is Making America Great Again and setting the "autocrats" back on their heels.

    Trump is winning while the Hillary/Kerry school of foreign diplomacy went bankrupt years ago - will you never learn?
     
  24. Sandy Shanks

    Sandy Shanks Banned

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    It's not for lack of trying. He refuses to release his tax returns. He refused to divest himself of his properties. In violation of the Constitution, he is making a profit off his Presidency.

    He refuses to hold periodic solo press conferences. He has two, one in Feb. 2017, one in Sept. 2018. Both were unmitigated disasters because he can't control himself or the reporters. His favorite place to answer reporters' questions -- only the questions he likes -- is on the White House lawn with Marine One churning away. In this way he is hiding from the American people.

    His official policy is to befriend dictators. His advisors, primarily Mattis, sometimes Pompeo although he is basically a sycophant, have different views, but that is not the point. Trump's official Presidential statements and position are the point.
     
  25. Sandy Shanks

    Sandy Shanks Banned

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    Avoiding reality is common practice for Trump's fans.

    In a way, I don't blame them. How would you like to try to defend Trump?

    Ummm, that is a rhetorical question.
     
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