Saudi Arabia

Celebration Of Journalism At White House Correspondents’ Dinner!

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Last night, for the first time since 2016, the profession of journalism was celebrated at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington DC.

The years in between had included Donald Trump boycotting the event, and then the COVID 19 Pandemic made such events not possible for a few years.

President Joe Biden saluted the importance of the profession of journalism, which has been under vicious attacks by the extremist right wing Republican party elements, led by Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis, and a multitude of other authoritarian leaders, with only a small percentage resisting such condemnation of the truth of events.

Journalism is what keeps a nation free and informed, and it is the job of journalism to expose facts, truth, reality, no matter what or who it exposes to the light of day!

Journalism and journalists are under constant attack, and in many nations, including the Russian Federation, Iran, mainland China, North Korea, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and a multitude of other nations that attack democracy, journalists are arrested, tortured, and murdered.

These journalists are true heroes, and America must not allow the forces of evil in this nation to destroy the First Amendment, and suppress the reality of the attack on women’s rights, civil rights, gay and lesbian rights, gun regulations, voting rights, education, environmental advancement, and so much more!

The Complicated “Economy” Issue: Lowest Unemployment In Half Century, But Highest Inflation In Decades!

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With the Midterm Elections of 2022 a month away, the economy has become the major issue to many voters, and to politicians campaigning for office.

Republicans emphasize the highest inflation in decades, and the higher mortgage rates on housing, rising to close to 7 percent.

Gasoline prices are rising again due to the collaboration of Saudi Arabia with the Russian Federation, and food prices have soared.

And yet, the Democrats can brag that the unemployment rate at 3.5 percent is the lowest since 1969, so we have a really complicated situation, which makes predictions on which party will control the House of Reprsentatives and Senate hard to figure out.

Which party will control more governorships and other state elected offices, including Secretary of State and Attorney General, is also impossible to forecast with confidence!

International Relations Becoming More Dominated By Authoritarian Leaders

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The world in 2022 is becoming more dominated by authoritarian leaders than any time since World War II, a sign of major challenges for President Joe Biden.

Already, the Russian Federation, China, North Korea, and Iran are constantly challenging America and its democracy.

But now, Saudi Arabia, under Mohamed bin Salman, in cooperation with Vladimir Putin, is cutting oil production, and creating an economic nightmare of higher oil prices, just as the Midterm Elections of 2022 come upon us in one month.

The Democrats already have problems with inflation and higher mortgage rates and this despicable action by Saudia Arabia, in lead with Putin, could very well undermine the push to protect American democracy in the upcoming elections, and prevent protection of abortion rights.

This will be a very difficult month, with growing sense that MAGA Republicans and Donald Trump could end up in control of government, and undermine, in league with an extremist right wing Supreme Court, many of the progressive
advancements in government and civil rights that have occurred in the years since the New Deal of Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Great Society of Lyndon B. Johnson!

Low Moment For Joe Biden In Saudi Arabia, Will Undermine His Presidency!

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President Joe Biden has reached a low point in his Presidency, with his visit to Saudi Arabia, and having to deal with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammmed bin Salman, the heir apparent to be King of Saudi Arabia, a truly evil person!

Biden had said he wanted to make Saudi Arabia and MBS pariahs, but due to the issue of gasoline prices, and the growing threat of Iran, he had to bow, effectively, and do a “Fist Bump” with MBS.

It was a humiliating moment, and makes the viability of Joe Biden’s Presidency very shaky, at a time just months before the Midterm Elections of 2022!

Biden’s Upcoming Trip To The Middle East

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President Biden is making a trip to the Middle East this week, with emphasis on his visit to Saudi Arabia and to Israel.

Both nations are a major problem for Biden, as he has to back off on his condemnation of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s promotion of the murder of Jamal Khashoggi in 2018, and has to deal with an unstable situation in Israel, which will soon have its fifth election in two years, with the possibility of the return of Benjmain Netanyahu to the Prime Ministership.

Human Rights remains a Biden concern, but sadly, other issues and concerns, including the price and availability of oil supplies, must be considered.

Both nations are crucial allies, but with governments that are highly controversial in their policies, and Joe Biden has to manage a very difficult diplomatic situation, that no matter what evolves, will lead to criticism!

The problem of the Palestinians, and also of Iran and the Nuclear Deal controversy, will be the center of attention in both nations.

The Problem Of Saudi Arabia: Oil And Human Rights

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When President Joe Biden ran for President in 2020, he was sharply critical of Saudi Arabia’s record on human rights, particularly the horrific murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi ordered by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in 2018.

Mohammed bin Salman is the heir to the throne in Saudi Arabia, and is a danger, but due to the impact of the oil problem, somehow, Joe Biden has seen it necessary to visit the kingdom sometime in July, but the question is how does he balance the energy issue and yet not bow to the Saudi Crown Prince in an obsequious manner?

This is the real test of Joe Biden, one of innumerable others, and makes one wonder why he, or really anyone, wants to end up in the pressure cooker of the White House!

America must stand for human rights in a world where it is in danger, but practicality makes that extremely difficult!

Priority For Joe Biden And Secretary of State Antony Blinken To Support Allies And Be Tough On Adversaries

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With the confirmation of Antony Blinken as Secretary of State for President Joe Biden, the priority is for both Biden and Blinken to make perfectly clear that foreign policy will return to normalcy.

This means that America must restore the close relations with our NATO allies, and with Asian allies, including Japan and South Korea, all heavily damaged under Donald Trump.

It also means being tough toward our adversaries, including the Russian Federation and Vladimir Putin; China; North Korea; and Iran, making clear we are not cozying up to these dictators, while dealing with them in a “tough love” atmosphere.

It also means we cannot allow Saudi Arabia to manipulate America, as it did under Donald Trump.

It also means working in unison with other nations on climate change, and promoting a series of fair trade agreements, instead of imposing higher tariffs on Americans, as Trump practiced.

Confrontations might occur, hopefully not, but we must make clear that America will uphold democracy as part of its historic mission, and will never abandon its democratic allies in the world!

A Delicate Time, As Reaction Of Donald Trump To Attack On Two Military Bases In Iraq By Iran, Could Lead To Total War In Middle East

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Five days after the assassination of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani by orders of Donald Trump, Iran has reacted by attacking two US bases in Iraq.

This could lead to total war in the Middle East, including Israel and Saudi Arabia leagued against Iran, but with Trump not getting unified support from usual allies, such as in NATO.

Trump could be responsible for World War 3, as likely, China and Russia and Turkey would be leagued against us and with Iran.

This evil man is disrupting the entire world, as he has in the United States, and he cannot leave office soon enough, but already, the damage he has done will reverberate for many years, likely for decades!

The Evangelical Michael Richards (Pence, Pompeo) Take Over American Foreign Policy

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It is now clear that Donald Trump’s Presidency has been hijacked by the two Michael Richards (Vice President Pence and Secretary of State and former CIA Head Pompeo).

It has been learned that they worked on Trump, convincing him to arrange for the assassination of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, and endangering the US position in the Middle East.

With the growing likelihood of war with Iran, the whole domestic and international scene is in disarray, because of the clear cut religious fanaticism of Mike Pence and Mike Pompeo, both dedicated evangelical Christians.

It shows the danger of evangelical influence on American politics has reached its peak, ironically under a President who had no real religious beliefs, except his belief in his own superiority.

And add Orthodox Jews and Israeli right wingers, led by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the mix, and we have the setting up of a “holy war” incited by religious fanatics in both Christianity and Judaism, against Muslim fanatics of the Shia minority, which wars against Sunni Muslims led by Saudi Arabia, which controls the holy sites of Mecca and Medina.

Fanatical religion has caused so many wars in human history, and is about to do so again, with two fanatical right wing religious freaks, both also part of the Republican TEA Party Movement a decade ago in Congress, in charge under non believer Donald Trump, who believes it will insure his reelection this November for a second term!

Most Significant Events Of 2019 In Public Affairs

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When one looks back at the most significant events of 2019 in public affairs, the following would stand out in no special order:

The impeachment of Donald Trump on charges of Obstruction of Justice and Abuse of Congress.

The Democratic House of Representatives passing about 400 bills, but almost all going nowhere in the Republican Senate.

The growing influence of Democratic women in Congress, with the most ever being elected to the House of Representatives.

The magnificent leadership and courage of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff.

The continuing crisis of global warming and climate change, and the refusal of the US government under Donald Trump to deal with the evolving disaster.

The total lack of empathy, compassion, common decency of the US government toward refugees at the border, particularly the separation of children from their families, often with no tracking and paper work done, meaning many children are lost forever to their parents.

The US Government attack on the intelligence community, the diplomatic community, the judiciary, and the civil servants who serve our nation honorably, and are now being trashed, and many resigning or being forced out, a major loss long run to the American nation.

The growing evidence of the US government being manipulated by foreign powers, including Russia, China, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and other authoritarian dictatorships, at the expense of America’s traditional allies, including the United Kingdom, France, Germany and other nations in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, as well as allies in Asia, including Japan and South Korea.

The growing evidence of corruption, malfeasance, and incompetence of many members of the Donald Trump cabinet, as well as other top officials in many agencies of the US government.

The growing division of the American people by race, nationality, religion, gender, age, and sexual orientation, being encouraged and promoted by the racism, nativism, misogyny, antisemitism, and homophobia of the Trump Administration policies, and the total lack of civility and promotion of bullyism advanced by the 45th President.