The Trump

[colchonero]

New Gallup poll has President Trump at 43%, there was just 1 poll out of 60(if I counted properly) that had him higher since he took the office.  Rasmussen has him at 51%. The last time Rasmussen poll (or any other) had him above 51% was back in February of 2017.

[mostly_lurking]

New Gallup poll has President Trump at 43%, there was just 1 poll out of 60(if I counted properly) that had him higher since he took the office.  Rasmussen has him at 51%. The last time Rasmussen poll (or any other) had him above 51% was back in February of 2017.

Be prepared to be on Buddy's ignore list

I still tend to believe that his support is higher than reported- many Trump fans don't say so publicly and many don't answer polls (they consider them fake news) except Rasmussen of course

[Buddy]

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/axios-uns-nikki-haley-resigns-trump-accepts/ar-BBO9dqk?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=iehp

Source: U.S. Ambassador to United Nations Nikki Haley resigns

Tick ..... tick..... tick Donnie Boy.  Get your golf in while you can.....    The "greens" at Sing Sing are HORRIBLE .....

[mostly_lurking]

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/axios-uns-nikki-haley-resigns-trump-accepts/ar-BBO9dqk?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=iehp

Source: U.S. Ambassador to United Nations Nikki Haley resigns

Tick ..... tick..... tick Donnie Boy.  Get your golf in while you can.....    The "greens" at Sing Sing are HORRIBLE .....

She told Trump 6 months ago that she is leaving end of this year. No tick-tock.

[colchonero]

Yeah this is definitely not tick-tick, as mostly lurking already wrote. She has told him about this a long time ago, and Buddy you especially know Trump, and his temperament. He would NEVER write a tweet, an hours before the speech  quote "Big announcement with my friend Ambassador Nikki Haley in the Oval Office at 10:30am."  if he was mad or angry at someone, or if he considered it a bad, unplanned thing. You know how he handled Omarosa, Rosenstein Strzok and others. I wouldn't be surprised if we see Haley on Trump 2020 campaign team.


Speech has started, and he is praising her.

[TerryM]

She told Trump 6 months ago that she is leaving end of this year. No tick-tock.

No tick-tock, but it will be wonderful to see her gone.
Terry

[Buddy]

Yeah this is definitely not tick-tick, as mostly lurking already wrote. She has told him about this a long time ago, and Buddy you especially know Trump, and his temperament. He would NEVER write a tweet, an hours before the speech  quote "Big announcement with my friend Ambassador Nikki Haley in the Oval Office at 10:30am."

This is the start of "the next wave out of the White House."  Niki Haley is not going to be the "cause" of Donnie going down.  She is just the next person out ..... and more will follow in coming weeks and months.

The tick tick tick is just the passing time as the day draws nearer that Donnie will indeed be gone (assuming the Mueller investigation is finished ..... and that is NOT a given).

Nicki had to get out before it was too late for her.  She wants Donnie's job ..... and she has likely already been negatively tainted by association AND her policy views.

Tick ..... tick ..... tick.......

[colchonero]

Yeah this is definitely not tick-tick, as mostly lurking already wrote. She has told him about this a long time ago, and Buddy you especially know Trump, and his temperament. He would NEVER write a tweet, an hours before the speech  quote "Big announcement with my friend Ambassador Nikki Haley in the Oval Office at 10:30am."

This is the start of "the next wave out of the White House."  Niki Haley is not going to be the "cause" of Donnie going down.  She is just the next person out ..... and more will follow in coming weeks and months.

The tick tick tick is just the passing time as the day draws nearer that Donnie will indeed be gone (assuming the Mueller investigation is finished ..... and that is not a given).

Nicki had to get out before it was too late for her.  She wants Donnie's job ..... and she has likely already been negatively tainted by association and her policy views.

Tick ..... tick ..... tick.......

Actually, that's exactly what I'm thinking for quite some time now too. I think she will make a bid in 2024, and if he's still hanging in the WH by that time (I know you hope, he won't), I'd guess he would also make ground for her in his last year as POTUS, and endorse her, something like Obama tried to do for Hillary. But of course Trump could lose in 2020, but either way, I think there is a chance that we see Haley as a candidate in 2024 Republican primary, and being on the Trump team, certainly gives her a chance with Trump's base.

[mostly_lurking]

The tick-tock will go on till 2020 and Trump running (and maybe winning ) again.
Keep ticking and tocking.

[Buddy]

UN Ambassador Haley resigning; she gives no reason

https://www.yahoo.com/news/ap-sources-un-ambassador-haley-resigning-142701096--politics.html

LMAO ....

That's got to be a first.  A United States UN Ambassador quits after only 20 months on the job ..... and gives no reason.  That is quite telling ......

[Buddy]

And here is something from the Palmer Report that I just ran across.  Something to mull over for sure.

Plenty of people on social media are pointing out that if Donald Trump fires replaces Jeff Sessions with Lindsey Graham after the midterms, that’ll leave Graham’s South Carolina Senate seat open, and Nikki Haley just happens to be from South Carolina. So is there more going on here? It’s entirely possible. But the timing here can’t be ignored. When you abruptly resign one day after getting caught in a serious ethics scandal, it’s just about never a coincidence.

https://www.palmerreport.com/analysis/reason-nikki-haley-resigned-un-trump/13320/

Again ..... Donnie HAS to stop the Mueller investigation.  In fact, he has to stop more than that.  He has to stop the state of New York investigation, a possible state of New Jersey investigation, and if the Dem's get a Democratic AG in Florida this November (along with a Democratic governor) .... he will have to stop a Florida investigation.

As I noted a couple weeks ago ..... keep your eyes on Lindsay Graham as a possible replacement for Sessions.  I'll do some digging into South Carolina ..... but would not be surprised if Nikki Haley wound up as Senator Haley should Lindsay Graham end up as Sessions replacement for AG.  Not sure if that is even possible yet ..... but I will certainly look into how South Carolina sets up their replacement for Senators (many states have the Governor appoint the replacement until a special election is held...... or until the next Senatorial election for that State).

Bottom line ..... Donnie is lining things up for after the November 6 elections.  Step ONE is to try and keep the Dem's from taking the House.  If that fails ..... then he is busy lining things up in the Courts and the Senate.  I'm NOT sure he can do much, if anything, about the handful of States that will be coming after him.  In Florida ..... he can try to prevent that by helping the Republican AG and Governor candidates.  But other than that ...... his backup plan is the courts and the Supremes:



NO ..... not THOSE Supremes.....

[AbruptSLR]

If the Democrats gain control of the Senate in the midterms and Feinstein becomes Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, we will see who locks up whom:

Title: "At Trump Rally in Iowa, Crowd Chants 'Lock Her Up!' About Sen. Feinstein"

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2018/10/10/at_trump_rally_in_iowa_crowd_chants_lock_her_up_about_sen_feinstein_138308.html

[Buddy]

MAGA ......

Home Price Growth Downturn

Flashing warning sign coming from the housing space could have a big...
Lakshman Achuthan, co-founder of the Economic Cycle Research Institute, discusses the U.S. housing market, the consumer and more with Mike Santoli.

https://www.cnbc.com/video/2018/10/03/flashing-warning-sign-coming-from-the-housing-space-could-have-a-big-spillover-effect-market-watcher-warns.html?__source=cnbcembedplayer

Bricks and Slaughter: Exposing Australia's Housing Crisis (Part I)



Data expert reveals the harsh reality of Australia's housing crisis | 60 Minutes Australia



For those of you in the US ..... the above video clip will sound VERY SIMILAR to the US prior to its housing implosion of 2007 - 2011 (the US southeast housing market didn't bottom until late in 2011 .... two years after the stock market bottomed).
 
Yes .... it isn't just the US.  Housing in Australia AND Canada are likely MORE prone to the housing downturn than the US.  I think both of them are going to get "whacked" big time (bigly )

And I would keep a watch on commodities ...... as I expect them to continue to head south .... right along with emerging markets and China.  Remember ..... back in February of this year I said the Shanghai market may test the "2,000 ish" level.  It's at about 2,700 ..... and I think it IS heading south in coming weeks/months ...... right along with the US markets.

The effects of VARIOUS things are continuing to "come together".  Fortunately we don't have an absolute idiot in the White House that will get us into a trade war on top of that.

OH WAIT ...... WE DO HAVE AN IDIOT IN THE WHITE HOUSE WHO IS DOING EXACTLY THE WRONG THINGS, AT THE WRONG TIME.

[Buddy]

Why has the last 6 months been the EXACT WRONG TIME to enter a trade war?  Well .... the emerging economies have been in a slowdown for a couple of years.  And adding costs onto items via a tariff makes them EVEN MORE EXPENSIVE to buy ..... and further slows the economy.

And while Donnie is more than happy to parade out his IDIOTIC economic lead, Larry Kudlow (someone who couldn't see the last 2 recessions), who states "we're crushing it".  Really .... he REALLY SAID THAT LESS THAN A MONTH AGO.

Kudlow: US has the hottest economy in the world today: 'We're crushing it'

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/09/17/kudlow-us-has-the-hottest-economy-in-the-world-today-were-crushing-it.html

Just another in a LONG LINE of "missed calls" by Larry Kudlow.  Nice job Larry .....

Larry Kudlow may have been more wrong about the economy than anyone alive

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/larry-kudlow-may-have-been-more-wrong-about-the-economy-than-anyone-alive/2018/03/14/a98f2292-27ce-11e8-b79d-f3d931db7f68_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.e906f34a00c2

When you hire BAD PEOPLE into IMPORTANT POSITIONS ...... BAD SHIT HAPPENS. 

Maybe you thought that Donnie hiring Rick Perry was the absolute WORST hire in the world.  Well ...... you would be CLOSE.  I think Larry Kudlow was the worst hire .... and I thought Perry was ABYSMAL. 
 

[AbruptSLR]

Chief Justice Roberts is not a very nice person, as he sat on referrals of Kavanaugh's misconduct until after Kavanaugh was confirmed to SCOTUS and then he referred the complaints to an appeals court that does not have jurisdiction over Supreme Court justices.  It is sad for Roberts to play politics in this manner.

Title: "Roberts refers judicial misconduct complaints against Kavanaugh to federal appeals court in Colorado"

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/roberts-refers-judicial-misconduct-complaints-against-kavanaugh-to-federal-appeals-court-in-colorado/ar-BBOcS2q?ocid=spartandhp

Extract: "The allegations center on whether Kavanaugh was dishonest and lacked judicial temperament during his Senate testimony, according to people familiar with the matter.

Last month, a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit asked Roberts to refer the complaints to another appeals court for review after determining that they should not be handled by judges who served with Kavanaugh on the D.C. appellate court.


In a letter Wednesday to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit, Roberts said he selected the court in Colorado to “accept the transfer and to exercise the powers of a judicial council with respect to the identified complaints and any pending or new complaints relating to the same subject matter.”

The Denver-based appeals court is led by Chief Judge Timothy M. Tymkovich, the former solicitor general of Colorado who was nominated to the bench by President George W. Bush. The 10th Circuit handled another recent judicial misconduct case from Washington involving the former chief judge of the District Court.

It is unclear what will come of the review by the 10th Circuit. The judiciary’s rules on misconduct do not apply to Supreme Court justices, and the 10th Circuit could decide to dismiss the complaints as moot now that Kavanaugh has joined the high court."

[Buddy]

Now we’ll see who blinks first in the game of chicken with tariffs:  Donald Trump OR “Mr. Market”.  How much downward pressure on the markets will Donnie take before he succumbs to the pressure of the markets.

I see that Trump has tried to blame the Federal Reserve for the downturn in the market, when in fact the primary cause has been Trump and the Republican policies over the last 18 months:

1). A tax cut for the wealthy that increased the federal deficit by $1.5 trillion.
2). Walking away from Iran nuclear deal and cutting off Iran oil exports which has pushed up the price of gasoline and oil.
3). Started a tariff war with the world and threatened additional tariffs on China.

There is a reasonably good chance that Trump and Kudlow have already pushed too far, and now ... even if they back off of the tariff piece, the US is headed into a more significant slowdown or even a recession.  The economy can be like a bungee cord.  Once you jump off the bridge there is no turning back and you have to wait until the bungee cord gets stretched out until you hit bottom and pull back up.

Trump jumped off the tariff bridge and pulled China and the rest of the world with him.  Now Trump and Kudlow have a good chance of a recession being named after them.

[mostly_lurking]

I see that Trump has tried to blame the Federal Reserve for the downturn in the market, when in fact the primary cause has been Trump and the Republican policies over the last 18 months:

1). A tax cut for the wealthy that increased the federal deficit by $1.5 trillion.
2). Walking away from Iran nuclear deal and cutting off Iran oil exports which has pushed up the price of gasoline and oil.
3). Started a tariff war with the world and threatened additional tariffs on China.

None of those 3 reasons are valid for the small correction.

Since Trumps election - Dow and Nasdaq up by 50%.'ish   There are always some corrections.   

[magnamentis]

a pity that it's in german but some of you can enjoy




George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump have passed away and are now stand
in front of God to be questioned.

God     : hi george, in what do you belive ?
Bush   : i believe in free trade, in a strong america in the nation
God     : ok, well, come have a seat to my right

God     : hi barak, in what do you belive ?
Obama: i believe in democracy, helping to the poor and in world-peace
God     : ok, well, come have a seat to my left
 
God     : hi donald, in what do you belive ?
Trump : i think that you're sitting on my chair !

[Buddy]

I’ve never met a big problem that didn’t start out as a small problem.  The first “shot across the bow” from the US and European equity markets was this past February/March.  Anyone who thinks this “small correction” is over ..... is going to be VERY disappointed.

Donnie’s policy mistakes are SIGNIFICANT .... and they take months or even quarters for the effects to accumulate to where they really begin to bite.  Witness Ford Motor company coming out this week and stating that the tariffs are forcing Ford to lay-off workers.  Unemployment is a LAGGING indicator, and as I have already stated, I expect employment numbers to head south in coming months.

Just like the earth is affected by the effects of various “feedback mechanisms” when it comes to global warming ..... the economy ALSO is affected by feedback mechanisms that take months or years to wind their way through the economy.

Trump has gone out of his way to worsen those feedback effects, and we will continue to see the negative effects in equity markets, housing markets, and commodity markets.  When the markets speak, people are forced into listening.

[Buddy]

Photographers managed to get a picture of Donald Trump climbing out of his car after he drove the world economies off the road ......    When he was asked why he drove the economies off the road, all he could say was:  "it was the Federal Reserve, I didn't do it" ......

[Buddy]

Here's a "picture" of the Shanghai stock market over the last 5 years or so.  You can see that it PEAKED more than 3 years ago in June of 2015.  You can also see that there were likely all kinds of people calling for a "bottom" in September of 2015 ....... and then again in Feb/March of 2016 ..... and again LAST WEEK.

If you recall .... last week I said "look for the Shanghai Market NEXT WEEK."  It has lost about 10% so far this week.  And as I said back in Feb/March ..... I think the Shanghai has a "good chance" to get down to the 2,000ish level (between 1,900 - 2,100).

Why?  The fundamentals are horrible ..... and we have a goon in the Oval Office that has established policies that are poised to make the GLOBAL ECONOMIES WORSE. 

It just depends on HOW stupid Donnie and Larry (Kudlow) choose to be.  I think they are BOTH pretty damn ignorant ..... AND .... stubborn.  NOT .... a good combination.

And while the US currency is rising quickly this week as interest rates shoot up (think about TOO MUCH DEBT DONNIE) ....... the Chinese currency is dropping, much to the consternation of Steve Manuchin.

So HOW and WHEN will this madness end?  Good question ...... please tell me when you know.

Right now ..... China has Trump's balls in a vice grip.  China's leader has a LIFE LONG TERM .... and Donnie doesn't.  Donnie has midterm elections in 4 weeks and the China leader DOESN'T.  Donnie has an FBI investigation that is hot on his trail and the Chinese leader DOESN'T.

So who is in the catbirds seat right now?  I think it is pretty obvious.  Donnie is starting to look like the New York Yankees in game 4 of their series with Boston the other night ..... and they lost 16-1.

Earlier this year I laid out what lower levels in the markets MIGHT be achieved, and I thought they could "get there" by the middle of October.  Well .... I'm still sticking with my call as to the "level" of where they might end up ..... but clearly this is going to take longer than I expected.  Right now ..... it looks like we could get to some kind of "intermediate term bottom" next week before rallying for a couple of months into the end of the year.  For various reasons .... cash flow wise ..... November and December are usually UP months for the market.  But any short term calls are really "iffy".

Markets are always fickle creatures ..... so any SHORT TERM CALL like that is fraught with danger.  BUT ..... in the LONGER TERM ..... the market direction looks to be DOWN ..... and the likely NEXT STAB at getting down to really LOWER LEVELS in the market may be in the coming mid March to early April period of the coming year.

Donnie has done some REALLY STUPID THINGS in the economic policy area .... and they have to play out.  The longer he keeps those things in play, the worse the economy will be and the worse the market will be.

Donnie is going up against the Chinese government ...... and I don't think he realizes that THEY PLAY FOR KEEPS.   They aren't Paul Ryan or Lindsay Graham that he can push around easily.  So this could continue to get ugly ..... especially if China continues to let their currency weaken.

Did I mention that the FBI is on his ass as well....

[Alexander555]

https://www.rt.com/usa/440980-trump-chinese-lived-too-well/

[Buddy]

None of those 3 reasons are valid for the small correction.

Since Trumps election - Dow and Nasdaq up by 50%.'ish   There are always some corrections.
/size]

1)  I wonder at what point the person above will think the "small correction" is now a LARGE CORRECTION?

2)  We ALL make mistakes from time-to-time.  I made one last week and someone was nice enough to email me about it (I appreciate that by the way).  It was a "small" error in time .... about 2.5 weeks .... but it was a mistake nonetheless.  BUT ...... there are small errors ..... and then there are what Trumpians use which are either OUTRIGHT LIES or TOTAL DISREGARD FOR ACCURACY.

"Since Trumps election - Dow and Nasdaq up by 50%.'ish"

DOW:  Since January 20th, 2017 ...... up 27%.   NOT 50ish
  25,064 vs 19,795

NASDAQ:  Since January 20th, 2017 ....... up 32%.  NOT 50ish
 7,350 vs 5,557

If you are going to make such a HUGE mistake like that ...... I wonder what people think about your other posts? (NOTE:  I have had you on ignore for a while ..... but today I looked at your one entry.  I guess you will go back to my "hibernation list" and now I won't bother looking anymore).

What happens if Donnie approaches his STARTING NUMBERS FROM JANUARY 20th, 2017  THAT ..... would be embarrassing, wouldn't it....

I'll leave it up to someone else to correct your future mistakes/lies/misleading statements..... back to hibernation.

[mostly_lurking]

2)  We ALL make mistakes from time-to-time.  I made one last week and someone was nice enough to email me about it (I appreciate that by the way).  It was a "small" error in time .... about 2.5 weeks .... but it was a mistake nonetheless.  BUT ...... there are small errors ..... and then there are what Trumpians use which are either OUTRIGHT LIES or TOTAL DISREGARD FOR ACCURACY.

"Since Trumps election - Dow and Nasdaq up by 50%.'ish"

Read the details.


Dow:  8th of november 2016 - 18,350      October high 26,830     46%

Won't bother to do the nasdaq.

Where is my HUGH mistake?

I guess I'm back on the ignore list so you won't see who was wrong. Oh well.Maybe some can quote me so he will see it
I don't ignore anybody.


You could just use this:
https://www.measuringworth.com/calculators/DJIA_SP_NASDAQ/result.php

Edit: one last thing. ZOOM OUT

[sidd]

America's Finest News Source: Trump advice to Saud:

" we appeal to the leaders of Saudi Arabia to restrict their extrajudicial murders to Yemeni people who don’t have any public platform"

"For the sake of all parties, we demand that the Saudis only kill people who hardly anyone in America cares about"

https://politics.theonion.com/trump-administration-urges-saudis-to-stick-to-killing-r-1829713565

sidd

[litesong]

....we will see who locks up whom: 

AbruptSLR knows its English. Who dat down dare?

[Buddy]

Here's a "not so pretty chart" of lumber costs.  You can see that lumber got on a bit of a "sugar high" ...... and is now continuing to blast lower.  Note .... I posted a few things last week about continued weakness in the housing markets in the US, Australia, and Canada (Canada really hasn't "rolled over" yet .... but it's "plateaued" for the last four months).

If Donnie is trying to implode the world economies ...... he's heading in the right direction.  Continuation of high tariffs will NOT be well received by markets ...... whether on Wall Street or in the lumber market or other commodity markets.

And as far as Donnie trying to do away with the trade deficit we have with China ...... September was a RECORD HIGH TRADE DEFICIT WITH CHINA .....  So far .... a drop in the Chinese currency basically "defeated" the high tariffs.  So Donnie is going to tack on even higher tariffs.  This could get interesting.....

Meanwhile, I would avoid Wall Street.  There will be a DEAD CAT in the middle of the road in the coming weeks from last Friday's "dead cat bounce."

And as for the Fed raising rates ...... if the administration or the Congress doesn't reign in deficit spending ..... then that leaves it up to the Federal Reserve to do so.  Donnie's tax cut for the wealthy was one of the dumbest things I have EVER seen at a "high" in the economy (12 months ago). 

[Martin Gisser]

“I’m president and you’re not.”

He said it again...
https://www.mediaite.com/tv/trump-defends-child-separation-in-contentious-exchange-with-lesley-stahl-im-president-and-youre-not/

(Another time e.g. https://edition.cnn.com/2017/03/23/politics/trump-time-interview-wiretaps-falsehoods/index.html )

[AbruptSLR]

This shows what a low-class act POTUS is:

Title: "Trump denies offering $1 million for Warren DNA test, even though he did"

https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/411414-trump-denies-offering-1-million-for-warren-dna-test-even-though-he

Extract: "President Trump on Monday denied that he offered Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) $1 million to take a test proving her Native American heritage, even though he did just that. 
Trump spoke after Warren responded to the president's challenge and released the results of a DNA test showing she has a distant Native ancestor.
…
During a campaign rally on July 5, Trump taunted Warren for her claims of Native American ancestry, a staple of his campaign stump speeches.

"I will give you a million dollars, to your favorite charity, paid for by Trump, if you take the test and it shows you’re an Indian," Trump said at the time. "I have a feeling she will say 'no.' ""

Edit: Trump failure to pay likely also demonstrates that he doesn't have a million dollars in cash to spare.

[AbruptSLR]

It makes one wonder, that in addition to Russia, how many other nations has Team Trump sold America out to?

Title: "Trump touts Saudi King's denial in journalist's disappearance"

https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/15/politics/trump-saudi-king-tweet/index.html

Extract: "President Donald Trump on Monday repeatedly highlighted the Saudi King's denial of involvement in the disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi, at one point offering up an alternative theory that "rogue killers," rather than agents of the Saudi regime, were involved.

Trump also said he was dispatching Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to meet with King Salman.

"It wasn't like there was a question in his mind. The denial was very strong," Trump told reporters outside the White House, adding that the King "firmly denied any knowledge" of what happened to Khashoggi, a Washington Post journalist and Saudi dissident.

The President said he spoke with Salman on the phone Monday, and said that after the call, he believed "rogue killers" may have killed Khashoggi, suggesting that was a possible explanation Salman offered up during their conversation. "

[Neven]

It makes one wonder, that in addition to Russia, how many other nations has Team Trump sold America out to?

Team Trump or Team Corporate USA? Because I never heard St Obama complain when he sold billions of dollars worth of weapons to the Saudis.

If true, the murder of Khashoggi will be a horrific crime, underscoring the brutality of the blood-soaked Saudi dictatorship. But it will join a long list of acts of terror and brutality carried out by the Saudi regime, very few of which have troubled the Times as much as Khashoggi’s disappearance.

The Saudi regime, which serves as a key strategic ally of US imperialism in the Middle East, is notorious around the world for its ruthless repression against its own population. Saudi authorities beheaded almost 150 people by sword in 2017. In the first four months of 2018, the regime put 48 people to death in the same way, including half for non-violent crimes.

In August, state prosecutors called for the beheading of 29-year-old Shia activist Israa al-Ghomgham and four others, who had posted videos of their protests against the Saudi dictatorship on social media. The main issues they raised were demands for equality and an end to the miserable social conditions faced by the Kingdom’s Shia minority, which has repeatedly been the target of savage repression by Riyadh. The Times never felt the need to rush into print with an editorial to condemn this blatant act of state terror, nor to denounce any other state-sanctioned executions in the kingdom, which take place at a rate of more than 10 per month.

The Times, and the US political and media establishment as a whole, tolerate such vicious repression because Riyadh is the lynch-pin of Washington’s strategy to consolidate its unchallenged hegemony over the energy-rich and geostrategically significant Middle East.

While the Times laments in its editorial that the “promising social reforms” initiated by Crown Prince Mohammed may be at risk if he turns out to be guilty of “a heinous murder,” the Times’s editorialists apparently sleep soundly at night knowing that Bin Salman, the butcher of Yemen, bears responsibility for the murder of at least 16,000 innocent civilians, many of them women and children, through his leading role in prosecuting Riyadh’s near-genocidal war in the Arab world’s poorest country.

This war, which Saudi Arabia can conduct only thanks to the supply of weapons and logistical support from the US, has witnessed the most horrific war crimes, including the bombing of hospitals, schools, and school buses, and the starvation of an entire society. These terrible war crimes, largely ignored in the Western media, did not get in the way of the entire US ruling elite, the Times included, feting “M.B.S.” as a great reformer during a trip to the United States in the spring of this year.

The Times, which regularly seizes on unsubstantiated reports of killings or disappearances allegedly involving the Russian government to denounce the Putin regime as a ruthless dictatorship, was careful to describe the accusation involving Khashoggi against the despotic Gulf monarchy as an unproven allegation. “Turkey should not leave its accusation dangling without official confirmation or evidence,” intoned the Times, “and Saudi Arabia cannot dismiss it with blithe denials.”

It is not hard to imagine how the Times, and the entire corporate-controlled media, would have reacted if the journalist in question had disappeared during a visit to a Russian or Iranian consulate. The newspapers and television broadcasts would be full of screaming headlines about the “murderous” Putin regime or the bloodthirsty dictatorship in Tehran. Friedman may have penned a column not to inform us of the contents of his daily conversations with the almighty, but to demand American military intervention in defense of “press freedom.”

http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2018/10/10/khas-o10.html

[TerryM]

I recall the calls to arms that the murder of the heroic Ukrainian journalist's murder elicited. Russia was obviously guilty, and Putin assuredly had personally ordered the hit. This was prior to the journalist's remarkable revival and the admission that the whole thing had been a hoax.

I am convinced that there are things being done by the Young Prince that the Elderly King may not be entirely aware of. Whether this is enough to let the King and Kingdom off the hook may depend to some extent on the King's next moves.

Reporters who died in the Ukraine (and remain dead) even have their own Wikipedia page. The police didn't rule out the possibility of murder when a deputy editor was found hanging from his refrigerator door, a shocking finding I'm sure.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Timeline_of_reporters_killed_in_Ukraine

Graham Phillips, a favored reporter re. Ukrainian things has so far remained unharmed, though his videos often create discomfort in pro-Ukrainian circles.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbwfUqs5Y6_jblWJwMIfRzA?reload=9

Sorry for my drift away from the thread.
Terry

[FishOutofWater]

Let's be clear, the U.S. has been selling arms to Saudi Arabia for generations and has relied on Saudi oil for generations. Obama was no saint and Bill Clinton certainly wasn't. The Bush family was extremely close to Saudi Bandar "Bush" and the Saudi royal family. This isn't a partisan thing or a Trump thing.

What's new is Trump & Kusher's craven pandering to brutal young dictator MBS who has pushed his cousin, the legal heir to the throne our of the way. MBS put up a big PR campaign about modernization but it has actually been a purge. MBS has been turning Yemen's cities and towns into rubble, killing thousands an putting millions at risk of starvation...

...While Trump and Kushner continue to kiss this brutal asshole's butt.

Putin, MBS, Kim and other brutal dictators can smell the weakness and corruption in the White House and they are playing Trump like a fiddle.

[sidd]

O my. K street turns away Saudi money. Hooodathunkit ? Those guys are lower than a snake's belly in a wagon rut.

https://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/business-a-lobbying/411534-us-lobbying-firms-cut-ties-with-saudi-arabia

sidd

[AbruptSLR]

Putin, MBS, Kim and other brutal dictators can smell the weakness and corruption in the White House and they are playing Trump like a fiddle.

We shouldn't lose sight of the high probability that Saudi and other Mideast states likely helped get Team Trump elected (which is illegal), so they may be black mailing The Donald into complying with their wishes or else they might provide evidence of Team Donald's criminal activities:

Title: "Trump Jr. and Other Aides Met With Gulf Emissary Offering Help to Win Election"

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/19/us/politics/trump-jr-saudi-uae-nader-prince-zamel.html

Extract "Three months before the 2016 election, a small group gathered at Trump Tower to meet with Donald Trump Jr., the president’s eldest son. One was an Israeli specialist in social media manipulation. Another was an emissary for two wealthy Arab princes. The third was a Republican donor with a controversial past in the Middle East as a private security contractor.

The meeting was convened primarily to offer help to the Trump team, and it forged relationships between the men and Trump insiders that would develop over the coming months — past the election and well into President Trump’s first year in office, according to several people with knowledge of their encounters.

Erik Prince, the private security contractor and the former head of Blackwater, arranged the meeting, which took place on Aug. 3, 2016. The emissary, George Nader, told Donald Trump Jr. that the princes who led Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates were eager to help his father win election as president. The social media specialist, Joel Zamel, extolled his company’s ability to give an edge to a political campaign; by that time, the firm had already drawn up a multimillion-dollar proposal for a social media manipulation effort to help elect Mr. Trump."

[mostly_lurking]

Putin, MBS, Kim and other brutal dictators can smell the weakness and corruption in the White House and they are playing Trump like a fiddle.

This is complete hogwash poppycock.

What you seem to see as weakness is just Trump doing things a DIFFERENT WAY.
A way that no other administration has dared to try for many decades.
A way that will bring possible solutions to problems that have lasted forever.

Wait.Watch.

[AbruptSLR]

Those who think that Team Trump's behavior w.r.t. the Mideast is a simple extension of the behavior of past U.S. administrations are sadly mistaken:

Title: " Saudi Arabia's crown prince reportedly bragged about having Jared Kushner 'in his pocket' after being told classified information meant for Trump"

https://www.businessinsider.com/saudi-crown-prince-jared-kushner-relationship-2018-3

Extract:
"•   Citing an unnamed source, The Intercept reported that Jared Kushner discussed classified information from the president's daily briefing with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who then bragged that he had Kushner "in his pocket."

•   The top-secret information included US intelligence on Saudi royals opposing the crown prince, the report said.

•   Shortly after meeting with Kushner, Salman began what has been described as a large-scale crackdown on corruption that has led to the arrests of more than 200 Saudi officials.

•   Kushner has built a relationship with the crown prince and is said to be playing an important role in his visit to the US this week."

[AbruptSLR]

Congressional leadership should write a letter to Trump reminding him how to behave both as a man and as POTUS:

Title: "GOP lawmaker rips Trump for Stormy Daniels attack: This is 'unbecoming of any man'"

https://thehill.com/homenews/house/411649-gop-lawmaker-rips-trump-for-stormy-daniels-attack-this-is-unbecoming-of-any

Extract: "Rep. Ryan Costello (R-Pa.) condemned President Trump on Tuesday after he attacked the appearance of adult film actress Stormy Daniels, calling her "horseface" in a tweet celebrating his victory against her in her defamation lawsuit.

“To say this is unbecoming of any man, let alone the POTUS, is a vast understatement,” Costello, who is not seeking reelection, tweeted late Tuesday morning."

[AbruptSLR]

Maybe Pompeo should ask the Saudi's why their interrogation team had tools on-hand to dismember Khashoggi's body and a cleanup crew who even had paint (on-hand) to coverup evidence in the interrogation room:

Title: "Mike Pompeo Looks Ready to Accept Saudi Arabia's Spin on Jamal Khashoggi's Fate"

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/mike-pompeo-trump-saudi-arabia-khashoggi_us_5bc60262e4b0a8f17ee65405

From Trump's tweet on Oct 16, 2018:
"Just spoke with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia who totally denied any knowledge of what took place in their Turkish Consulate. He was with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during the call, and told me that he has already started, and will rapidly expand, a full and complete investigation into this matter. Answers will be forthcoming shortly."

&

Title: "Body of missing Saudi journalist was cut into pieces, Turkish official says"

https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/16/middleeast/khashoggi-turkish-investigation-intl/index.html

Extract: "The body of missing journalist Jamal Khashoggi was cut into pieces after he was killed two weeks ago at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, a Turkish official told CNN on Tuesday.

The claim, which was first made to the New York Times earlier in the investigation into Khashoggi's fate, comes after Turkish officials searched the consulate for nine hours on Monday night. The Turkish official would not comment on the disposal method for the body."

[AbruptSLR]

Will Saudi Arabia pin the blame for Khashoggi's death on their consul general in Istanbul, a Mr Al-Otaibi?

Title: "Jamal Khashoggi Tortured In Front Of Top Saudi Diplomat: Reports"

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/jamal-khashoggi-tortured-saudi-diplomat-reports_us_5bc736d8e4b0d38b5873dc98

Extract: "Saudi officials were reportedly preparing to admit earlier in the week that Khashoggi was killed in an interrogation gone wrong. Yet two sources with knowledge of the recordings told The Wall Street Journal that Khashoggi was not interrogated. They said he was dragged off minutes after entering the consulate to obtain marriage documents. Both sources, along with the Turkish newspaper, say a Saudi forensic specialist suggested others in the room listen to music using headphones while he dismembered Khashoggi’s body.

The recordings reportedly suggest Khashoggi was killed in less than 10 minutes.

Al-Otaibi, the Saudi consul general, left Istanbul for Riyadh on Tuesday, Reuters reported. His departure came hours before his home was expected to be searched in relation to the journalist’s disappearance."

[AbruptSLR]

The linked article has details from the gruesome tape that Turkey made of Khashoggi's alleged torture/execution?

Title: "What we know about what happened to Jamal Khashoggi"

https://www.axios.com/trump-wants-audio-from-khashoggi-interrogation-ca7b0cc5-ad18-4fcb-8cad-c4c29ec2af34.html

Extract:
•   "On whether he has asked for the audio and video evidence: "We have asked for it, if it exists... I'm not sure yet that it exists — probably does, possibly does."

•   However, the WSJ reports that "Turkish officials said they shared... the details of an audio recording with both the U.S. and Saudi Arabia.""

[Neven]

Have we already reached the point where the case of Khashoggi has received more attention than the Yemen genocide this year?

And what does it have to do with Trump? The US and SA have been a loving couple for many, many years. I'm sure many people won't find it a problem anymore, as soon as the POTUS has a pretty face again.

[magnamentis]

Have we already reached the point where the case of Khashoggi has received more attention than the Yemen genocide this year?

And what does it have to do with Trump? The US and SA have been a loving couple for many, many years. I'm sure many people won't find it a problem anymore, as soon as the POTUS has a pretty face again.

had to think a sec:

US and "SA" in donald's topic ?

you have to think in german for a sec with the second abbreviation, of course i know that you mean Saudi Arabia.

[sidd]

Trump withdraws USA from International postal union after 144 years:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/trump-ditches-144-year-old-postal-pact-that-boosts-chinese-retailers/2018/10/17/88aefea6-d234-11e8-8c22-fa2ef74bd6d6_story.html

sidd

[TerryM]

Trump withdraws USA from International postal union after 144 years:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/trump-ditches-144-year-old-postal-pact-that-boosts-chinese-retailers/2018/10/17/88aefea6-d234-11e8-8c22-fa2ef74bd6d6_story.html

sidd

That should teach those Ameri - Chinese a thing or two.
The Russkies must have snuck that one past us while Ulysses was in his cups.


Terry

[mostly_lurking]

Have we already reached the point where the case of Khashoggi has received more attention than the Yemen genocide this year?

And what does it have to do with Trump? The US and SA have been a loving couple for many, many years. I'm sure many people won't find it a problem anymore, as soon as the POTUS has a pretty face again.

Thank you for pointing out the no end of the hypocrisy.

[AbruptSLR]

In 2012 Ivanka Trump and Donald Trump Jr were on the brink of being indicted on felony real estate fraud in Manhattan, when District Attorney Cyrus Vance dropped the case after a Trump ally donated $25,000 to Vance's reelection campaign.  Now Vance is under investigation by the FBI for undue influence (associated with the campaign donations) on such high-profile cases.  No matter how this plays-out it does not bode well for the Trump Organization:

Title: "FBI looking at Manhattan district attorney's office over potential undue influence in handling of cases: sources"

https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/ny-metro-fbi-probes-manhattan-da-office-20181002-story.html

Extract: "FBI agents are probing the Manhattan district attorney’s office over its handling of high-profile cases that were dropped once lawyers for the well-connected subjects made donations, the Daily News has learned."

Edit, see also:

Title: "Report: Ivanka and Donald Trump Jr. were investigated for real estate fraud in 2012"

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/10/4/16418766/ivanka-trump-donald-jr-indictment

Extract: "But the case was dropped."

[AbruptSLR]

...
Thank you for pointing out the no end of the hypocrisy.

According to the Bible, we all carry the burden of original sin:

Title: "Original sin"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Original_sin

See also:

Title: "Rawagede massacre"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rawagede_massacre

Extract: " The Rawagede massacre was committed by the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army on 9 December 1947 in the village of Rawagede (now Balongsari in West Java), during Operatie Product. Forces of the Royal Netherlands Army were deployed in the East Indies to restore Dutch authority and protect the country's interests in Indonesia. They were battling Indonesian Republican army fighters TNI and militia forces seeking independence for Indonesia or engaging in criminal activities. Almost all males from the village, amounting to 431 men according to most estimates, were killed by the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army, since the people of the village would not tell where the Indonesian independence fighter Lukas Kustario was hiding."

[Neven]

According to the Bible, we all carry the burden of original sin:

Yes, and then we can choose to be hypocritical about that or not.

So, if I were a hypocrite and thus reinforcing the original sin, I'd now make the case that the Rawagede Massacre is Trump's fault, and not a systemic thing. Shall I now trawl mainstream media and post a multitude of links?

[AbruptSLR]

It was certainly thoughtful of Pompeo to give MBS 72-hours to get his story straight. So in the time-honored strongman tradition, what else could MBS do besides kill those who could link him to Khashoggi's murder?

Title: "More Khashoggi-MBS Links Revealed as Suspected Killer Dies in 'Suspicious Car Accident"

https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/more-kashoggi-mbs-links-revealed-as-suspected-killer-dies-1.6572086