What is Cheny doing in Saudi Arabia?

[activa8tr]

Source: Foreign Policy

"Mr. Cheney goes to Riyadh -- mysteriously



In a move that is sure to set conspiracy theorists aflutter, former Vice President Dick Cheney popped up yesterday in Saudi Arabia, where he met with King Abdullah.

Read more: http://blog.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2010/05/03/mr_cheney_goes_to_riyadh_mysteriously

---

Makes one wonder. Doesn't it?

Rachel Maddow Tweeted about it, too.

Maddow

"Very easy to explain, actually. Homing device, mothership, etc:"

[uppityperson]

1. I was wondering where darth got off to. Thanks.

[napi21]

2. Kissing somebody's a** no doubt, but the thing that bothers me more

than that is that I heard he was received with all the pomp a circumstances as if he was still VP!

[Scuba]

3. Hiding from the feds

[Prometheus Bound]

12. LOL. Checking out the solidity of SA's lack of an extradition treaty with the US.

[greencharlie]

21. lol...

[uppityperson]

4. another article...seems odd

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentID=2010050471279

Cabinet OK’s new periodic vehicle inspection

RIYADH – The Cabinet approved Monday the Shoura Council draft regulation for periodic motor vehicle inspections and permitted repair garages and companies to conduct the inspections in compliance with regulations. Chaired by King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, the Cabinet also tasked the National Traffic Safety Committee with creating a program to monitor periodic vehicle inspections, assess them, and submit recommendations to the Cabinet in five years from the date of approval of the regulation.

The Cabinet was briefed on King Abdullah’s contacts over the last week with the Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Hamad Bin Jasem Bin Jabr Aal Thani, former US Vice President Dick Cheney, Sudanese President Omar Hasan Al-Beshir, Mauritanian President Muhammad Wild Abdul Aziz, and Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama.

Abdul Aziz Khoja, Minister of Culture and Information, said in a statement to Saudi Press Agency that the Cabinet expressed its satisfaction at the results of the Saudi-US Business Opportunities Forum recently concluded in Chicago, and its gratitude to UNESCO for its decision to host the third King Abdullah Translation Award prize ceremony, regarding the move as a sign of “appreciation for the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques’ efforts to promote dialogue communication between peoples and civilizations”.

The Cabinet reiterated the Kingdom’s position calling for progress in the peace process in accordance with international resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative. The Cabinet also approved the authorization of the Minister of Foreign Affairs to hold talks with Eritrea to draw up a draft cooperation agreement, and the authorization of the Minister of Higher Education to hold talks on a draft educational and scientific memorandum of understanding between his ministry and the Education Department in China’s administrative division of Hong Kong. – SG

[nadinbrzezinski]

7. They needed that many heads of state and former heads of state

to authorize a smog check? What do all of them have in common? OIL

I hate to point this out, but this may have a smidgen to do with peak oil

[uppityperson]

14. I was amused at the article, right. Sure. You bet. As if....

[Arctic Dave]

15. Interesting group of people. Hmmm. n/t

[Jefferson23]

5. The short answer, money.

snip* So, what was the ex-veep doing in Riyadh?

The obvious answer would be: something financially advantageous. Cheney, who oversaw the Saudi staging of Gulf War I, has always maintained good relations with the kingdom and its elites—relations that certainly came in handy after the war, when his oil-services and all-around shady operation, Halliburton, won lots of US and Saudi contracts to help extract the kingdom's petroleum wealth—and buttress its national defenses.

But those sorts of financial entanglements—and high-level contacts—can quickly deteriorate into policy interference. Which wouldn't be new territory for Cheney, who as CEO helped Halliburton skirt international and US terror sanctions on trade with Iran in order to make a quick buck.

If his Saudi expedition is intended in any way to undermine the US administration's foreign policy—and his track record here isn't great—then some politicians might argue he's skirting the law...the longstanding Logan Act, to be exact. Mind you, nobody's ever been prosecuted under that act, which prohibits private citizens from setting US foreign policy. But just a few years ago, Cheney's GOP colleagues in Congress constantly used the Logan Act to threaten Democrats like Nancy Pelosi, and even promulgated ethical guidelines on foreign post-employment activities for Republican politicians. (Cheney and fellow GOPers may not have read those guidelines, though, since the link to them seems to be dead.)

Look, it could be nothing. Richard Cheney, whether he's a nice guy or not, whether he's right or not, is entitled to his travels and meetings. And he's probably got a lot more friends in that desert-straddling medieval-style theocracy than he does in these United States. The least he could do is keep his countrymen in the loop. But hey, why start now?

http://motherjones.com/mojo/2010/05/why-was-dick-cheney-in-saudi-arabia-oil-halliburton-logan-act-riyadh

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. Hmm Halliburton comes to mind

and I need some new tin foil... 'xept this will not require tinfoil

[MidwestTransplant]

8. I have no doubt it has to do with Iran.

[dixiegrrrrl]

23. That's what popped into my mind too.

The USA Gov't can't/won't take an official stand, but ...............

[Cleita]

9. Hasn't anybody told him he has nothing to do with the government anymore?

Nada! Zilch! I hope he and the Saudis aren't plotting to get the White House back. It worked very well for the Saudis when Bush was Prez Puppet and Cheney Prez Puppetmaster as Michael Moore showed in his documentary Fahrenheit 911. I wish he'd go someplace where he would be arrested as a war criminal and his ass thrown in the Hague.

[and-justice-for-all]

10. I find his undermining of the Obama Adminestration...

to be treasonous.

[Cleita]

28. It is treasonous and I wish those who can do it go after him. n/t

[joe black]

29. Treason

It's treason not to go after Bush/ Cheny.

[WhiteTara]

11. starting another war?

visiting Haliburton's home office? Having sex with little boys?

[troubledamerican]

32. Organizing an International 9/11 and the 4/4/15 U.S. military coup

Farewell Capitol Dome

Hello President Palin & Senator DeLay

[trusty elf]

13. exclusive photo

[ellenfl]

16. collecting a paycheck? eom

[AuntPatsy]

17. DICK CHENEY, IRAN AND HALLIBURTON:

DICK CHENEY, IRAN AND HALLIBURTON:

A GRAND JURY INVESTIGATES SANCTIONS VIOLATIONS


http://lautenberg.senate.gov/documents/foreign/REPORT_Halliburton_Iran.pdf


In February 2004, Senator Lautenberg’s office provided Treasury Department investigators
with suspicious documents (published in this report) that indicate that the Iranians had certain
named contacts at Halliburton in 1997 and 1998, when Dick Cheney was CEO. The documents
were significant because it was unclear whether these contacts were employed by a U.S.
subsidiary, KBR, or the foreign subsidiary, Halliburton Products and Services Limited. As
discussed in this report, those two subsidiaries share an office, phone and fax lines in Dubai,
United Arab Emirates.

This Report


This report contains documentary evidence and other material regarding these
transgressions by Halliburton.

The materials indicate that this activity by Halliburton was
consistent with then-CEO Dick Cheney’s contempt for terrorist sanctions law, which he saw as an
impediment to corporate profits. This report also documents active lobbying against terrorist
sanctions by Halliburton under Cheney’s command. Senator Lautenberg has offered legislation in
the Senate to shut down the “Business with Terrorists Loophole” that Halliburton is suspected of
abusing. On a near party-line vote, Senator Lautenberg’s legislation to shut down the “Business
with Terrorists” loophole narrowly lost by a margin of 49-50.




The big dick has been playing footsies with the arabs for quite some time...perhaps he is trying to get them to begin warring again to ensure a demand for oil which would in effect downplay his involvement with ensuring the oil companies in the us namely those he makes money from do not have to follow the same regulations regarding safety issues....you know how he likes to ensure his money pit remains full and he himself in control...

[themonster]

18. Cheney scum

He's hanging with his buddies.

[conspirator]

19. Building a new Death Star ? nt

[ecstatic]

20. Planning his next terror attack nt

[rudy23]

22. Okay, I'll bite just for fun----Hailliburton is being implicated in the rig explosion

http://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2010/05/halliburton-could-be-at-fault-for-oil-spill/56131/


Something about Rush being right out of the gate accusing Obama of terrorism, FOX following suit, the media with "Obama's Katrina" meme---I'm not saying to start stocking up on tin foil. Just that so far, there are a few red flags--or at least pink.

eta: it does follow that pattern of Republican projection and asserting the OPPOSITE of reality. We know they have no shame, but why be THIS cavalier about accusing Obama of something so absurd on FOX, and still press that issue? It does fit the Rovian pattern of a self-inflicted wound (Halliburton had the means and a motive) that's blamed on their opponent.

This in conjunction with the Times Square terrorist...a Supreme nominee coming up...the fall elections...

Just having fun though, I don't know what's what. I do think there are some fishy, unanswered questions, but most answers right now are just wild guesses.

[glitch]

27. All in fun until someone gets hurt..

still, there is that pesky pattern-matching ability. And they also had opportunity.

[femrap]

24. Probably

sucking some dick

[hayu_lol]

25. Perhaps he is attempting to sell the Saudi's...

his Haliburton stock options...has millions of dollars tied up in those.

[femrap]

31. no, I still

think he is sucking Arab dick. Pretty soon he'll be sucking Chinese dick.

[AnnieBW]

26. Visiting His Corporate Masters

Or maybe reassuring them that those blowout valves really DO work.

[classysassy]

30. Chaney

checking his oil leases and summer bunker.

[Blue Owl]

33. Oiling the gears of corrupt corporate malfeasance

It's what he does best.

[Enrique]

34. the fly fishing is FANTASTIC in Saudia Arabia

let him enjoy his hobbies.

[rhett o rick]

35. His masters beckoned. nm

[Patsy Stone]

36. Picking up a paycheck?

My guess.