Every last one of these criminal fools needs to spend the rest of his or her life breaking big rocks into smaller rocks in a federal penitentiary. They need to be out of the halls and avenues of power immediately. Nukes to the Saudis? Madness. BTW, doesn't it seem likely the Saudis are now footing the bill for Pakistan to get their hands on Pakis' nuke resources?
4
Trump tries to get the Europeans to scuttle the Iran deal only to turn around and promote stupidity and greed with the Saudis.
Greed, greedy, greediest. It is one thing to show greed. It is another thing to be greedy. But to bear the name of greediest? This is Trump and everybody associated with him.
It is such an ugly vice. A president, enabled by a general and son-in-law turn the office of presidency into a mockery. No good is to be done. Just count the money. How low! How very low!
5
Here is what it comes down to..as long as Mitch gets his judges, Trump and Co. can destroy the country.
4
Share Nuclear Technology with a murderer? Do we No Longer have any integrety?
3
there is no end to how far the White House will go to fill their bank accounts. It would destroy the world as long as their desires are fulfilled.
3
I thought Saudis were behind a number of egregious, atrocious, heinous, and deadly attacks on their own and our citizens. We will cooperate in their nuclear programs? Wait. What??!!
3
Remember when the debunked story about Hillary selling uranium to the Russians? She was thoroughly vilified.
Now trump wants to build nuclear power plants in Saudi Arabia?
Such a hypocrite we've never seen before in the White House.
VOTE in 2020 so we can be rid of this traitor.
3
A vote for Trump is a vote for an unrestricted nuclear armed Saudi Arabia, the same country that inculcated extremism in young men who conspired and carried out the most deadly attack on American soil, the same country that conspired to murder a journalist. MBS cannot be trusted.
2
How could a potential Trump Riyadh or Trump-Saud Mecca National Golf Course be a conflict of interest?
2
As long as they let us touch their glowing orb...
12
I'm thinking that we should be writing and calling every Democratic Representative and Senator about moving towards impeachment, now.
6
This article is terrifying. It reveals more regarding the crass, money-grubbing coruption culture in the Trump White House, with this particular flow advancing the possibility of nuclear arms proliferation.
The problem is that Trump’s base wouldn't understand the threat involved or even the corruption aspect, which is so revolting. He’ll hold onto his 40% approval rating. Praise Rep. Eli Cummings, and thank him for following up and pursuing this issue.
5
The Times again fails to distinguish between nuclear energy and nuclear weapons in a headline, sacrificing accuracy for salacious fearmongering at the expense of global climate.
Proliferation, of what...fear? Because it is impossible to build a nuclear weapon from nuclear power plant fuel, the suggestion nuclear fuel might aid proliferation presents the historical record exactly backwards (every country in the world with nuclear power plants had nuclear weapons first).
Nuclear energy has instead played a critical role in non-proliferation. From 1993 to 2013, Bill Clinton's Megatons-to-Megawatts program purchased downblended uranium from the fledgling Russian Federation for use in U.S. power plants. It permitted 500 metric tonnes of highly-enriched uranium - the equivalent of 20,008 nuclear warheads - to be re-purposed to generate zero-carbon electricity, preventing the emission of billions of tonnes of CO2.
Climatologist James Hansen: "Nuclear power paves the only viable path forward on climate change." With 1970s-era, "China Syndrome" misdirection, the Times and U.S. fossil fuel interests only make it easier to lose our way.
2
By choosing to debate the merits of their goals, IP3 is pretending to not understand that the problem is with the end run around Congress and the violation of US law. The Republicans in Congress do not have a problem with it. Astounding abdignation of democracy.
2
What could possibly go wrong with giving nuclear technology to a country run by the likes of MBS, the mad, out of control ruler of Saudi Arabia? And what happens if the oppressed people living in Saudi Arabia rise up and throw out their corrupt rulers and all the Royal family? Who’s is likely to fill the power vacuum? ISIS or some equally terrible terrorist movement? Sound Trump thinking. Doesn’t matter as long as Trump, Kushner and cronies can stuff their pockets!
4
It is all about money-always. Oh, occasionally flattery, too
3
Not really a surprise that the military-industrial complex has further lost its way with no-account salesmen at the helm -- making a buck by any means necessary.
But even the jaded should note that this arms escalating conspiracy involves multiple military officers who've nominally retired to continue war-making through the revolving door. Some service they do for America when they sell out our security by enabling a new nuclear arms race.
Could it be that they fear a more stable and peaceful world in which arms, armies, and generals become less relevant? They should -- just as we should lock them up for treason.
We can be thankful for those that serve without becoming servile to those who flaunt US, international, and moral laws.
6
Iran-Contra again.
Only with Saudi Arabia, a bigger Middle East troublemaker than Iran by a country mile.
All that remains is to find the memo that attaches Saudi payments to right wing militant groups in Central or South America.
Or maybe the criminal drug cartels in Colombia.
1
The Trump Administration is like a political game of whack-a-mole. The common thread is enhancing the Trump Family's bottom line and acquiring more wealth.
You don't need a crystal ball to see how this story is going to end. Those "beautiful" steel slats that Trump talks about at his rallies will be the ones that contain him and his cronies after he is indicted and convicted.
Colleagues of mine say they will rejoice when that happens. For me, I will do a dance once they take his Twitter Account away from him and I realize we will never have to be subjected to his drivel again.
5
At this point, it's obvious there is no law Trump and his minions won't break, especially if there's money in it for them. If we can't lock them up, we can at least lock them out. Resist with a vengeance at the polls in 2020.
4
What about the 9/11 Commission Report which redacted the names of the Saudi officials involved in 9/11 attach? America is still waiting for those names. Before anything else is done with the Saudis we need to understand who was involved with the 9/11 attacks.
6
@JohnK: What a pity Osama bin Laden is no longer available to testify about it.
Have we forgotten that many of the 911 terrorists were Saudi Arabian Nationals? Are we going to engage the Saudis with nuclear technology? Maybe, we have lost our minds by turning our backs on our European allies. I think we as Americans have fallen down Alice's rabbit hole.
4
If anyone in this administration could think 2 steps ahead, and not just about how big their bank accounts will grow, then they might see that they inhabit the same planet, one where a mad prince has nuclear weapons. Explosions or fallout, we're all doomed.
4
The effort to supply nuclear reactors to Saudi Arabia is insane. It appears to be an “I’ll scratch your back if you scratch mine” arrangement. In exchange for allowing bases in Saudi Arabia they want nuclear reactors. If that is the case…The price is too high. The regime is in the midst of a civil war in addition to a war with Yemen and is accused of killing a member of the press.
3
Kushner's security clearance is bogus and needs to be revoked immediately. He's in over his head and we need to act.
7
When will Congress wake up and charge Trump, Kushner, Flynn et al with treason?
Conspiring with the Russians to steal the election and now conspiring to give nuclear power technology to Saudi Arabia should be enough proof that the Trump administration is corrupt.
Trump is making it clear that he trusts the Saudis despite their support of madrasas that teach hatred of the west and Israel while he disdains NATO and our long-standing allies.
Trump et al are using our country for their on personal gain while they compromise our security. This is treason.
6
The GOP all has their own agendas,Mitch just wants to pack the courts so he is willing to deal with all of this. When the Dems take full power one day, and they will we will just play the GOP game and change the rules. We will expand SCOTUS to 15 and pack it.
2
I grew up in Argentina under military dictatorships where generals were involved in the shadiest, most corrupt deals. Historically, the US military has been linked to fighting wars and at least in theory, defending American values and interests. This may have ended with Trump and his cronies.
3
This is truly incredible. After carrying on about Iran's nuclear
capacities and withdrawing from an international treaty, Trump now wants to bolster Saudi Arabia's nuclear capacity. Another way to set the Middle East on fire and to endanger our own security, given the history of the Saudis and 9/11. Trump is capable of doing anything for money and is endangering us in a host of ways.
4
Of course. No problem now that we are out of the Nonproliferation Treaty. Plus of course it's always about the money--just ask the mob geniuses Trump (too many genius ideas to list) and Kushner (the genius of the 666 Fifth Avenue deal). They want to make it big for real, finally.
2
I'm okay with nukes in Saudi Arabia.
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.
So much better than nukes in Iran, Pakistan (the nuclear guardian angel of Saudi Arabia as we saw so beautifully related in a recent NYT article), North Korea, Israel, et al.
Saudi Arabia has learned. No more journalists hacksawed to death. No more women (or men) imprisoned for demanding basic rights or for stating the truth. No more terrorists exported to do mayhem across the world. No more blockades causing famine and civilian catastrophe in other countries. No more stealing other countries' sports channels and not paying for them. No more "the prince knows best." No more export of the most extreme version of ossified Islam. One could go on. And on.
So why not?
Give the crown prince and his cronies nuclear plants, nuclear fuel. Hey give them whatever the heck they want. Friend. Real good friend. Real peaceful, decent, etc. friend.
If Jared loves them, who can resist. Nukes for everyone!
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.
You know what was on TV the other day? "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad World." And it is.
3
Why is crooked Kushner making deals with anyone, when will he be in jail?
11
And where are they going to dump all their nuclear waste? Probably the same place that they truck all their sewerage to - the ocean.
Not the wisest of moves for a superpower to make, when the Saudi Prince has said that he wants Saudi Arabia to become more like China and does not want his nation to become a Democracy.
26
@CK, instead of going to the effort of hauling tons of spent fuel to Red Sea, the Saudis will probably be able to find a place in thousands of square miles of bare desert to safely store it the same way American power plants have for 50 years - in dry casks.
@CK: Here in the US, spent nuclear fuel accumulates in outdoor casks stored at every nuclear power plant.
2
@CK they'll just pack it in a bomb and drop it on Yemen.
Finally an American news entity is covering this story! I had thought that the BBC was the only way to get information about it. Where is CNN? MSNBC? Congratulations to the Times--better late than never!
13
After this why in the world should any one trust US policy makers. Civilians or those in the Pentagon. Muslims are a easy target today for most of the self righteous white Americans, Jews and Indians. Yet those making policy in the US are willing to provide the ultimate weapon technology to the Saudis. The Saudis who most in the western world consider to be somewhat less than humans. The same Saudis who many in the West suspect to be participants in 9/11. So why on earth these Americans are willing to pass on nuclear technology to the Saudis.
I can guarantee you all, it is not for the love of the Saudis. It has to be lot more sinister. Give the Saudis the nukes so they can blow themselves and the Iranians up in smoke.
Don't forget it was George H. W. Bush and his gang of Cheney and Wolfowitz, prior to Gulf War I, who provided chemical weapons to Saddam Hussein which he used against the Iranians and the Kurds.
Next time you folks want to crucify the Muslims, please look inside yourself and the good values you ignore every day.
Having lived in the US now for over 35 years, I can testify that the average American is a good person. It is the so-called US policy makers and the media gurus that give me the creeps. This includes all those on FOX, CNN, MSNBC and the Sunday talk shows.
2
Isn't this how well-connected private industries have always worked in Washington? Many industries and their lobbyists have been writing "draft" memos and legislation for government officials for years. Many retired high ranking government officials and military officers get industry jobs and use their connections to further their own private interests. It's not just in the nuclear industry or with this one particular company.
3
HOW I wish Trump would just disappear. He is doing so much harm to the whole world with his love of Russia and the Saudi’s who knew how to manipulate him. Every day is a new downer.
"ethics lawyers also raised concerns." Am I supposed to be surprised? What possible benefit to the US would ever come from this misadventure to give nuclear information to Saudi Arabia? None, but a lot of money is involved for someone.
5
Retired US generals spreading nuclear technology in Saudi Arabia?
What could possibly go wrong?
6
The Flourescent Green New Deal?
4
A plant to build nuclear plants in one of the top 10 countries with the biggest oil reserves on Earth????
Huh?
There’s no apparent legitimate reason.
Saudi Arabia is #2 after Venezuela.
5
Vast sums of money for the technology transfer as well as a return of 100: 1 on the investment (where as peak oil is around 35:1) are all that motivate these players.
3
This most definitely explains why Trump wouldn't acknowledge the ICs determination on Khashoggi's murder at the hands of the Saudi prince.
9
Why isn’t “IP3” defined early in the story — or at all — when few have ever heard of it? What is it? One “founder” is mentioned. And?
3
Flatter Trump, and/or promise him money (or perhaps the Nobel Peace Prize), and he’ll do whatever you want. The Saudis figured that out long before the GOP did.
8
Saudi Arabia is in the news Down Under too re... weapons.
During a session endured like root canal work sans meds for the observer an acting secretary of Defence failed to answer either yes or no.
Apparently the gent has no clue about where kit paid for by the Australian taxpayer are.
If found they are described as:
"Tens of millions of dollars to Electro Optic Systems (EOS), which has designed a remotely operated vehicle-mounted platform that holds cannons, machine guns and missile launchers."
Local news reports the are in Saudi Arabia.
The government with due rectitude could not compose
an answer whether these pieces of kit are used in Yemen, or not, now or ever.
Meanwhile back at the Ranch Ambassador Hockey the breakfast table subject of daily family conversation has hit the evening broadcasts and mentioned in Parliament for his enterprise and integrity concerning hands off investments in an ASX firm that has sky rocketed following lucrative government contracts.
The Ambassador to the US is refreshing for his aversion to potential conflicts of interest.
The Finance Minister forgot to pay for an international family excursion booked directly by phone through the CEO of the firm in which Ambassador Hockey is a major shareholder.
The Finance Minister of Australia, as one does, apparently dictated over the phone his credit card details to the CEO of a firm awarded government contracts worth tens of millions of Australian Taxpayer funds.
So sad...
1
This is the Thomas J. Barrack, a confidant of President Trump who served as chairman of his inaugural committee, who apologized last week for statements he made defending Saudi Arabia after the killing of the journalist and dissident Jamal Khashoggi. Barrack suggested at a conference in Abu Dhabi that the United States was not in a position to lecture other countries.
3
We all need to relfect on what this means for our collective security. The trends are alarming. Saudi Arabia is the world's 2nd biggest arms importer and is the USA's number one arms importer (according to World Economic Forum). Global arms sales continue to rise, especially to the Middle East and Asia (according to SIPRI).
5
Our Quid-Pro-Quo president must see himself benefiting from any transaction. The Saudi connection more than most, because the Trump and family hands were in it before Trump was president. The fact that such a transaction holds immense danger to all countries big and small, is not his concern. Only profitability matters. He is, after all a self proclaimed businessman. There is a more sinister way to kook at this, but that would give Trump the ability to think beyond himself. Planning to Trump is way too much work. Shoot from the hip and score: The Trump mantra. If someone else gets hurt, so what. Nuclear proliferation is not his problem. He thinks it is evening things up, so lets arm all countries that can pay Trump.
9
Along with all the speculation of what Mueller will come out and say, here's my (probably much too hopeful) prediction: R. Mueller; "Throughout my investigation, new evidence of trump administration crimes come to light on almost a daily basis. I have been reluctant to release my report until newly discovered evidence has been properly vetted. However, it has become apparent that this administration is so corrupt and constitutionally deficient that protecting the country from one more month of damage is the priority over gathering additional evidence of the administration's criminal culpability.
9
It is truly alarming to contemplate MbS obtaining a nuclear capability.
The corruption in this administration appears so deep there doesn't seem to be any bottom to it. How wide and how deep does it extend into the rest of our political structure?
10
Trump should memorize the phrase:
"If the president does it, that means that it is not illegal.....That was my understanding of the law according to the 'Nixon precedent' which was upheld by the Supreme Court, I was told."
3
The story of US Government officials, retired Generals and others coordinating with Mid-East Dictatorships in blatantly corrupt deals involving defense and energy contractors, reveals just now bankrupt the nature of modern American politics has become. The revolving door between government and private industry is rapidly eroding Democracy all across the world.
There are many layers of corruption here, and they form a spiderweb of deals and conflicts of interest that do nothing to further the public good. Instead they're designed to empower corporations while enriching top Government and ex-Military officials, among others.
This isn't unique to Trump or Republicans. Instead blame can be laid at the feet of our elected leaders from both Parties.
Until our Government and Military officials can no longer abuse their positions of power for self-enrichment, the revolving door between government and the private sector will never stop turning.
Our Democracy has become a Kleptocracy. Some leaders, and nearly the entire Republican Party, have become so emboldened by the total lack of accountability, that they no longer feel they must hide it. Instead they deny any impropriety and most people just shrug it off, that is if they pay any attention at all.
We are all in deep trouble if changes aren't made to our corruption laws and leaders aren't held to account.
I'm not very optimistic about the chances, but hopefully I'll be proven wrong.
For all our sakes, let's hope I am.
13
"Mr. Kushner’s efforts continue. He is scheduled to travel to the region next week, with a stop in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, to brief diplomats on the economic portions of the Trump administration’s Middle East peace plan."
I have the answer, Jared. Let Israel, who has the technology to built a Nuclear Power plants, exchange that info with Saudi Arabia in exchange for Saudi support of the Middle East peace plan.
I can feel the winning already.
3
A simple question. If the Saudis want to diversify their energy sources where is the advantage of nuclear over solar for them in view of their climate?
5
The Return On Energy Investment
Photovoltaic Solar 7.5 :1
Oil 30:1
Wind 18:1
Nuclear 100:1
1
Can you imagine the reaction on Fox News if giving nuclear technology to the country of the 9/11 terrorists was happening during the Obama administration?
Ditto the GOP controlled Congress that was in place until just a few weeks ago?
If this news came out at 9am, impeachment would have been underway by noon.
22
It would be Hillary's fault.
2
So clear this up for me: Hillary Clinton, in her role as Secretary of State, was one of several signatories that sold off a tiny portion of uranium following established government procedures. That’s a high crime and she should go to jail. But Jared wants to sell off nuclear technology that could be used for weapons grade uranium enrichment, without following normal government procedures, or consulting anyone except the contractors who stand to make some money on the building projects, and that’s ok because somehow it’s going to lead to peace in the Middle East!? Riiiiight. I have a bridge I’d like to sell you too!
20
I don't want to sound like an alarmist, but it's time to outlaw the republican party forever, period; full stop; drop the mic...
15
Trump, Kushner, Putin, MBS, money, corruption, conflict of interest are all synonymous with this administration. Since Jared Kushner’s father is serving jail time over corruption one would think he would stay as far as possible but here he is.
These guys need some serious therapy and I mean it. I hope that that important box does not end up in Moscow. What is GOP waiting for to happen to challenge this administration before auctioning Statue of Liberty?
7
Apparently a nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia is the real reason Flynn was canned - cutting him out of the lucrative deal for Jared.
Trump and his associates don't care about destroying the planet's environment for profit, so it's not surprising they would spread nuclear death and destruction to rogue nations for profit too.
There's no reason for nuclear power plants in Saudi Arabia - to be carbon neutral? They have so much sun, heat and open space that solar power should be abundant. Indeed, they lack shade that solar panels can provide and sand they can melt as a means of heat storage to generate power at night.
Does anyone in their right mind trust MBS with a nuke or two? Especially after 9/11? Does Israel?
16
We now know that MBS is immature and reckless. Why would we give nuclear capability to a regime that will be led by someone who will have no reservations about converting nuclear power to nuclear weapons?
Have we finally lost our minds?
5
Ample evidence that we HAVE lost our minds - Donald Trump in the Oval Office.
6
We cannot get these people out of the White House fast enough. The damage they are doing is incalculable and will take decades to repair.
17
An Air Saudi plane packed with nuclear waste headed to a western city.
Oh Joy, Oh Joy.
5
Why isn't this the lead story? Please put this report front and center for readers and leave it there for several days.
The corruption in the Trump administration is mind-boggling and horrifying, especially when they are involved with nuclear wheelings and dealings, and Jared and the Saudis are in the picture.
Can the Republican Party be accused of obstruction of justice, given its decision to stonewall any congressional investigation when they were in charge?
When I think of the implications of this report, it is beyond irresponsible to outright dangerous for our government, country, and the world.
22
This news and implications, given all other news from the political scene in the US, makes me feel physically sick. How on earth does this guy stay President? What is the matter with you lot? My children, who are US citizens, raised abroad, are looking at revoking their US citizenship. When will there be a reason for them to want to stay Americans?
8
Help me understand how Pence goes along with everything Trump wants.
12
Because Pence is looking ahead to Pence 2024. He’ll do his best to avoid angering Trump and Trump’s base, hoping they will give him a leg up on a presidential run.
2
The Failing "President" Trump. When all you have is a brick-hammer,everything looks like a wall.
8
If the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia thinks nothing of murder by chopped-off fingers, of slicing off living women's heads for speaking up about
oppression of her religious minority or because she lost her virginity because of the acts of a rapist, can trumpians not imagine what he and his ilk would do wielding nuclear materials?
13
What does congresswoman Omar day about this plan to aid a regime that allows -- nay, requires -- women to be electronically monitored by their husbands , fathers, brothers, sons; that issues barbarous death sentence
via beheading on a woman because she dated to speak out for her minority religion compatriots; that carries out extra-judicial assassination-by-torture in foreign countries; that disallows Christians, Jews, Baha'i, Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, Zoroastrians, or any number of non-Muslim religionists from having Saudi citizenship; etc. ?
Or is her caustic critique of
foreign aid or lobbying for it reserved only for Israel or non-Islamic nation-states?
3
I hope no one who has not been asleep for the last two years is surprised to read Flynn, Kushner and Barrack were trying to make money in any way that they could now the the Don of their criminal enterprise was President.
10
This strikes me as the President’s most significant illicit/illegal/impeachable offense. Wondering why it isn’t a banner headline. It’s an abject betrayal of the U.S. and all we’ve purported to stand for over more than two centuries, folks.
17
Good God, another hugely criminal scandal. These people are just so awful. Put them in prison. Now!
21
Is this Jared’s best idea for peace in the Middle East? Throw nuke power at the saudis? Who knew he was that brilliant.
30
Donald Trump's fantastical vision of what historians, fifty years hence, will be calling his years in office: "The Second Gilded Age."
What historians will be calling current times fifty years from now: "The Age of Corruption."
16
@Stop and think
Who knows if there will still be historians around in 50 years. Between climate change and proliferation of nuclear capabilities and both domestic and international conflict promulgated by trumputin, Pence, the tea party and other right wingers that preceded and promote them, continued human life seems more precarious...
6
They might not be calling it anything if Trump, Pence, and Christian and Muslim fundamentalists have their way and bring on worldwide nuclear conflict in hopes of reaching their venerated Judgement Day. Though the rest of us already know how they will be judged for causing such conflict, suffering and destruction. Do they really believe they'll survive the very literal fallout?
1
Crime after crime and Trump & don’t think Pence isn’t involved, and they’re still in office. Still appointing judges, separating families, denying climate change...40% of the country support these crooks. We have squandered so much.
18
I would hope, and expect, that every conversation that Kushner has on his Middle East enrichment junket next week is surreptitiously monitored by our intelligence services, with the assistance of allies. None of these corrupt Trumpsters can be trusted. None of them.
29
How is this nuclear deal allowed to happen? Are all our elected officials controlled with lobbyist money? Unbelievable!
14
What nuclear technology information has already been passed to the Saudis?
It's not in America's interest to fall into the trap of providing this technology just because some other country will do it if we don't. We not only don't need to do this we need to prevent any other country from doing it. The Middle East is not an area where we gain from nuclear proliferation.
Secondly if the anecdotal testimony of US military and technology advisors in Saudi Arabia are to be believed, relying on Saudis to maintain safety protocols is inadvisable. This is because much of Saudi infrastructure maintenance is based on 'who you know' rather than merit.
4
@Moxnix67: It's a provocation to get Iran to do something to justify war on it.
If all of this Trump stuff was a movie, I wouldn't believe it for a second. Sadly, the scary part is that this "movie" has turned out to be non-fiction! How can this be happening?
31
Turns out the Russia asset is also smitten with currying favor with the Saudis. Big surprise there.
19
Who did you think is going to grant him asylum if he's ever removed from office and prosecuted?
9
Obvious replacement of fossil fuel for Saudi Arabia: solar!
17
@HK: Hardly anyone lived there before the oil-driven population boom.
The time has arrived for the House of Representatives Oversight Committee to subpoena the denizens of schemers in the White House to testify. Start with witness number one---Jared Kushner. What American Nuclear Reactor and Nuclear Plant Industries participated in this scheme to promote sales to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia? What were the expected portfolio investment returns for such American Nuclear companies? What promises were made in the White House to boost business confidence in nuclear power industries? Least it not be forgotten--God Bless the Whistle Blowers.
27
if nuclear power is that safe, that easy, that good, why did the latest effort to build a nuclear power plant in South Carolina become a fiasco?
18
Who in their right mind would export nuclear technology to Saudi? Dumping gasoline on a bonfire pales in comparison.
Each day, I think we've hit the bottom in terms of this administration's corruption, incompetence and malfeasance. Each day, I'm proved wrong.
2020 - It'll either be an American rebirth or a requiem.
32
Why would we ever add another country to the "Nuclear Arms Club", thus escalating the nuclear arms race? If we were to do so, why would we chose a country that bombs and starves children in its neighboring country? This idea is unethical, illegal, and quiet simply destructive. Anyone who chooses to defend Trump or his administration for promoting this is either insane, blind, or greedy; money for US companies is not worth the increased risk of nuclear war.
14
This deal to build Saudi nuclear pants everywhere they can find to build them is probably worth hundreds of billions. What Trump could resist that lure? It will never happen that Trump or his son turn down a lucrative proposal no matter how dangerous, even suicidal for the US. Provided Republicans allow it. Joke.
12
Given that every Trump accusation inflicted on an enemy is an accurate projection of his own vice, we can now agree that his campaign’s Swamp refers to himself and his entourage. Its dark ooze stinks worse the deeper you look.
The most recent tweet regarding treason is just as apt.
9
Saudis were the majority of the 911 terrorists, sure let’s give them nukes because they’ll loan money to trump. Is it still a loan if trump doesn’t pay it back?
11
A person doesn't have to be an expert on Middle East geopolitics, nuclear power, or nuclear non-proliferation to know that Trump and his associates are proven liars, and proven shady and/or criminal dealers; anyone with half a brain who pays attention to the news has seen proof of this.
Now, we have no reason to grant these guys the benefit of the doubt on the ethics of possible US/Saudi nuclear venture dealings, though I know the US justice system demands that we do so.
The dirt keeps getting kicked up around Trump and his administration and associates. Why? Because they're dirty! Waiting... and waiting... and waiting, for Trump et. al. to be brought to justice is getting really painful.
15
So how is this president going to be good for Israel exactly (not to say the rest of the world)? Waiting to see what’s the latest excuse apologists will come up with.
Wake up to the con already!
11
Interesting...
“Whistleblower” mentioned in the title – 16 more times, later on...
Time was, our nuclear physicists would win prizes for their groundbreaking work...
Now, what we prize most in the US has apparently shifted...
https://www.sec.gov/news/press-release/2018-44
"...The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced its highest-ever Dodd-Frank whistleblower awards, with two whistleblowers sharing a nearly $50 million award and a third whistleblower receiving more than $33 million. The previous high was a $30 million award in 2014...
.....
So, going forward – looks like our annual whistleblower prize in economics will be awarded in March, and the physics prize in February...
Be only fitting to award a whistleblower prize for medicine on April 1 or so...
First one should go to the inventor of free Medicare...
And need to be sure not to miss any women co-discoverers – as what apparently happened with DNA...
Perhaps a prize in literature, also on April 1st...
My money’s on the author of the Russian Dossier – even though he wasn’t born here...
At least we’re still doing some groundbreaking work on something, here in Great America...
Though our roller coasters are designed and built – probably mandated by some treaty – in the EU...
PS
You've given Pence the royal florid-skin and furrowed-brow photobrushing...
You know something we don't???
So if we ever get hit by a nuclear bomb provided to terrorists by SA, who are the GOP going to blame? Obama? Clinton? Benghazi?
The Trumps only want money, they don't care about the US. I bet they would know the attack was coming and would conveniently relocate to Russia before it hit. These people need to be taken out of the WH and locked up. Traitors all of them.
18
Yes to all three.
It couldn't possibly be the GOPs fault...
The hijackers in the September 11 attacks were 19 men of whom 15 of the 19 were citizens of Saudi Arabia. Hmm. Let’s see. Saudi Arabia was never held accountable in any way for what’s its citizens did to our country. But that was a long time ago. 18 years. Another time another generation. And the Saudi’s have in those years shown that they are a civilized nation. A nation where laws count. A nation that would never murder one of its own citizens in its consulate in Turkey. Ooops. Yea they did that. Sorry. Can you imagine if those nineteen hijackers had access to nukes instead of Boeing aircraft. NYC gone. Washington DC gone. Don’t give or sell these people anything nuclear civilian or military. Ever. Bad idea. Really bad idea.
23
There should be Congressional Investigations into the relationship between Kushner and the Prince whom everyone believes killed the Journalist.
26
Meanwhile, the poor victims of the terrorist attack by Saudi citizens on the World Trade Center are told the money is running out to compensate them for their lifelong injuries. These retired generals are getting their pensions and fees now as consultants to help Saudi and Russian interests in acquiring nuclear technology and circumventing international law. How is this not treason? Take their pensions off them and give it to the victims of 9/11.
19
Wahhabism has been Saudi Arabia's dominant faith. It is an austere form of Islam that insists on a literal interpretation of the Koran. Strict Wahhabis believe that all those who don't practice their form of Islam are heathens and enemies, Jews and Christians included.
Saudi Arabia is the country where 15 of 19 9/11 terrorists came from.That's the same country Saudi, Mr. Kushner the Jew, and Trump the "new defender of Christianity" as per the Evangelicals have no problem selling nuclear weapons to as long as it "can benefit them".
As I've said in my 2 years old comments below, Mr Trump and Kushner only care about their personal interests when it comes to Saudi Arabia. From their support to Prince Mohamed, to the Trump administration plan to sell Saudi Arabia nuclear weapons despite the unanimous opposition of all US experts.
https://nyti.ms/2zdOsli#permid=24847048
https://nyti.ms/2zarxaw#permid=22951587
5
"In a statement, a spokesman for Mr. Barrack said that he would cooperate with Mr. Cummings’s investigation and noted he had never taken a job in the administration."
Man, work that into the resume for sure! Right after, "Education" section maybe, just make it clear: "2016 - Present: Never actually took a job in the Trump administration." Hammer that line hard.
That might give him an edge over Kushner if they wind up with competing narratives during any employment/FBI interviews later.
4
Do we need a law prohibiting retired generals from lobbying and consulting outside government? When military brass get in the mix of all the get-rich schemes our former public servants engage in, national security is threatened. In general, it offends me that high-level government employees of any kind can get paid well to do their jobs, retire relatively young with a nice pension and benefits, and then trade on their insider knowledge and contacts to get rich. At the very least, they should not be allowed to consult, lobby for or do business deals with foreign governments and businesses.
15
History repeats itself when people do not learn from experience. I am old enough to remember when the Shaw of Iran was our ally, and then one day he was overthrown and the technology we provided the Shaw was now in the hands of a hostile state.
6
@Bob: The Shah was installed by the oil industry by coup d'etat in 1953, because the overthrown democratic government had demanded too much in royalties to produce Iranian oil.
1
I'm just in awe of the types of behaviors that Trump supporters will dismiss or simply be okay with. What if Clinton or Obama were buddies with Putin (and relying on Putin's 'intelligence' over US inteligence; putting their children in positions of power; and cozying up to SA? There are really no words for what's happening. The degree of arrogance and utter lack of regard for our government and constitution is breathtaking. Is this the final straw? The beginning of the true end? Of not just Trump and Kushner et al, but of the GOP? Please may it be so.
19
Trump met with nuclear power developers last week to discuss the “Middle East Marshall Plan” – a cynical name for a company that aims to sell nuclear technology to countries in the region, including Saudi Arabia, despite earlier concerns raised by Democrats about conflicts of interest. It would also be a violation of the Atomic Energy Act - without proper safeguards, technology transferred for use in power plants could be used to create nuclear weapons.
Mike Flynn was listed as adviser to a subsidiary of IP3 International, the company behind the proposal. He was fired in 2017. But planning for the nuclear project seemed to be ongoing to this day.
Representative Elijah Cummings of Maryland said he had tried to launch an investigation in November 2017, but was blocked by Republicans, who controlled the committee.
Jared Kushner was promoting the IP3 plan, so that he could present it to Trump for approval. However the report highlights the complex financial ties between his family and the plan to build nuclear plants in Saudi Arabia.
Brookfield Asset Management, the company that bailed out the Kushners with their troubled 666 Fifth Avenue property in 2018, had acquired Westinghouse Electric, the bankrupt nuclear services company that is one of the firms involved in the Saudi nuclear deal.
Recently Qatar admitted that it "unwittingly" helped a firm linked to its sovereign wealth fund bail out the Kushners. Perhaps Jared thinks he could help Riyadh reconcile with Doha.
12
This is one of those days when I cannot leave the news and yet cannot believe what I am reading. On their own the Trump family are handing over nuclear technology to the Saudi's and we are moving forward to develop a Space Force because he noticed some other potential enemies?
We know who will profit from every single thing he does for the next two years. May we survive it as a nation.
13
Just so I have this straight: so we can't have high speed rail (any speed rail for that matter), decent airports, schools that are not crumbling, decent mass transit, parks etc, BUT we do have the money to build a billionaire barbarian nuke plants? Makes sense to me!
20
Does the "Iran has no legitimate need for nuclear power" argument still stand?
20
Jared should not be allowed to go to SA.He is a traitor.
32
@susan mccall It's fine with me if he goes, as long as he doesn't come back.
7
None of the Trump clan should be allowed out of the country (once the con is impeached). They have been given access to too much ultra sensitive info and have shown too little loyalty to the Constitution and the people it protects.
3
Just what we need: another unhinged despot overly armed with Nukes. Let us Not go there.
20
This is a quid pro quo between two Mafia families. Trump’s grifter son-in-law and his murderous Saudi counterpart are sealing the nuclear weapons deal for the next round of state-sanctioned terrorism. Don’t be surprised when the bombs falling on the children of Yemen are nukes with “Courtesy of the USA” engravings. Still, it’s helpful to remember that, not too long ago, Americans who sold nuclear secrets to a foreign power were executed for treason. Just a warning, Jared.
21
Tom Barrack, mentioned in the article, is a close friend of Trump. It was Barrack who suggested to Trump the hiring of Manafort to take over the Trump campaign.
It’s increasingly clear that this Administration is run by and for Trump’s family and his close friends. Corruption, thy name is Trump.
17
Trump, Kushner et al are a disgrace. How does giving nuclear technology to the Saudis enhance US security? It’s beyond comprehension how Edward Cox of N.Y. GOP to Senator Mitch McConnell et al could ever support and enable Trump. These republicans all are traitors beyond description. Shame on every one of them.
15
I sometimes think that Jared Kushner is the real power behind the White House's foreign policy.
7
C'mon America, rein in this crazy profit driven administration. Your security is at stake. #45 is a dangerous commodity.
11
CRAZY and DANGEROUS.
(All caps intentional -- it's appropriate to yell about this)
14
So Trump is enabling the unelected psychopath who ordered the murder and dismembering of Jamal Khashoggi to rapidly acquire nuclear technology?
How could that scenario possibly go wrong?
If you thought Iran has been reluctant to denuclearize up until now, just watch how they react to this news.
21
Another day. More crooked Trump information. It goes on and on.
14
"The Republicans did not touch it . . . "
More inaction on the part of debased congressional Republicans.
9
This is why Trump backed out of the Iran deal. To help those who helped Jared, to payback those who bought realty from Trump, and to get richer still.
Donald, please read the oath you took on 1/20/17.
US citizens, wake up!
20
@David Donald has the listening power approximately equivalent to an inert wall.
2
Oh Lordy, the great chairman of Tump's inaugural committee calls the plan of nuclear plants and know-how to the Saudis the "Middle East Marshall Plan", lead by the peace-maker in chief, the constantly smiling but publicly stumm Jared Kushner.
The Marshal plan was used to rebuild the war torn economies after WWII. Most of its funds went to the UK and France, allies of the US. Yet, a not much smaller proportion to Germany as well, the country that was foremost in trying to develop nuclear weapons to boot.
The German chemist Otto Hahn was the scientist who first achieved to split a nucleus in his lab in 1938 in Berlin Dahlem. After the war Hahn suffered from sever depression while in exile in the UK for some years. Hahn believed that had he not succeeded with his experiment in the late 1930s, atomic bombs would not have been used during WWII in Japan.
Now the Russian and Saudi loving president of the US wants to give nuclear know-how to the Saudis, a country that is still swimming in oil and could use solar panels in the desert for their power grid?
Nuclear proliferation? No problem, forget the murder of Mr. Khashoggi, as long as the Trumps and Kushners of this world can enrich themselves and their crooked mishpocha by making deals with not only Russia, but the medieval Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
When will Republicans in Congress finally wake up and help the nation to rid itself of this deeply corrupted and traitorous president?
18
@Sarah: It is a travesty for any of the Trump sycophants to borrow the name "Marshall Plan." It is a disgraceful use of the name of one of the most significant American achievements of the 20th Century.
4
You’ve got your history a bit mixed up.
It was Lise Meitner and her nephew, Otto Frisch, who discovered nuclear fission. But because they were German Jews in the Nazi era, Otto Hahn pretty much took credit for their work. If Hahn suffered from depression, it should have been because he, as a German, stole the results of nuclear physics from his Jewish colleagues.
Meitner was only recognized for her work after WWII, and the element meitnerium is named for her.
@David G.
Since my father, a young physicist of just 25 years of age was an assistant of Otto Hahn at the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute in Berlin Dahlem, and assistants were overseen by the physicist Lise Meitner, I am well aware that without the collaboration of Lise Meitner nuclear fission would not have been possible at that time.
The family of Lise Meitner of Austria had converted to Christianity when she was still a teen, hoping to evade anti-Semitism. Lise Meitner became the first female professor in Berlin, but was stripped of that title already in 1933.
Meitner left Germany shortly before the success of nuclear fission in 1938 with only 10 German Marks. Otto Hahn later said that she should have been given the Nobel Prize as well.
1
Why does Saudi Arabia need nuclear power, anyway? Are they running out of sunshine? If ever there was an argument for solar power...
16
@ Mark Jewett Spot on comment. Solar infrastructure would not benefit American businesses, thus the nuclear emphasis.
5
Saudi arabia has the second-highest amount of oil reserves in the entire world. Why would they "need" nuclear power plants?
15
So Trump repays Saudi fawning, Kushner gets financing on his building, America gets danger. My question: Is Jared's buddy Bibi okay with this? And if so, why?
17
If someone said to you 17.5 years after 9/11 a presidential administration would be negotiating a nuclear power deal with a still hostile Saudi regime you would at least look at them funny.
Frankly I have more trust in the freshman members of congress as well as the yeoman work of Chairman Cummings to formulate Middle East policy than Trump and son in law Jared.
25
There has to be some money changing hands under the table. Maybe 100 of the 5000 Saudi princes will buy a Kushner or Trump $50 million condo. Cha-Ching, Trump/Kushner pocket $5 billion.
Trump is an old man. By the time he’s ready to be charged and prosecuted (2021) his remaining lifespan will be less than 10 years. Kushner on the other hand might serve a few decades in prison for this type of activity.
16
This administration has debased fundamental American values in countless ways, all of which are remarkably reckless and dangerous. Attacks on people of color, immigrants, the press, sound economic policy, etc. all establish justified fear and concern within the hearts of Americans.
But there is one area that is equally dangerous and perhaps more pernicious yet less covered: this administrations blatant disregard towards and perhaps even advocacy for nuclear proliferation. It’s lackluster approach to Russia’s nuclear revitalization, it’s complete disengagement in current quarrels between Pakistan and India, and the brinksmanship-turned-ignorant detente with North Korea all point to an area of serious concern for all Americans. This needs more attention in the press and by Congress, less we return to the days of the Cold War or worse.
14
It seems like this could be a move by the U.S. to increase the ability of Saudi Arabia to become a nuclear weapons power.
6
Does the Trump family have a Saudi hotel in the works?
13
Okay, Trump voters-
Wasn’t it enough for you that your president has brought us within one deranged tweet of a nuclear holocaust, with his crazed statements about North Korea?
Wasn’t it enough for you, that your president has publicly sided with Putin, over our own intelligence services?
Wasn’t it enough for you, to see your president toady to Putin publicly in Helsinki?
Wasn’t it enough for you that your president made members of the press leave before he spoke privately with Russian leadership?
Wasn’t it enough for you that Trump has alienated every international ally this country has had, within the span of two short years, alliances that it took us decades to forge?
Wasn’t it enough for you that Trump publicly praises dictators, tells you that the press is the enemy of the people, and that those who protest peacefully ought to be stripped of their citizenship?
Wasn’t it enough to you when Trump threatened to withdraw from NATO, a move that would have disastrous consequences for this nation?
But now? Trump wanted to give Saudis some of our most sophisticated nuclear expertise, and bring nuclear plants to their country? Does anyone believe Saudi Arabia – home to 15 of the 19 hijackers, has our best interests at heart?
Now, Trump voters, you may feel like all these disastrous acts are great. But the majority of us don’t. We understand the damage you’ve done by enabling a mad man. And we will remember.
54
The scariest thing about this, and all the rest... is that 40% still support him... Sigh
18
The Trump Administration sought "government backing to have American companies build dozens of nuclear power plants across Saudi Arabia". Why would a country the size of and population of Saudi Arabia need dozens of nuclear power plants? This smacks of the tail wagging the dog.
13
And, giving credit to Mark Jewett, commenting at 7:59, why wouldn't the Saudis install a solar powered system? They likely have more sunny days than anywhere. The answer is, that would not satisfy American business interests. The economy's of other countries (China) would benefit.
2
..Jared’s just going over to check the balance on his and DJT’s savings accounts since he can’t do it over the phone or via email...
9
Please read the linked report. It’s worth it.
6
The entire Trump adm.,family and most of the GOP are traitors and should be removed ASAP.Trump should NOT be allowed to travel to Vietnam to collude with Kim and should be shackled in a holding cell with everyone even slightly iffy til such time they can be prosecuted for crimes vs America.
9
He threatens entire races and religions. He threatens countries. He threatens allies.
He chums with murderers and despots and criminals of all kinds all over the world. He threatens the planet.
He walls off his own country.
And he nonchalantly brags about a nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize. “Prime Minister Abe of Japan gave me the most beautiful copy of a letter that he sent to the people who give out a thing called the Nobel Prize.”
What a pathetic exhibition of kowtowing to the world's biggest belligerent bully.
They should rename it the "Ignoble World in Pieces Prize" until the Earth regains its sanity in 2020.
17
@Scott Montgomery
Brilliant idea.
The Nobel Committee should create a new prize, the Break the World into Pieces Prize, just for Trump. The prize should carry an 'award' of a $1 million fine to be paid directly to the United Nations to fund efforts to limit nuclear weapons.
5
It’s high time for the Department of Justice to appoint a ‘Special Counsel’ prosecutor to investigate Jared Kushner’s business dealings with Saudia Arabia, source of 15 out of 19 of the 9/11 terrorist hijackers.
Chris Christie is available and knows how to put a crooked Kushner in jail when the facts warrant it.
19
OK. . . . Trump cult. Please jump in and explain why you'd scream bloody murder if this was being done by a Democrat traitor, but you're mute when this is done by a Republican traitor.
Good lord! Was it the lead paint on your crib that the Republicans said was nutritious (or to paraphrase Reagan, "Lead is a vegetable."), or was it in your city water supply?
23
Idi Amin Got the boot and relocated to Saudi Arabia. I see a pattern.
8
Looks like its time to call all the companies and individuals involved in giving the Saudis nuclear power/secrets before Congress in an open meeting. The American People deserve to know what was promised by the Saudi's in return for this technology.
13
I've given up on asking, what next? The Trump-Kushner collusion with Saudi is if, anything, more alarming than the Russian connection. Everything we learn about these covert relationships seems only like the most cynical self-dealing imaginable. Does the prospect of Saudi as a nuclear power make anyone sanguine about the future of our middle east relations?
Once again, Congress has been bypassed, no, subverted, in the corrupt trajectory of these world class slumlords.
Lest anyone think that the only technology involved is power plants, please see the current plan in context with MBS's wooing of Pakistan with billions of dollars in aid. Pakistan has repeatedly demonstrated a looseness with its nuclear technology that has threatened the Indian subcontinent. Do we think they would be unwilling to help their benefactors, the Saudis.
What next?
9
Given Trump’s exceptional record on transparency and penetrating attention to detail and to ethical matters, his Administration obviously deserves the benefit of any doubt. And there are lots of them!
7
I’d say if the evidence is correct this constitutes high crimes and misdemeanors. Easily.
14
"Representative Elijah E. Cummings of Maryland, chairman of the Oversight Committee, first disclosed claims brought to him by one of the whistle-blowers in November 2017, and called on the committee’s Republican chairman at the time to further scrutinize them. The Republicans did not touch it."
Why not? Or am I being naive?
12
Were I to serve as elected representative, I might consider looking to advance the notion of a democratic Republic of Arabia.
Furthermore, I think that a deliberate attack on the rule of law and norms is effectively a defacto alliance with America's enemies, and is thusly treasonous. Such a deliberate attack may theoretically take the form of acting to enrich onself maximally, while also, equally, not crossing the line into extreme political illegitimacy.
While I am not privy to any facts and evidence, I am not reluctant to suggest these may not be implausible hypotheticals.
15
Why would the US not want to participate in having an ally with Nuclear power plants that would create a lot of jobs and economic activity in the US. Of course appropriate controls on the fuel would be needed, if we don't do this Korea or some other country will.
Conflict of interest it says... put your security at risk for profit... yes... why not...?!! Why not give that tech to a country that sent rogue killers to eliminate a journalist in another country and that created the worst humanitarian crisis in decades in Yemen... yes.. i don t see the problem... let also the people who were super friendly and cosy with Russia handle the matter... really sound like a great idea...
It seems that if you create jobs you can kill, elude taxes, pollute, corrupt ... where do you draw a line...?!!
6
How about 15 out of 19 9-11 attackers were Saudi citizens to start
7
Geez Vulcanalex, did you miss the part about the Saudi's providing 17 of the 9/11 hijackers? Or maybe that the Wahabist Saudis support the worst jihadi terrorist groups like ISIS, al Queda, Boko Haram, al Shabaab, etc. Or maybe you've missed how the Saudis export via madrassas their vile fundamentalist beliefs. Sure, lets give them nuclear capability, what have we to lose? A few dirty bombs throughout western civilization wouldn't hurt anybody. Right? MAGA
5
Given the finite reserves of petroleum even Saudi Arabia will eventually have to find other fuels. However, plutonium can be produced with nuclear power plants. It's important to be sure that the plants will not be used to make plutonium for fission weapons. Given his behavior up to now, Mohammed Bin Salman would make lots of plutonium for fission weapons. This technology should be excluded from his control until he shows that he will not start an arms race in the region.
6
You know, they have a LOT of sunshine over there in the desert.
Because it makes perfect sense that the country with the largest natural gas reserves in the Middle East would be thinking a nuclear power plant is an economically feasible investment? Why use their infinite amounts of natural gas to power the country when they can spend billions on a nuclear power plant?There’s nothing at all suspicious about that...fake news.
16
Well, well, well, doesn’t Tom Barrack’s name surface along with those of Mike Flynn’s and Jared Kushner’s at the most interesting times and under the most unusual of circumstances? Whose next, Erik Prince and Elliot Broidy? We’ve got the Russians and the Saudis, working overtime.
The GOP asleep at the switch for two long years. But her emails! But the deep state coup! But Uranium One!
24
To this President, Mexicans at the border are a greater danger to this country than providing nuclear technology to a king who murders his citizens and finances REAL terrorists. We live in dangerous times.
How about a US Marshall Plan, starting with our own infrastructure, healthcare, and environmental cleanup. Line 1 of the plan should be to stop scapegoating Mexicans for your own problems.
28
Politics makes for strange bedfellows. Here, an American Jew- Kushner, who presumably and logically would be supporting purer US and Israeli interests, is now disposed to bring up to speed in nuclear energy and weapons matters a retrograde, intolerant Muslim kingdom. This scheme is likely to bring more pressure and fear to bear upon Iran the archenemy of USA, Israel and Saudi Arabia ( the bedfellows ). For somebody who was charged to bring peace to the Middle East, Trump and Kushner via their conventional materiel, constant saber rattling and nuclear support is likely to produce the opposite of peaceful results in Yemen, Syria, Kurdistan, Palestinian Territories and Iran , if not wider still.
13
@Will Eigo - You're really overthinking this. It's simply a business deal.
Prince Jared going to another slumber party with KSM. He is going to explain the “economic portions” of the secret peace plan. Where are the “peace” portions of the deal? Getting a piece is now the plan. These grifters try to monetize every breathe they take.
15
This man is no longer just treasonous in his own country.
He's treasonous to the entire globe.
Is there anything, ANYTHING, he won't do for money?
29
Why isn't more reporting on Mr Barrack and his dealings in the Middle East? He is, as has been reported, the person that recommended to Trump name Mr.Manafort as the chairman of his campaign. He was chairman of Mr Trump's inaguration committee as well. NYT , we need to know more about this guy
7
And Trump continues to destroy the US as we know it!
The republicans don't seem to care.
What will it take for them ti wake up to the danger he is?
Is there nothing sacred any more?
10
Solar and Wind Power look like the most suitable options for Saudi Arabia’s needs.
Nuclear? Insane, Really Insane on so many levels.
19
"Representative Elijah E. Cummings of Maryland ... in November 2017, and called on the committee’s Republican chairman at the time to further scrutinize" the claims.
2+ years of Republicans doing nothing about a nuclear venture in Saudi Arabia, and there only response is that Cummings is not approaching oversight in bipartisan fashion? Give me a break. What is wrong with today's Republican party?
44
Everything
26
Now Israel, Saudi Arabia and US are good friends the technology should be shared.
If the good guys - Israel, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt are given nuclear technology and the bad guys - Iran and Syria are without nuclear weapons, peace will forever reign in the Middle East.
Why didn't someone think of this before?
1
Ben laden used to be a friend... we saw how that went... where did he come from already... mmmm
4
@PK Jharkhand 9/11?
1
Jared Kushner's security clearance was downgraded to Secret one year ago nearly to the day. Remind me why he still has any security clearance at all.
54
These people are truly out of their minds giving nuclear technologies to a country that was home to 15 of the 19 9/11 terrorists borders on insanity.
41
@Chris
Yes, and guess where they'll drop the first one they build with their Pakistani physicists.
3
The Trump "Presidency" : The GRIFT that keeps on giving.
22
Impeachment now.
17
How do you spell corruption? Let me count the Trumpian ways.
14
Saudi Arabia needs nuclear energy like they need sand.
18
@stan continople
Like we need more snow or a longer winter.
3
Do we really want to provide nuclear technology to the butcher Mohammed bin Salman?
20
Peddling influence is bad. Using the U.S. Government as a travel agent to fill your hotels is bad. Circumventing the Constitution by declaring faux emergencies is bad. Selecting self dealing grifters to run the Cabinet is bad.
Providing the Saudis, architects of 9/11 and financiers of Middle Eastern terrorism, with nuclear technology is insane. It undercuts a legitimate concern about Iranian nuclear programs, and places potential WMD in the hands of an unstable repressive regime.
When are the "Moderate Republican" Senators going to do something? This must not go on!
14
Saudi Arabia has enough oil for the next 5000 years. Why would we sell them nuclear power plants?
11
But we need a Wall.
7
This gives some insight into why the Judge in Flynn's case asked the Special Counsel whether they had considered treason in December when Flynn's sentencing was further delayed. Just a guess that the Judge saw all the redacted stuff. National Disgrace, Trump? For sure! Sad!
9
Is the world so upside-down, thanks toTrump's malevolous idiocy, that 'we' are willing to trade the safety of Iran's nuclear agreement, and allow an abusive Saudi regime to replace Iran...and abuse it's undeserved power, as it did with the dismemberment of a journalist critical to it's 'human rights' trampling? We must oppose Trump's corrosive adventurism before it's too late but for the crying.
8
If Trump has business interests there, they get whatever they want. No sanctions, nuclear weapons, turn a blind eye to nuclear abilities they have...
7
Every hour that this con-artist remains in The Oval Office is an hour too long. The GOP protects this criminal president at the expense of the future of our entire nation and every US citizen. As he blatantly pursues his own self-interests through secretive meetings with Russia, Saudi Arabia, and North Korea, gun violence and opiate addiction are becoming epidemics here at home. The misinformation Trump relies on (FoxNews) to promote his personal agenda has disseminated malicious lies about climate change, immigration, and the safety of vaccinations. Each of these issues is causing suffering and irreversible damage to individual citizens' lives and the lives of their friends and families.
In 2016 President Donald Trump was the greatest threat to our nation and its citizens' that existed on Earth. After two years of being protected by a minority political party that has chosen fascism, racism, misogyny, ignorance, lies, and fear at every opportunity, it is now clear that the entire GOP is a threat to our democracy, our health, the future of our children and grandchildren, and the national security of the United States of America.
It is now up to the voters to stay engaged and understand the gravity and the power of the danger presented by Mitch McConnell, Donald Trump, and the entire US Republican Party.
Republicans have abused the trust of the American people repeatedly and intentionally. They must be removed from every federal office before this nation can be healed.
16
Let's see. Pull out of a multinational nuclear control pact Iran was in compliance with? Check, because punishing Iran for complying is -- oh, MAGA. Right?
So, what's the next rational step after USA unilaterally pulls out of a deal Iran was complying with? Well, having human robot Pence tell Europe that they should join us in punishing Iran for complying.
One reason so many nations negotiated the pact with Iran, which included Iran shipping over 90% of their uranium out of the country, was because people thought that maybe, just maybe, having even more nations than Israel having nuclear weapons in the Middle East isn't a good idea, and folks agreed that if Iran was nearing completion, the Saudi's would feel compelled to get their own.
So it's not surprising to hear that the current Administration is considering letting the nation which spent much of the last several decades exporting the extreme Wahabbist orthodoxy worldwide get a bunch of nuclear power plants from us - rather than encouraging them to fill their sunny desert with solar power.
What could go wrong?
12
More evidence Trump is draining the swamp (not)!
It will take decades for the nation to recover from the real and prolific damage inflicted on the public by crony special interests within this administration. We may very well never recover our international stature. Sad
7
Do we really want nuclear weapons in the hands of the butcher Mohammed bin Salman?
27
There must be a kick back to someone he owes.
20
something i never thought i would witness in my lifetime: the house of representatives to the rescue!
15
So America is going to give (nuclear) weapons technology to the Saudis decades after giving it to Israel.
Gee, do you wander if Iran might ever want nuclear technology to protect itself against its two biggest adversaries?
23
When will there be a complete revocation of Kushner's security clearance, making this brazen White House interloper unable to continue leveraging his presence there for his, and his grifter spouse's, personal financial benefit? Hopefully, Representative Cummings will be making some future referrals to the DOJ for investigations into whether anyone associated with this nuclear "venture" violated federal criminal laws.
35
Let's see...how many of the 9/11 hijackers came from Saudi Arabia?
How many Christian Churches are in Saudi Arabia?
How tolerant are the Wahhabi clerics of Western traditions?
Pence, Trump, and the Evangelicals are idiots if they think they have an iota of control or effect on the Saudi Royal family.
How nice that Pence supports giving nukes to the Saudi regime. Maybe it will bring Judgement day that much closer, that much more quickly.
73
Great comment! Oh the Rapture!
16
@Facts Matter Not even to be sarcastic, but Mike Pence probably believes in the rapture, and is comfortable moving the world towards nuclear war.
The sooner this administration is seen in the rear view mirror the better.
34
Forget rear view mirror. They should be in prison.
9
trump and these people are unhinged
33
Great; what is possibly the most corrupt "government" on earth getting nuclear technology from the most corrupt US "president" in history. Just to satisfy crony capitalism. What could go wrong?
46
"The export of American nuclear technology that could be used to create nuclear weapons is strictly controlled under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954. The act says that Congress must approve such exports, and at least one of the whistle-blowers claimed that officials involved ignored warnings about such legal requirements."
Why am I not surprised? When have legal "niceties" ever been heeded by this administration.
Mark my words, if Donald Trump wants to do this, Democrats or no Democrats, he will do so maybe calling this another "national emergency." The president gets besotted by certain special powers (pardons, national emergencies) he has, and why stop at just a few?
Moreover, the man has no shame in cases where the financial interests of his cronies and allies stand to gain from selling out our interests. His focus is always what's in it for him, irrespective of the safety of the volatile Middle East region should a nuclear arms race commence.
15
Why would we ever share nuclear technology with Saudi Arabia? The very notion is insane, and it's a dismal sign of the times that the idea could be normalized in any way.
456
@Rick Trump is a traitor; planning on selling Nuclear Technology to the Mid East. Weeks ago we learned American Weapons systems are in our enemies hands because we spread them all over the Mid East. Nuclear Tech would be the same. Trump does not care as long as he and his rich buddies get richer. GOP sandbagged this for last two years. Impeach Trump and investigate all his allies. Ray Sipe
68
@Rick Why would we share nuclear technology with SA? That's an easy answer: Because SA treated Trump like God on earth when he visited in the 1st months of his presidency. Flattery has AMAZING power with Trump.
47
@Rick...both trump and jared are paying back and collecting billions from SA to give our nuclear secrets to them.Why are these traitors not doing a perp walk NOW???
46
Trump, Kushner and this entire administration is only interested in feathering their nests and those of their wealthy cronies.
Trump enriches himself at the expense of our national security. This is reason enough to impeach him.
484
@L
And pence is a reason NOT to.
3
Manderine,
As the head of Trump's transition team, Mike Pence was most likely in the loop on more than he's admitted to.
3
Middle East Marshall Plan?!? Saudi Arabia does not need our financial support. the Marshall Plan helped a devastated continent to recover - both out enemies and our allies. This idea of exporting nuclear plants is nothing like the Marshall Plan.
432
@Sharon Ferraro: No one in the Trump administration knows anything about history. You are correct: America dug deep to dig a defeated Europe out of the grave into which it was forced by the Allies in WWII. We have a grave crisis. And Betsy DeVos is busily dumbing down the American educational system. As a nation, we are far, far away from where we once were: innovators in education and science and medicine and technology. Now, we're up for the highest bidding. We're a transaction, auctional state now.
31
Maybe Frank Luntz helped this criminal cabal come up with that Marshall Plan nonsense.
3
I am sorry but this has to be the last straw for anyone and everyone who has even the slightest doubt that Trump is a clear and present danger to the US. Why would we give nuclear technology to the Saudis? The nation where 15 of the 9/11 high jackers originated. There is evidence Saudi government officials played a significant role in the planning and execution of 9/11. I cannot think of a worse way to increase the odds of a member of Al Qaeda or something other radical Islamist, getting the materials needed for a dirty bomb (if not worse).
69
The 9-11 families and first responders must be apoplectic with this administration.
This is nothing short of monetizing sensitive American nuclear technology for private gain by supporters of the president using an end run around the law. It has already paid off for Jared Kushner and the refinancing of his aptly numbered 666 project.
The Saudi royals have funded radical Islam for decades as a bribe to keep it outside their borders. Selling them our nuclear technology? What could possibly go wrong?
28
A nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia? Where to begin? Saudi money and Trump. Saudi money and Kushner. Flynn. Khashoggi murder. Pulling out of the Iran Deal. So much more. Also, just curious, does Israel want the Saudis to get anywhere close to having nuclear weapons? And, why to I smell Bolton?
21
GOP: Iran is not allowed to have nuclear capabilities
Also GOP: The largest supporter of state sponsored terrorism is allowed to have nuclear capabilities, in fact we'll sell it to them.
29
That is the hook. Only if we are the beneficiaries who sell the goods are we inclined to permit its transfer.
1
What do you expect from the degenerate Donald?
Who went bankrupt 6 times even when he cheated? Even when he stiffed workers and architects he lost money, lots of it. So incompetent that the huge odds are he is under water with more liabilities than assets, although he is a tax cheat. Even when he committed fraud with a university that gave fake degrees, he had to close the doors, as he had to do with many of his so called Trump "businesses", criminal enterprise really. Who was so corrupt that the judges in a foreign country voided his contract to run a Panama hotel with his name, because it was used for money laundering, even when they were threatened they would face the wrath of the US fake "President" (who stole the election with a Russian assist.) He is so broke that he had to rent his house to Gaddafi when the dictator was visiting the US and could find no place to stay in the New York greater metropolitan area.
So what do you really expect from a man who run for president and the odds are, he needed to betray his country to stay afloat? His credit had gone sour and only nefarious foreign entities kept him liquid. Trump needed to cash-in some quick tricks as soon as he was installed president.
I will not be surprised if Donald J Trump lives his last days in prison serving a life sentence for treason. There has never been a more corrupt politician in the United States history. Trump would make his competitors in foreign countries like Idi Amin, blush with envy.
21
"The Saudis are our friends! Let's give them the tech!"
I remember this song, when Ronald Reagan and Donald Rumsfeld were shaking hands and jumping in bed with Saddam Hussein -- making him our Middle Eastern Ally and Best Buddy.
Now -- how did that song finish?
11
@Daniel. It ended with Saudis blowing up the WTC. And Bush helping their family and pals get out of town.
9
I remember when Iran was building nuclear power plants and claiming it had nothing to do with building nuclear missiles. Sure, countries like Iran and Saudi Arabia need nuclear, ahem, power plants, not nuclear missiles.
At a time when Iran seems to be standing by it agreement not to building nuclear weapons, what type of message does this send them? That they may need to restart their nuclear missile program pronto?
And then their is ruthless Prince MBS, clearly not a guy you would trust with a hack saw, much less nuclear missiles.
And finally there is the corruption of the Trump/Kushner families, willing to do anything to enrich themselves. Disgusting.
9
Does anyone want to tell me which genius decided that the best non-fossil solution for a sun baked country in the desert is nuclear? Why are we not selling them solar panels & battery technology? ...meanwhile, while we flounder with trump, China's belt & road...
15
"House Opens Inquiry Into Proposed U.S. Nuclear Venture in Saudi Arabia"
Giving nuclear technology to an unstable regime is the most stupid thing that Trump administration can do. Chances are that, within a generation, the people of Saudi Arabia rise and kick out their current dictatorial regime. Then it is anyone's guess which group within the Saudi society will be replacing the current regime.
But one could logically assume that it will be a group that has been historically trusted by the Saudi "man in the street". Undoubtedly, that will be the Wahhabi clergy, which happens to be anti-western and, in particular, anti-Israel. This is the group whose followers did the 9/11 terrorist attack on the US. So, in the long term, Mr. Trump will be arming the Wahhabi clergy with nuclear weapons. Then is it a stretch to suggest that on their next attack on a western target they may use such weapons?
Apart from that, giving nuclear technology to Saudis is tantamount to giving Iranians the green light to build their own nuclear bombs. That would certainly destabilize the entire Middle East region.
On second thought, keeping ME countries unstable has been the US primary objective. That was on full display in Trump's first visit to Saudi Arabia where, instead of trying to create a peaceful ME by bringing Sunni and Shia together, he was trying hard to aflame their sectarian divisions. Even Turkey, a NATO member, has not been immune of US policy of destabilizing ME countries.
6
IP3 International website does not offer an address, location of operation. It only lists the retired generals and military and congressional persons as office personnel and on the BofD's . Looks like a front website. Kinda like Trump University.
7
At this point it’s almost easier to point out what evil actions the Trump administration hasn’t perpetrated.
10
Who is IP3 International. Their website offers no location, it lists retired military as directors and leaders, offers no persons with energy or nuclear experience, and bears the markings of a front organization similar to Trump University.
13
Ah! The pieces are beginning to fall into place--what is the Trump/Kushner economic interest in the plants? And isn't it easier to conceal such dealings with an autocratic/dictatorial government than with one based on the same principles the US supposedly avows? I hope the House Oversight Committee will investigate this matter to the fullest.
9
Whenever the word nuclear and the name Trump are in the same sentence, the hairs on the back of my neck stand at attention.
13
American companies build dozens of nuclear power plants across Saudi Arabia,
So the democrats with the "Green" agenda don't want this?
@ron We don’t want WH officials to profit from it.
3
So a sun drenched country in the desert could easily get by with solar and storage. Solar panels can't be turned into weapons of mass destruction. You do know where 15 of 19 9/11 hi jackers came from? I guess not.
3
After Trump spreads nuclear technology to the Middle East, after Trump pulls out of a nuclear control pact with Iran, after Trump pulls out of a nuclear arms control treaty with Russia, after Trump supports Kim Jong-Un, Putin, and Mohammad Bin Salman over US Intelligence, Defense, and State Department experts, after Trump endangers the fate of the earth by fighting to make climate change worse, after Trump disrupts US alliances with every democratic country in the West, after all of this he thinks he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize. He deserves to be exiled to Saudi Arabia, and he would love it there.
84
@MEM I was thinking Guantanamo.
17
@MEM
Trump defending on TV his nomination to the Nobel by Japan's Prime Minister's is one of his best performances so far as International Clown of the Year. (Such a Prize should be inaugurated in his honour.). He deployed there the implacable logic of the madman. Why, he deserved the Nobel at least as much as Obama, who had nothing yet to show for when he got it. Not like Trump who had the brilliance to tell his PDB briefer that he believed Putin over US agencies regarding North Korean missile capabilities. This stuff is beyond belief even as it is happening in plain sight.
3
It appears that the GOP caucus in the House was willfully negligent in it oversight duties while conducting smokescreen investigations into trivial issues. How many other serious issues that the GOP either turned a blind eye to, or actively concealed, will be uncovered in investigations initiated by the Democrats? This is only the first crack in the dam. We could be in for a flood.
61
@arusso As I stated in my reply to a comment made by a reader in another topic today who stated that if Trump was reelected the US would be lowering itself into a grave, I stated that maybe we were now being lowered into a grave but we couldn't see it because we were too close to the action. This nuclear proliferation to Saudi Arabia brings us closer to the edge.
7
@arusso
Weren't some GOP members making a big fuss about H. Clinton supposedly selling uranium to a U.S. enemy?
Didn't they want to open an investigation and pursue criminal charges against her?
Where are those righteously outraged voices now?
1
Jared Kushner is up to his neck in benefitting from this deal giving Saudia Arabia a nuclear arsenal! Start digging and get the real truth why this was allowed; fifteen of the attackers on our World Trade Center were from Saudi Arabia ! The Saudi prince lied about his role in ordering the butchering of a Washington post journalist. It would seem there is corruption and rot in the highest office in our nation’s government. Trump’s presidency is making a mockery of everything America stands for and a mockery of all the brave souls who fought and died for our country.
55
Pakistan, the only Muslim country to have nuclear weapons, just had a visit from Pakistan’s Prime Minister Khan with The Saudis. The Saudis are giving Pakistan several billion dollars to shore up Pakistan’s financial troubles. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are VERY close allies. Keep an eye out on this friendship. The Saudis want nuclear technology which Pakistan has, and the Pakistanis want money, which the Saudis have.
A match made in heaven.
46
@New World
Make that 20 Billion which Saudi Arabia pledged to Pakistan.
It’s in today’s NYT paper,
14
@New World Scary as it gets!!
8
Republicans are selling nuclear technologies and materiel to Saudi Arabia, a country whose government gave logistic and financial support to the 9/11 terrorists and their attacks on NYC and Washington DC.
This seems like a betrayal of our country in a fundamental way, if not treason in the legal sense of the word.
48
This is treason in every sense of the word, legal or otherwise.
14
@Alex "This seems like a betrayal of our country in a fundamental way, if not treason in the legal sense of the word." Let's call it treason . . . in the legal sense of the word.
13
Plutonium-producing technology in the hands of religious extremists?
What could go wrong?
58
The Saudi/Trump/Kushner triangle is slowly being unraveled. It's interesting that, as president, Trump's first ever visit to a foreign country was to meet with King Salman in Riyadh, to sign a $110 billion arms deal. We all know how that is playing out with Trump defending the continuation of that deal as the Saudis misuse the weapons in Yemen while continuing other savage violations of human rights.
As the article states, the movements that could aid the development of nuclear weapons in Saudi Arabia obviously concerned whistle-blowers who were able to get the word, through Mr. Cummings, to the Republican chairman of the Oversight Committee, where it was promptly buried.
Thank God the midterms have finally taken the House power from the clueless, sycophantic, even borderline treasonous, Republicans. We also have to thank Allah that Elijah Cummings is finally able to restore sanity to the Oversight Committee.
48
How about a Middle East Marshall Plan that features the mass construction of PV solar collectors rather than nuclear power plants? Too easy and straight forward? Too inexpensive? Too safe? Not enough opportunity for corruption, cronyism and kickbacks is the most likely explanation.
26
@WmC Surely the corruption and cronyism would be more than enough to doom this endeavor, but are you not aware that the Marshall Plan was designed to aid impoverished and war-ravaged countries? The goal was in part (or maybe mostly) to prevent the USSR from taking advantage of the postwar environment. The astonishing (and astonishingly corrupting) wealth in Middle East countries surely should allow these countries themselves to do this, if they choose. It seems that people who live in a Medieval world are not very likely to be that forward looking.
2
@WmC Absolutely. Why would a hot, near Equatorial country full of sand need nuclear power instead of solar panels?
8
I need to know why sharing nuclear technology with the Saudi's is any less dangerous than having that same technology available in Iran. They have embarked on a much more aggressive foreign policy, including the war in Yemen which has caused a massive humanitarian crisis. Why would we want to give them potential access to nuclear weapons? Is this truly the way to peace in the Middle East? The Trump Administration is an aberration at home and on the world stage, witness the Munich Conference. Sad times for America.
27
@Dennis W Bingo! Bingo! Bingo! And Bingo! Sad and frightening times!
5
It's clear that the president is a threat to America. But with this insane nuclear discussion, the threat is global and existential.
The president MUST GO. ASAP.
31
Putin and Mohammed Bin Salman appeared very friendly towards one another at a recent meeting (they even shared a high-five). It seems apparent they are collaborating towards shared interests. Now that Putin is the de facto President of the United States, it is the logical next development that we (Putin via Trump) give Saudi Arabia nuclear weapons with which they can destroy Iran. I wonder if Iran will pursue nuclear weapons of their own to counter this move by Putin via Trump.
32
Let me get this straight: The Trump administration had planned to sell nuclear technology to the country that produce the 19 hijackers who executed the 9/11 terrorist attacks in lower Manhattan. This is also the same Trump administration that put us at odds with our European allies by withdrawing from the Iran nuclear agreement (JCPOA).
What could possibly go right with this policy?
75
The president is now in a true crisis moment. With all of the investigations and lawsuits facing him, he has an important choice to make. Does he stop watching so much TV or deal with the issues at hand? The old habit of just settling out of court won't work any longer.
11
@maggie. Thank you for this. Please investigate whether there are links between the Saudis endorsing the forthcoming peace plan and something to do with getting our tech. Very important part of this story
22
A legislative exercising their oversight authority over the executive branch?
What a novel idea!
13
I am sure that senior officials and government leaders in every country have a good laugh everyday reading Mr. Trump's and his underlings' shenanigans. Now we have become the laughing stock of the world and people point at us and say "look, there go the most hypocritical people in the world."
Has America completely forgotten the Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and everything is now about filling our personal coffers that we don't care about the consequences of our action 10 20 years down the road.
I really feel sorry for our country. 19 people from SA and Pakistan come and kill 3,000 people and we reward them with billions of dollars in aid to Pak, and nuclear technology ( !!!!!) to SA.
4 more years of this and it will take us a generation to repair the damage.
24
Politics, money, corruption, law breaking, and Trump aside, commenters here should be aware that the physics of nuclear power generation, including fissionable fuels, spent fuels, reactor technologies, and the potential of nuclear weaponry are extremely complex. So sophisticated that the science is well beyond the scope of ordinary journalism.
9
@rab Agree. That's why we have Rick Perry as our Secretary of Energy. Oops, he didn't know that nuclear issues were part of his brief.
3
@C.L.S.
He couldn't even name the department in a debate. He probably didn't do his nuclear physics homework either.
3
That looks like a fatal blow to the Iranian nuclear deal.
If the administration's latest folly is to succeed, it will open the flood gates for Iran, and who knows whoever else, to embark on campaigns to turn the Middle East into a nuclear threat.
Very scary!
12
And that worked sooo well when we shared nuclear tech with Iran back in the 50's
6
In the end, corrupt leaders seldom lose. Even when caught red handed, they usually can make a deal to step down from office, keep their ill gotten gains, and spend the rest of their lives safe and free. Even Nixon just had to step down to avoid prosecution.
I think Trump understands this. He knows he will eventually be completely exposed, but will probably never have to pay the piper. With this in mind, he will just continue to stall while raking in as much as he can, then step away unscathed along with his family. Only his minions like Manafort and Flynn will have to pay .
30
Why does Saudi Arabia need nuclear power? They have oil. They also have the best resources in the world for both solar and wind power. The only reason for them to acquire nuclear power is to acquire material for nuclear bombs, which would accomplish the Trump/Putin goal of further destabilizing the Middle East.
49
Hardly a day goes by that fails to reveal how corrupt these people are and, how far above the law these people think they are.
21
We now have a Government by the Russians, for the Saudis and of a corrupt, nepotistic family.
142
@Maggie, thanks for the reporting. Please add something to this story: who in the administration has the conflict of interest? Does Kushner have holdings in IP3 International? I think thats a big piece missing. Thanks.
33
@SE.. IP3 is an office in a little strip mall in MI. It sounds like a mail drop. The 'founders' are 3 ex generals from the Reagan Admin. There is little information about the company and it seems like this SA deal was there whole reason for being. Seems fishy to me.
18
The corruption of the Trump administration knows no bounds. When will Congress finally decide that enough is enough?! The Republicans have no shame.
58
@Dee S
Or backbones.
5
Okay your Trump backers, I'm waiting to hear you defend his desire to help the Saudis get nukes. Imagine how much more efficiently the Saudis could kill journalists, uppity women, infidels and Americans if they had nukes. 9/11 will look like a bar room brawl by comparison. And while you're at it, please explain how the financial interests of Trump and his crew should be of no concern to American citizens or our members of congress. I'm waiting.
162
Maybe Mr. Trump and Mr. Kushner are planning to put their financial share towards building the wall?
14
Saudia Arabia flew into the Twin Towers and killed thousands. We should be investigating Trump as a threat to US security on many levels.
137
@Jacquie
And maybe throw in an investigation of Bush for the cover-up of Saudi 9/11 involvement.
10
@GP
I concur, have always been suspicious of the Bush/Saudi relationship.
3
Friends don't let psychopaths get nukes!
This Trump administration foreign misadventure is truly blood-chilling. Enabling an MBS-led Saudi Arabia's development of nuclear capacity should fearfully stop every civilized power dead in its tracks. At best, such a misconceived path is as dangerous as permissiveness in the face of a nuclear-armed Iran.
It is a genie that, once released, can never be put back in the bottle.
43
This is open invitation for Trump to make a fortune off of the Saudis after he leaves office or perhaps even now. Who will stop him? The investigation might shed light on possible security breaches, but it is not likely to look at Trump's own pockets. Trump is cleaning up the cash while causing havoc in many parts of the world. He is the nightmare's nightmare.
38
@Paul Raffeld: "Who will stop him?" I'm afraid that Jack Ruby took care of that guy in 1963.
1
Selling nuclear material to an absolute monarchy (effectively a dictatorship like Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union, North Korea, et al.) is a bone-headed move for international security. I do not care if it is for nuclear power generation. The House of Saud will further enrich nuclear material to build a bomb, and worst case scenario use it at its whim (to Iran or Israel perhaps), or best case scenario promotes its international status to harm international peace further as it does in Yemen.
Saudi Arabia should not be encouraged as it is a rogue nation and not a friend to the US, the West, or any civilized country. Also, if we give nuclear material to Saudi Arabia, what message does that send to Iran? The clock is ticking firmly to midnight every second.
41
The article mentioned conflicts of interest, possible nuclear weapons proliferation, and the fact that the Saudis are not very good allies.
Not mentioned is a more obvious objection: Sunny Saudi should go solar, not nuclear. With so much open space, so much sun, and so much Saudi capital available for investment, it is the ideal location for large solar installations. Saudi Arabia could certainly become entirely energy self-sufficient with solar energy. And, if the demand existed, it could export solar electricity just as it now exports oil.
There is no need to replace a petro-dictatorship with a nuclear dictatorship. Solar is much more democratic and will provide for many Saudis what they currently lack: jobs.
I wonder why an enormous solar project ($100 billion, 200 gigawatts!), announced last year with great fanfare, to be done in partnership with as Japanese bank, is now on hold. Is it not economically feasible? If so, it could easily be scaled down now, then expanded later. Or, is it because such a demonstration of solar power's feasibility owuld jeopardize the worldwide fossil fuel industry?
22
And we're shocked by this - why? This is everyday behavior for this crime-ridden group and of course the kowtowing republicans will sit back and let it happen because their handlers need the money.
Look out for all the new buildings that will start to go up.
Follow the money.
14
Bears the resemblance of yet another quid pro quo relationship between the Trump administration and a foreign adversary and should be thoroughly investigated.
Also, I do believe that Flynn was working very closely with the Russians on this deal during the transition period.
14
Time and again, this administration has eschewed even a token nod to the effect of human rights on their decision-making process. This is what we deserve for electing a hyper-capitalist to this office.
6
When you look at this plan in the picture of the Middle East and especially the attitude by Trump to Iran, you can see the danger in this whole plan. Obviously, if the Saudi's got nuclear weapons, Iran would certainly want to keep developing them. Russia and China would be on Iran's side along with Iraq and Syria. Add Egypt and other dictatorships (there are no democracies in Asia and/or the West Asian countries) one has frightening possibilities. Thank the Democrats who won the House to open up this to the whole Congress as well as "We the People. . ."
11
Follow the money. Trump has to have had a financial interest in this under-the-table venture. He circumvented Congress because, as a career criminal, he didn't want to get caught. Too late.
23
The article mentions conflicts of interest, the potential for nuclear weapons proliferation, and the fact that the Saudis are not very good or desirable allies.
Entirely omitted is a much more obvious objection: In sunny Saudi Arabia, they should be going solar, not nuclear. With so much sun and so much open space, it is the perfect place to construct a solar grid. In fact, Saudi Arabia could go far beyond energy self-sufficiency to, if the demand was there, become a net exporter of solar electricity, much as they are now an exporter of oil.
There is no need for a nuclear-based dictatorship to replace the current petro-dictatorship. Solar is much more compatible with democracy, and the labor needed to install and run it would help provide what too many Saudis don't have - real jobs.
I wonder why a gigantic ($100 billion, 200 gigawatts!) solar project, annnounced last year and in cooperation with a Japanese bank, is on hold. Is it too big? It could be scaled back, to be expanded later. Or is the fear that such a dramatic demonstration would show the silliness of continued oil and gas exploration worldwide?
11
So grateful that the Democrats finally have control of the House. It goes without saying that Republicans, corrupt to their very cores, would ignore oversight responsibility and would instead try to intimidate whistleblowers in a perfectly transparent effort to keep anyone else from coming forward with evidence of malfeasance.
20
@M.
Democrats, as well as Republicans take lobbyists money. Unless a statesman steps forward it appears there is little hope for us. Whatever happened to elected officials representing the citizens of The U S?
1
@e.s. Well, we handed off all our Rights to our legislators, along with Citizens United, by allowing Republicans to steal Elections -- and the Supreme Court.
Now, if you don't have much money, you can't have much Free Speech.
Orwell must be beaming.
1
What a tangled web they weave. Allegedly.
4
A place like Saudi Arabia would be perfect for windpower and solar energy, but here they are building nukes? The height of irresponsibility.
More impeachable offenses. Certainly no shortage of conflicts of interest in the Trump Administration, but these are the corrupt leaders the infantilized public clamored for.
I hope we can learn our lessons.
11
Grateful to Congressman Elijah E. Cummings for finally providing much needed oversight over this corrupt and dangerous administration.
28
A journalist who lived in the United States and worked for the Washington Post was not safe from reprisals from Saudi Arabia-they had him murdered.Do we really want to introduce them to nuclear technology which would eventually allow them to manufacture nuclear material.They are a rogue state ruled by an unpredictable leader.
29
The place floats on oil. Why are they building nuclear plants at all?
6
The Trump administration is one of the most corrupt administrations in our country's history - maybe the most corrupt.
11
scariness. thinly-veiled way to get Saudis nuclear weapons capacity. great, just great. you know...the folks who brought us 9/11?
besides, what does an oil sheikdom (any oil regime such as Iran) need w/ nuclear power? clearly not enough energy resources - hardly.
7
This administration will go down in history. That’s all.
9
Nuclear technology to the birthplace and exporter of radical Wahhabism, Osama bin Laden, and 15 of the 19 September 11 terrorists?
Why? How is this in America's interest? How is this even sane?
Oh, of course:
"The Cummings report notes that one of the power plant manufacturers that could benefit from a nuclear deal, Westinghouse Electric, is a subsidiary of Brookfield Asset Management , the company that provided financial relief to the family of Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law and adviser. "
And this:
“Saudi Arabia, I get along with all of them. They buy apartments from me. They spend $40 million, $50 million, Am I supposed to dislike them? I like them very much.” (Trump 2015)
And Lindsey Graham and other complicit Republicans want to investigate anyone who actually said out loud what is obvious to everyone:
This is an unfit and utterly corrupt President who acts against the interests of America.
1117
@LT, your comment should be a NY Times pick. I too can't imagine why in the world the US would want to supply the Wahabist jihadis with nuclear power. Does this administration have a death wish? This would be an absolute security risk to the US.
128
@JMWB the administration has no interest in what a security risk it would be. It's all about the money.
90
@KATHYD
No, it's not just about the money - it's also about Israel and its partnership with Saudi Arabia. Two nuclear powers (one of which, Israel, is NEVER identified as such) in the Middle East will take out Iran. That's the objective.
Even dropping out of the non proliferation treaty with Russia is pro Israeli! Everything is with this Trump family.
17
The Saudis have lots of sunshine - I'd rather we exported photovoltaic cells for them to use. I wouldn't trust the Saudi's to "accidently" lose some nuclear material to some jihadi terrorist groups. After all, they already support in one way or another the worst of the worst Sunni terrorists.
21
"...the economic portions of the administrations peace plan.." ie how big the kick back is to Trump, and Jared's percentage.
10
And people question why the FBI might investigate a sitting President as a potential threat to US national security.
78
This scheme is beyond ridiculous. If the Saudis want to "go green" they should install solar panels, just to state the obvious. Selling them nuclear technology would facilitate weapons development - again, obvious.
11
Flynn was using his retired-general status and contact with Trump on numerous corrupt, extra-legal fronts: Russia sanctions, Turkey kidnappings, Saudi Arabia nuclear power. Its no wonder the judge in his case was SHOCKED he was to receive no jail time.
And Tom Barrack. Trump BFF; Inserter of Manafort: and confidant of Saudi royalty, partner with Flynn(?) Somehow continues to skate?!
14
@MB
Barrack's day of reckoning will be coming soon. What about the other generals involved in IP3?
10
Saudi Arabia is a desert! They don't need nuclear power; they've got all the sunshine they need and more to use solar power.
Their morals are still in the dark ages. We shouldn't let them near ANYTHING that starts with "nuclear"!!!
15
I know this is a dumb question.......but doesn’t Trump know that the same fuel from nuclear power plants can be used to make nuclear bombs?
11
Unbelievable how incompetent the Trump administration is. After tearing up the carefully drafted multi-national agreement to rein in Iran's nuclear ambitions, now the Trump Presidency wants to give away nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia. Any person who is semi literate can decipher that the radical Islamic ideology at the heart of terrorism is derived from Saudi Arabia not Iran. Saudi Arabia has exported radical Wahhabism & anti-Western mosques & schools around the world. Hillary Clinton was prescient that Trump is a Russian agent working on behalf of Putin to undermine the USA's standing in the world. She also noted that Saudi Arabia has funded the spread of terrorism around the globe while at the same time spending billions of dollars buying military weapons. Saudi Arabia is the origin of Osama bin Laden, 15 of the 19 hijackers of Sept. 11, 2001. It sent more suicide bombers to Iraq after the 2003 invasion & more foreign fighters to the Islamic State than any other country as well as exporting Boko Haram to Africa. While Trump criticizes our closest & most trusted allies by denigrating them on the world stage (i.e. claiming Germany is a threat to USA security) he cozies up & fawningly & obsequiously compliments the world's worst human rights violators & dictators (e.g. Kim Jong Un, Duterte, Erdogan, Mohammed bin Salman, Abdel el Sissi, Putin, Xi Jinping, Andrzej Duda). The complicity of the GOP is treasonous & their greed & corruption will eventually be revealed.
15
Buckle up. Investigation of the kleptocracy that is the Trump Family Syndicate is going to be a wild ride.
14
We have an administration of grifters, cranks, and traitors. Money trumps all, and the Constitution is only piece of paper.
This is neither "patriotism" or "conservatism." It's whoredom without any benefits of the traditional kind.
21
Let's set a bar. You can have the nuclear technology; just promise you won't kill any more journalists.
1
Just imagine what NY would be like today, if Saudi, Osama bin Ladin, had loaded the 9/11 planes with merely spent reactor fuel, let alone an actual nuclear bomb. The whole NY area would have been another Chernobyl at minimum.
And the of course the religious guys delivering 9/11 had no concern for their own lives, nor anyone else's.
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Lord save us from Trump's "Middle East Marshall Plan", his venture to build nuclear power facilities in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East according to the IP3 initiative kicked around after Trump's inauguration. Only last week Trump met with nuclear industry executives to discuss expanding their presence in the Middle East.
Nuclear power will never be secure. Building nuclear power facilities in the Middle East is as foolish as Kim's building them in the DPRK. The President's chief ME Advisor, his nepot Jared Kushner, is traveling to Saudi to trumpet the President's Peace Plan next week. If this incipient bum deal isn't sunk because it's still being kicked around by the White House, then past time to sink it!
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If we don't, someone else will. The Chinese, the Russians, the Pakistani's. That does not change that we should not.
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@HT Why not also let NK pursue its nuclear plans or Trump just gives our technology to them? Russia, China or Pakistan might beat us to it!
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I am not a lawyer, but am curious what one would call it, when a government official uses his or her position to give potentially dangerous nuclear technology to another government in exchange for money..
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@Link
"Treason" was my first thought when I heard this news.
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I'm sure there are some, but trying right now, as hard as I can, I can't think of one of these alleged conflicts of interest or collusion/conspiracy events that doesn't involve more money to Trump and his family.
Direct loans, investments, money laundering, or profits of some sort or another. For access to this kind of money, the Trumps even appear to be willing to risk blowing up the entire Middle East.
What could possibly go wrong with such a deal?
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How is this not collusion and obstruction of justice?? Mr. Mueller needs to remove trump right away. Secretary Clinton needs to take power to save us.
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@Fred If Mueller had the power to remove Trump (he doesn't), then Pence would become president. As God's representative in government, Pence would be invincible. Right?
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The brazen criminality and open corruption of the Trump regime alone justifies impeachment. When will the GOP rediscover patriotism?
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@Demosthenes
They think their waving the "White, Blue & Red" flag of Mother Russia is patriotic enough -- same colors but not the same in so many other ways
5
And now we know the real reason why the Iran Nuclear agreement had to be torn up and shredded.
And just the other day, Mr. Pence, was lecturing European allies at the security conference in Germany to withdraw from the agreement.
Why should any other country trust the USA as a good faith partner now?
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Trump is either on the payroll of every company or else is doing business with them. How is he not in jail??
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It only gets crazier. There is in my mind no doubt that the single largest supporter of state terrorism is Saudi Arabia. Isis,and the other Sunni fundamentalists are not getting money from Iran,Syria,or Russia. Who will benefit from this deal? If they need clean energy;then please, sell them solar or wind generators NO NUKES!
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@Slow fuse
They have less than 45 cloudy days/year on average, so one would expect solar energy to be a valid alternative. I guess there are factors that are more important, for them, than renewable energy.
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Anything and everything touched by Trump and associates is seething with nepotism and corruption. By engaging with doubtful “allies” like Saudi Arabia and by making overtures to that unrepentant dictator Kim il-Jong and by attempting to build a relationship with Putin, Trump has absolutely tainted the brand name of USA. Why does he love to hurt America so much? I sincerely hope that he will be brought to justice as a warning to other right-wing would-be autocrats in our country. That’s the least that we can do if we are ever to walk proudly as Americans again.
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This follows upon the U.S. withdrawing from nuclear treaties with Russia (news that is barely getting any attention even though it sets us back decades and heralds a new arms race, to Putin's advantage). No wonder the Administration wants to keep all our attention focused on our southern border, to distract us from what is really going on.
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Trump isn't knowledgeable enough to envision or craft these ventures on his own. He's valued as a conduit, someone who will approve these kinds of deals from the right people. Saudi Arabia has supported terrorism against the US. Why would the US govt be interested in giving them dangerous nuclear technology?
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Bill Clinton got impeached over what amounted to an ethical impropriety.
One would think that Congress might have introduced Articles of Impeachment against Trump by now.
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I would like to understand how this will bring peace to the middle east. I am no friend of Israeli policies, but this would be scary.
Just as Trump has caused irreparable harm to our allies, what does a regime change mean in any middle eastern country? It only took Trump two years to undermine NATO, Canada, Mexico and the EU.
The Saudi's had all the 9/11 terrorists growing up there, so just imagine if they had the ability to make nuclear weapons. Trump and his ridiculous son in law don't have a clue.
If we don't have a regime change in 2020, we deserve everything that happens.
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@alanore they are not ridiculous--they are greedy traitors.
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Call it synergy instead of conflict and it’s all good for these murder enablers.
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Trump talk: Muslims are un-redeemable terrorists and an existential threat to Christianity and the United States.
Trump action: Sell the Muslims nuclear weapons.
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Specifically the Sunni Muslim Arabs who have been at "war' with Shiite Iran for centuries. trump is totally in Putin and MBS's control?
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@WeHadAllBetterPayAttentionNow Makes perfect sense when you add in the element of personal financial gain for Trump and his cronies. Remember, this is the man who said economic and financial considerations outweighed murder.
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@WeHadAllBetterPayAttentionNow..That is so rich!
Trump is such low hanging fruit, in every way....I've run out of words to describe how I feel about this presidency.
And another thing....Nukes + No-clearance-Kushner = boom!
61
How much money would Jared make on the side backing his buddy MSB getting him a discount like he did with defense contractor calling them to get a 10% discount for his partner MSB a murderer . Corrupt crime family in the White House grifters will grift.
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@REBCO
"How much money would Jared make on the side"
Try 100's of millions.
Maybe not directly deposited in his Swiss account, but sure their must be backchannels to get his kickback.
After all, Price Jared was trying to open backchannels to Moscow without the CIA or NSA knowledge.
18
Despite Trump pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal, Iran has yet to start up any nuclear weapons manufacture. However, if there is a nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia, then you can be sure Iran will be ready for a nuclear standoff. Could this be what Trump needs to justify a war with Iran? Let's face it, he needs a war to get re-elected in 2020.
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@DSS trump is up to creating trouble as a distraction to his activities.
In the long run it may be that using a carrot as well as a stick on Iran would yield better results than falling in line with SA . The Europeans are right.
18
@DSS
Now the whole world will get to experience the 'fire and fury' of armageddon. Trump is a true danger to everyone.
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@DSS His space force is also now to protect us from immediate danger. Maybe that will be his war.
3
So Thomas Barrack - who headed the Trump Inauguration committee, which was recently revealed as yet another locus of corruption, personal aggrandizement, and possibly even illegal donations from outside the USA - was positioned as a key player in this "Middle East Marshall Plan"?
It seems Trump's promise to "drain the swamp" is coming true at last - we just didn't know it first would have to be filled with muck like Flynn, Barrack, and Trump Organization sycophants first.
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Seems as if many foreign players was planning for a Trump victory throughout his campaign. Maybe they knew something we didn't.
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@Truthseeker trump did say the election was rigged
20
Washington Post reported that “The Cummings report notes that one of the power plant manufacturers that could benefit from a nuclear deal, Westinghouse Electric, is a subsidiary of Brookfield Asset Management, the company that provided financial relief to the family of Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law and adviser. Brookfield Asset Management took a 99-year lease on the family’s deeply indebted New York City property at 666 Fifth Avenue.”
And here we have another possible quid pro quo.
450
Dan,
There's also an investigation into Middle Eastern countries (including Saudi Arabia) for working to influence our 2016 election in Trump's favor, much like Russia did.
29
Good Golly, giving nuclear power to the Saudi Arabian will usher in the first nuclear war for sure.
Again, this administration operates behind closed doors, abhors oversight and is disrupting critical foreign policy considerations through deliberate efforts to undermine established treaties and alliances, general malfeasance in our State department's current circumstances of unfilled positions and poorly chosen ambassadors.
The real danger is that the Senate and house republicans don't see or care how many Pandora boxes they have allowed Trump to open. One wonders how many get campaign contributions that trickle back to mother Russia.
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@Michael Piscopiello
The Senate Republicans know all right--they just don't care. It's power and money--the twin load stars of the Republican party. There is nothing else.
3
in short , there is no more journalism , there is hate and agenda needed to be pushed.
6
@Awad: What is the matter awad? Can't handle the truth?
7
Huh?! This is basic journalism reporting on what happened.
The only corruption and contempt is on part of Trump and his corporate cronies!
9
@Awad You're shooting the messenger. It's just a report of a government figure going about his business. It is not an op-ed. Nor is there any agenda for reporting it. If you find no use for it fine. But that's how the journalism cookie crumbles.
9
It´s no coincidence that: a subsidiary of the company which signed a 99 year lease to bail out the Kushner family from their real estate financial disaster at 666 5th Avenue would have earned huge profits by building nuclear plants in Saudi Arabia. What would prevent the Saudi´s from using the nuclear fuel, from these plants, to create a Hydrogen bomb and miniaturize these weapons to be carried on medium range missiles?
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Saudi Arabians are not our friends. To export nuclear technology to the largest oil producer in the world makes no sense. Also, who is to say that once a nuclear facility is up and running, the Saudi's kick out all those that are watching and do their own thing. It certainly would not be nuclear weapons against Israel, but against Iran.
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@DSS, Well, Iran first, at any rate.
4
Treason abounds with this greedy crew.
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The exercise of foreign policy by a colluder is unconstitutional crime. Arrest now Mr. Mueller.
20
Why do we want to export nuclear technology to the country that facilitated and trained the September 9/11 hijackers?
Why do we want to export nuclear technology to the war torn Middle East with all of the radical jihadists there eager to kill us?
Sounds more like Trump is simply trying to profit from this.
We complain about other countries obtaining nuclear technology but then try to export it to the most hostile place in the world!!!!
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We, don't try to export nuclear technology to the most hostile place in the world.
It's Trump and company that is trying to export our secrets to the most hostile place in the world.
22
Except that Israel already has nuclear weapons
Perhaps what should also be investigated is whether and how Isaiah spending the billions of American dollars it receives to defend itself
They already have the best technology in the world
7